Seva, scripture and the soul’s journey: how a dedicated group in Bad Meinberg offers Europe an authentic Hindu spiritual home
By the Editor
All Photos: Courtesy of Yoga Vidya Ashram
Nestled in the countryside near Bad Meinberg, northern Germany, the Yoga Vidya Ashram hums with the rhythms of spiritual life. The scent of sandalwood lingers in the halls. Bells ring out at sunrise as worship begins in the small temple. Sanskrit chants float over the gardens. Here, among the rolling hills and timbered buildings, something unmistakably sacred unfolds each day: the age-old practices of Hinduism, brought to life with devotion, discipline, and joy. It is a place of pride for the nation’s 150,000 Hindus.
Yoga Vidya is Europe’s largest yoga ashram—a vibrant community of seekers who have chosen a life steeped in the teachings of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). Their daily schedule mirrors that of Indian ashrams: meditation before dawn, traditional fire ceremonies, satsang, scriptural study and voluntary service. Sometimes assumed by outsiders to be a wellness center or secular retreat, this is a true spiritual sanctuary, rooted deeply in the Hindu tradition.
Yet in recent times, the question has arisen—sometimes in courts and official inquiries—as to whether this institution is truly religious. The answer, for anyone who has lived, studied, or even briefly visited Yoga Vidya, is self-evident. This article will explore the ashram’s ritual life, theological roots, sacred architecture, devotional culture, and unbroken lineage—all of which bear witness to its profound religious character.
Lineage and Origins
Every authentic Hindu institution begins with a lineage (parampara)—a sacred transmission of wisdom passed from teacher to student across generations. Yoga Vidya stands firmly within this tradition. It was founded in 1992 by Sukadev Volker Bretz, a German-born spiritual seeker who spent years under the tutelage of Swami Vishnudevananda, a disciple of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh.
Sivananda’s mission was to bring the core teachings of Vedanta and classical yoga to the world and the Yoga Vidya movement is an explicit continuation of this mission, adapted for European soil but never diluted in essence. Sukadevji, as he is affectionately called, received initiation, guidance, and a spiritual mandate from his guru, along with the teachings, rituals and scriptures that form the foundation of ashram life.
The very name Yoga Vidya—“the Knowledge of Yoga”—echoes the Upanishadic tradition where vidya means not mere information, but liberating insight into the nature of the Self. From the beginning, the ashram has been dedicated not just to postures or health but, through those and other traditional Hindu means, to moksha, spiritual liberation—the ultimate goal of all Hindu paths.
This connection to a living, revered lineage—rooted in India, guided by scriptural authority, and upheld by initiation—is the lifeblood of the ashram’s religious identity.
Daily Life as Devotion
A religious community is distinguished from a commercial enterprise such as a wellness center or yoga school not just by what is taught, but how life is lived. At Yoga Vidya, daily life is not organized around productivity or personal enrichment—it is oriented toward the Divine. Every aspect of the day is shaped by spiritual intention.
Before sunrise, practitioners gather in silence for satsang—a communal session of meditation, Vedic chanting and spiritual reflection. This is is the anchoring rhythm of every single day. The chants are not arbitrary, superficial or merely cultural—they are powerful Sanskrit invocations of Hindu Deities: Ganesha, Siva, Durga, Vishnu, Lakshmi. The words are drawn from traditional scripture and liturgy and are treated with intention and reverence.
Mid-morning brings the homa ritual, a sacred fire ceremony central to Vedic religion. Ghee is poured into the flames while mantras are recited in ancient meter—offerings to Agni (the fire God) and other Deities. The air is filled with smoke and devotion. This is no symbolic gesture; it is a real, priest-led yajna, performed to sanctify the space, purify karma, and honor the Gods. Homa is performed here with the same care as in temples and ashrams throughout India.
Throughout the day, seva—the spiritual discipline of selfless service—is performed by residents and visitors alike. Cleaning floors, preparing meals, tending the temple: these acts are understood not as labor, but as worship. Karma yoga, as taught by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, is not a metaphor here. It is embodied.
In the evening, the community gathers again for arati, the waving of lamps before the Deity accompanied by hymns, incense, and sacred silence. Murti images of Deities are decorated with garlands and sandalwood paste. The sense of sanctity is palpable.
This rhythm of mantra, ritual, silence and service is the daily life of Yoga Vidya—consistent with the devotional and contemplative life of contemporary Hindu ashrams in India. It is not a casual “lifestyle choice;” it is a life path of sadhana, spiritual practice, pursued sincerely and systematically.
