Meditating in Montreal Sylvia Hellman has a powerful experience of her guru.

She leaves everything and travels to India to meet her guru.

Sylvia Hellman with her guru, Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, India. He says she has come home.

February 2 - Sylvia Hellman is initiated into sanyas and given the name Swami Sivananda Radha.

February 3 - Swami Radha receives the Divine Light Invocation and is told to teach it to everyone she meets.

Swami Radha is told to return to the West with orders to live on faith.

Swami Radha starts the Sivananda School of Yoga in Montreal.

After a warm response to a lecture tour, Swami Radha moves to Vancouver.

Disciples buy a house, which becomes the first Ashram in Canada.

The first disciples are 7 young men.

Swami Sivananda asked her to share the teachings with everyone. Here she is teaching dance mudras to children.

Opening of  the Yoga Vedanta Bookstore on Robson Street, the first metaphysical bookstore in Vancouver.

Swami Radha's second visit to India includes travel in the Far East and Europe. She meets other leading spiritual teachers. Pictured here with Swami Purushottamananda.