The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru | i

CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

THE WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL & The Woodstock Guru

ii | ex p l o r e in T e G r a l Yo G a

W h a t i s i n t e g r a l Y o g a®

The Integral Yoga teachings of Swami Satchidananda are a pathway to an

“easeful body, peaceful mind, and a useful life” and to harmony, balance, integration,

and Self-realization.

The Integral Yoga method is a synthesis of six classical branches of Yoga: Hatha,

Raja, Japa, Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana. Its aim is to purify and calm the body and mind

in order to experience the peace and joy that is our true nature.

Integral Yoga practitioners bring that peace into the world by fostering interfaith

harmony and leading service-oriented lives. Founded in 1966, there are currently 30

Integral Yoga centers on six of the seven continents and 5,000 teachers worldwide.

The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru | 1

C O N T E N T S

Getting to Woodstock 3

WhoIsSwamiSatchidananda 4

TheWoodstockGuruGets“theCall” 8

SwamiSatchidananda’sOpeningAddress 10

ListentoSwamiSatchidananda’sOpeningTalk 12

WatchtheOpeningofWoodstock 12

After Woodstock: The Untold Story 13

FromEasttoWest:Woodstock’sEnduringImpact14

TheSatchidanandaEffect 17

IntegralYogaInspiredPrograms 20

ServiceinSatchidananda 21

Integral Yoga® Timeline 22

Quick Reference: Blurbs and Photo Gallery 25

Contact Information/Links Backcover

“Let all our actions and all our arts express Yoga. Through that sacred art of music,

let us find peace that will pervade all over the globe. Let us not fight for peace,

but let us find peace within ourselves first . . . The future of the whole world is in your hands.”

~SriSwamiSatchidananda,1969WoodstockMusicFestival(excerpt from opening address)

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About Swami Satchidananda and the Journey to Woodstock

4 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

SriSwamiSatchidanandawasoneofthegreatYogamastersto bring the classical YogatraditiontotheWesternworldinthe1960s.HetaughtYogaposturesandmeditation,andhe introduced students to avegetarian diet and a morecompassionatelifestyle.

Duringthisperiodofculturalawakening, iconic pop artistPeterMaxandasmallcircleofhisartistfriendsinvitedSwamiSatchidananda to extend anintendedtwo-dayvisittoNewYork City so that they couldlearn from him the secret ofexperiencing physical health,mental peace, and spiritualenlightenment.

Three years later, he ledsomehalfamillionAmericanyouth in chanting “Om,”whenhedeliveredtheofficialopeningremarksatthe1969Woodstock Music and ArtFestival and became knownas“theWoodstockGuru.”

ThedistinctiveteachingsthathebroughtwithhimblendthephysicaldisciplineofYoga,thespiritualphilosophyofIndia,andtheinterfaithidealshepioneered.ThesetechniquesandconceptsinfluencedagenerationandspawnedaYogaculturethatisflourishingtoday.Currently,over35millionAmericans(and300millionworldwide)practiceYogaasameansformanagingstress,promotinghealth,slowingdowntheagingprocess,andcreatingamoremeaningfullife.

TheteachingsofSwamiSatchidanandahavespreadintothemainstream,withover30IntegralYogaInstitutesandCentersonsixcontinents.Today,IntegralYogaInstitutes,teachingcenters,andcertifiedteachers throughout the United States and abroad offer classes, workshops, retreats, and teachertrainingprogramsfeaturingallaspectsofIntegralYoga.TheIntegralYogaglobalcommunityincludesover5,000IntegralYogateachers—manyofwhomhavebecomeleaders inthechangingparadigmof modern Yoga and healthcare, as well as founding successful programs for specific populations.

W h o I s S w a m i S a t c h i d a n a n d a ?

IntegralYoga-inspiredprogramsincludeDr.DeanOrnish’slandmarkworkinreversingheartdisease,Dr.MichaelLerner’snotedCommonwealCancerHelpprogram,SoniaSumar’sYogafortheSpecialChild,andRev.JivanaHeyman’sAccessibleYoga,amongmanyothers.

In1979,SwamiSatchidanandawasinspiredtoestablishSatchidanandaAshram–Yogaville®.Foundedon his teachings, it is a large residential community, with a programs and retreat center, trainingacademyforYogaandYogatherapy,andwherepeopleofvariousfaithsandbackgroundscancometorealizetheiressentialoneness.

OneofthefocalpointsofYogavilleistheLightOfTruthUniversalShrine(LOTUS).ThisuniqueinterfaithshrinehonorstheSpiritthatunitesalltheworldreligions,whileitcelebratestheirdiversity.Peoplefromallovertheworldcometheretomeditateandpray.Ontheoccasionofhisbirthcentennialin2014,asecondshrinewasopenedatSwamiSatchidananda’sbirthplaceinSouthIndia.

Swami Satchidananda served on the advisory boards of many Yoga, world peace, and interfaithorganizations.Over theyears,he receivedmanyhonors forhishumanitarian service, including theJulietHollisterAwardpresentedattheUnitedNationsandin2002,theUThantPeaceAward.In2014,he was posthumously honored as an “interfaith visionary,” with the James Parks Morton InterfaithAwardbytheInterfaithCenterofNewYork.

SwamiSatchidanandaistheauthorofnumerousbooks,whilehistranslationandcommentaryonThe Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,thefoundationofYogaphilosophy,isthebest-sellingbookofitskind.Heisalsothesubjectofthedocumentary,Living Yoga: The life and teachings of Swami Satchidananda.

Formoreinformation,visit:www.swamisatchidananda.org

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“The dedicated ever enjoy Supreme Peace. Therefore, live only to serve.”

