15 Day 300-Hour Multistyle Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India

Rishikesh, also referred to as ''the Yoga capital of the world'' is a unique place to study yoga. Surrounded by the holy waters of the Ganges, set on the hills of the beautiful, green Himalayan Mountains, you'll experience an instant and natural feeling of true happiness and gratitude. Enjoy the nightly Ganga Aarti (fire offering) on the Ganges in the evenings. All in all, granted for a truly spiritual journey into India, completing your yoga course with an uplifted spirit and feeling compassion for everything surrounding you.

Next to this, Vinyasa Yoga Academy is proud to introduce you to the beloved family consisting of the highly qualified Indian team of teachers and staff members. All teachers have a unique approach with a personal touch of love, paying attention to the group process but also meeting the students' personal needs. The humble staff members will do everything in their power to make your stay as convenient as possible, making it feel as if you were at home.

Course Syllabus

Alignment

• Meaning and sense of alignment
• Role of alignment in daily practice
• Prana and chakras - how to balance them
• 5 koshas and alignment
• Importance of alignment
• Aspect of alignment
• Avoid injuries through alignment
• Enhancing the movement of joints
• Alignment based on body regions
• Upper limb alignment
• Lower limb alignment
• Torso – thorax – abdomen – pelvis alignment
• Head and neck - alignment
• Spinal alignment
• Basic alignment postures
• How to bring the body into a comfortable
• How to find balance between body and mind

Adjustment

• What is the sense of yoga adjustment
• What is the level of yoga adjustment
• Why is an adjustment needed in yoga asana
• Role of adjustments in yoga asana class
• The right technique of perfect adjustment
• How to apply a bandha and when
• Exploring the dynamics of each asana
• How to adjust the self-adjustment in a posture
• How to adjust others during the class
• Pre-requisite methods of adjustment
• Uses of different tools and props to achieve the peak of the posture
• Body weight management during a posture
• Safety rules and preparations

Ayurveda

Ayurveda talks about proper health management that all yoga teachers need to know to help people. Vinyasa Yoga Academy provides an Ayurveda workshop with their doctor. Here is what you will learn in the Ayurveda class:

Basic principles and introduction of Ayurveda

• Fundamentals of Ayurveda
• Tridosha concept (vata, pitta, Kapha)
• Kapha (the theme of structure and lubrication)
• Vata (the energy of movements)
• Pitta (the energy of bio-transformation and heat generation)
• Prakriti - know your constitution
• Pancha mahabhuta concept
• Prakruti (body constitution)
• Vikurti
• Sapta dhatu (body elements)
• Mala (waste products)
• Srotas (body channels)
• Agni (digestive fire)
• Koshta (alimentary tract)
• Ama (metabolic toxins)

Bandha (energy lock)

There are 3 bandhas, and they will be taught depending on the level of the student. In 200 hours, you have learnt the basics, and here in 300 hours in Rishikesh, you will learn how to develop the practice to awaken your hidden energy.

What you will learn

• Energy lock and kundalini awakening
• How the bandha helps to stop draining your prana shakti
• Unblocking your system and free flow of energy through bandha
• Unlocking 3 knots Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
• Outcome of the practice
• Precautions
• Health and spiritual benefit

Practices (beginners and intermediate level)

• Advanced level agnisar kriya
• Advancing the power of internal retention
• Advancing the power of external retention
• Ashwini mudra to prepare mulabandha
• Vajroli mudra to practice mulabandha
• Mulabandha – anal lock
• Uddiyana bandha – abdominal lock
• Jalandhara bandha – throat lock
• Maha bandha – great lock

Classical dance

Vinyasa Yoga Academy introduces classical dance to our students because it is a complete yogic practice done with:

• Concentration
• Mudra
• Conscious movement
• Awareness of emotions
• Eye movements
• Mantra
• Music

Here you learn the Ganesha vandana classical dance. Here, it is a bhangi means you dance in such a way that you represent Ganesha in each of your gestures. You will feel yourself and your mood change completely by watching you. For the first time, Vinyasa Yoga Academy has included dance in the yoga curriculum.

Evaluation and certification

Master Guru Vishnu says the real test is when the teacher is tested, not the student. Concentration and interest of the students matter, but if you learn from the right teacher, he/she help you to motivate and generate interest.

Vinyasa Yoga Academy evaluates the teachers through the performance of the students, which means that you will have a great experience with great teachers. Yoga is not an academic education, but it is a life education. Every step, you have to meet challenges.

You will be evaluated in the following way:

• Performance
• Attendance
• Demonstration
• Practical test
• Written test
• Behaviour

Ganga Beach yoga sadhana

Many students lose themselves in the energy of Rishikesh, and the base of her beauty is Mother Ganga and the surrounding Himalayan foothills.

