Bala Yoga School

From my perspective coming from a Western country for a 300 hour training abroad, I could not have asked for a better experience. This course is philosophy heavy and complimented the more technically focused 200 hour program I had completed.

I gained such an appreciation for the yogic life, philosophy, and history which was inspiring on a personal level. All three of the teachers have not only mastered the information but also strive to live out the philosophy in their own life and practices. Coralia is a light in my eyes is a guru, someone who lives traveling India and lives in the current moment. I learned so much from her classes and just being around her as a person. Yogeesh has so much wisdom at his age and grew up as a competitive yoga practitioner in India. His knowledge and grace teaching asanas is really on another level. He floats around. I compared it to being able to learn from a yoga olympian every single day.

Overall, the teaching style is "learn by doing". This lends itself to a student that is a self starter. It is not a linear progression with detailed handouts telling you what to study and what to learn on what day. You are given a general manual and 5 amazing books that you can choose to study and learn from or not. You are an adult paying for this so you can make of it what you will. You are expected to learn pranayama, mantra, mudras etc and be able to teach it within a few weeks. If you want a completely immersive yogic experience, this is for you.

The best thing about this retreat for me were the other students. We had a great group, everyone was friendly and we had a good laugh at meal times and days off. The location was also stunning.

I enjoyed the food, it was fresh and changed daily. The fruit was delicious, especially the papaya from the garden.

The yoga mats were decent and I loved the pranaya classes especially.

I learned a lot of amazing alignment with Yogesh, who made doing yoga fun with his jokes.

Ultimately, I was able to teach a pranayama class and asana class, to the teacher who helped me I am very grateful for their patience and insight.

It was a very small group, and the setting was beautiful. The schedule was balanced and had plenty of time for self study. Kora is a really authentic and inspiring person and she taught me a lot. Yogeesh is a wonderful Asana teacher and very commited to his practice. Kora and Yogeesh in particular led really amazing Asana and meditation practices, and the Kirtan and chanting were great. Despite the challenges I felt during the program I do feel like I learnt a lot and had some meaningful moments I'll cherish going forward. The temple trips, hike and hot springs were really nice.

The best thing I gained from the TTC was the self-confidence to teach. Bala did a wonderful job of sharing the philosophy, asanas, and yogic lifestyle in a traditional way, yet with a modern twist that made it accessible and easy for everyone to understand. Through this approach, a seed was planted within me—one that has since grown into the confidence to share these learnings with others as a teacher.

I am so grateful that I chose to do my Yoga Teacher Training with Bala. His approach is truly unique — with him, you don’t just learn Asanas, you also discover a lot about Yoga as a whole and about life itself. From the very first day, we already began practicing teaching on our own, which made us feel confident and well-prepared to lead our own 75-min classes by the third week. The Philosophy classes were especially inspiring - our discussions were so engaging that none of us wanted them to end. We also had some special classes beyond the traditional Asana practice, which made the experience even richer and more complete.

Alaya, located in Pemuteran, Bali, offers more than just a place to stay — it’s a small community. The local expats who live there bring diverse experiences, and it’s possible to participate in their workshops. Casual chats during the day also offer interesting insights and stories about life in Bali. The calm surroundings and closeness to nature make it a comfortable place for deep learning.

Die 3 Wochen im Norden von Bali waren für mich eine lebensverändernde Erfahrung. Bala ist ein außergewöhnlicher Yoga-Lehrer und ist für mich in den 3 Wochen ein Freund geworden. Wir waren eine kleine Gruppe und alles war sehr persönlich. Dadurch konnte ich Freundinnen für das Leben gewinnen :)

Bala hat eine sehr professionelle Art Inhalte zu lehren. Ich konnte in den 3 Wochen viel über die Yoga Philosophie, den Yogi Lifestyle lernen und mich natürlich auch in den Asanas weiter entwickeln. Bala hat es geschafft jedem seinen Raum zu geben sich zu entfalten und weiter zu entwickeln.