6 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

Y O G A T R A I L B L A Z E R and

Wellness Pioneer

WhenSwamiSatchidanandafirstarrived in theWestin1966,Yogawaslargelyunknowninthatpartoftheworld.TherewerenoHathaclassesatthelocalYMCA.Healthfoodstorescontainedonlybottlesofvitaminsupplementsandphotosofbodybuilders.Fewunderstoodthemeaningof karma. When most people thought of ayogi, theyrememberedapopularcartoonmansleepingonabedofnails.

AllthischangedwhenSriSwamiSatchidanandaarrived in the West. The distinctive teachingsthat he brought with him integrated thephysical discipline of Yoga, the spiritualphilosophy of India, and the interfaith idealsthat he pioneered. Those techniques andconceptsinfluencedagenerationandspawnedaYogaculturethatisflourishingtoday.

SwamiSatchidananda’scontributionstoYogaintheWestarevast.

A few milestones as a Yoga trailblazer:

n CreatedoneofthefirstYogaTeacher Trainingandcertificationprograms

n InitiatedoneofthefirstYogaprograms inprisonsanddrugrehabcenters

n FoundedthefirstYogamagazineinAmerica

n Establishedoneofthefirstresidential Yogaashrams

n Createdtranslationandcommentaryon TheYogaSutrasofPatanjali, whichbecame thetop-sellingeditionofthisYogaclassic

A few milestones as a wellness pioneer:

n Lectured widely, including at medical schools andconferences,onthehealingpowerofYoga

n Inspired integrative health pioneers like Dr.DeanOrnishandDr.MehmetOz

n Advancedourunderstandingofthemind-body connection

n Opened the first vegetarian health food store inNewYorkCityandlaterinVirginia.TheVirginia storeremainstheonlysuchstoreinitsarea

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I N T E R F A I T H V I S I O N A R Y

Swami Satchidananda considered himself a world citizen and served on the advisory boards ofnumerousworldpeaceandinterfaithorganizations.Widelyrecognizedasoneofthepioneersoftheinterfaithmovement,hesponsoredinterfaithservicesandconferencesforover50years.Hetaughtthat realunitymeansacceptingall thevariouspaths to theoneSource,andthat iswhat interfaithunderstandingisallabout.In1986,hecrystallizedtheseideasbybuildingtheLightOfTruthUniversalShrine(LOTUS)inVirginia,thefirstinterfaithshrinetohousealtarsforalloftheworld’sfaiths.LOTUSIndiaopenedin2014.

A F E W M I L E S T O N E S A S A N I N T E R F A I T H V I S I O N A R Y :

n Developedthefirstinterfaithsilentretreatandinterfaithretreatcenter

n Createdoneofthefirstinterfaithworshipservices

n CofoundedthefirstinterfaithseminaryinAmerica

n Inspiredthefirstinterfaithkirtan

n BuiltthefirstinterfaithshrineinAmerica

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Abitmorethan100milesduenorthoftheEmpireStatebuildinginNewYorkCity,recentrainshasgivenrisetomuddyroadsandfarmlandfields.Now,amassivetrafficjamwasforming,andthekidskeptpouringontotherentedfarmland.Statepoliceweregettingworried.

MichaelLang,themainfestivalorganizer,wasalsostartingtobecomeconcernedandbeganlookingforsomeonetosetapeaceful,spiritualtone.Langcalledhisfriend,artistPeterMaxandaskedwhohethoughtshouldopentheFestival.Maxrecalls,“Iansweredwithouthesitation,‘MySwami,SwamiSatchidananda.’”

InhisYoga studioon thewest sideofManhattan, the tall, gentleguru from Indiawasatpeace. Itishighlyunlikely thatheknewwhatwasabout tohappen, thathewasabout tobepickedupandliterallydropped into themiddleofabrewingcrisiswithmany livesatstake.SwamiSatchidanandahadjustfinishedsupervisingthetracingofaHathaYogaclassfor35youngadultswhenhissecretarygentlyinterruptedhisconversationwithoneofthestudents.“Swamiji,it’sPeterMax.SomethingabouthundredsofthousandsofyoungpeopleatthatmusicfestivalinWoodstock.”

Threeyearsearlier,Max,thepreeminentAmericanpainterofhistimehadconvincedtheSwamitobring his gentle, peace-inducing form ofYoga fromIndia toAmerica.Theguru tookthe phone in hand and listened with histrademarkintensefocus.Heshookhisheadin agreement and replied, “Okay, Atman”(Max’s “Yoga name”), when Max said he’dsendalimotopickuptheSwamiforthedrivetoBethel,NewYork.

VictorArjunaZurbel—aclosefriendofPeterMaxwhohadhelpedhosttheSwamiwhenhefirstarrivedinNewYork—describedthesceneas the limo approached the Festival area, “Iwas sitting in the center front seat. On myright,riding“shotgun”wastheSwami.Sittingintheback,wasfolksingerTimHarden(“IfIWereaCarpenter”),andtwoofhismusicians.Despite our all-access VIP status, we wereupagainst thebiggest traffic jamtoeverhitNewYorkState.Eventually thetrafficwouldbe backed up for twenty miles. The driver,whowasonawalkie-talkiesaid,“Getready,they’resendinginahelicopter.”Sureenough,

T h e W o o d s t o c k G u r u G e t s “ t h e C a l l ”

Peter Max with Swami Satchidananda

afewminuteslater,ahelicopterlandedinthepasture,andSwamijiandI,alongwithTimhisbandmates,wereusheredaboard.

