500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course

A Basic Pranayama in Yoga, involves the conscious control and enlargement of vital life force with the help of practiced breathing techniques for expansion of the life energy and clear mental space. Derived from the Sanskrit words "Prana" which refers to life force and "Yama" referring to control, Pranayama is, therefore, the conscious regulation and enlargement of vital life force through practiced breathing techniques. Students in our course acquire practical knowledge through their training on methods that harmonize body, mind, and spirit, equipping themselves with the skills to navigate any successful yogic journey.

Course Overview

• Introduction to Pranayama : Getting to know the core of Pranayama and its importance in yogic practice.
• Natural Breathing Observation : Activities to observe and learn about effortless natural breathing.
• Abdominal Breathing : This uses the diaphragm primarily to deepen the breathing and relax during inhalation.
• Clavicular Breathing : Developing awareness of breath movement in the upper chest area.
• Thoracic Breathing : Using the chest for more extensive breathing ability and lung strength.
• Yogic Breathing : The synchronized practice of abdominal, thoracic, and clavicular breathing for full-body revitalization.
• Nadi Shodhana : Alternate nostril breathing to balance the energy channel and to calm the mind.
• Bhastrika : it is the energizing of breathing technique that helps in stimulating the inflow of prana.
• Kapalbhati : Kapalbhati is the purifying respiratory exercise which purifies the respiratory system other than concentration improvement.
• Bhramari : The humming bee, it heals the nervous system and gets the mind clear.
• Shitali : Cooling breath practice to calm the body and mind.
• Shitkari : Another cooling breath technique for relaxation and refreshing energy.
• Surya Bhedi : Right-nostril breathing to activate warmth and boost energy.
• Chandra Bhedi : Left-nostril breathing to calm and cool the body.

This comprehensive Pranayama curriculum is crafted to guide students on a transformative journey through the breath, building a solid foundation for their professional and personal growth in the world of yoga.

Mudras are symbolic hand gestures or "yoga of the hands" that channel particular mental and physical states. By positioning the fingers in different ways, Mudras help awaken the dormant energy within and strike a balance in the body's internal systems. These gestures are used to express a state of mind and align energy pathways, enhancing focus and inner calm.

Key Mudras in Yoga:

• Jnana Mudra : Gesture of wisdom to enhance knowledge and clarity.
• Chin Mudra : Gesture of consciousness for calmness and awareness.
• Yoni Mudra : A symbol of origin, representing inner strength and focus.
• Bhairava Mudra : Gesture of stability and grounding.
• Hridaya Mudra : Heart gesture to open emotional channels and promote compassion.
• Nasikagra Mudra : Nose-tip gazing gesture for deep concentration.
• Khechari Mudra : Tongue lock for expanding consciousness and awakening higher energy.

Practicing these Mudras daily can help maintain mental clarity, physical balance, and spiritual growth, supporting a deeper connection in one’s yogic journey.

"Bandha" means to hold, tighten, or lock. Practicing Bandhas in yoga with the intention to confine and direct prana, the life energy, in specific parts of the body, helps develop and preserve vital energy. The continuous practice of Bandhas will not only make the physical body strong but it will also serve as a means of waking the Kundalini energy by regulating and then restricting the Prana flow.

Core Bandhas in Yoga Practice:

• Introduction to Bandhas : Overview of Bandhas and their role in controlling energy flow.
• Moola Bandha : Root lock to stabilize and ground energy at the base of the spine.
• Uddiyana bandha : abdominal lock, strong core muscle development, and upward flow of energy.
• Jalandhara Bandha : Locks the throat to regulate flow of energies from the head to the body.
• Maha Bandha : The "Great Lock," a combination of all three Bandhas for powerful energy alignment.

By incorporating these Bandhas into their practice, students can deepen their control over Prana, supporting balance, vitality, and spiritual growth on their yogic path.

Generally, meditation is a way that reposes the mind to restfulness, calmness, and awareness. This mental exercise, sometimes performed privately while sitting still in a state of focus, eyes shut in calm, serves to foster attention, serenity, and awareness toward one's self. For our students, meditation provides one of the greatest opportunities to prepare for a balanced and professional life in yoga.