Nach dem Yoga TTC merke ich, dass ich deutlich selbstbewusster in meiner eigenen Yoga Praxis bin und mich bereit fühle mein Wissen weiter zu geben.

Die Unterkunft war wirklich schön, der Ort war sehr ursprünglich balinesisch und das Essen war großartig. Ich habe mir ein Bungalow mit einer anderen Teilnehmerin geteilt und es war genug Platz für uns beide.

Die YTTC Zeit war für mich unvergesslich und ich möchte Balas Yoga School zu 100% weiter empfehlen.

Danke für alles, Bala!

I am incredibly grateful that by chance I found myself in Auroville and I heard about Bala Yoga School from a student of Bala. I wanted to return to Auroville and decided to do the 200Hr YTTC. Soon after I arrived, I met Bala in Bharat Nivas where the training took place, and what can I say.. the most beautiful and spacious yoga shala with so much calmness and peace. The music was provided by the beautiful nature surrounding us at each session. Bala is a wonderful teacher, he has deep knowledge that he generously shared with us in and outside of the classes. I wish my brain could have recorded everything! He is a patient and caring guide. He challenged us enough but also gave space to recover after some intense days of practice. His dedication to his own practice was such an inspiration as well. We were slowly stepping into the role of a teacher at the classes and by the end we all thaught a 75 min session on our own. I really liked that our TTC was immersed in the spirit of Auroville! We were introduced to local businesses and the way of life here. It was a magical and deeply transformative time for me. Thank you Bala :)

Thanks to Bala, I've learned so much about Yoga philosophy and what is a yogic way of living. I've also learned to overcome some Gears withthe Asanas. I was lucky enough to find 7 wonderful beings, it was a great pleasure to learn the first steps on how to become a yoga teacher on their side.

One of the best things was to give and receive classes on the Asanas, philisophy and pranayama and meditation.

I’m happy I chose Bala Yoga School for my 200-hour YTT. After much research and hesitation between bigger, more standard schools in Ubud, I picked Bala for its unique program and peaceful location, and it was the right choice!

Bala is an excellent teacher: humorous, kind, and deeply inspiring. His Asana classes were physically challenging, well-structured, and transparent. The theoretical parts of the program were also more comprehensive than I expected.

What I appreciated most was the regular opportunity to practice teaching, which built my confidence in sequencing and leading a class, always with Bala’s support and constructive feedback.

Pemuteran was the ideal setting to deepen my practice. Stunning nature, tall mountains, and a quiet beach surround Alaya Ecolodge. Bala and Michael went out of their way to recommend and help organise amazing activities and treatments like acupuncture, Ayurveda, and Thai massage. We also experienced hiking, snorkelling, dolphin tours, and sea turtle rescues.

The food, prepared with love by Masiti and her team, was healthy and delicious.

I also loved being in a small group of 8. We bonded deeply, and the learning felt more personal.

This training gave me unforgettable memories and helped me grow in my yoga journey. I wholeheartedly recommend Bala Yoga School!

This course really opened my perspective about what yoga is, I went into this course with the idea of deepening my asanas practice. Pretty soon I learned that yoga is way more than asanas. I grew up a in a western, analytical world, so this really broadened my view on life and the world on a deep level. Bala's background is the perfect balance of the original yoga roots and the western view on yoga. He has an interactive way of teaching, which makes sure you understand everything. His approach made me trust my intuition and opened me up to the possibility of giving yoga classes in the future.

The location of this course in North-Bali was perfect: away from the touristy parts and in nature. Dune Alaya is a cozy resort with a pool, right next to the mountains and close to the beach. It's so peaceful that it allows you to easily absorb all the information and focus on the course, while taking time for yourself and also enjoying yourself!