Scriptures and Theological Teaching
A core hallmark of any Hindu religious institution is its relationship to shastra, scriptural authority. At Yoga Vidya, sacred texts are not relics of the past but living guides to the present. The ashram offers daily teachings drawn from foundational Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Bhakti Sutras. These are studied not as mere philosophy, but as revealed wisdom (sruti and smriti)—texts to be contemplated, memorized and practiced.
Classes are held in a traditional guru-shishya style, where the teacher sits at the front, and students listen, question and reflect. Sanskrit is explained word for word, reinforcing a reverence for the original language of Hindu revelation. Swami Sivananda’s books—Bliss Divine, Practice of Yoga, Essence of Vedanta—are treated with the same regard as traditional scriptures, as expressions of realized insight rooted in Sanatana Dharma.
Those wishing to further intensify their study and practice can enroll in Yoga Teacher Training (TTC) or Advanced Yoga Training (ATTC). In addition to practical instruction in postures, these students receive theological grounding in karma, dharma, bhakti, jnana and moksha. They are taught the meaning of the mahavakyas, the four great affirmations of the Upanishads, and explore fundamental Hindu concepts such as reincarnation, Ishvara, guna theory and maya—not as abstract ideas, but as frameworks for understanding life and spiritual evolution.
Diksha, Hinduism’s formal system of initiation, is offered for those who wish to deepen their commitment through mantra practice, guided by senior swamis or spiritual teachers in the Sivananda tradition. It is clear that Yoga Vidya functions not only as a place of yoga instruction, but as a true gurukula—a traditional Hindu center of scriptural learning and spiritual formation.
Sacred Space and Symbols
The sacred at Yoga Vidya is seen, touched and felt. Walking the grounds of the ashram, you enter a world shaped by Hindu religious symbolism. The central temple, or puja hall, is home to beautifully adorned murtis of Deities including Ganesha, Vishnu, Shiva, Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati. These are consecrated embodiments of the Divine, treated with care and reverence according to traditional temple protocols.
Daily pujas (formal worship services) are performed, often multiple times a day, involving abhishekam (ritual bathing), alankaram (decorating the Deity), naivedyam (food offerings) and arati (lamp waving). Chanting of Sanskrit mantras and hymns from the Vedas and Puranas accompanies these rites, just as in temples in India. Participants bow, chant and offer flowers.
The temple is only the beginning. Around the ashram, you’ll find dozens of beautifully painted yantras, Om symbols, sacred geometry, and framed verses from the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. Meditation halls are adorned with images of the great rishis, yogis and Deities of Hindu lore. Incense burns continuously. The vibration of mantra pervades the space, reinforced by the practice of silence in designated areas.
Hindu festivals are celebrated with devotion and detail—Navaratri, Shivaratri, Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesha Chaturthi and Diwali. Each is observed with elaborate decorations, fasting, chanting, storytelling and community rituals, re-creating the sacred atmosphere of India. The ordinary becomes sacred: a hallway becomes a temple path, a meal becomes an offering and a day becomes a yatra, a spiritual pilgrimage.
Hinduism’s Temple Tapestry
Yoga Vidya is just one of many institutions fostering a vibrant Hindu presence in Germany. Hindu temples have emerged countrywide as centers of devotion, culture and community, creating a rich spiritual landscape. Today, Germany has over 100 Hindu temples, many established by diaspora communities from India, Sri Lanka and beyond. These temples stand as living testimony to the global journey of Sanatana Dharma and the religious pluralism of modern Europe.
Among the most prominent is the Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple in Hamm, founded in 2002. Modeled after the famed Kamakshi Temple in Kanchipuram, it is one of Europe’s largest Hindu temples, adorned with a towering gopuram (temple tower) and over 200 exquisitely carved statues.
In Berlin, the Hindu community celebrated a milestone with the inauguration of the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple in Neukölln’s Hasenheide Park in 2023. Featuring a magnificent 59-foot-high gopuram, it is now Germany’s largest Hindu temple.
Other temples include the Sri Muthumariamman Temple in Hannover (2009), the Sri Kurinjikumaran Temple, a grand sanctuary for Lord Murugan in Gummersbach (2008), and the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Sulzbach-Altenwald, Saarland (1994).
Each temple is a beacon of culture, preserving traditional festivals, classical dance, music, scriptural study, and social service activities. Through these sacred spaces, Hindus in Germany are weaving their traditions into the broader European mosaic, enriching both themselves and the societies they inhabit. Though relatively small in numbers, Germany’s Hindu community has quietly but significantly enriched the nation’s cultural depth, strengthened its economy, upheld strong family and social values, promoted spiritual awareness and contributed to a more inclusive and resilient German society.