On arrival, we were greeted by Lang andjoinedthebackstagegroup,whichconsistedof Richie Havens, Ravi Shankar, Melanie,Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Sweetwater andThe Incredible String Band. Richie Havenswentonfirsttogeteveryoneintothemusicgroove before Swamiji gave his openingaddress.Butwhenhedid,itsetthepaceforahistoricthreedaysofpeaceandmusic.

Ina2018 interviewwithForbes.com,PeterMaxnoted,“ItrulybelievethattheSwami’swords set the tone for that generationalevent when he said, ‘Through the music,we can work wonders...The entire world isgoingtowatchthis.TheentireworldisgoingtoknowthatwhattheAmericanyouthcandotohumanity.’”

PhilGoldberg,authorofAmerican Vedasuggests,“Ofalltheiconicimages,theonethatbestcapturedwhatendures from the1960s is theorange-robedSwamiSatchidanandaaddressing themultitude.ThatphotostandsasapotentsymbolofthemeetingofEastandWestthathastransformedAmericanculture.WhilemostofthevaluesthatWoodstockwassaidtoembodyfadedawayasthebabyboomersgrewup,theembraceofEasternspiritualityhasonlygrownstronger,changingthewayweunderstandandpracticereligion,thewaywetakecareofourmindsandbodies,andthewaywecontemplateourplaceinthecosmos.Fiftyyearson,morepeoplethanevermeditate,chantmantras,readthesacredbooksoftheEast,and,participateinthemulti-billiondollarayearYogaindustry.”

SwamiSatchidanandabecameknownas“TheWoodstockGuru.”TheIntegralYogaInstituteheandPeterMaxfoundedinNewYorkCityhasgrownintothelargestglobalYogaorganization,withcentersonsixcontinents.SwamiSatchidanandaalsofoundedYogaville,aspiritualandYogaoasiswitharetreatandtrainingcenterforYogateachersandtherapists.AsMaxtoldForbes.com,“Hewasn’tthefirstYogamastertocometoAmericabut,withhisopeningwordsatWoodstockandthecreationoftheIntegralYogaorganization,hehelpedmodernYogatakefirmrootshere,andintroducedittothousands,ifnotmillionsofpeopleintheWest.”Goldbergagrees,“TheimageofSwamiSatchidanandaatWoodstockwill always be a symbol of the moment when a battery of unconventional baby boomers turnedeastward—andinward—insuchlargenumbersthattheprocessbecameirreversible.”

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Woodstock organizers Michael Lang and Artie Kornfeld with Swami Satchidananda at Woodstock.

MyBelovedSistersandBrothers:

IamverymuchoverwhelmedwithjoytoseetheentireyouthofAmericagatheredhereinthenameofthefineartofmusic.Infact,throughthemusic,wecanworkwonders.Musicisthecelestialsoundanditisthesoundthatcontrolsthewholeuniverse,andnottheatomicvibrations.Soundenergy,soundpower,ismuch,muchgreaterthananyotherpowersinthisworld.And,onethingIwouldverymuchwishyoualltoremember:withsoundwecanmake,andatthesametime,break.Eveninthewar-field,tomakethetenderheartananimal,soundisused.Withoutthatwarband,thatterrificsound,manwillnotbecomeanimaltokillhisownbrethren.So,thatprovesthatwecanbreakwithsound,andifwecare,wecanmakealso.

SoIamveryhappytoseethatweareallheregatheredtocreatesomemakingsounds—tofindthatpeaceandjoythroughthecelestialmusic.And, Iamreallyverymuchhonoredforhaving[been]giventhisopportunityofopeningthisgreat,greatmusicfestival.Ishouldhavecomealittleearliertodothatjob,butasyouallknow,stillthousandsofbrothersandsistersareonthewayandit’snotthateasytoreachyou.

America leadsthewholeworld inseveralways.VeryrecentlywhenIwas intheEast, thegrandsonofMahatmaGandhimetmeandaskedme,“What’shappening inAmerica?,”andIsaid,“Americaisbecomingawhole.Americaishelpingeverybodyinthematerialfield,butthetimehascomeforAmerica to help the whole world with spirituality also.” [Audience applause] And, that’s why fromthelengthandbreadth,weseepeople—thousandsandthousandsofpeople,Yoga-minded,spiritual-minded.ThewholeoflastmonthIwasinHawaiiandtheWestCoastandwitnesseditagain.

So,letallouractions,andallourarts,expressYoga.Throughthesacredartofmusic,letusfindpeacethatwillpervadeallovertheglobe.Oftenweheargroupsofpeopleshoutingthatwearegoingto“fightforpeace.”Istilldonotunderstandhowtheyaregoingtofightandthenfindpeace.[Applause]Therefore, letusnotfightforpeace,but letusfindpeacewithinourselvesfirst.[Applause]Andthefutureofthewholeworldisinyourhands.Youcanmakeorbreak.But,youarereadyheretomaketheworldandnottobreakit.Iamseeingthis.Thereisadynamicmanpowerhere.Theheartsaremeeting.

JustyesterdayIwasinPrinceton,StonyBrook,inamonastery,whereabout200to300Catholicmonksandnunsmetandtheyaskedmetotalktothemundertheheadingof“EastandWest—OneHeart.”Here,IreallywonderwhetherIamintheEastorWest.[Applause]IfthesepicturesorthefilmsaregoingtobeshowninIndia,theywouldcertainlyneverbelievethatthisistakeninAmerica.[Applause]Sohere,theEasthascomeintotheWest.And,I,withallmyheart,wishagreat,greatsuccessinthismusicfestivaltopave[the]wayformanymorefestivalsinmanyotherpartsofthiscountry.

