ISKCON, Satyananda Yoga, Sahaja Yoga, Brahma Kumari and Sathya Sai Baba organizations are active in Greece.
Sahaja yoga was founded by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970. "Saha" means "with" and "ja" means born, born with you and "yoga" is the union with the all-pervading power of Divine love. Another meaning of Sahaja is spontaneous. So, Sahaja yoga means spontaneous union with the Divine. It is a unique method of meditation by which one can achieve mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
In Sahaja yoga, self-realization is the key and a person gains his or her self-realization, when the kundalini energy within us is awakened.
Yoga is gaining popularity in Greece, in particular the Satyananda Yoga and Sahaja Yoga branches. Satyananda Yoga was founded by Swami Satyananda. Swami Satyananda assigned Swami Sivamurti to carry the message of yoga to Greece. Through his inspiration and guidance, in 1978 Swami Sivamurti instituted Satyanandashram Hellas (beginning at Kalamata and then expanding to Athens, Thessaloniki and other parts of the Greek mainland and islands). The present Ashram of Satyanandashram Hellas was established in 1984 outside the town of Paiania and inaugurated by Swami Satyananda the following year.
In 1984 and 1985 Swami Satyananda visited Greece and inspired countless spirants with the ancient message, 'Know Thyself'. During these tours, he expounded the wisdom of yoga and tantra in a series of sublime and profound teachings on spiritual life, and revealed yoga as the priceless heritage of humanility.
Garuda Hellas[4] publishing house was established in 2007 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. Small in size, Garuda Hellas offers clear educational and a personalized support through his books for each yoga student. It imports yoga books in English, primarily from the Bihar School of Yoga, India. Garuda Hellas also translates and publishes yoga books in Greek, so that the wisdom of yoga can be objectively and scientifically presented to all Greek speaking people.
ISKCON (acronym for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has a few devotees in Greece. ISKCON established a branch in Athens, Greece. ISKCON Greece is located at 13 Kaningos 4° floor 106 77, in Athens Greece. ISKCON Greece has the status of a church, a "house of prayer" and is recognized as such from the Greek Ministry of Religion.[5]