So that you can experience the energy and the beauty, Vinyasa Yoga Academy organizes yoga sadhana on the banks of the Ganga. Every Thursday morning, students will practice yoga sadhana on the bank of the Ganga.

What classes will be taught:

• Asana
• Pranayama
• Meditation
• Ganga puja

Hatha yoga

The 300-hour Intermediate and advanced level traditional Hatha yoga practices are very special. In the beginning, they will teach the basics so that your body will be ready for the upper level. And once you continue to hold the posture for a longer time, and once you move with a rhythm, you find almost a dance. Many of the classical postures are the same in name, but there are different levels of practice in each asana. The teachers help you to perform with accurate alignment.

Here is the list of asana series that will be practiced:

• Joints and glands exercises foundation practices
• Joints and glands exercises advanced practices
• Centering postures series
• Sun salutation – withholding, mantra, chakra awareness, and flow
• Moon salutation – withholding, mantra, chakra awareness, and flow
• Standing intermediate and advanced postures series
• Kneeling postures series
• Sitting posture series
• Forward bending posture series
• Backward bending postures series
• Supine postures series
• Prone postures series
• Fire series inversions series
• Twisting postures series
• Balancing postures series
• Relaxing posture series
• Meditative asana series

Philosophy of Hatha yoga really can change your concept of yoga. It is much more than the movement:

• Philosophy of the Sun Salutation
• Philosophy behind each yoga asana
• Hatha yoga and kundalini awakening
• Asana and yoga sadhana
• Benefit of asana practices
• Rules and regulation
• Advancing your yoga pose

Kundalini yoga

Vinyasa Yoga Academy offers one Kundalini yoga lesson to the students so that they are able to understand what it is and how it works.

Kundalini yoga has been very popular and beneficial for your health and harmony. It helps to balance your chakras and awaken the Kundalini Shakti. It removes the veil of ignorance and cleans the karmic sanskaras.

In this lesson, they teach:

• Kundalini asana
• Kundalini pranayama
• Kundalini kriya
• Kundalini meditation

There is a lot of confusion about the different styles of Kundalini yoga. Vinyasa Yoga Academy will be teaching Himalayan Traditional Kundalini yoga practices.

Mantra Diksha

Mantra

Sanskrit syllable

• 58 syllables and its power of vibration

How mantra vibrates in chakras

• Each chakra has its own vibration
• Sound of Muladhara
• Sound of Swadhistana
• Sound of Manipura
• Sound of Anahata
• Sound of Visuddhi
• Sound of ajna
• Sound of sahasrara

Healing mantras

• Mantras for physical healing
• Mantras for mental healing
• Mantras for emotional healing
• Mantras for spiritual healing

Mantras for planetary disorders

• Mantra for the sun
• Mantra for the moon
• Mantra for Saturn
• Mantra for vrihaspti/guru
• Mantra for mangala

How Mantra can heal different diseases

• Mantra for cancer
• Mantra for HBP
• Mantra for heart problem
• Mantra in pregnancy
• Mantra for stress relief
• Mantra for concentration

Bija Mantra for the chakras

• Mantra Sound for Muladhar - Lam
• Mantra Sound for Swadhisthana - Vam
• Mantra Sound for Manipura - Ram
• Mantra Sound for Anahata - Yam
• Mantra Sound for Visuddhi - Ham
• Mantra Sound for Ajna - Om
• Mantra sound for Sahasrara - Silence

Syllable sound for each chakras

• Mantra sound for Muladhar - four petals - व श स ष
• Mantra sound for Swadhisthana - six petals - ब भ म य र ल
• Mantra sound for Manipura - ten petals - ड ढ ण त थ द ध न प फ
• Mantra sound for Anahata - twelve petals - क ख ग घ ङ च छ ज झ ञ ट ठ
• Mantra sound for Visuddhi - sixteen petals - अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ॠ ऌ ॡ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः
• Mnatra sound for Ajna - two petals - ह क्ष
• Mantra sound for Sahasrara - two petals- अ - क्ष

Mantra healing for all planets

• Sun -“Om Hring Hraung Suryay Namah
• Chandra (moon)- “Om Aing Kling Somay Namah”
• Mangala mantra - “Om Hung Shring Bhaumay Namah”
• Budha mantra - “Om Aing Shring Shring Budhay Namah”

Brihaspati Guru mantra - “Om Hring Cling hung Brihsptye Namah”

• Shukra mantra“Om Hring Shring Shukray Namah”
• Shani mantra“Om Aing Hring Shring Shanaishchray Namah”
• Rahu mantra “Om Aing Hring Rahave Namah”
• Ketu mantra“Om Hring Aing Ketave Namah”

Meditation (dhyana)

In 300 YTTC, your journey will be deeper in meditation. It is not only about watching the mind, but experience the nature and role of the mind to finally be able to control it.

