Draft:Ishan Shivanand
Author, academic, mental health researcher
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Ishan Shivanand is a mental health researcher, author, and spiritual teacher. He is the founder of Yoga of Immortals (YOI), a meditation-based programme that incorporates elements of yogic practice.
Submission declined on 4 February 2026 by AllWeKnowOfHeaven (talk).
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| Submission declined on 28 October 2025 by Pythoncoder (talk). This draft appears to be generated by a large language model (such as ChatGPT). You should not use LLMs to write articles from scratch.
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| Submission declined on 16 September 2025 by Pythoncoder (talk). This draft appears to be generated by a large language model (such as ChatGPT). You should not use LLMs to write articles from scratch.
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Comment: Can you rewrite this to rely less on primary sources? AllWeKnowOfHeaven (talk) 18:05, 4 February 2026 (UTC)
Acharya Ishan Shivanand | |
|---|---|
 Ishan Shivanand | |
| Born | India |
| Occupations | Author, Academic, Spiritual teacher, Mental health researcher |
| Notable work | The Practice of Immortality, Yoga of Immortals |
| Father | Avdhoot Shivanand |
| Website | https://ishanshivanand.com https://www.yogaofimmortals.com |
Studies published in Frontiers in Psychiatry have examined the YOI programme's effects on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia..[1][2] A clinical trial led by researchers at Rutgers University, with results published in the Journal of Urology, studied its impact on bladder control and quality of life in patients with urinary incontinence.[3]
Shivanand is the author of The Practice of Immortality (2025), published by Penguin Random House and Hachette Book Group.[4][5] His work has been covered in media including India Today, DNA India, News18, and Khaleej Times.
Early life and education
Ishan Shivanand was born in India into the ShivYog Sanatan tradition and grew up in an ashram in Rajasthan. In his book The Practice of Immortality, Shivanand writes that he received early guidance from his father, Avdhoot Shivanand, under whose mentorship he began training in ShivYog. His early education included yogic sadhana (meditation), Sanskrit mantra recitation, yoga, martial arts such as Kalaripayattu, and studies in herbal medicine and Shaivite philosophy. Shivanand was initiated as an Acharya in the ShivYog Sanatan tradition in 2006.[4]
In 2024, he completed a Doctor of Business Administration at the Swiss School of Business and Management (SSBM) in Geneva, with a dissertation focused on mental health innovation.[6][7]
Career
Yoga of Immortals (YOI)
In the early 2010s, Shivanand began conducting wellness programmes, focused on emotional resilience and mental health. He later developed Yoga of Immortals (YOI), a meditation-based programme that incorporates traditional yogic practices. The programme has been studied for its effects on stress-related conditions.
Peer-reviewed studies published in Frontiers in Psychiatry noted reductions in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among participants using the YOI programme. Participants included healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2]
In 2023, Shivanand took part in a White House roundtable on the opioid epidemic, organised by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, to engage faith leaders in discussions on addressing substance use disorder. His participation was confirmed in the official White House readout.[8]
Academic and institutional roles
Shivanand is a Director of Mental Health Initiatives at the WHEELS Global Foundation, where he oversees digital health interventions in rural India and East Africa.[9]
He has been appointed as Adjunct Faculty at the Centre of Excellence for Holistic Wellbeing at the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar[10][11]
In the United States, Shivanand is listed as a provider of meditation-based services within the Wellbeing programme at the Hospice of Cincinnati. He is identified as the Health Resilience Training Facilitator for the "Guided Experience Towards Wellness" programme at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, which offers mindfulness and stress-management support to cancer survivors.[12][13]
In Mauritius, the Office of the President of Mauritius wrote about the visit during which Shivanand and President Gokhool discussed mental health promotion and the possible establishment of an Institute of Yoga-based Wellness in the country[14]
His research collaborations are discussed in the Research Publications section.
Books
Shivanand has published works on mental health and spirituality.
He is the author of The Practice of Immortality: A Monk's Guide to Discovering Your Unlimited Potential for Health, Happiness, and Positivity (2025), published by Penguin Random House and Hachette Book Group.[4][5] In the book, Shivanand presents the idea that "immortality" refers to developing awareness, emotional steadiness, and breath control, rather than indefinite physical life. In an interview with India Today, he described it as a guide to adapting yogic practices for modern mental health needs. [15]
The book was launched at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, in August 2025, covered by press including DNA India, Times of India, and News24Online.[16][17][18] It has been translated into Italian, German, and Portuguese.[19][20][21]
According to USA Today's Booklist, The Practice of Immortality was included in its national Top 100 bestselling titles in 2025.[22]
Research publications
Shivanand's work has been part of peer-reviewed studies assessing the effects of the Yoga of Immortals (YOI) programme on mental and physical health outcomes.
Two studies published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, in 2021 and 2022, documented reductions in symptoms of depression, insomnia, and anxiety among participants during the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2]
A 2022 clinical trial led by researchers at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and published in the Journal of Urology, concluded that daily use of the YOI app improved bladder control and quality of life for patients with urinary incontinence. A Rutgers University news release summarised the findings, highlighting that 76 percent of participants reported reduced severity and frequency of urine leaks after four weeks of app use.[3][23][24]
Studies published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health and the Annals of Medical Research and Practice noted improvements in stress, sleep, and emotional well-being.[25][26]
Media appearances and lectures
Shivanand has delivered public talks and been interviewed by media on topics related to yoga, meditation, and mental health.
In 2024, he appeared on NDTV for International Yoga Day to discuss the benefits of yogic practices and meditation.[27] On Doordarshan News, he was featured in a programme organised in conjunction with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, where he spoke on mindfulness strategies for students.[28]
His 2025 interview with India Today explored concepts from The Practice of Immortality, including breath work, mental health, and awareness.[15]
In a two-part interview with the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) on the programme Encounter, Shivanand discussed mental health, meditation, and resilience training, along with the global expansion of Yoga of Immortals.[29][30] He was featured in a Mid-Day article profiling the development of the programme and its applications.[31]
Shivanand delivered a public lecture at IIT Bombay titled "Improving Mental Health through the Yoga of Immortals", which was later published under a Creative Commons license by the institute.[32] He spoke at Talks at Google, where he presented on the topic of "Reversing Desensitisation".[33]
Other features include interviews on ABC 25 Columbia, The Speaking Tree podcast, Ever Forward Radio, and a webcast by India Today NE for World Mental Health Day, where he discussed resilience and yogic techniques for stress reduction.[34][35][36][37] In a 2024 interview with the Free Press Journal, Shivanand discussed workplace stress, anxiety, and the role of mindfulness and resilience practices in supporting mental health.[38]
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