Community and Seva as Dharma
At the heart of Hindu religious life is the concept of dharma—a righteous way of living that aligns personal duty with cosmic order. At Yoga Vidya this is embodied in the practice of seva, or selfless service.
The community runs on devotion, not salaries or contracts. Hundreds of volunteers, known as sevakas, commit to months or even years of unpaid service. Their main spiritual work lies in the daily pujas, bhajans, classes and spiritual studies, but they also clean the floors, prepare meals, greet guests, lead yoga classes, maintain the temple, tend the gardens and manage the infrastructure. Some come for spiritual growth, others for retreat from the world, but most stay because they have found something deeper: a life of meaning rooted in giving without expectation.
Their spiritual discipline echoes that of brahmacharis or ashramites in India, dedicating their energy to the collective spiritual field. They wake early, attend daily satsangs, live communally, observe celibacy or simplicity, observe a strict vegetarian diet and follow the Yamas and Niyamas of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The model comes straight from the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna teaches that action done without attachment to results purifies the heart and leads to liberation. In this sense, every task at Yoga Vidya—whether washing dishes or organizing events—is an offering, an act of worship.
The ashram supports these volunteers with food, shelter, spiritual guidance and community. The currency exchanged here is not monetary; it is bhakti, devotion; shraddha, faith; and tapas, spiritual effort.
This is a spiritual community. It is governed not by labor law but by a sacred ethic: do your duty as an offering to the Divine.
Religious Governance and Intent
A spiritual institution is defined not only by its daily life and ritual forms, but also by its intentional structure—its mission, governance and guiding documents. In the case of Yoga Vidya, its founding and operation are rooted explicitly in religious purpose.
The organization’s bylaws and charter outline a clear dedication to spreading the teachings of classical yoga, Vedanta, and Sanatana Dharma. These are not merely philosophical terms but core elements of Hindu theology. The ashram’s stated mission includes the realization of the Self, the teaching of the Hindu scriptures, and the performance of rituals and devotional worship according to tradition.
Leadership is provided by longtime practitioners and swamis, many of whom have been formally initiated into the Sivananda lineage. These individuals are not administrators in a corporate sense; they are spiritual guides, entrusted with the protection and transmission of dharma. Their authority is religious, not managerial: it is modeled after the guru-disciple relationship that lies at the heart of Hindu tradition.
Retreat programs, teacher trainings and extended residencies are not organized around wellness or tourism. They are structured as opportunities for sadhana—spiritual practice—and often culminate in rites of passage such as mantra diksha (initiation into sacred mantra), silent meditation retreats, or ceremonies of vow-taking that commit the practitioner to a life of discipline and service.
Even the way decisions are made reflects spiritual priorities. Changes in schedule or practice are often guided by scriptural precedent or counsel from elders who serve as dharma protectors. This is not a business. It is a spiritual order, part of a global Hindu renaissance and a living continuation of ancient India’s ashram tradition.
Witness to a Living Tradition
No amount of legal definition can substitute for lived experience. For those who have spent time at Yoga Vidya Ashram—as students, visitors, residents or spiritual aspirants—the religious character of this institution is unquestionable. It is felt in the silence of pre-dawn meditation, in the crackle of sacred fire during homa, in the tears that arise unbidden during evening arati. It is visible in the eyes of those who serve with devotion.
Having briefly walked these halls, sat in meditation before their shrines, interviewed the aspirants and chanted Sanskrit hymns alongside hundreds of voices, I can affirm: this is Hinduism in practice, alive and well on German soil. The mood is one of surrender, reverence and transformation. The spiritual energy (shakti) here is the same as what one feels in Rishikesh, Thiruvannamalai or Chidambaram, the holy centers of Hinduism.
I met Europeans here who had never set foot in India but have become fluent in Sanskrit chants and deep in bhakti. I spoke with visiting Indians who shared with me their joy in seeing their familiar traditions honored so faithfully in Europe. I encountered young Germans who have taken their spiritual vows, stepped into celibacy, and dedicated their lives to the divine path—not from cultural curiosity, but because they found their purpose, their dharma.
Yoga Vidya is authentically Hindu. In their extensive bylaws the words Hindu and Hinduism appear forty-five times. Any visitor familiar with Hinduism can attest that the ashram is Hindu in its very essence—in its worship, its teaching, its community, its lifestyle, and its unwavering commitment to Self-realization as the ultimate spiritual goal of life.