Important Practices in Meditation:

• Meditation : Learn the basics of meditation and how one will lead you toward inner peace and mental clarity.
• Meditation Benefits : This is the second part of the list, where one learns how meditation affects their body, mind, and even spirit.
• Om Meditation : How to Work with the Universal Energy Using the vibrational resonance of "Om"
• Mantra Chanting Meditation : Building Focus and Inner Balance Using Repeated Mantras.
• Soham Meditation : Inspired breathing meditation that flows like the natural rhythm "So-Ham" (I am That).
• Shiva Meditation : Reflection of qualities of Shiva to build self-awareness and stability.
• Yoga Nidra Meditation : Deep relaxation technique that brings the body and mind into restful meditative states.
• Tratak-Candle Meditation : Candle gazing to focus and to clear the mind.
• Chakra Meditation : Awaken the centers of energy for balancing and aligning your body's energy.
• Buddha Meditation (Vipassana) : Insight meditation that assists in developing awareness as well as the observation of self.
• Inner Light Meditation : Visualization of inner light brings serenity and clarity within.
• Prana Meditation : Using awareness of breath to connect with and harness life energy or Prana.
• Kundalini Meditation : An awakening or rising of the Kundalini energy that serves to heighten awareness.

Basically, this meditation curriculum is designed for students to learn a journey of inner exploration and arms for personal growth, calmness, and self-discovery essential in their yogic path.

Mantra chanting is a powerful spiritual practice that brings emotional and mental balance. Sacred sounds repeated release tension so that the practitioner enters a state of peace and happiness. Mantras have been used for thousands of years as a mental calming process, clarity of thought, and an elevation of consciousness.

Key Mantras in Practice:

• Guru Stotram - Akhanda Mandalakaram : A chant honoring the Guru as the embodiment of universal wholeness.
• Patanjali Prayer - Yogena Chittasya Padena Vacham : A prayer invoking Patanjali for blessings on the journey of yoga and knowledge.
• Shanti Mantra - Om Sahana Vavatu : A peace mantra for protection and harmonious learning, often recited in teacher-student gatherings.
• Pavamana Mantra - Asato Mā Sadgamaya : A mantra for guidance from ignorance to truth, darkness to light, and mortality to immortality.
• Food Prayer - Brahmarpanam Brahma : A prayer of gratitude and mindfulness before meals, recognizing the divine in food.
• Completeness Mantra - Om Purnamadah Purnamidam : A mantra that celebrates completeness and the infinite nature of creation.

These mantras create a sense of inner peace, gratitude, and focus, helping students find harmony within themselves as they grow on their yogic path.

Yoga Philosophy, also known as Yoga Darshan, is a dualistic approach that serves as the personal guide toward achieving self-realization and inner peace. The main goal of Yoga Philosophy is to guide one toward a fulfilling and well-balanced life toward salvation (moksha). This philosophy integrates history, concepts, and foundational yogic principles with the realities of modern living and brings wise traditions together.

Students of Yoga Philosophy learn the historical and philosophical background to yoga, making them familiar with the doctrine and enabling them to apply its wisdom in their respective lives and the lives of others.

Working with the body's structure and parts, it is of course obligatory to learn about anatomy and physiology in the practice of yoga. A healthy practice will require understanding the anatomical and physiological makeup of the body; therefore, this will give a clearer outline for safe performance of every asana, maximizing safety while maximizing the value of the practice.

This study of yoga anatomy covers:

• Basic anatomy and physiology,
• Insights into the muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems,
• Techniques for aligning asanas accurately,
• Effective cues and adjustments in the classroom.

By understanding anatomy, students can refine their teaching skills, provide clear explanations, and ensure their classes support safe, effective movement for all practitioners.

The ancient medicinal science of Ayurveda, hailing from India, draws power from nature to build health and wellness. Traditionally called the "Science of Life," Ayurveda employs a wide range of herbs as well as copious use of other natural remedies in healing along with preventative measures against possible future illnesses. It tends to the body, mind, and spirit to keep it in a state of balance and harmony that result in long-term health.

Shatkarma, or Shatkriya, is the ancient yogic cleansing exercise as described in old texts of classic yoga. There are six purification techniques that form the Shatkarma, which are all aimed at cleansing the entire body and getting it to clarity of body and mind. Practiced in the early morning alongside asanas, these techniques aid in removing toxins and preparing the body for deeper yogic practices.