I really enjoyed the time to settle in at such a beautiful place and to meet people that felt like family. Bala had a lot of knowledge and provided us with the traditional teachings but his teachings also were grounded with what it’s actually like to practice in this modern world. I loved how he encouraged us to trust ourselves and to find ways that was right for our own body and anatomy. An unexpected thing I really liked was that we explored the area we stayed in (went to temples, did beach yoga at sunrise, celebrated a Balinese holiday that occurred during our stay, ate dinner with a balanise family in their balé) All off these things really brought our group together and we got a taste of the culture in Bali.Overall the people I met at Dune Alaya were so so inspiring and the food we had every day was incredible! Also the pool was so refreshing on hot days to jump in and cool off. On the days we had energy we just biked 7mins to the ocean. I initially went into this program thinking I just wanted to deepen my own personal practice but with Balas instruction and feeling so safe with my group I found the courage and inspiration in myself to touch my truest potential! My unique voice and internal world has the power to inspire and help others find their true potential. I was emotional after teaching my first class because I can feel my whole life has changed from this experience and I have a new way of sharing my gifts with the world. Thanks Bala for being this catalyst!!!

India is a trip in itself. Auroville is another trip in this first trip. Balaganesh Yoga School took me even deeper. It was a beautiful and inspiring journey full of knowledge, practice, spirituality. Bala is very serious, eager, and generous. He introduced me to many beautiful things, always connecting yoga to life. Romba nandri teacher. See you soon.

Travel is surely the best way to take a break from our regular life. This retreat helped me to pause my busy life, look at it without prejudice and plan for a better future.The course is designed in such a way that we get our physical activity through yoga asana, Kalaripayatu and mental relaxation through meditation and sound healing. We have the daytime free to enjoy the sauna and swimming pool or walk in the zen garden. As the course happened in Ubud , we had a lot of things we can participate during the day

Bala and his team were able to understand the need of the individual and can give wonderful care. I think retreats like these are more authentic and bring meaningful connection for yourself. We had the opportunity to attend a purification ceremony in nearby temple.

Food was fresh and they have a small kitchen garden also. We also hired a scooter and it was a unique experience of its own. Dragonfly is located in the beautiful rice terrace area of Ubud.

Asanas were taught at our level and not in a dogmatic way. We were given tools to continue the practice even when back home.

I am Manoj ,born indian , but raised in Sweden . I returned to India few years ago and got attracted to Vedantic philosophy by Chinmaya mission, where i have taken Brahamacharya deeksha but also wanted to include the practise of Asana into my life..

I found such a great place in the international town of Auroville. The classes are not beginner-level, but having joined the TTC as a beginner, the course was well tought out and considered people of different levels and at the end of the course, I was able to teach classes on my own..For me, who is not great at Asana yoga but do know the basics and most importantly the "why" this and that has been amazing. During the day you can enjoy Auroville, which has so much diverse projects to offer and also a lot of nice restaurants and relax . Afternoons and evenings we had yoga philosophy classes , satsangs , Bhagavad gita and much more. Its was nice learn different schooIs of indian Philpsophy. Bala is a talented teacher not only just in Asanas, but also in Yogic philosophy of Patanjali and more..And I want to recommend this place and the style of his yoga practice in general. He has diverse cultural experiences and hence he can explain difficult points keep the many nationalities that was present in the TTC. We had people from 8 different countries including China . We had tour of local temples, legends, closing Haven ( Fire ceremony)and a lot of laughter during these 21 days.

Very happy I attended the Beginner Intermediate course, I feel very prepared with an excellent foundation and understanding of yoga and in such a beautiful environment. Bala is highly qualified and I would not hesitate to continue further study with him.