Buttheentiresuccessisinyourhands,notinthehandsofafeworganizers.Naturally,theyhavecomeforwardtodosomejob.Imetthem.Iadmirethem.Butstill,inyourhands,thesuccesslies.Theentireworldisgoingtowatchthis.TheentireworldisgoingtoknowthatwhattheAmericanyouthcandotothehumanity.So,everyoneofyoushouldberesponsibleforthesuccessofthisfestival.[Applause]

S w a m i S a t c h i d a n a n d a ’ s O p e n i n g A d d r e s s

10 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

AndbeforeIconcludemytalk,Iwouldlikeyoualltojoinmeandourgrouphereinrepeatingaverysimplechant.AsIwasremindingyouofthesoundpower,therearecertainmysticalsoundswhichtheSanskritterminologysaysasthebijakshara,orthe“seedwords.”Wearegoingtousethreeseedwords,orthemysticwords,toformulatethechant.Andifyoualljoinwholeheartedly,afterthechantwearegoingtoobserveatleastonewholeminuteofabsolutesilence.Noteventhecameraswillclickatthattime.Andinthatsilentperiod,thatoneminuteofsilence,youaregoingtofeelthegreat,greatpowerofthatsoundandthewonderfulpeacethatitcanbringinyouandintothewholeworld.

Letushaveasampleofthatnow.Thewordswillbe:“Hari”isoneword.“Om”isanotherword.Thefirstchantwillhavethesetwowords,“Hari Om, Hari Om, Hari Hari Hari Om.”Thesecondlinewillbe“Hari Om, Hari Om, Hari Hari Om.”

Therewillbeanotherchantafterwards:justoneword,“Ram.”We’llberepeating:“Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Ram.” It’sasample. It’sveryeasytofollowbyeverybodyandwe’llhaveagentleclappingalso.So,nowwe’llbegininaslowrhythmandgraduallybuilditup.

NowIwillrequestallofmyfriendstojoinme.Wewillrepeatthelineonce,thenallowyoutofollow.[Theentirefestival thenchantedthe“Hari Om”chanttogether.Astimewasrunningshort,Swamijiclosedinsteadof“Rama”chantingwithashort“OmShanti”chant.]

Thankyouallverymuch.Andonceagainletmeexpressmysincerewishandprayersforthesuccessandpeaceofthiscelebration.Thankyouonceagain.[Applause]

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12 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

L i s t e n t o t h e o r i g i n a l a u d i o o f S w a m i S a t c h i d a n a n d a ’ s o p e n i n g t a l k h e r e :

https://soundcloud.com/yogawisdom/swami-satchidananda-opening-address-woodstock-1969

W a t c h t h i s s h o r t f i l m o f t h e o p e n i n g o f W o o d s t o c k h e r e :

https://youtu.be/g8MpRSPneHs

After Woodstock: The Untold Story

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TheEast-to-Westtransmissiondidn’tstartatWoodstockbyanymeans.Itbeganmorethanacenturyearlier, when translations of Hindu texts found their way to New England and the bookshelvesof Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. It got a big boost in 1893, when SwamiVivekananda came to Chicago to address the Parliament of the World’s Religions and stayed toestablishthenow-venerableVedantasociety.Later,inthe1920s,ParamahansaYoganandatouredthecountry,visitedCalvinCoolidgeintheWhitehouse,andsettledinLosAngeles,wherehepennedthehugelyinfluentialAutobiography of a Yogi.Assortedyogisandswamiscameandwentovertheyears,andthen, in1968,theBeatles’wentonthemostconsequentialspiritualretreatsinceJesusspentthosefortydaysinthewilderness.TheirsojournattheashramofTranscendentalMeditationfounderMaharishiMaheshYogi(withMiaFarrow,Donovanandotheryoungcelebrities)touchedoffacampuscrazeandamediafrenzy.

Swami Satchidananda’s opening invocation at Woodstock, witnessed by nearly half a millionyoungsters and seen in part in the Oscar-winning documentary about the mud-and-acid-soakedweekend,acceleratedpublicawarenessofIndia’sheritageofinnerexploration.ThefounderoftheIntegralYogaInstitute/IntegralYogaInternationalandthemostpopularguruamongcountercultureNewYorkersatthetime,SwamiSatchidanandawashelicopteredtoWoodstockfromManhattanbyorganizerswhothoughtthatawiseeldermightstartthingsoffonaserenenote.Withhislonggraybeardandflowinghair,theSwamiwasrightoutofcentralcasting,andhismessageplayedtothegeneration’ssenseofimportance.“Americaishelpingeverybodyinthematerialfield,”hesaid,“butthetimehascomeforAmericatohelpthewholeworldwithspiritualityalso.”Heexhortedeveryonepresent totakeresponsibility for thesuccessof thefestival.Responsibilitywasnotaverypopularwordinhippiecircles,butcomingfromsomeoneseenasanadvocateofpeaceandfreedom—theinnervariety—themessagewas takenseriously,andanymisgivings thekidsmighthavehadweredissolvedintheSanskritchantthattheSwamiledbeforeblessingthecrowdanddeparting.Tothisday,manybelievethathisgoodvibesavertedwhatcouldhavebecomeacatastropheasthefestivalgrewfarbiggerthaninitiallyanticipated.

