100 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Course In Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a center for spirituality and embodies India’s deep-rooted, ancient culture. The intense sadhanas (meditation practices) carried out by the ancient sages have created many locations near Rishikesh where spiritual vibrations are at their highest.

As it is surrounded by imposing green mountains, lovely waterfalls, and the mesmerizing turquoise-blue Ganga River flowing through the town, one can immerse themselves in the beauty of nature here. These beautiful settings have a charm that can calm the soul, which is difficult to find in the hectic pace of city life.The entire state synthesizes numerous wonders, whether treks, climbs, meadows, camping, rafting, temples, or cultural festivals.

Yoga involves training the mind to become still, and Rishikesh, whose name means “Lord of Senses,” is the ideal location for this.

According to the Skanda Purana, Lord Vishnu appeared to Raibhya Rishi here as the “God of Senses,” Hrishikesh. In addition, this location’s serene surroundings and strong spiritual vibrations make it ideal for yogic practices for anyone looking to find solitude, tranquility, and self-transformation.

Many famous people have spoken highly of Rishikesh’s spiritual energy. Thousands of yogis and gurus have lived their lives of austerity here. While some yoga studios are situated in the city’s heart, many others are far from the commotion of the crowds, offering the ideal setting for yoga enthusiasts to learn and practice tranquility and peace amidst nature. And that is the way it ought to be! For those looking to advance spiritually in life, this location offers a wide range of educational opportunities, including yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, Pranic healing, sound healing, and much more.

Rishikesh, also known as the “Yoga capital of the world,” has Shree Hari Yoga, providing excellent learning opportunities in this field. These include yoga philosophy, which covers the knowledge downloaded from our great saints, meditation techniques that help us to be more appreciative of life, pranayama practices that teach us to be more aware of our breath, shatkarma practices that help in cleansing the body from the inside out, yoga anatman, and yoga nidra.

What is Hatha Yoga & What will you learn?

Hatha Yoga is the first and most ancient style of yoga. At its origin and for many centuries on, yoga did not have anything to do with physical postures: it was all about the deep study and understanding of the mind through meditation and ascetic practices.
The ancient sages and yogis started then to develop some seated postures that would help them to gain physical flexibility so that they could endure many many hours of seated meditation.

The classic text on Hatha Yoga (Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Svatmarama, written in the XV century) can be considered almost as an anthology of many Hatha texts combined. It includes fifteen primary postures (seated and non seated) as well as other additional postures, totalling 84 asanas. This is the first time we know of an asana being described as something other than a seated position. After all, the word asana means “to seat”, specifically a seat for meditation. 84 is a number used over and over again in spiritual practices, representing a connection between the individual practitioner and the universe.

Hatha Yoga is about balancing the body and mind. HA represents the sun and THA the moon. The practice of Hatha Yoga aims to join and balance these two energies. This is why, during our TTC, we give particular focus and importance to the practice of traditional Hatha Yoga; expect to move through a set of physical postures to warm up the body and circulate the energies, along with breathing techniques. You will be learning the traditional Surya Namaskar Hatha Yoga style and the different variations of it. You will also be practicing many other asana both standing and seated/reclining. These are typically practised more slowly and held for longer than a Vinyasa flow or Ashtanga class.

Other than asana, there are five more practices in Hatha Yoga that form the six limbs that you will be learning with us; they are: Shatkarma, Pranayama, Bandhas, Mudras and Samadhi. Lastly, during the “art of teaching” classes, you are going to learn the perfect alignment and all the variations of the main asana which are found in Hatha Yoga, through the expert guidance of lead teacher Hari ji.

Pranayama

Pranayama is an ancient breath technique that originates from yogic practices using which you can control every juncture of your life. Some pranayama techniques you will learn in this course are:

• Surya & Chandra Bhedana
• Ujjayi Breath
• Sitkari
• Sitali
• Bhramari
• Anulom Vilom
• Kapalbhati & Bhastrika

What to expect in a Hatha Yoga Asana class?

• Breathing & grounding
• Warm-up like Pawanmuktasana Series I,II & III
• Asanas Sun Salutation, flows through the 84 hatha yoga asanas
• Relaxation

Mantras & Mudras

Mantras are considered as an important part of Hatha Yoga. When you recite mantras, the energy channels of the body open up, and you become more reception to the universe. It also aids one to focus the mind on the yoga practice. When you recite mantras, your stored emotions are released and you get the full benefits of the asanas.

Mudras are nothing but gestures, which you make with your hands and fingers mostly. There are nerves that pass through the fingertips, and each one is connected to a specific organ. When you press the same, you are actually providing therapeutic healing to those body parts.

Art of Teaching

• Teaching practice, receiving and giving feedback
• Instructions guidelines, teaching styles, qualities of a teacher
• Voice projection, and floor presence
• Planning and structuring a class
• Principles of demonstration
• Observing, assisting and correcting
• Therapeutic tools in Alignment and hands-on-adjustments theory and practice in Hatha Sun Salutation 12 Asanas
• Dealing with injuries and safety precautions

Anatomy & Physiology

• Muscular and Skeletal System
• Respiratory System
• Nervous System Basics

Philosophy

• Yoga Philosophy introduction
• Definition of Yoga
• History of Yoga
• Goals of Yoga

Bandhas

In Hatha Yoga, you will discover three essential bandhas that harness subtle energies. These bandhas aid in breath retention, allowing for prolonged posture holding. They promote tranquility and composure throughout your Hatha Yoga practice, while also facilitating the smooth flow of Prana.

The four bandhas in Yoga are:

• Mula Bandha (Root Lock)
• Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock)
• Jalandhara Bandha (Chin Lock)
• Maha Bandha (great lock)

Practicum

Hatha Yoga classes for up to 90 minutes or less. The teacher generally sets a goal for the class, which you have to accomplish. You will get adequate guidance in the sequence from a trained yoga expert at Shree Hari Yoga School.

• Practice teaching
• Receiving and giving feedback
• Observing others teaching
• Assisting students while someone else is teaching

Typical Daily Schedule