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In 1976 a disciple of Swami Sivananda visited Brazil and was hosted by the owner of the Yoga Center where Sonia used to teach. His name was Swami Nadabramananda. She learned a great deal during the week-long workshop he taught. Sonia was amazed to be in the presence of such a teacher, especially knowing that he came from Rishikesh, where Guru Sivananda used to live. In 1980, Sonia Sumar opened her own Yoga Center under the name of "Nucleo Cultural Sivananda". At this point, Yoga for the Special Child had spread so much that Sonia was receiving many invitations to give conferences at Yoga Congress as well as workshops in Brazil and other countries of South America and Europe. In 1988 Sonia went to India for the first time, visiting many holy temples and ashrams, and had the honor of being in the presence of many holy teachers. However, she did not feel that spiritual touch she was expecting and although she had learned so much from her first pilgrimage to India, she went back to Brazil feeling frustrated having not found her Guru. In May of 1989 she received a very special gift, a visit by Mataji Indra Devi, who spent one week in her house and gave several lectures in her Yoga Center. It was a blessing to receive that darsham. In the same year Sonia participated in the International Yoga Congress in Argentina. At the Congress a woman approached Sonia to let her know that Mataji Indra Devi had recommended that her Guru visit Brazil in the coming year to view Sonia's Yoga Center. The Guru had been a friend of Mataji for more than 20 years. So the woman wanted to know if Sonia would host the Guru's visit in Brazil. Sonia happily agreed without knowing or imagining that the meeting of this Guru would change her life forever! In 1990, she went back to Argentina to teach another Yoga for the Special Child workshop and to give a lecture at the International Yoga Congress. At this Congress she met the visiting Guru she was to host in Brazil, Sri Swami Satchidananda. She was asked to say a few words during the opening of the Congress. Swami Satchidananda was there next to Mataji, his very good friend. As Sonia stopped in front of the Guru to say hello, his eyes looked deeply into her eyes. Her heart spread, her soul was deeply touched and she felt in her heart that she had finally found her Guru. Not in a cave in India, or walking on the banks of the Ganges river or at the feet of the Hymalayas as she had dreamed... she met her Guru on the stage of the Yoga Congress! Since that day she decided to be as close to him as much as possible and to follow her path under his guidance. In Brazil he invited Sonia to come to the United States and a year later she was in the US for her first visit. He told her she would be very busy here teaching Yoga for the Special Child Programs with his blessings. She would be traveling intensely to train people to work with children and adults with disabilities. Another surprise for Sonia was to realize that Gurudev was also a disciple of Swami Sivananda! She feels so grateful and blessed for having been lead to her Guru by Swami Sivananda. Sonia's life dream is to help the world's special children to achieve their full potential and become active and productive members of society. Nothing can better express her success than the letters from the parents of her students. Sonia holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education and has taught at the elementary school level. She has conducted workshops and has addressed special education programs and symposia in Europe, Asia, United States, Oceania, Canada and South America. In 1980 she founded the Integral Yoga Center of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, which is now headed by her daughter Renata. In September of 2001 Sonia opened the National Headquarters for Yoga for the Special Child, Satchidananda Yoga Center in Evanston, Illinois. She continues to teach children and adults and offers specialized training courses to Yoga teachers and other professionals who wish to learn her methods. She now lives in Sarasota, FL. Her book Yoga for the Special Child has been translated into Portuguese, English and Chinese while Dutch and Spanish versions will be forthcoming soon. Sonia is a member and recognized by: Yoga Alliance; IYTA - Integral Yoga Teachers Association; YREC - Yoga Research Educational Center; & IAYT - International Association of Yoga Therapists.
In 1989, Renata advanced her teaching skills by completing the Teacher's Training Program for Yoga for the Special Child. In 1990 Sri Swami Satchidananda, the great teacher and founder of Hatha Yoga Integral, visited Sonia Sumar's Yoga Center in Brazil and this visit caused Renata to begin following a new path. By the end of 1991 Renata went to Satchidananda Ashram in VA. In 1994 she received her university diploma in Speach Therapy. Her thesis, "Yoga as a Method of Global Stimulation for Children with Down Syndrome", describes her original research which indicates Yoga is an effective method for stimulating the development of children with Down Syndrome. In 1995 Renata returned to Satchidananda Ashram where she spent six months under the guidance of Sri Gurudev. During that time Renata participated in many courses and attended many lectures, constantly trying to increase her knowledge about Yoga. Renata also assisted her mother by helping to teach her annual courses of Yoga for the Special Child at the ashram and in New York City. In 2000-2001, Renata spent several months visiting various Yoga masters in India to increase her knowledge about the different branches of the Yoga family, including Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga. Outstanding among the different teachers that she was honored to have is her Ashtanga Yoga teacher, Saraswati Rangaswami, the daughter of Pattabhi Jois, who is the founder of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, in Mysore, India. From Sree Sarawati, Renata learned not only about how to deepen her Ashtanga Yoga practice, but also more about the India culture and Hinduism. The year 2002 was very special for Renata, as she gave Light to her first child, Noah. Noah, who began his Yoga "practice" while still in the womb, is the inspiration behind Renata's work in developing a Teacher's Training Program for Yoga for Mothers-to-be, Mothers, and Babies. Noah continues his practice in private classes and serves as Renata's best validation for her teaching methods. Renata is the Director of the Integral Yoga Center in Belo Horizonte, Brazil and a member of the Integral Yoga Teachers Association, Yoga Alliance, where she is a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level, the Yoga Research and Education Center and the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She moved to Sarasota, Fl last October and is now working with Sonia and still running the Yoga Center in Brazil.
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Jo Manuel
has practised Yoga for over 30 years, and has trained extensively under
Sivakami Sonia Sumar. Jo first studied with the world renowned Dharma
Mittra in New York, then with Faustomaria, Jon Stirk and Mary Stewart,
and others in London. Throughout 1970 and 1980, she explored many
different styles and approaches in order to develop a well-rounded Yoga
practice.