Thatmayormaynotbeso.Butitiscertainlytruethathispresence,alongwithRaviShankar’selectrifyingperformance,reinforcedtheideathatdowntrodden,oppressedandmisunderstoodIndiahadsomethingofgenuinevaluetooffertheWest.TheessenceofwhatweimportedfromtheHindutraditionisthephilosophyknownasVedantaandtherepertoireofpracticesknownasYoga.Togethertheyconstitutearichspiritualsystem.Buttheknowledgewaspresentedinsucharational,pragmaticwayovertheyearsthat itwasembracedbyawidespectrumofAmericans—notjustseekersofthetranscendent,butscientistsandsecularistswhosawIndianphilosophyasascienceofconsciousness,andmedicalpractitionerswhosawyogictechniquesasholistichealingmodalities.Overtime,theimportschangedmedicineandpsychotherapyandradicallyexpandedthewaywethinkaboutconsciousness.

During the 1970s, India’s message of higher awareness and mind-body-spirit integration wasincreasingly mainstreamed, until now, of course, Yoga studios are as easy to find (or sometimeseasiertofind)asStarbucksandmeditationisprescribedbyphysiciansforstressreduction.Onlya

F r o m E a s t t o W e s t : W o o d s t o c k ’ s E n d u r i n g I m p a c t

By Phi l ip Goldberg

14 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

year after Woodstock, thefirst experiment on Tran-scendental Meditation waspublished in a prestigiousscientificjournal.Therearenow thousands of studieson various meditativedisciplines, and thousandsmore under the headingof Yoga. Dr. Dean Ornish,to cite a well-knownexample,derivedhisworld-famous preventive medicalprogram, which has beenshown to reverse heartdisease,fromtheprotocolsof Swami Satchidananda,whomhemetwhenhewasamedicalstudent.

Of greatest significance,however, is the transfor-mative impact that Indianteachings have had onAmerican spirituality. Theinfluencecanbeseenintheburgeoning popularity ofcontemplative ChristianityandJewishmysticism,whichexperts agree would nothave occurred without thecatalyst of yogic practicesstartinginthesixties.Andanyonewhorelatestotheterm“spiritualbutnotreligious”canthanktheparadeofgurusandYogamastersbeginningwithVivekanandawhomadethatdesignationpossible.Thenotionthatonecanhaveadeepandfulfillingspirituallifewithoutacceptingthecompletebeliefsystemofanyparticularreligionwasunderstoodonlytoafeweccentricsandmysticsbeforeaccessto the East became widespread. Now, “spiritual but not religious” is the category of choice for27percent(accordingtoa2017PewResearchCentersurvey),andmanymorecountthemselvesbothspiritualandreligious—agroupthatincludesthousands,ifnotmillions,whoreturnedtotheirancestralreligionsaftertheirmindswereopenedbyVedanticideas.

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16 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

Indeed, the fact thatwedistinguishbetweenreligionandspiritualityatall—and that Idon’thave toexplainthedifference—isadirectresultofseekershavingaccesstoyogicpracticesthatcanbeusedbyanyoneregardlessofreligiousorientation.Thefactthattherearemanylegitimatepathwaystothesacred,anideafirstexpressedintheRig Veda asekam sat vipraha bahudha vadanti (“Truthisone,thewisecallitbymanynames,”or,colloquially,“Onetruth,manypaths”)ismoreacceptedthaneverinourincreasinglypluralisticsociety.

In the past fifty years in particular, what we have gained from our contact with India is far moresignificantthanspicydishesforourpalatesandcheapcustomerserviceoperatorsforourcorporations.Inhisclassiceleven-volumetext,The Story of Civilization,historianWillDurantexpressed thehopethatIndiawould“teachusthetoleranceandgentlenessofthematuremind,thequietcontentoftheunacquisitive soul, the calm of the understanding spirit, and a unifying, pacifying love for all livingthings.”Thatturnedouttobeprescient.TheimageofSwamiSatchidanandaatWoodstockwillalwaysbeasymbolofthemomentwhenabatteryofunconventionalbabyboomersturnedeastward—andinward—insuchlargenumbersthattheprocessbecameirreversible.

Philip Goldberg is the author or co-author of numerous books; a public speaker and workshop leader; a spiritual counselor, meditation teacher and ordained interfaith minister. A Los Angeles resident, he cohosts the “Spirit Matters” podcast, leads American Veda Tours, and blogs regularly on ElephantJournaland Spirituality&Health.www.philipgoldberg.com

T h e S a t c h i d a n a n d a E f f e c t

By Jeff Kamen

Fiftyyearsafter“TheWoodstockGuru”broughtpeaceintothechaosof400,000youngpeopleatamassiverockconcert,hisIntegralYogateachingscontinuetobesharedaroundtheworld.Heartsurgeons,constructionworkers,peoplewithHIV/AIDS,teachers,police,veterans,nurses,students,andparentsoneverycontinentarelivingincreasinglyhealthier,happierlivesbecauseofYogaandmeditation.Today’sYogapractitionerisjustaslikelytobeplus-sized,Gay,Black,AsianorHispanic,physicallychallengedorrecoveringfromaddiction,fightingcancerorcopingwithautism.TensofthousandsaredoingYogaintheirchairsorbedsbecauseofphysicalchallengestheyaredealingwith,fornow.

Yogawillhelpchangethatforsome,improveitforall.TheglobalmovementcalledAccessibleYogabeganwithJivanaHeyman,astudentofSwamiSatchidananda,whostronglysupportedthecoreconceptofYogaforall.AtSwamiSatchidananda’sYogacentersaroundtheglobe,workshopsareofferedfortheYogaofRecovery—abeaconforalcoholicsandotheraddicts,YogaforSeniorCitizens,Yogaforamputees,formilitaryveterans,forthebrokenofbodyandevenofheart.SwamiSatchidanandawasattheforefrontofbringingYogaprogramsintoprisonsanddrugrehabcentersfollowingWoodstock.Post-Woodstock,IntegralYogaInternationalwasthefirstorganizationtotrainthehighestnumberofYogateachers,withthefirstYogateachertrainingcertificationcourseinAmerica.