I am very happy to say that I have got right place for learning yoga, master was very cooperative, arrangements of rooms was made well and good atmosphere. The way of teaching is good, good place for learning yoga, i suggest it is the right place to learn yoga

I had an amazing life changing experience in this TTC .I joined the course not with an intention to teach , but to improve my own health & to lead a happy life . But now I have not only gained tools to lead a successful self practice , but also have gained confidence to teach my friends & families and initiate them into the life of smile and laughter through Yoga . The communication with Bala was excellent as he uses simple , effective , on the right time communication .The transfers from/to the airport went smooth, check-in and out was easy.The yoga classes were in different styles so it gave us an idea of how we can lead sessions for different people . Yoga classes ,the spiritual and philosophical discussions , local culture & temple visits , volunteering in Organic farm , Kalaripayatu and much more made this experience very unique and unforgettable! Overall, it felt like a big family with the long talks and I made new friends there. Thank you, the Bala yoga School team, for this pleasant and unforgettable experience!

Auroville is an international town with many projects are happening and hence you have some thing interesting happening every day and so this TTC is not just about Yoga , but a complete life changing experience .

I heard Bala will offer 300 hr TTC courses in Bali , knowing Bala and his team’s organizing skills, attention to details & their patience , I already look forward to enjoy Bali from a complete new perspective and to deepen my yogic practice .

Bala has an amazingly positive which is very contagious. The yoga sessions were exactly what I was looking for to progress in my practice. Bala was very supportive and patient in helping us with different asanas. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to yoga philosophy and I learned a lot. I would definitely recommend Bala yoga school to anyone who is willing to immerse themselves in a great environment with wonderful asana practice and learn more about yoga philosophy.

The icing on the cake defo is the conecctedness of Bala.

He is well connected to "first world problems" yet deeply rooted in tradicion and a true local of Auroville/South India. This itself gives an incredible layer to everything.

Could not get better than the program he carefully choosen and mend together for the Seekers.

It is an intense deep dive into the self and a vast knowledge of the surroundings, tradicions, culture, philosophy, world inside and outside.

That extra mile, he provides with the care and attention to details around the course itself is extraordinary yet effortless.

This whole experience was way above my expectations, and offered extensions toward other crafts for the still hungry and curious.

Cant tell more than recommend it hightly, or just pray somehow YOU the seeker end up here somehow.

I had an amazing experience with Bala Yoga School and Balas knowledge and passion for Yoga as well as other teachers who were part of the team. I really enjoyed getting to know various forms and styles of Yoga and deepen my interest and knowledge. Like Kriyas and detailed versions of Asanas.

Through the training I could explore my own daily practise and my growth, discover new questions and answers about myself and life and at the same time learned how to give this knowledge and practise to others.

I feel I could trust the teachers completely with their knowledge, their techniques and the teaching in general in the group and felt in good hands throughout the course. The teachers are expanding their own knowledge and practise all the time which is motivating me even more on the path of Yoga.

I feel now on my way of being a Yoga Teacher myself and bringing the beautiful wisdom of Yoga into the world wherever I am.

If you are looking for very enthusiastic and passionate teachers who really love what they do and share everything from their heart, I can really recommend this school!

I am very grateful and blessed for this amazing experience and everything I learned here!

First ,The TTC changed me as a person. The TTC happened in a time of constant changes and uncertainties of the virus . But once we were in the place every thing happened with such smooth flow . Starting from our accommodation to every meal was preplanned and executed with such ease. We were people of different background and we all felt that more such prograns shall be the norm in a TTC . Lead teacher Bala is a treasure trove of knowledge both cultural and yogic . He has in depth knowledge about the Asanas and various schools of yoga . He breaks down each asana so that you can first learn it and then taught how to teach our students . Entire concentration is on becoming a teacher with compassion .The TTC made us feel comfortable in our own self . We had many classes like Hatha , Viyasa ,Ashtanga,Yin, Kalaripayatu etc . This gave us a glimpse of various styles and we can choose where we want to concentrate . We had special classes for teaching kids ,pregnant women and senior citizens. We had our Anatony class from a physiotherapist so we had indepth knowledge how our body works . Philosophical terms were explained with lot of examples and Bala is great in it . We can see that all the faculty had travelled and lived in many parts of the world, so they can explain things from all perspective . I got friends for life and I learnt that you can change some ones life through yoga. Glad to see the passion in their teaching and I highly recommend this course