Swami, Teacher Of Yoga, Dies
A Spokane-based swami, author and yoga instructor died earlier this month.
Swami Sivananda Radha, formerly Ursula Sylvia Hellman, died of natural causes Dec. 6 in her Browne’s Addition home.
Born in Berlin, Radha emigrated to England in 1950 and traveled to India in 1955 on a spiritual journey.
Under the direction of her guru, Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh, she became one of the first Western women to achieve the status of swami in the Hindu religion.
Following her guru’s instructions, Radha moved to Kootenay Lake, British Columbia, in 1963, where she established Yasodhara Ashram, a center for yoga study.
In 1971, in Spokane, she opened the Association for Human Development.
She wrote several books on yoga.
She was cremated and buried in British Columbia. Memorials can be sent to the Association for Development of Human Potential, 2328 W. Pacific Ave., Spokane, WA 99204.
, DataTimes