Yasodhara Ashram is a vibrant spiritual community that has evolved from a singular vision. When Swami Sivananda told Swami Radha, a newly initiated swami, to return to North America and start an Ashram, she had no experience, no money and no obvious help.

“Live on faith,” he said. “The Divine will take care of you.” It was 1956.

Returning to Montreal, Swami Radha began to feel the Divine support through people’s interest in her work and their generosity towards her mission. A few years later she relocated to Burnaby, BC, a suburb of Vancouver, where she started her first ashram. She gave lectures, offered satsangs and yoga classes and attracted idealistic young people who helped with the work. She saw that people were distracted by their lives in the city and needed a place of retreat to make spiritual progress.

Early days at the Ashram
Early days at the Ashram

In 1963 she bought the property that was to become Yasodhara Ashram, and founded the Yasodhara Ashram Society to become the holder of the property and the legal container for her work and teachings.

This Society is still functioning today, and the Ashram has grown into a thriving educational and spiritual centre. Membership in Yasodhara Ashram Society is open to anyone who has experienced the benefits of the Ashram and these teachings, which have passed from Swami Sivananda to Swami Radha to Swami Radhananda and to all who come here and take them to heart.


Annual Reports


Become a Member

By becoming a member of Yasodhara Ashram Society you support the original mission of this work, which is to be a centre of Light that offers the teachings of yoga, supporting the potential of transformation in each person.

As a Society, our mission does not belong to any individual, but to those who care for it and understand the value of maintaining a sacred space in a world that otherwise pressures us to conform and compete. Members of Yasodhara Ashram Society stand for ideals that lift us beyond daily survival. As a member you are saying that you support this vision – a vision of harmony, of Light, of peace among the peoples and religions of the world.

Having reached our 50th anniversary in 2013, the Yasodhara Ashram Society continues to evolve and look to the future. We are committed to bringing out the best in ourselves and each other, and to care for the Earth. We offer programs to young people to assist them on the journey of self-discovery. We offer programs for families to provide support and a sense of community. We offer places for elders to share their wisdom and to honour their contribution. We are committed to leaving the world a better place than when we entered, and so the Society is investing in environmental initiatives that include our carbon neutral status and land stewardship, to keep this piece of paradise viable into the distant future.

You can become a member and give in many different ways. Come to the Ashram and contribute your time and expertise. Help us in the city, town or village where you live by supporting our programs and teachers or by becoming a teacher yourself. Or donate to the Society in whatever way appeals to you – perhaps to a new book from Timeless Books, or a cabin at Yasodhara Heights, or a gift to the Ashram general fund, so money can be used where it is most needed. One of the most helpful donor programs is the Circle of Sustainability, where your regular monthly donation pools with that of others to provide a sustainable cash flow for daily operations.

Together we are the Yasodhara Ashram Society. Your commitment and generosity are essential to keeping the vision alive!

Contact us to find out more about membership.