Yoga Teacher Training Courses – level I (YTTC-1) - 200 hours.

Duration - 4 weeks

Course Date, Location & Donations

Course location is Amboli, Maharashtra, India. Please find the details of location here

Please find all course names and corresponding donations

for Indian Nationals here for non Indian Nationals here

The daily course donation includes two sets of uniforms, course manuals, main text books, food & accommodation from the last arrival date to the first departure date, tuition as per the daily schedule shown below and the use of ashram facilities.

Pre-requisites

This course is open to all students who wish to deepen their knowledge and application of some of the highest teachings of yoga. Participants do not need to be yoga teachers. Mastery of any yoga practice is not necessary... only your sincere desire for knowledge and your commitment to personal growth. Even if one does not wish to be a yoga teacher, one may attempt this course for the deeper understanding of the philosophies as well as for the intense purification experience and for all round development of the personality.

Course Details

This four-week course offers a profound personal experience, designed to build a firm foundation of inner discipline and provide the proficiency to teach yoga to others. The essence of yoga is learned through a combination of repeated practices and inspirational lessons. The approach to teaching is personal, focusing on the individual student. Among the many benefits students report are increased strength and flexibility, greater spiritual awareness, improved power of concentration, enhanced self-esteem and a new found sense of self-discipline. This training course fulfils the requirements for the Yoga Alliance 200-hour certification, for which graduates of the program are welcome to register.

Curriculum

Five points of Yoga as per the teachings of Sri Swami Vishnudevananda

1. Proper exercise – Yoga Asanas
2. Proper breathing – Pranayama
3. Proper relaxation – Savasana
4. Proper diet – Vegetarianism
5. Positive thinking and meditation – Vedanta & Dhyanam

Yoga Asanas

• The sun salutation and the twelve basic yoga postures
• Advanced variations
• Effects of asanas on the physical and astral body
• Proper posture alignment, deep relaxation, release of blocked energy
• Benefits of Yoga Asanas

Pranayama

• The basic practices: kapalabhati, anuloma viloma (alternate nostril breathing)
• Advanced pranayama exercises

Kriyas

• The six classical exercises for purifying the body

Hatha Yoga / Kundalini Yoga Theory

• The astral body
• The nadis (energy channels) and chakras (energy centers)

How to Teach

• How to teach the sun salutation and the twelve basic postures
• Setting up a proper environment for class
• The basic class
• How to teach beginners and intermediate students
• How to teach children, the elderly, and prenatal yoga
• How to correct

Yoga Philosophy and Psychology

• The four paths of Yoga: Karma Yoga (selfless service), Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion, including attendance at devotional rituals); Raja Yoga (mind control), and Jnana Yoga (the path of wisdom and realisation).
• Psychology of the spiritual aspirant
• The law of Karma

Anatomy and Physiology

• The effects of hatha yoga practices on the major body systems

Yogic Diet and Nutrition

• Influence of diet on the mind
• Proper diet
• Nutrition according to Ayurvedic guidelines
• Ethical, health and spiritual reasons for vegetarianism

Meditation

• Twelve-step guideline to meditation
• The benefits of meditation
• Mantras, mantra-initiation (if requested)

Kirtan (Chanting)

• Positive effects of chanting on the emotions
• Correct pronunciation and mental attitude
• Learning classical Sanskrit chants

Bhagavad Gita

• Study and commentary of the classical scripture

Daily Schedule

• Attendance at all activities is mandatory.
• Changes in the program may occur from time to time
• There is one day off in a week. Students are required to attend morning and evening satsangs, to attend the morning hathayoga class and to complete their Seva duties. The rest of the day is free for their introspection, personal study and activities.

*Recommended texts

• Sivananda Training Manual – by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre.
• The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga – by Swami Vishnudevananda
• Bhagavad Gita (with commentary by Swami Dayananda Saraswati)
• Meditation and Mantras – by Swami Vishnudevananda
• The Sivananda Chant book - ISYVC
* These texts are included in the course donation.

**In Addition

Sivananda Companion to Yoga - by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
Sivananda Beginners Guide to Yoga – by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
Yoga Mind & Body – by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
**The above mentioned texts are available for purchase in the ashram boutique

Assessment and Certification

The students are continuously assessed throughout the course at all levels.
Participant should pass all different aspects of the course to be eligible for the course diploma.
There will be a written exam at the end of the course to evaluate the understanding of the philosophy of Yoga and skills of the students.

Assessment is based on:

1. Regular attendance of all classes
2. Attitude and behaviour inside and outside of the ashram while attending the course
3. Performance and attitude in the practical asana, pranayama, bandhas and kriya classes
4. Hatha yoga teaching skills
5. Leading spiritual chanting in the satsangs
6. Written daily summary of the main philosophy classes and hatha yoga theory classes
7. Written examination of 3.30 hrs on the theories of Yoga and Vedanta philosophy.

Upon successful completion of the course students receive the Certificate of the Sivananda Yoga Vidya Peetham. This training course fulfils the requirements for the Yoga Alliance 200-hour certification, for which graduates of the program are welcome to register.

Presenters

The team of the teachers include Swami Govindananda, Mani Raman, Sri Raghav Kumar and Dr Sharada Raghav.
The main teachers of each course will be selected from this team.
There will be also many other teachers to assist especially during the Hatha Yoga classes.

How to register

Please fill in all the required information in the application form by online itself, then submit the completed application form.

Fill in the Course Application Form - Click here

Once the filled up application form is received and accepted the applicants will be informed by email, of how to proceed further in the registration process.
To finish the formality of registration:
Indian nationals : Need to send a non-refundable deposit donation of Rs 5000.
Non-Indian or non-resident Indian nationals : Need to send a non-refundable deposit donation of USD 300.

Please Note:

The balance of the course donation should be remitted at the latest by one month before the starting date of the course.
Course donations are non-refundable, however any unused amount may be transferred, minus an administration fee of US$300, to another course within one year of the original course starting date. Alternatively, a credit note may be issued minus the administration fee. Credit notes are valid for one year from date of issue and can be used for any other courses/ programs or for anybody recommended by the depositor and also for boutique items or any other supplementary services.

General Information

Please read course details as well as the course location information carefully before making a decision to register. The average number of participants for this course is around 20.
Admission to any course is on first come first serve basis.
All the courses are taught in English, there is currently no translation facility available into any other language.
Students should plan latest to arrive on the arrival day and depart on the day of departure.
It is recommended that Participants spend at least a few days in the course location before the start of your course. This allows the body and mind to have a little time to rest, re-energise and be nourished by the ashram environment. Participants can then begin their study feeling relaxed and refreshed.
Participants may also wish to stay for some days after the end of the course to allow the learning from the study to integrate more fully into their consciousness within the supportive environment of the ashram.
If one decides to arrive early and also to stay longer, please register for the course program for those additional days. The guest need to pay the daily donations for the extra days.

To maintain the spiritual atmosphere we ask all ashram guests to comply with the ashram rules. Kindly refer to the Ashram rules and guidelines for more information.
The ashram reserves the right of admission and students may be asked to leave if their behaviour goes against the ashram rules and teachings.

Students are also welcome to contact the ashram directly if they would like to stay on in the ashram after the course participating in the volunteer staff program. The volunteer staff program is an excellent way to deepen one’s experience and understanding of yoga teaching.

Email sivanandapeetham@gmail.com if you need further information.