300 Hours Ashtanga & Vinyasa Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh

Mantra

Mantra is a set of words that consist of specific sounds, vibrations received by ancient yogis, and seers which offer a powerful physical, mental and spiritual benefit. There are many kinds of Mantras available for different purposes. You will be learning;

• Art and science of Mantra
• Mantra and its power
• How mantra is made
• The misconception that  mantra is a religious chant
• Sound vibration

Mantra Chanting

You will learn a number of mantras which will take you on the inner journey. They promote healing, vibrations within the body and still the mind, such as:

To name a few:

• Om
• Shiva Mantra
• Gayatri Mantra
• Kundalini Mantra

The mantras are there to bring you to the present – they are not steeped in religion, only a spiritual connection – connecting to the divine sounds of the universe

At Rishikesh Yog Kendra Yoga School, we teach the ancient Hatha Yoga style practiced by Himalayan Masters for centuries. In our classes, you can adapt your practice to your own strength and flexibility. The main aim is to help you achieve good health and a peaceful mind. Below is the list of asana series you'll be practicing:

• Pavan Muktasana series 1 (15 practices)
• Pavan Muktasana series – 2 (10 practices)
• Pavan muktasana series - 3(10 practices)
• Centering postures series(5 practices)
• Surya Namaskar (12 asana series)
• Chandra Namaskar (12 Asana Series)
• Standing postures series(10 practices)
• Kneeling postures series(5 practices)
• Sitting Postures series(10 practices)
• Forward bending postures series(5 practices)
• Backward bending postures series(5 practices)
• Supine postures series(6 practices)
• Prone Postures series (5 practices)
• Fire Series series(5 practices)
• Inversions series(5 practices)
• Twisting postures series(5 practices)
• Balancing Postures series(5 practices)
• Relaxing Posture series(5 practices)
• Meditative Asana Series(5 practices)

Note: In total, you will learn 140 Yoga Exercises

The theory is just as important as practicing. Without proper understanding, you cannot do well. Our teachers will teach a base of understanding why, how, when, and what you need to do in an asana class. You must be self-motivated to go deeper into the postures. Here are the some of the theories you will be learning;

• Philosophy of Hatha Yoga
• Ancient Scriptures of Hatha Yoga
• Aim and Objectives of Hatha Yoga
• Yoga as a Therapy
• Yoga as Balancing
• How Hatha Yoga Is Connected to Your Chakras, Nadis, Kundalini, and Your Subtle Body

• What is Vinyasa Flow, and what sets it apart? Explore the distinctions between Vinyasa and Vinyasa Flow.
• Discovering the origins of Vinyasa Flow: An introduction to its roots and development.
• Unraveling the appeal of Vinyasa Flow within the realm of diverse yoga classes.
• The art of teaching Vinyasa Flow: Overcoming the challenges and addressing the complexities of instruction.
• Crafting sequences for varied class structures: A guide to structuring and teaching diverse Vinyasa Flow classes.
• Exploring alternative class structures: Delving into the considerations that prompt a reevaluation of traditional formats.
• Navigating the teaching process: General guidelines for duration and strategies to identify and correct undesirable habits in asanas.

Pranayama is the central practice in traditional yoga. Many people misunderstand Pranayama as the breathing practice only, but it is something more. In this class you will learn the secret of pranayama and how it leads us to health, peace, happiness, balance and awakening of kundalini.

• Week 1: Building strength in your system and a step by step understanding of Pranayama.
• Week 2: Move towards from beginning to a deeper understanding of Pranayama and practices.
• Week 3: Move towards advancing the practices with holding the breath and breathing with chakra awareness.

Here Are The Topics You Will Be Learning For Study Of Pranayama:

• What is Prana
• What is Pranayama
• What is breath and connection with the Prana
• Importance and benefits of Pranayama
• How to prepare ourselves to practice them
• Ancients Texts of Breathing
• General understanding
• Understand all about nostrils & how to activate them
• Secrets of Pranayama
• Breath flow in 5 elements
• Unit of Prana
• Function of Prana
• Three levels of Prana
• Three Gunas
• How does prana flow
• Quality of breath
• Imbalance of Prana
• Retention of breath
• 6 Sitting positions for Pranayama practices
• Breathing pattern
• Prana connection with chakras and Kundalini

Beginners And Intermediate Practices

We will include the practice for over 10 prana practices which include:

• NadiShodan
• AnulomaViloma
• Bastrika
• Kapalbhati
• Brahmari

After stabilizing your posture with Asana, purifying your energy through Pranayama, and mastering control over your senses with Pratyahara, you'll enhance your ability to focus the mind. The journey into meditation begins with concentration practices, and our 300-hour YTTC equips you with effective techniques to build a strong foundation, enabling you to cultivate heightened concentration and awareness.

