Vision
Integral Education that nurtures the innate divinity and potential of children and youth
Mission
To provide education that focuses on the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual development of children and youth by establishing independent schools based on the principles of Integral Yoga.
Values
Serve: Karma Yoga – Be mindful that all you learn at school is to serve the society through giving helping and caring for humanity, our environment and species around us.
Love: Bhakti Yoga – Love all beings equally. Love is the primary principle that should guide all our actions.
Focus: Raja Yoga – Have an aim in life and focus all your thoughts, emotions and actions towards achieving that aim
Learn: Jnana Yoga – Learn in order to be wise. Learn all that you require to lead a successful, happy and fruitful life. Learn about yourself, the world and God (Truth)
The name ‘Children of Light’ has been derived from Swami Sivananda, as this is the way He would address children. All beings are ‘light’ and their essential nature is ‘light’. Every being is innately Divine. Integral Yoga is the means of once again becoming aware of that innate divinity.
Swami Sivananda called this ‘Divine Life’: to live in the world whilst remaining aware of the Divine and hence living in accord with the Divine.
The primary aim of the Children of Light School is to promote Integral Education, assisting children to maintain the awareness of the Divine within themselves whilst simultaneously learning about living in the world. Integral Yoga therefore forms the foundation of Life is Yoga Programme which will form part of the school curriculum by infusing it with every activity and subject. The school will function from Grade 0 to Grade 12, however this will take place gradually and in phases, subject to funding and capacity. The structure of the classes will be small in number with a maximum of ten children per class. This allows for individual attention and interaction. The aim is to conduct a small, intimate programme that will make meaningful and long term changes to an individual. This will undoubtedly create a ripple effect.
“Divine Life, the integration of one’s inner life and external conduct.”
– Swami Sivananda
INSPIRATION FOR THE SCHOOL
Swami Sivananda (8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963)
“Education should instruct students to be truthful, courageous, humble and merciful. It should teach them to practise right conduct, right thinking, right living and self-sacrifice.”
– Swami Sivananda
Swami Sivananda, a great Yogi, Sage and Saint, settled in Rishikesh, North India and lived a life devoted to the study and practice of Integral Yoga and Vedanta [1]. He was a medical doctor by profession. He had an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.
[1] Yoga means Union with God. Vedanta means the end part of the Vedas, learning about yourself and God through the scriptures, e.g. Chandogya Upanishad
In 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivananda Ashram and in 1936 established The Divine Life Society. In 1948, he established The Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy. The objective of the society was the dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta.
Swami Sivananda is the author of over 300 volumes of books and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds.
Swami Venkatesananda (29 December 1921 – 2 December 1982)
Swami Venkatesanda spent 17 years serving Swami Sivananda in Rishikesh. Swami Sivananda referred to him as, ‘The crest jewel of my mission’ and ‘the resplendence of my work’. Swami Venkatesananda devoted a great deal of his time to writing and typing Swami Sivananda’s speeches and his day-to-day messages.
Swami Venkatesananda displayed characteristics of kindness and humility and was encouraging to everyone with whom he came into contact.
Swami Venkatesananda travelled to countries outside of India, such as New Zealand, Australia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Israel, Canada, Great Britain and South Africa to spread the Gospel of Divine Life, the glory of spiritual life, Yoga Philosophy and Vedanta.