The Six Shatkarma Techniques:

• Neti : Nasal cleansing to clear the sinuses and enhance breathing.
• Trataka : Gazing practice to improve focus and cleanse the eyes.
• Kapalbhati : Purification by the lungs through powerful breathing for improving lung health.
• Dhauti : Purification by clearing the cleansing of the digestive pipe, even by forced vomiting.
• Nauli : it's a self-massage by contracting the abdominal muscles so that the inner organs are stimulated and cleansed.
• Basti : The cleaning of the digestive system by the reverse enema or colon cleansing.

Each Shatkarma technique contributes to overall health, helping yogis attain a purified body and mind as a foundation for their yoga journey.

Yoga involves an intimate understanding of body structure, making knowledge of anatomy and physiology essential for practicing and teaching yoga safely. Knowing the functions of the body enhances the ability to perform, adjust, and instruct each asana correctly, creating a safe and efficient learning environment. By studying anatomy, students gain deeper insight into muscle groups, joint movements, and alignment principles, improving their ability to give clear explanations, correct asanas, and provide helpful cues in the classroom.

Equally important is the art of teaching itself. The Teaching Methodology class is crucial in a yoga teacher training course, as it goes beyond the "what" to cover the "how" — how to convey knowledge effectively, adapt instructions for diverse students, and create an engaging and supportive learning atmosphere. By focusing on communication skills, sequencing, class management, and teaching techniques, this class prepares students to become confident and inspiring yoga instructors. Together, these subjects lay the foundation for a successful yoga teaching journey.

The class on Yoga Alignment and Adjustment is important for students as well as teachers; it therefore will result in appropriate posture and positioning during every asana. Proper alignment averts injury while amplifying the benefits of each pose. As soon as the student master in the fundamental concept of alignment, then he/she will be even more aware of his/her body's movements, thus ensuring security and safety while performing postures.

You will learn how to identify and correct misalignments, and how to guide others in achieving proper form or how to make adjustments that promote ease and safety. These skills are essential for developing the deeper connection to the body as they improve flexibility, strength, and balance in yoga practitioners.

Yoga therapy is the practice of using yogic principles and practices in a preventive and curative mode. It uses asanas, pranayama, and meditation along with many other yogic techniques for rectification of inner imbalance. The intention of yoga therapy is not only towards recovery but also towards the prevention of disease by ultimate healthfulness of being.

Each yogic process indeed has its influence at the gross to the subtle level in the body. This is where asanas develop muscles and help elongate them, pranayama helps regulate the breath for increased energy flow, and meditation relaxes the mind, reducing stress levels. Through these aids of practices, yoga therapy helps restore balance at the physical, mental, and emotive level of health, thus supporting the body's healing potential.

Asana is the starting step of yoga. Also termed the Seated posture, it allows other asanas to get performed. It is done in all styles of yoga, i.e. Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa & Iyengar. It comprises Methodology and Asana Practice. Daily 3-4 hours of practice of Yogic postures are to be done. The introduction of students to the different types of yogic postures is done methodically by increasing the difficulty level step by step. After your basic practice of Asana is done then students encounter asana flows, adjustments and awareness & breathe of subtle aspects.

Our 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training is our most comprehensive, 60-day residential program, designed to take you from a practitioner to a master teacher.

Yes, our 500-hour YTTC is fully registered with Yoga Alliance. Upon successful completion, you are eligible to register as an RYT 500, the highest level of certification.

This master-level course covers the entire spectrum of yoga, including:

• Foundational to advanced Asanas and Pranayama
• Advanced meditation techniques
• In-depth Yoga Philosophy and Anatomy
• Refined teaching methodologies

No prior certification is required. Our 500-hour program is designed as a complete journey, starting with the foundational 200-hour curriculum and progressing into advanced 300-hour topics. It's perfect for dedicated beginners ready to commit to the full path.

Yes. Upon graduating, you will receive a certificate that allows you to register directly with Yoga Alliance as an RYT 500. This is the most advanced and respected credential for yoga teachers worldwide.

You get comfortable, clean, spacious accommodations in a peaceful and natural atmosphere with the sacred Ganga River nearby to support your practice and learning.

Definitely! This master-level course is a profound journey of personal growth, designed for anyone wanting to achieve the deepest understanding of yoga and its philosophy.