International Yoga Federation is a non-profit tax-exempt organization founded in 1987, celebrates the authentic yoga teachings of all traditions, the diversity, harmony and integrity of yoga practices throughout the world.
Our mission is to lead the global yoga community (world-wide yoga community), set standards, foster integrity, provide resources, and uphold the teachings of yoga.
History


"The long path of getting together the yoga schools, teachers and masters"

1934, Swami Asuri Kapila of France established the the Ramana Ashram, Maha Boddhi Shanga and the International School of Yoga in Montevideo, Uruguay.
1936, Swami Asuri Kapila started the first yoga teacher training course in Montevideo.


Swami Asuri Kapila

Swami Asuri Kapila wrote to his friend, Swami Sivananda (Rishikesh, India), to promote the organization of yoga all over the World, and proposed the creation of the International Yoga Federation.

Swami Sivananda


1947, Swami Sivananda established the World Sadhus Federation and in 1948 following the example of Swami Asuri Kapila, Swami Sivananda founded the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy, to train yoga teachers and swamis as Swami Asuri Kapila.

Swami Sivananda founded the World Religions Federation and Swami Asuri Kapila founded Mystic International Association.

1948, Swami Asuri Kapila wrote to his friend, Lucien Ferrier (France), about the idea of opening Yoga Centres in France to establish in the future a national association and follow the way to the creation of an International Yoga Federation.Then, Ferrier opened the Academy of Occidental Yoga in Paris, France.
Swami Asuri Kapila proposed the creation of national yoga organizations and continental yoga organizations to base the future International Yoga Federation to share the Yoga all over the world.



1965, Yogavatar Krishna Kisore Das founded the International Yoga Council in Bengale, India.

1967, Roma Blair (Swami Nirmalananda), founded the International Yoga Teachers Association in Australia.
1967, the National Yoga Teachers Assocation of France was founded.

.

1972, the European Union of Yoga was founded by Roger Clerc, the disciple and successor of Lucien Ferrier and who continues the spirit of unity with Andre Van Lysebeth (Swami Sivananda´s disciple), Claude Peltier, Nil Hahoutoff and Hug.



1982, Rama Jyoti Vernon founded the Unity in Yoga International (now Yoga Alliance of U.S.) in the United States, integrating yoga schools.

1985, Swami Maitreyananda (Dr. Fernando Estevez Griego) founded the Latin American Yoga Union with Vayuananda, Swamini Dayananda, Mataji Indra Devi, Luis Alvares De Rose and Swami Sarvananda.

Yogacharya Fernando Estevez Griego Ph.D. (Swami Maitreyananda) visited India and met the Dalai Lama at his home in Dharamsala, Himalayas, Swami Direndra Brahmachari in his Ashram in New Delhi and Swami Chidananda from Divine Life Society in Rishikesh. After working with the founding of the International Yoga Federation with Swami Direndra Brahmachari, he met with the members of Yoga
Federation of India.



1984 to 1987 started the communication between Vayuananda, direct disciple of Swami Asuri Kapila, Swami Maitreyananda, Swami Asuri Kapila´s successor and Gerard Blitz. Gerard Blitz met Rama Vernon and Swami Satchidananda.

Swami Satchidananda becomes the Honorary President of the International Yoga Teachers Association in Australia.

1986, Yogacharya Fernando Estevez Griego Ph.D. (Dharmachari Swami Maitreyananda) meets the leader and general secretary of European Union of Yoga Gerard Blitz in Paris, to work with the Latin American Union of Yoga and create the future International Yoga Federation.

1986, December. Yogacharya Fernando Estevez Griego Ph.D. (Dharmachari Swami Maitreyananda) and Carlos Trotta (Yogacharya Vayuananda), both members of Swami Asuri Kapila School, meet the members of Yoga Federation of Brazil, Yoga Association of Brazil and National Union of Yoga, in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Swami Gitananda Giri founds the World Parliament of Yoga or the Vishwa Yoga Samaj at Pondicherry, India.

1987, Yoga Federation of India, States Yoga Associations of India, Yoga Association of Uruguay, Latin American Union of Yoga, National Yoga Confederation of Brazil, Yoga Teachers Association of Brazil, National Yoga Union, School Yoga Federation of Italy, Indra Devi Foundation, founds the International Professional Yoga Teachers Federation (the first name given to the actual International Yoga Federation) in Montevideo, Uruguay under the presidenship of Yogacharya  Fernando Estevez Griego (Dharmachary Swami Maitreyananda)



The first board of International Yoga Federation 1987-1989, was: Honorary President: Mataji Indra Devi (Latvia), President Luiz Alvares de Rose (Brazil) and Secretary General: Dharmachari Swami Maitreyananda (Fernando Estevez Griego, Uruguay), Tresaure: David Lifar (Argentina)


1988, the International Yoga Congress meets in 1988 in Zinal, Switzerland to work towards the integration of national yoga associations. Presents: Yogacharya Dr. Fernando Estevez Griego (Swami Maitreyananda) and Mataji Indra Devi from Latin American Union of Yoga and International Federation of Professional Yoga Teachers; Gerard Blitz and Raoul Lenz from the European Union of Yoga, and Swami Satchidananda, Nancy Ford Khonne and Larry Payne from Unity in Yoga International (Yoga Alliance of USA).


1988, takes place the First World Yoga Congress of IYF at the City Palace of Montevideo Government, in Montevideo, Uruguay, to work towards the integration of national yoga associations. Presents: Swami Maitreyananda and Mataji Indra Devi from Latin American Union of Yoga and International Federation of Professional Yoga Teachers, Carlos Fiel from the European Union of Yoga, Larry Payne from Unity in Yoga International (Yoga Alliance of USA), Auri Moya from International Yoga Teachers Association of Australia and Puerto Rico, Luiz de Rose from Yoga Confederation of Brazil, Goldemberg from Yoga Association of Argentina, Babaji Singh from Mexico member of Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association of 3HO, Swamini Dayananda from Yoga Association of Uruguay, Swami Pravananda Mexico.




1989, Zinal, Switzerland the International Yoga Congress meets to work toward the integration of continentals and internationals federations. Presents: Gerard Blitz, Secretary General of the European Union of Yoga, Swami Chidananda from the Divine Life Sivananda Ashram, Swami Satchidananda from Integral Yoga USA, Yogacharya Dr. Fernando Estevez Griego (Swami Maitreyananda) from South American Integral Yoga and president of the International Federation of Professional Yoga Teachers and the Latin American Union of Yoga. This congress is considered the base of the International Association of Yoga movement.