Remembering master Scott Orton

I met Scott Orton Sivaram on Friday, 23 February 2007. I had heard about Sivananda yoga before and read about yoga lessons being offered by two schools here in Singapore. I wrote to Scott (after visiting his website), asking him if there was a difference between the two courses, and Scott wrote back to me explaining the differences between his classes and the other’s. There was a sincerity and openness in the mail that was immediately appealing. He invited me for a chat, if I wanted to know more, which was a nice gesture as well.

So I met the master on 23 Feb 07. I reached his 40th floor apartment in International Plaza and called the number as I was expecting a yoga centre and this looked like a house. He asked me to open the metal gate outside unit number 40-07, and if I remember right, he said to push open the main door, as it was open since he was expecting me.

I opened the gate, took off my shoes, knocked on the door, and as I opened it and I knew I was going to come to that place more than this once. The door opened out to a big-sized living room, typical of HDB flats, sparsely furnished. There were cushions on the floor and a yoga mat. There was a temple of sorts towards the far end of the wall with pictures of Ganesha, and photos of Sivananda and other masters.

And Scott came out his bedroom and welcomed me with a beatific smile. And I knew again I was going to learn from this gentle, beautiful soul. He was average height with a closely shaved head, was in casual slacks and white T shirt, looking radiant, peaceful. There was immediate connection. He asked me to sit down on the mat, sat opposite me and offered me tea and some dates as we talked about his course. I learn that his class size was small, about 4-5 at the most, as he didn’t want to take on too many since he was training teachers as well. I don’t remember what else we talked about, I think we talked about Adi Shankara achieving so much in his 32 years of existence as I saw a copy of Vivekchudmani on his bookshelf, which had many titles of Eastern wisdom. I told him I was signing up and starting from the next day. “We don’t do classes in cycles,” he said, “our classes are open so you can join any time”. He asked me to come 15 minutes before the class so I could get the paperwork done.

Saturday I was there at quarter to 2 and I signed up. He introduced me to Kim who would be taking the Beginner’s course. He had told me earlier that he only took intermediate and teacher’s training but if there were any doubts I could always ask him. At the end of every class, he would come out of his room to have tea and fruits with us and chat. So I was used to seeing him 2-3 times a week. And after the course was over, I came back from a holiday break, went to the centre, gave him a big hug, and signed up for the intermediate course. It was like meeting a long-lost brother. A friend.

That’s how I began learning yoga from Scott Orton Sivaram. Who passed away on 1 August 2007. He was 45. He was fit and healthy, he was a yoga master and an Acharya at the Sivananda Society. So we are not just talking about mere physical health as in the kind of fitness addressed by gyms. This was health and fitness, inside out. And he passed away at 45.

When Kim called me around 5 that day I was completely shocked. Suddenly everything seemed so pointless, the work, the meetings, everything. Somehow, over the last six months I had grown to have a great affinity with the master. He inspired warmth and radiated kindness. And I couldn’t believe he was gone. There was nothing to soften the edges of the news like maybe a disease, or an illness. He was fit one minute and gone the next. It is amazing how swiftly people go from living, breathing, smiling beings to a photograph in a frame.

Later I was told that he had his favourite meal of chappati and dal, lay down to rest and had breathing trouble. By the time the paramedics came, and gave him CPR, he was gone. The emergency people came half an hour after the call was mad. Half an hour? What kind of response is that to an emergency? That rankled me a lot, and I was thinking, while Singapore is known for its clockwork efficiency, there are areas that needed serious improvement.

Then I was thinking, either they came late. Or his time had come. So even if they had come on time, maybe they couldn’t have done anything.

My Hare Krishna calendar has this to say for August. There are two ways of association – by vani and vapuh. Vani means words and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. When I practise the asanas, I hear his voice, gentle, patient, with the Rs rolling out his San Diego accent.

He was a kind soul. And I presume he did what he came here to do. Like Krishna says in the Gita the Self transcends the body, time and space. May God rest his soul. While we may have lost the master around 4pm on Wednesday, 1 August 2007, 4 days before his birthday anniversary, we haven’t lost the teachings. He has left a legacy in the form of teachers who I hope, will inspire, more to come.

If you had the good fortune to meet Scott, please post your stories here.