Theover5,000IntegralYogateachershaveschoolsandstudiosthroughouttheUS,Europe,China,andmanyplacesinbetween.Theseteacherspositivelytouchthelivesofthousandsuponthousandsof students as they share the Yoga practices and teachings and invoke Swami Satchidananda’suniversal message of peace, kindness, and compassion. Students of Swami Satchidananda’s likeHarisLender,whofoundedKiddingAroundYoga,hasbroughtthispracticestooveramillionschoolchildren—thechildrenwhowillshapethefutureofourworld.SoniaSumar,founderofYogafortheSpecialChild,hasadaptedthesepracticesandtrainsteachersandtherapiststoworkwithchildrenwhohavespecialneeds.

SwamiSatchidananda,thefounderofIntegralYoga,famouslydeclaredthat,“MorepeoplehavebeenkilledinthenameofGodthaninallthewars.”SoonafterWoodstock,heorganizedprogramsandgatheringsofreligiousandspiritualleadersduringwhichtheycalledonallfaithstoabandonrhetoricandbehaviorsthatcreateconflictandinsteadembracetheteachingsofuniversalpeace,love,compassion,andsister-andbrotherhoodcommontoallfaiths.HebuiltthefirstinterfaithshrineinAmericaandontheoccasionofhiscentennialin2014,hewasposthumouslyhonoredasan“interfaithvisionary”withtheJamesP.MortonInterfaithAward.

Fromthemomenthechanted,“Om,”fromtheWoodstockstagein1969,calmingthemoretheyoungpeopleatthemusicfestivalonafarminupstateNewYork,SwamiSatchidanandaattainedrockstarstatus—muchtohisownsurprise.Thefestivalrapidlybecamelegendasdidhe.Today,thehumbleguruisnolongerinthebody,buthispioneeringteachingsofinterfaithrespectandthescientificdisciplinesofhis system forpeaceful, easeful, anduseful (selfless) livingcalled IntegralYogaarepracticedbyanever-widerglobalaudience.IntegralYoga’sprinciplesandspecificmethodsareincreasinglybeingintegratedintothepracticeofmedicine,thetrainingofpoliceofficersandtheenlightenedtreatmentofprisoners.Liketheteacher,theinstitutionhelefttoservetheworld,islow-keybutinfluentialasmorehumanbeingsseektofindhappinesswithinthemselves.

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SwamiSatchidananda’slegacycanbe seen through his students andthe work they have been doingon behalf of humanity. Thesestudentsarephysicians, therapists,educators, poets, musicians,engineersandarchitects,andYogateachers who have enriched theirownliveswiththeteachingsoftheWoodstockGuru,whichbeginwithstretching, breathing, meditationandanorganicvegetariandiet.

In the ever-expanding universe ofIntegralYogaanditsrelatedsystemsis the profound contributionmade to the medical field. It ishere that Swami Satchidanandamade the deepest and perhapsmost unexpected contribution tochanging the way doctors thinkand the actions they take onbehalfoftheirpatients.Inthepre-Satchidananda era of medicinein America, millions every yearwould develop clogged arteriesanddamagedheartsthankstotheirdietsrichindenseanimalfats.Tensofthousandswoulddieeveryyear

asaresult.Manyofthemyoungandinterriblepain.Atthetime,Westernmedicinewasdevelopingtoolswithwhichtoeffectivelytreatsomeoftheconditions.Cardiacpatientswhosurviveddidsowiththehelpofdelicate,expensivesurgeryandpowerfulmedicines.ThenalongcameDeanOrnish(photo: Ornish with Swami Satchidananda),ayoungphysicianwhowasastudentoftheWoodstockGuru.

WhenDeanOrnishfirstmetSwamiSatchidananda,hewasanexhausted,depressedmedicalstudentwhowasn’tsurehewantedtokeepliving.SwamiSatchidanandahelpedOrnishgetpasthisdepressionandtaughthimhowtoapplyyogicprinciplestoWesternmedicine.Theresultisaquietrevolutioninthepreventionandtreatmentofheartdisease.Ornishpublishedaground-breakingpeerreviewedmedicaljournal(The Lancet)articlethatannouncedtotheworldthathehadrepeatedlyreversedheartdiseaseinhisheartpatientsbyhavingthemdoYogapostures,Yogabreathing,meditationandswitchingtoahighfiber,protein-richvegetariandiet—whattodayhascometobeknownas“lifestylemedicine.”SwamiSatchidanandaspokeaboutgroundbreakingideasintalksduringthe1970satJohnsHopkins,

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theAmericanMedicalStudentsAssociationConferences,andatnumerousuniversitymedicalcentersandhospitalsthroughouttheUnitedStates.UntilDr.Ornishpublishedhisresults,nophysicianhadeverproventhatheartdiseasecouldbereversed.AndheproveditwithwhattheWoodstockGurutaughthim.

At theUniversityofVirginia’sSchoolofNursing,M.MalaCunningham,PhD isaClinicalAssistantProfessor where she teaches courses and leads training programs in Medical Yoga. Like Ornish,Cunningham is afirst-generation studentof SwamiSatchidananda.Also likeOrnish,Cunningham’sworkintheburgeoningfieldoflifestylemedicineishelpingbringaboutwaystohelphospitalscutcostswhilemakingpeoplehealthier.ApplyingSwamiSatchidananda’steachingsturnsouttohaveexactlytheeffectthepolicymakersareseeking.

