People looking for the best yoga teacher training courses or aspiring yoga teachers always keep thinking How do I do this asana safely? What is the significance of breathing? How do I confidently direct another person? Or what is the actual meaning of yoga?
So, Rishikesh Ashtanga Yoga School has designed the 200 hour yoga teacher training curriculum to answer these questions. This course is made to provide a distinctive combination of yogic knowledge and modern techniques of teaching through training. Whether you are a beginner in the world of yoga or have practiced yoga for a long time, the training course will help you develop your personal practice so that you can help others too.
Build a Strong Foundation Through Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga
Physical practice is one component that comprises your training process. You will learn about Hatha Yoga poses as well as some principles of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga while gaining more knowledge about alignment, breathing, stability, and movement.
Instead of hurrying to reach the challenging postures, you will learn what are the aims and framework of every procedure. You will practice standing, sitting, balancing, turning, and recuperation positions, and will be familiarized with the Sun Salutations and movements related to breathing.
This course is not about making each one of you very flexible. Rather, it is about giving you the practice that will last you well beyond your 200 hour yoga TTC at Rishikesh.
Understand Pranayama and the Power of Breath
There is that particular moment when one is doing yoga where things become different once you start concentrating on your breathing. So, this course will also teach you about the concept of pranayama as well as the relationship between breathing and concentration and awareness.
Under appropriate guidance, students will be taught various breathing exercises including Nadi Shodhana along with the significance of proper preparation, technique, and individual appropriateness.
Such knowledge becomes important when you start teaching, since good yoga teachers not only show various poses, but also teach awareness to their students.
Go Beyond the Physical Practice Through Meditation
For most students meditation often turns out to be one of the most memorable aspects of their stay in Rishikesh .
This program will provide an introduction to meditation practices, concentration, and mindfulness where you learn to notice your thoughts but not react instantly to them. So, you will also gain knowledge about breath awareness meditation, mantra meditation, along with guided meditation, and concentration exercises.
After repeated practice, you may experience some subtle yet important changes like a greater patience, more concentration, as well as your calmer responses in daily situations.
The ultimate goal is not to “stop thinking”, but to understand your mind and have a better relationship with it.
Explore the Wisdom Behind Yoga Philosophy
Study of yogic philosophy makes yoga different from any physical fitness program. So, this yoga instructor certificate course, provides you knowledge about important yogic principles such as the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, the eight limbs of yoga, and the Yamas and Niyamas. You will also be introduced to the traditional ideas of self-discipline, awareness and ethical living.
The aim of this program is to appreciate what philosophy can teach us about our present life, instead of just learning it for an exam.
With this you might start asking relevant questions that go beyond the premises of yoga like how do I deal with challenges? What is discipline for me? How to gain self-awareness? Or How can I guide other people with compassion?. Asking such questions can initiate your way to self-discovery.
Learn Anatomy for Safer and More Informed Yoga
A confident yoga teacher should have more than the knowledge of postures and Sanskrit names. So, you will gain basic knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. This allows you to comprehend how the body functions and what causes students to experience poses differently from each other. The curriculum will enter you into subjects like muscles and joints, skeletal system anatomy, breathing and movement patterns.
You will find out why alignment modifications and suitable variation are important. This foundation provides future educators with the basis to make more conscious decisions rather than asking all students to adopt each pose in the same manner.
Turn Your Practice into Real Teaching Skills
One of the most significant transitions while becoming a yoga instructor is saying from ” I can do this asana ” to “I can teach this asana easily.
During the yoga instructor course, you will gain knowledge about the techniques of teaching like planning for the class, sequences, verbal instructions, demonstrating the technique, observation of the student, and constructive feedback. The regular yoga practice will help you to become a more confident instructor.
But the practitioners should note that teaching yoga is not about having the loudest voice or to perform the hardest asanas. As it is all about providing a safe learning environment for your students and giving proper directions.
Experience Yoga as a Way of Life
The residential yoga program in Rishikesh provides immersion which cannot be easily replicated by an online program.
Once the practitioners leave their comfort zone, they will be able to go through the process of practicing, eating mindfully, studying, reflecting and interacting with other fellow students. While learning in Rishikesh becomes an important part of this training process because of its spirituality, temples, ashrams and relationship to the River Ganges.
Conclusion: What Will You Take Home?
At the end of your yoga training, it is important to not only count how many asanas you know. As, you will leave knowing the essentials of yoga philosophy, a stronger personal practice, an increased awareness of body and breathing, and having learned how to begin teaching yoga to others.
The most important thing though, is that you could leave with a completely different relationship with yoga. So, the 200 hour yoga teacher training curriculum in Rishikesh can mark the beginning of a teacher’s career or an intensive period of self-discovery. While your intention for joining this program might be that of learning how to teach, the program will teach you much more than just teaching.
Perhaps this is what the true charm of learning yoga in Rishikesh lies in when you come searching for a certification or a new career. But somehow through all those early morning practices, insightful discussions, and solitary yoga sessions on the mat, you begin to learn a bit more about yourself.