In this 04-week program, you'll grasp the fundamentals and progress to intermediate levels of meditation preparations and techniques. Each day, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how to perform them and start experiencing their benefits.

• Week 1: Developing Foundation
• Week 2: Developing one-pointed focus, different types of concentration techniques, and visualization exercises
• Week 3: Meditation Techniques, Also Chakra Awareness and Kundalini Meditation

You Will Larn:-

• Introduction to Meditation
• History of Meditation
• Preparation to Meditation
• What is Meditation and what it is not
• Why- How- Where- When Meditation
• Philosophy of Meditation
• Meditation Traditions
• Meditation Scriptures
• Aim and Objectives of Meditation
• Sitting Positions
• How to Sit Correctly
• Preliminary Practices Before Practicing Meditation
• Role of Diaphragmatic Breathing in Meditation
• Correct Breathing in Meditation
• How to Relax in Meditation
• Lifestyle- Diet- Sleep- Sex- Job- Rules in Meditation

Styles Of Meditation Practices

• Himalayan Meditation Practices 
• Nada Meditation Practices
• Active Meditation Practices 
• Tantra&Kundalini Meditation Practices
• Mantra &Kirtan Meditation Practices
• How to Do Japa (recitation) 
• Silence Practice
• Silence Meditation

The body produces toxins at all times and we need to cleanse our bodies accordingly. Proper ablution, urination, cleaning nostrils, ears, eyes, skin, tongue, and other organs are very important for good health. These are physical, mental, emotional, al, and spiritual cleansing. In the beginning, yoga practitioners should follow six practices (Sat-Karma) by which they can unblock the channels for higher experiences. With your 300-hour YTTC, you will learn these cleansing practices. You will also learn the basic theory of the following;

• What is Satkarma
• Benefits and Risks
• Who Should and Should Not Practice It
• Experiences
• Preparation to Satkarma
• Practices After Completing It
• Nadi Cleansing

Practices that you will learn

• Jiwa dhauti
• Data-Dhauti
• Karna-Dhauti
• Rubber-net.
• Jalaneti.
• Kapalbhati.
• Agnisara

Yoga philosophy is the philosophy of life. Just by listening and understanding one can change one's own life. Yogi Vishnu learnt the secrets of Yoga philosophy from his great Master Swami Veda by spending significant time with him. His authentic teachings will be taught by our teachers. Yoga philosophy does not only exist in Yoga Sutra. There are hundreds of Yogic texts and we will introduce you few important ones such as; Yoga Sutra, Bhagawat Geeta, and Upanishad.

During these 4 weeks Yoga Philosophy will take you a great journey of wisdom.

Week 1. Entering to the World of Wisdom

• Introduction to Indian Culture and Spiritualtiy and Himalayan Tradition
• Introduction to the Ancient Scriptures of Yoga and Spirituality
• Meaning and Purpose of Indian Philosophy
• Introduction to 9 Major Indian Philosophy
• Why Is Yoga Philosophy the Most Important Among All?
• History of Yoga
• Types of Yoga

Week 2: Patanjali Welcomes you- External limbs !!!

• Patanjali and His Work
• Introduction to Yoga Sutra Text
• Eight Limbs of Yoga
• Yamas & Niyamas
• Philosophy of Asana & Pranayama
• Science of Karma

Week 3: Inward Journey of Philosophy- Internal Limbs !!!

• Philosophy of Concentration, Meditation and Samadhi
• Overview of First Chapter
• Overview of Second Chapter
• Overview of the Third and Fourth Chapter of Patanjali
• Mind and Its Control
• Introduction to Bhagavat Geeta & Upanishad

Exploring the wisdom of Yoga

• Chakras
• Nadi
• Kundalini
• Three Fold Pain
• Three Bodies (Sharira)
• Panchakosha
• Tri-guna
• Mahabhuta (Theory of Elements)

Yoga Anatomy is one of the most important subjects for yoga teachers. In anatomy classes, you will learn two types of anatomy, physical and spiritual.