ThepowerofSwamiSatchidananda’sYogateachingslivesoninCunningham,Ornish,andmanyofhisstudentsallacrosstheglobewho’vebecometrailblazersandthoughtleaderspioneeringspecializedapplicationsofYogainvariousfields.Assomuchoftheworldseekscomfortindivisiveness,hatred,andtribalism,thosewhosharethevisionandidealsofWoodstockembraceglobalpeaceandharmony.AsSwamiSatchidanandainstructed:“Ifyouwantamorepeacefulworld,startwithyourself.”

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Award-winning journalist Jeff Kamen is the author of Warrior Pups: True Stories of America’s K9Heroes and co-author with Robert Kupperman of FinalWarning:AvertingDisasterintheNewAgeofTerrorism. His NewYorkDailyNewsMagazine cover story, “Facing the Terrorists,” provided readers with extraordinary access to the NYPD’s storied Bomb Squad. His news reporting and documentaries on national security, law enforcement, race relations, and politics have been featured on radio TV and in print for more than forty years. Kamen has reported for NPR, NBC News, ABC and CBS Radio, CBC and Mutual News. Jeff’s documentary, “Outside the Wire,” for the Air Force won the top prize for Pentagon-produced films in 2005.

Y O G A AT W O R K

ThisprogramisanopportunitytoimproveemployeeproductivityandmoralethroughIntegralYoga.ThisconvenientservicedeliversanIntegralYogainstructortoanycampus.Eachprogramistailoredtotheindividualbusinessenvironment.

I N T E G R A L Y O G A I N S P I R E D

IntegralYogatrainedteachershavealsodevelopedawiderangeofprogramsandorganizationstoservespecialpopulationsthroughYoga.ManyoftheirprogramsareofferedatIntegralYogacenters.

the natural solution to workplace stress

20 | The WoodsTock FesTival and The WoodsTock Guru

S E R V I C E I N S AT C H I D A N A N D A isanon-profitinternationalnetworkofchar-itiesestablishedinhonorofSriSwamiSatchidanandaandbasedonhiscoreteachingofselflessser-vice.ServiceinSatchidanandafundsglobalprojectsthatareworkinginasustainablewayandgivingbacktotheirlocalcommunities.Itsmissionistoraisefundstoestablish,support,andexpanditschar-itableactivitiesthrougheducationandskills,thealleviationofsuffering,andtogiveloveandservicethatwillnurturethelivesofchildrenandthosewhoareeconomicallychallenged.

This dedicated global coalition of people works with other non-profit organizations, donors,and well-wishers, through established and new services, to positively impact the lives of childrenandfamilies.

ProjectsincludetheSatchidanandaPrisonProject,medicalcamps(freesurgeriesinIndia),buildingschools, offering education scholarships, disaster relief, free Yoga to underserved populations,providingessentiallivingitemstocommunitiesinneed,andmore.

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1966 Sri Swami Satchidananda arrives inEurope&USA

IYI (Integral Yoga Institute, 500 West End Avenue) New York isfounded

1969 Woodstock Festival is opened bySwamiSatchidananda

Integral Yoga Magazineispublished

IYcentersopeninEurope

1970 Integral Yoga Hathaispublished

IYI New York opens on West13thStreet

IYISanFranciscoopens

IYINewJerseyopens

First IY 10-day retreats & interfaith worship services (U.S.East&WestCoasts)

IY drug rehabilitation programsbegin

1971 IYprisonprogramsbegin

IYIIndiaisfounded

1972 Integral Yoga Natural Foods (NewYork)opens

YogavilleWest(California)opens

1973 IntegralYogaPublications& Multimedia(Shakticom)established

“Swami Satchidananda” album release by Columbia Records

“Swami Satchidananda” & “Yoga for the City” TV documentaries air (NewYork)

YogavilleEast(Connecticut)opens

IYIMontrealopens

1975 Integral Yoga Teacher Training programbegins

Integral Health Services, America’s firstintegrativemedicineclinic,opens

Swami Satchidananda ordains first of his American students as Swamis inHolyOrderofSannyas

1977 Integral Yoga School (Connecticut) opensas1ststate-accreditedelementary schoolwithYoga-basedcurriculum

Dr. Dean Ornish begins first research study on reversing heart disease using IntegralYoga-basedpractices

1978 Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, with translation &commentarybySwamiSatchidananda is published & becomes bestselling versionofYoga’sfoundationaltext

1979 IY headquarters is established at Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville, Virginia

1980 Swami Satchidananda ordains first IntegralYogaMinisters

Integral Yoga Natural Foods (Virginia)opens

1981 Integral Yoga School (Yogaville Vidyalayam)opensinVirginia

I N T E G R A L Y O G A T I M E L I N E

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Swami Satchidananda cofounds firstinterfaithseminaryinAmerica

1982 OntosYogaville,Australiaopens

1984 FineArtsSocietyofYogavilleopens

IntegralYogaDistributionopens

1986 Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS)opensinVirginia

1989 Swami Satchidananda becomes advisor to Unity in Yoga, which laterbecomesYogaAlliance

IY Raja Yoga and Meditation TeacherTrainingsareestablished

1990 Dean Ornish’s “Program for Reversing Heart Disease” is published in The Lancet, opening thedoorforYogatherapy

1991 Nataraja Shrine (Yogaville) isdedicated

1992 IYCenterBrazilopens

1993 IntegralYogaTeachersAssociation isestablished

1996 Lotus Center for All Faiths isfounded

1997 Satchidananda Jothi Niketan (School)opensinIndia

1999 Integral Yoga is a founding memberofYogaAlliance

2002 Mahasamadhi of Sri Swami Satchidananda

2003 IntegralYogaAcademyopens

IYArgentinaisfounded

2007 IYCenterTaiwanopens

2008 IYHongKongSanghaisfounded

2009 IntegralYogaEuropeforms

ServiceinSatchidanandaisfounded

2014 “Global Garland,” worldwide yearlong celebration of the birth centennial of SriSwamiSatchidananda

