TEACHER TRAINING FACULTY

In 1975, Bharata, founder & director of Yoga & Inner  Peace who is 60 years old, began his yoga training at the Sivananda Yoga Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

In February, 1977 he took his yoga teachers' training at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island

in the Bahamas.  Over the following 16 years Bharata spent 14 years at the Retreat where he served in every capacity from cleaning bathrooms to directing the Retreat, from running and repairing the boats to helping teach the yoga teachers training courses.  His teacher, Swami Vishnu Devananda taught that all staff should be able to do everything within the ashram and Bharata, like everyone else who stayed long enough, had his turn at cleaning bathrooms, maintenance, housekeeping, office work and a myriad of other chores which are necessary to keep an ashram running - each task giving a little different perspective on the real meaning of karma yoga or selfless service, the foundation of real spiritual discipline.

In the fall of 1981 Bharata was transferred to Geneva, Switzerland where he directed the Sivananda Yoga Center.  During his stay in Europe, he also directed the Sivananda Yoga Center in Paris. 

In the fall of 1983, Bharata returned to the Yoga Retreat where he remained until 1993.  

In March, 1993, Bharata left the Retreat on an odyssey that took him from the Bahamas through Florida and around Europe.  It was during these travels that he realized that he must dedicate his life to the continued propagation of yoga teaching and he must find a place to start a yoga center. 

Returning to America in the spring on 1994, Bharata spent several weeks traveling around south Florida looking for the "right" place to open a center.  When he first saw Yoga & Inner Peace's location on Lake Worth Road, he immediately knew, even though he really didn't know anyone in Palm Beach County, that this was the home for the new yoga center. Yoga & Inner Peace was opened on June 18, 1994.

Bharata's teaching is characterized by a joyful, positive, can-do attitude.  Whether you are new to yoga or an old-time, advanced student, Bharata's spirit and energy will take you beyond your self-imposed limitations.  All of the teachers at Yoga & Inner Peace were personally trained by Bharata.

in search of rigorous spiritual practice and to study the scriptures. This search led him to many places, Ashrams and Masters in India. As the result of his experiences he holds vision of ADVAITA  (nonduality) philosophy and follows ADI  SANKARA ACHARYA.

In his early school days when he read an article about Swami Vishnudevananda in a local Malayalam newspaper, a subtle desire arose in him to meet this Kerala born Saint who lives in the west teaching Yoga and Vedanta. Also to see his Aero Plane (Swami Vishnu is known in many parts of the world as the flying Swami). This desire of Vasishta was fulfilled in 1972 when Swami Vishnudevananda visited the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh and Vasihta was also staying at an ashram in Rishikesh.This is the first meeting between the GURU and the DISCIPLE,  Swami Vishnu and Vasishta.The meeting had lasted only 15 minutes.  Vasishta continued his spiritual practice as a priest in various temples, and as a Karmayogi in  ashrams etc. In 1990 finally he became a full time SADHAKA in the Sivananda Ashram, Neyar  Dam, Kerala.  In the same year Swami Vishnu, in need of a full time person who can read well in Sanskrit, asked Vasishta to come to the west. 

Swami Vasishta came to the Headquarters of International Sivananda Yoga Centers at Val-Morin, Quebec, Canada, where he stayed for 12 years performing special poojas and worship at the Krishna temple, Swamiji's Samadhi Estate, and around the ashram. Many of the swamiji's disciples and devotees felt a strong relationship between Vishnudevanada and Vashishtananda. He was appointed first priest at Subrmanya and Ayyappa Temple from it's opening in1994and stayed until  2002. During his period as priest, the public experienced a high energy and divinity in this hill temple. Recently Swami Vasishta came to Sivananda Yoga Ranch by the invitation of Swami Srinivasananda, director .Vasishta feels and believe that the Master is still living there. He dedicates his service for Him. May the Master's blessings shower upon him to be an instrument in his hand.