Physical Anatomy

• Introduction to Body and Its Structure
• Body Planes
• Anatomical Movements
• Bones of the Skull
• Cervical Vertebrae
• Shoulder Girdle/ Arm Bones/ Pelvic Region
• Deformities of the Spine
• Lower Extremity
• Tendons and Ligaments
• Muscular System
• Nervous System
• Respiratory System

Spiritual Anatomy

• Nadi (Energy Channel)
• Chakras (Energy Centres)
• Kundalini (Prime Energy and Souce of All Creativity)
• Panchakosha (5 Layers)
• Pancha Mahabhuta (5 Elements and Body Structure)
• Tri-Guna (Three Attributes)

Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga. It believes that the body is made of five elements which create three Doshas; Kapha, Vata and Pitta. When we keep them balanced, we are healthy and when imbalanced, we are ill. Ayurveda talks about a proper health management that all yoga teachers need to know to help people. We provide one Ayurveda workshop from our doctor. Here is what you will learn in the Ayurveda classes;

• Introduction to Ayurveda
• Unique Features of Ayurvedic Treatment
• Ayurveda and Its Diversified Areas
• Ashtanga Ayurveda
• Fundamentals of Ayurveda
• Panchamahabhuta
• Kapha (The theme of structure and lubrication)
• Vata (the energy of movements)
• Pitta (the energy of bio-trasformation and heat generation)
• Prakriti- Know Your Constitution

Mudra is a Divine gesture practiced with human hands. There are hundreds of them and they can bring miraculous changes in the body and mind with its extraordinary powers.

You Will Learn About These Powerful And Secret Mudras And Their Understanding.

• The Secrets of Mudra
• The Position of Elements in the Hands
• The Need for Mudra
• The Importance and Advantages of Mudras
• Special Guidelines About Mudra
• Practice/understand and experience of key Mudras – during mediation

The whole universe is made of energy. At all times the energy is converted into matter so that we see the whole universe as what it is. Our physical body is also made of energy and it constantly works with it. With mudra channelise the energy and with bandha we control the energy and prevent it from draining. It helps us manage and maintain the energy. It also is helpful for kundalini awakening.

There are only three Bandhas according to yoga but we will teach you many preparation techniques that will help you perform the bandhas correctly.

Here is what you will learn

• Meaning and Importance of Energy Lock
• Why the Energy Lock and How Our Energy Gets Drained
• Energy Knots and How to Open Them
• Understanding the Three Chakras; Muladhara-Manipura-Visuddhi
• Experience of Energy Lock
• Benefits and Risks of Bandha Practices

Practices (Beginners and Intermediate Level)

• Agnisar (Preparation to Uddiyana)
• Vahir Kumbhaka (External Retention)
• Antar Kumbhaka (Internal Rentention)
• Ashwini Mudra
• Vajroli Mudra
• Mulabandha
• Uddiyana Bandha
• Jalandhara Bandha

Learning or practicing yoga is not enough to teach. Teaching yoga is an art in which you transform people's lives. A proper teaching methodology will help you with;

• Not to forget the sequence
• Avoid injuries
• Manage happiness during and after the practice
• Work with all sides of Yoga and all levels
• Give a meditative experience
• Manage and balance the energy flow

Here is what you will learn

• Proper demonstration of a Yoga practice
• The proper way to instruct and guide a lesson
• Proper alignment of yoga postures
• Proper adjustment with/ without props
• Yogic personality establishment

• Sense of alignment
• Role of alignment in daily practice
• How to balance prana & chakras
• How alignment works in 5 koshas
• Importance of Alignment
• Different aspect of Alignment
• To decrease the risk of injuries
• Increase the movement of joints
• Alignment based on body regions
• Upper Limb alignment
• Lower Limb alignment
• Torso – Thorax - Abdomen – Pelvis Alignment
• Head & neck - Alignment
• Spinal alignment
• Basic alignment postures
• How to bring the body in comfortable
• How to find balance between body and mind

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

At the end of the course, you will be evaluated and according to that, you will get the certification. Your evaluation will be based on the following;

• Performance during the course
• Attendance
• Practical asana demonstration test
• Written test (Objective and subjective type)
• Behavior