• Week 1: Strengthening the foundation of meditation
• Week 2: Intensifying the focus and mindfulness
• Week 3: Advancing meditation Techniques
• Week 4: Awareness and Kundalini meditation

What you will learn:

• What is the mind and its role in meditation?
• Nature of the mind and why it is restless?
• Meditation is pratiprasava - reverse journey
• Brain waves in meditation
• Importance of music in meditation
• Emotional purification meditation
• Meditation and past life healing
• How to get samadhi in meditation

Styles of meditation practices

Himalayan meditation practices

• Advancing your foundation in meditation
• Awareness and mindfulness
• Anapana
• Jyoti Tratak meditation

Nada Meditation Practices

• Music meditation
• Pranava meditation
• Advance mantra meditation

Active meditation practices

• Dynamic meditation
• Contemplative walking
• Meditation in daily life

Tantra and Kundalini meditation practices

• Meditation for Muladhara Chakra
• Meditation for the swadhisthana chakra
• Meditation for the Manipura Chakra
• Meditation for anahata chakra
• Meditation for the visuddhi chakra
• Meditation for ajna chakra
• Meditation for sahasrara chakra
• Guru chakra meditation
• Kundalini meditation

Vipasana and passive meditation practices

• Breath awareness
• Mindfulness and sensation
• Total awareness practice
• Kirtan Dhyan
• Mantra Japa
• Silence practice

Mudra

Mudras are very important to uplift your energy with ease. Here in 300 hours YTTC, you will be taught some traditional mudras for energy awakening.

Hast mudra

• Yoni mudra
• Linga mudra
• Bhairava mudra
• Bhairavi mudra

Energy mudra

• Viparita Karnai mudra
• Mahabandha mudra
• Mahabheda mudra

Kundalini mudra

• Ashwini mudra
• Vajroli mudra
• Sahajoli mudra
• Shambhavi mudra

Pranayama (breathing practices)

Pranayama is taught in a more sensitive way and at an advanced level so that you are able to experience the depth of your prana. You will have enough confidence, skill, and experience to guide your own students. Every week will lead to a different state of experience:

• Week 1: moving towards advancement of your pranayama practices
• Week 2: variations and experiment
• Week 3: breathing for awakening nadis and chakras
• Week 4: teaching practices and mastery of breathing

Here are the topics you will be learning for the study of pranayama:

• Pranayama - link of happiness
• Physiology of prana
• Elements like prana
• Prana body types
• Astrology of breathing science
• Prana and its routes
• How prana flows in the body
• Relationship between prana and consciousness
• How many breaths do you take
• Research on prana - to get a favourable outcome
• Health parameter with breath length

Sample daily schedule

• 05:30 - 06:15 Silence meditation
• 06:15 - 07:15 Pranayama and meditation
• 07:30 - 09:00 Hatha yoga
• 09:00 - 09:45 Breakfast
• 10:45 - 11:45 Yoga anatomy
• 12:00 - 13:00 Yoga alignment and adjustment / teaching methodology
• 13:15 - 14:00 Lunch
• 14:30 - 15:30 Self-study
• 15:45 - 16:45 Yoga philosophy
• 17:00 - 18:30 Ashtanga yoga
• 20:00 - 21:00 Dinner

All classes are mandatory; only in case of an emergency or illness, one can take leave with a respected teacher's permission. Uninformed leaves won’t be accepted, and this will affect students' monthly performance.

Pre-requisites

• Be self-motivated and self-disciplined to fully enjoy the course
• Before you join, prepare your body and mind for this big journey
• It is mandatory to attend all of the classes and activities
• Do not harass or harm any other students
• Misconduct and misbehavior will not be allowed or tolerated

Principles and guidelines

• Vinyasa Yoga Academy is a traditional and authentic Vinyasa yoga school in Rishikesh.
• Class starts in the early morning and goes on until evening. There will be a short break during and after each meal.
• Respect everyone inside and outside the campus.
• If you skip any meal, please inform the reception at least 3 hours before.
• Non-vegetarian food, smoking, and drinking alcohol are not allowed on the Vinyasa Yoga Academy premises.

General rules

• Modest dressing is mandatory on the premises.
• Silence should be maintained after 8 pm.
• Regular homework should be completed.
• All classes are mandatory to attend.
• Bring one pair of white clothes for the welcome ceremony.
• As a part of the evaluation procedure, there will be a final exam, both theoretical and practical.
• Vinyasa Yoga Academy reserves the right to disqualify any students at any time during the TTC for misconduct or breaking the rules.
• Pets are not allowed to be kept in rooms.