Ashram Birthday

September 28 2025

Newly intitiated as a swami, and authorized to serve as Guru, Swami Nirmalananda founded Svaroopa^® Vidya Ashram on Sept 28 2009. Today we celebrate the organization that serves thousands of yogis, making a difference by developing their inner experience and carrying it into the world. Swami Nirmalananda says 

The birth of a person is into limitation, the exploration of individual identity. Shree Guru Gita says it this way: “Birth is into not-knowingness, spellbound by Maayaa’s worldly dance…"

But the birth of an Ashram begins the liberation, a process that benefits not just one individual but all who yearn to know the highest. For this reason, the Ashram’s birthday is deeply meaningful. 

Regardless of the level of practice you choose (poses only, meditation only, a mix of both or more from our many offerings), the whole banquet is available to you. Whether you come to Downingtown PA, or we come to you as part of our Mandali Travels, or you zoom in from home, you are stepping through Ashram’s doorway. Ultimately, this is a doorway to your own Divine Self.

I find a birthday to be a great time to consider, “How am I doing? Am I accomplishing the purpose of my life? Am I still on target?” This turns my attention to purpose for which the Ashram exists. This annual evaluation looks back to see how we are doing so far, and looks forward to see how will we fulfill our purpose in the future. Our purpose is eloquently stated in the Ashram’s founding documents:

to engage in & teach the worship of Paramashiva,

the all-pervasive Divine Reality,

focusing on finding and experiencing

the Divine within the individual human being.

Whether you are focused on the poses and breathing or on the meditative practices, you are focusing on finding and experiencing the Divine within you — which is you. Thank you for allowing me and the Ashram to serve you in this exalted purpose.

BLOG with more info:

Happy Birthday to the Ashram! by Matrika Gast