Yoga Paramparas
The 8 classical yoga lineages recognised by the NOSTOPS Council of Yoga Gurus — Sivananda, Krishnamacharya, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bihar, and more.
A parampara is a living lineage — knowledge transmitted directly from Guru to Shishya (teacher to student). NOSTOPS teachers carry these traditions forward as custodians of an unbroken chain of practice.
8 recognised lineages
Sivananda Yoga Parampara
- Founder:
- Swami Sivananda Saraswati
- Seat:
- Rishikesh
Krishnamacharya Yoga Parampara
- Founder:
- Tirumalai Krishnamacharya
- Seat:
- Mysuru
Iyengar Yoga Parampara
- Founder:
- B.K.S. Iyengar
- Seat:
- Pune
Bihar Yoga (Satyananda) Parampara
- Founder:
- Swami Satyananda Saraswati
- Seat:
- Munger
Ashtanga Yoga (Pattabhi Jois) Parampara
- Founder:
- K. Pattabhi Jois
- Seat:
- Mysuru
Vipassana Yoga Parampara
- Founder:
- S.N. Goenka
- Seat:
- Igatpuri
Kaivalyadhama Parampara
- Founder:
- Swami Kuvalayananda
- Seat:
- Lonavla
Yoga Vidya Gurukul (Nashik) Parampara
Nashik Gurukul
- Founder:
- Yogacharya Vishwas Mandlik
- Seat:
- Nashik
Classical yoga paramparas of India & the Himalayas
An informational reference to the great living lineages of Indian and Himalayan yoga. Listing here is educational and does not itself imply NOSTOPS Council empanelment.
Natha (Gorakhnath) Sampradaya
Nepal / HimalayaThe ascetic yogic order credited with systematising Hatha Yoga — the foundation of physical yoga practice.
- Founder:
- Matsyendranath & Gorakhnath
- Seat:
- Gorakhpur (India) & Gorkha (Nepal)
Patanjala Yoga (Classical Raja Yoga)
IndiaThe classical eight-limbed (Ashtanga) yoga codified by Maharishi Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras.
- Founder:
- Maharishi Patanjali
- Seat:
- Textual tradition (pan-India)
The Yoga Institute (Yogendra Parampara)
IndiaThe world’s oldest organised yoga centre (est. 1918), pioneering yoga for the householder.
- Founder:
- Shri Yogendra
- Seat:
- Santacruz, Mumbai
Viniyoga (Desikachar)
IndiaKrishnamacharya’s later teaching, adapting practice to the individual — breath-led and therapeutic.
- Founder:
- T.K.V. Desikachar
- Seat:
- Chennai
Kriya Yoga (Yogananda)
IndiaThe meditative Kriya lineage brought to the world by Paramahansa Yogananda.
- Founder:
- Paramahansa Yogananda
- Seat:
- Ranchi (YSS) · Los Angeles (SRF)
Ramakrishna–Vivekananda (Raja Yoga)
IndiaThe Raja Yoga and four-paths teaching of Swami Vivekananda, rooted in Sri Ramakrishna.
- Founder:
- Swami Vivekananda
- Seat:
- Belur Math, Kolkata
Integral (Purna) Yoga — Sri Aurobindo
IndiaThe yoga of integral self-transformation taught by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother at Pondicherry.
- Founder:
- Sri Aurobindo & The Mother
- Seat:
- Pondicherry
Integral Yoga (Satchidananda)
IndiaThe holistic, interfaith Integral Yoga of Swami Satchidananda, in the Sivananda stream.
- Founder:
- Swami Satchidananda
- Seat:
- Yogaville (Sivananda lineage)
Kripalu Yoga
IndiaA meditative, prana-led practice of compassionate self-observation.
- Founder:
- Swami Kripalvananda (Amrit Desai)
- Seat:
- India → Kripalu Center
Ananda Marga Yoga & Tantra
IndiaA yoga-and-tantra path of meditation and service founded by Shrii Shrii Anandamurti.
- Founder:
- Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (P.R. Sarkar)
- Seat:
- Kolkata / Ananda Nagar
Isha Yoga (Classical Hatha)
IndiaClassical Hatha Yoga and inner-engineering practices offered by the Isha Foundation.
- Founder:
- Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev)
- Seat:
- Coimbatore
Art of Living (Sudarshan Kriya)
IndiaBreath-based wellbeing centred on the Sudarshan Kriya, taught by the Art of Living.
- Founder:
- Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
- Seat:
- Bengaluru
Sri Vidya (Tantra Sadhana)
IndiaThe Shakta tantric lineage of Devi worship, mantra and Sri Yantra upasana.
- Founder:
- Traditional (Shakta lineage)
- Seat:
- Pan-India (Shakta seats)
Kundalini Yoga (as taught by Yogi Bhajan)
IndiaA vigorous practice of kriyas, breath, mantra and meditation to awaken kundalini energy.
- Founder:
- Yogi Bhajan (Harbhajan Singh Khalsa)
- Seat:
- Punjab roots → 3HO (worldwide)
Himalayan Tradition (Swami Rama)
Nepal / HimalayaThe meditative Himalayan yoga-and-Sankhya tradition brought forward by Swami Rama.
- Founder:
- Swami Rama
- Seat:
- Himalayan Institute · Rishikesh / Himalaya
Gayatri Pariwar (Dev Sanskriti)
IndiaA Vedic-revival tradition of Gayatri sadhana, yagya and self-refinement.
- Founder:
- Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya
- Seat:
- Shantikunj, Haridwar