29 Day 300-Hour Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh

Facilities

Certifications

Students who complete their subsequent training are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance USA and Yoga Alliance International as Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®).

Yoga teacher training and assessment: The entire Yoga Teacher Training is the assessment of the students at all levels. However, there will be one practical and one written test. Successful students in these tests will be conferred upon the Teacher Training Certificate.

At the successful completion of the course, an aspirant will be conferred upon a certificate indicating that the aspirant is qualified to impart the techniques in which he or she has been trained.

About Kundalini

The term “Kundalini” in a more intellectual sense refers to “Dormant supra-mental energy” in individual existence. In the tradition of Yoga, Kundalini has been revered as “Mother Shakti which grants the key to extra-sensory phenomenon and liberation.” There are many literal as well as philosophical implications to the word “Kundalini” one can find, however, we would like to site the beautiful exposition of the great Swami Satyananda Saraswati hereunder.

Kundalini is not a myth or an illusion. It is not a hypothesis or a hypnotic suggestion. Kundalini is a biological substance that exists within the framework of the body. Its awakening generates electrical impulses throughout the whole body and these impulses can be detected by modern scientific instruments and machines. Therefore, each of us should consider the importance and benefits of awakening Kundalini.

This is a fully residential YTTC which envisages systematic theoretical as well as practical methods of traditional Kundalini Yoga. The course is all about Kundalini and the practices which eventually leads to the manifold.

Course eligibility

The course is open to all and more importantly to those who have ample perfection in Hatha yoga practices. To clarify this more, the participant needs to estimate these followings:

• Complete medical fitness; physical as well as mental
• To be able to hold a posture of meditation for at least 15 to 20 minutes without any discomfort
• To have the capacity to hold the breath for 5 to 10 seconds in the continuity of any practice without even slight difficulty
• More importantly, long-time practitioners who want experiences of a causal level to be a guide to themselves and others in this path

Some of us gifted with special talents who do not require much preparation. They are always welcome as they are naturally eligible for the training. However, this is an exception.

Course Objective:

• Providing of the requisite training to the participants in their endeavor to blossom into integrated personalities with a balance of head, heart, and hand
• Fetch the attention of people to other unnoticed aspects of Yoga which we all need for our further evolution
• More importantly, attracting the teachers of Yoga in the world who are stuck into the jugglery of physical exercises so that they may see things beyond, help themselves and others in the path of transformation
• To offer to the world at large well trained Kundalini yoga teachers

Course standards and curriculum: Techniques, Training, and Practice, Teaching Methodology, Anatomy and Physiology, Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle and Ethics for Yoga Teachers, Practicum, etc.

Karma yoga: During the course, individuals undergo experiences that require those to be assimilated within for which Karma yoga is the best means. Depending upon the requirements we may involve you into this.

Syllabus

1. Techniques, Training, and Practice

It incorporates special practices of Hatha Yoga which students will study in the Yoga teacher training course. They are:

• Asana – (Very specific postures) from Hatha Yoga from different category of asana with greater attention, visualisation and retention – purificatory asana for lightness and purification of body, standing, supine, prone – (backward, forward, spine twist), inversion and balance.
• Pranayama – Very specific pranayama from different groups, with advance stages, retention, visualisation with aim to stimulate special nadis, prana, chakra and Kundalini.
• Mudra – Special gestures of fingers, hand, head, lock, perineum, posture and body. Specific mudras from ancient scriptures (around 10) as expressed by enlightened Yogis for Kundalini awakening.
• Bandha – All practices with higher levels for locking the energy in body.
• Shat-karma – Purificatory practices in Yoga with special guidelines for help in Kundalini practices.
• Meditation – Practices for mind management (various kinds and stages), Inner peace practices, Spontaneous chanting practices, Element awareness, Nadi, Prana, Chakra and Kundalini Meditation, Void meditation and Yoga Nidra.
• Mantra – Special mantra chanting, their meaning and further explanation to use them as a form of meditation for greater understanding and experience.

2. Teaching Methodology

This is a combination of complex topics such as designing Kundalini Yoga class, how to teach different Kundalini practices, how to be good yoga teacher, ethical guidelines, develop communication skills, time management, principles of demonstration, assistance, awareness, correction, styles of teaching, specific needs of individuals in a Yoga class and business aspects of Yoga teaching etc.

3. Anatomy and Physiology

• Modern human anatomy and Physiology (Skeletal, Muscular, Respiratory – focus on the study of these system as parts of joint and muscle movements, breath flow and energy creation and consumption, Nervous System in broad detail (link of Nervous system to Nadis and Chakra), Cardiovascular System, Digestive system, Reproductive system and Endocrine system).
• Yoga human anatomy and Physiology (Composition of Human body – 3 bodies, 5 elements, 5 Koshas, Nadis, Chakra, Kundalini and their study in connection with the astral and causal level of human body).
• Holistic approach of Yoga (Learning how system of Yoga needs to be incorporated to affect the internal organs for substantial experience of internal and external peace and harmony).

4. Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle, and Ethics for Yoga Teachers

Description of the term Philosophy, Philosophical perspectives of Yoga, Yoga, its meaning, definitions, aims and objectives, Historical development of Yoga (Pre-classical, Classical, Post-classical and Modern Approach), Schools of Yoga, Brief discussion on Vedas, Samkhya Philosophy, Selected topics from Yoga Sutra (Antahakaran, Chitta, Antarayah, Ishwara, Aum, Samadhi, 5 Kleshas, 8 limbs, Samyama, Kaivalya) and Srimadabhagavada Gita, 3 bodies, 5 elements, 5 Koshas, 5 Pranas, Senses and sense organs, Mind and its aspects, states of mind, Nadis, Chakra and Kundalini, Yogic Lifestyle and Ethical guidelines for a Yoga Teacher, broad lecture detailing the deeper aspects of Kundalini, Chakra, Nadi from ancient Kundalini and Tantra scriptures.

5. Practicum

Practice of teaching different practices in groups as the lead instructor, observe and assist while others teaching, focus on specific practices and compiling feedback etc.

Relevant yoga books:

• Kundalini Tantra: Swami Satyananda Saraswati
• Kundalini Yoga: Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha: Swami Satyananda Saraswati
• Prana and Pranayama: Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
• The Science of Pranayama: Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• Raja Yoga: Swami Vivekananda
• Anatomy and Physiology: not specified

The daily schedule

The daily schedule starts at 5 a.m. All students have to wake up at this time except in some contingencies. The daily schedule is tentative and subject to change according to need. All classes are held for 5 days in a week.

• 05:30 - 07:00 Personal practices (recommended ones)
• 07:00 - 07:15 Herbal tea/drink
• 07:30 - 09:30 Deeper Hatha yoga training for access into Kundalini yoga
• 09:30 - 10:30 Mealtime
• 10:30 - 11:30 Rest
• 11:30 - 12:30 Theory
• 13:00 - 13:30 Fruit/fruit juice
• 14:00 - 15:30 Practical session, meditation, needed theory, etc
• 15:30 - 16:30 Personal cleaning and Karma yoga
• 16:30 - 18:30 Partial theory as well as practical training
• 18:30 - 19:30 Dinner
• 19:30 - 20:30 Kirtan, chanting, video shows, personal time, etc (this is an optional session but participation of everyone brings a distinct harmony between all of us)
• 21:00 Bedtime

This training will take place at Tapovan in Rishikesh, it is a very ancient city in Uttarakhand province of India.

There are nearby places such as Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Ganga Beaches, Sivananda Ashram, Parmarth Niketan for Ganga Aarti. Students can go and visit many shops, book stalls, astrologers, priests, etc. Between Laxman and Ram Jhula.

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You will be served Sattvik (suitable for yoga) vegetarian North Indian food. Alcohol, drugs, or any kind of intoxicant is strictly forbidden. Non-vegetarian food is also not recommended during the course.

Drinking water

Sanatana Yoga Sandesh provides filtered water for drinking purposes. Bring a water bottle with you. The weather in Rishikesh in summer is normally hot so you need to drink plenty of water. On average, you need to consume 3 to 4 liters of water every day. In the class also, you need to bring your filled water bottle.

General food info and food timings

• 07:00 - 07:15 Herbal tea or lemon, healthy drink, honey mixed with plain water before the class starts
• 09:30 - 10:30 Mealtime. This food is your main meal so feel free to eat as much as you can easily digest. At this time, you will be served rice varieties, chapatti (Indian bread), lentils (daal / sambar), salad, vegetable curries, and a dessert on certain occasions
• 13:00 - 13:30 Fruit / fruit juice (fruit bowl with juice / herbal drink / tea)
• 18:00 - 19:00 Dinner. The meal includes rice varieties, chapatti (Indian bread), dosa, lentils, vegetable dish, salad, herbal hot drinks, and occasional deserts

These food timings and food are a general idea and are tentative. There can be substantial changes according to the need. Sanatana Yoga Sandesh provides food / kinds of food and arranges the timings of the food from the yoga course point of view.

According to the yogic principle, there must be at least six to eight hours gap between two meals. On an average heavy food like grains etc.take, three hours to digest and fruit takes 30 to 40 minutes to digest. Stomach-full food at brunch is sufficient for sustaining the body for long hours.

At the same time a light stomach is also required for the afternoon classes. If you need to have something in between you can keep something healthy with you always. Rishikesh has many shops where you can buy many healthy foodstuffs. But make sure that your stomach is empty before you are doing asana and pranayama classes.

• 28 nights accommodation
• Vegetarian meals
• Textbooks
• A notebook, a pen, a new yoga mat, and Jalaneti pot
• Education
• Private consultation

• Flight tickets
• Airport pickups and dropbacks
• Day tours, tours after and before course
• Any other transport costs and students’ personal expense in miscellaneous ways

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.