Yoga Teacher Training in India – Which options are there?
Are you a passionate yoga practitioner and looking to deepen your practice and knowledge about yoga? Then, you must have thought of joining a yoga teacher training in India at some point.
When I looked for yoga teacher training courses in India, I felt overwhelmed about the numerous offers and types of programs. With this article, I want to help you to make your decision easier and provide you with some useful information that I wish I had known before choosing my yoga teacher training in India.
In summer 2022, I completed my first yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, the world capital of yoga. It sounds fancy, but it wasn’t. It was authentic, real, natural and life-changing for me. Some tips, before selecting the best YTT program for yourself may be of great use for you.
In case, you already decided to complete a yoga teacher training, let’s start from the beginning. The basic yoga course for beginner to intermediates is called a 200-hour yoga teacher training. It usually takes around three to four weeks depending on how intense it is. My training took 21 days and school’s name was Gyan Yog Breath.
4 Reasons why you should do your yoga teacher training in India only
India is also known as the country of spirituality. It’s the origin of yoga and where yoga was invented. As homeland of yoga, India offers you to learn classical yoga directly from the source, without any westernization or commercialization. I chose to do my training in India because I wanted to experience the original yogic lifestyle, energy and cultural aspects as well. Here are some more reasons:
- Time Out: away from your daily life and busy schedule
An intensive and residential yoga teacher training in India forces you to leave behind your regular surroundings, relationships and responsibilities for some time. This was very important for me to fully embrace myself into the yogic journey and go deeper within myself.
I couldn’t have done it while around my usual hectic lifestyle. When you learn yoga, and I mean real yoga, you need 100% focus. Leaving my comfort zone, offered me lots of clarity, introspection and new perspectives.
2. Yoga from the source: traditional and health-promoting
Yoga was firstly mentioned in India around 5000 years ago. As origin country of yoga, India can show you the most authentic and non-modified version of yoga. Besides the mighty nature, Himalayan mountains and holy rivers, India is also the country of diverse spices and rich cuisine. In almost every ashram, you will receive a 100% vegan or vegetarian ayurvedic diet during your yoga teacher training.
3. Learn from the most authentic teachers and masters
When learning yoga in India, you get to meet the most inspirational, humble and supportive teachers, who devote their entire lives to the yogic path and teachings. You cannot find this anywhere else! Many of my teachers began learning yoga during their childhood and later even studied yoga at universities at PhD level. I was able to learn from such wise and compassionate yogis and swamis (Master of Thoughts), who radiated pure peace and unity.
4. Career options, Yoga Alliance and health insurances
It’s crazy to experience what life is like after a yoga teacher training in India. Everything looks brighter, better, more positive and real. Since coming back home from India and teaching yoga in my own studio, the demand is growing week by week. There must be a special energy when learning yoga from its source. Of course, the quality of teacher training is very important and how well you were prepared to teach, but people really feel connected to the original approach of yoga.
When choosing your YTT (yoga teacher training), make sure that it’s Yoga Alliance certified. You then have the option to teach yoga internationally and receive co-operations with health insurances companies. In Germany for example, you can get paid by health insurance companies for offering disease-preventing yoga classes (minimum hour requirement of training: 500 hours).
What you should keep in mind
The best resources to find the most matching yoga school and program for you are of course websites and personal experiences. I would always recommend to follow your heart. If something feels right about a program and you can imagine yourself there, go for it! I would also recommend you to watch video testimonials of students who completed the program and feel if this resonates with you. That’s what I did and it led me to the best possible place for me. Here is the link to my yoga teacher training in India.
It also helps to become familiar with Indian culture and weather. Choose a time when it’s not too hot and also learn about what’s appropriate to wear in India and what not. Most of the ashrams and schools in India offer very good and fast communication so that you can clarify all kind of questions and get some help in preparing your trip smoothly.
About the author:
Laura loves to travel, connect and learn. She came all the way to India from Mayrhofen, Austria to complete her 200 hour yoga teacher training at Gyan Yog Breath in Rishikesh. Since 20222, she has been teaching yoga classes back at home and trying to share the valuable and powerful benefits of classical hatha yoga with her students.