IntegralYogaGlobalNetworkforms

LOTUS–Indiaopens

2015 Swami Satchidananda Special Collection is established at University of Virginia’s Albert and Shirley Small SpecialCollectionsLibrary

2016 Virginia Dept. of Historic Resources grants Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville highest degree of eligibility to be nominatedasaVirginiaHistoricDistrict

IntegralYoga.org launches and global yearlong celebration of Integral Yoga’s 50thanniversarybegins

I N T E G R A L Y O G A , as taught by Sri Swami Satchidananda, offers asynthesis of six branches of classical Yoga: Hatha, Raja, Japa, Karma, Bhakti,and Jnana Yoga. Its aim is to purify and calm the body and mind in order toexperiencethepeaceand joy that isour truenature. IntegralYogapractitionersbring that peace into the world by fostering interfaith dialogue and leadingservice-oriented lives. Founded in 1966, there are currently 30 Integral Yogacentersonsixofthesevencontinentsand5,000teachersworldwide.

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“The very definition of Yoga is tranquility. Equanimity in body and mind is Yoga. Real Yoga is functioning with tranquility in the midst of activity.”

— Sri Swami Satchidananda

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Q u i c k R e f e r e n c e : B l u r b s a n d P h o t o G a l l e r y

About Swami Satchidananda

Swami Satchidananda was one of the first Yoga mastersto bring the classical Yoga tradition to the West. Invited toAmerica in 1966 by iconic pop artist Peter Max, he taughtYogapostures,meditation,andacompassionatevegetarianlifestyle. In 1969, he opened the Woodstock festival andbecame known to an entire generation as the “WoodstockGuru.” Swami Satchidananda founded the global IntegralYoga® organization, Satchidananda Ashram–Yogaville®, andtheLightOfTruthUniversalShrine.HeistheauthorofIntegral Yoga Hatha, To Know Your Self, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Beyond Words, The Living Gita,andThe Golden Present,amongothertitles.Heisalsothesubjectofthedocumentary,“LivingYoga:TheLifeandTeachingsofSwamiSatchidananda.”(Formoreinformation,visit:swamisatchidananda.org)

About Integral Yoga®

Integral Yoga®, as taught by Swami Satchidananda, offers asynthesis of six branches of classical Yoga: Hatha, Raja, Japa,Karma,Bhakti,andJnana.Itsaimistopurifyandcalmthebodyandmindinordertoexperiencethepeaceandjoythatisourtruenature.IntegralYogapractitionersbringthatpeaceintotheworldbyfosteringinterfaithdialogueandleadingservice-orientedlives.Foundedin1966,therearecurrently30IntegralYogacentersonsixofthesevencontinentsand5,000teachersworldwide.(Formoreinformation,visit:integralyoga.org)

Quotes:

“LetallouractionsandallourartsexpressYoga.Throughthatsacredartofmusic, letusfindpeace thatwillpervadeallovertheglobe.Letusnotfightforpeace,butletusfindpeacewithinourselvesfirst...Thefutureofthewholeworldisinyourhands.”—ExcerptfromSwamiSatchidananda’s1969WoodstockMusicFestivalopeningaddress

“The very definition of Yoga is tranquility. Equanimity in bodyandmindisYoga.RealYogaisfunctioningwithtranquilityinthemidstofactivity.”—SwamiSatchidananda

Photos:todownloadphotosofSwamiSatchidanandafromthispageandothers,inprintandwebresolution,clickhere:

h t t p s : / / w w w . d r o p b o x . c o m / s h / o c t 0 8 6 1 e r 5 s t r 7 0 /AACGPwnxOP07FOfTQHX8u4rpa?dl=0

C O N TA C T S

General Inquiries: Press/Media Inquiries:IntegralYogaInternational “TheWoodstockGuru”50thAnniversarySatchidanandaAshram–Yogaville TracyCooleyPR108YogavilleWay 108YogavilleWayBuckingham,Virginia23921USA Buckingham,Virginia23921USA800-858-9642/media@integralyoga.org 734-730-7988/tlcprllc@gmail.com

I N T E G R A L Y O G A L I N K S

IntegralYogaOfficialWebsite:IntegralYoga.org

SriSwamiSatchidananda:SwamiSatchidananda.org

SatchidanandaAshram-Yogaville:Yogaville.org

IntegralYogaCenters:IntegralYoga.org/Directory

IntegralYogaDistribution:IYDBooks.org

IntegralYogaEurope:IntegralYogaEurope.org

IntegralYogaMagazine:IntegralYogaMagazine.org

IntegralYogaNaturalFoods(Virginia):IYFoods.com

IntegralYogaResidentialPrograms:Yogaville.org/Programs/Residential

IntegralYogaTeachersAssociation:IYTA.org

IntegralYogaTeacherTraining:Yogaville.org/yoga-teacher-trainings

IntegralYogaYouTube:YouTube.com/IntegralYoga

LOTUS:LOTUS.org

LOTUS–India:LotusIndia.org

ServiceinSatchidananda:SISProject.org

Shakticom:Shakticom.org

YogaatSchool:iyiny.org

YogaatWork:iyiny.org

YogavilleLivestream:Livestream.com/Yogaville

YogaWisdomPodcast:soundcloud.com/yogawisdom