Himalayan Yoga Gurukul

Cassandra Assis 99 months ago

I found Himalayan Yoga Academy after a very thorough search in Rishikesh; the city has a very wide range of options for every lineage of yoga you look for. I took lots of classes during one month and the two best teacher that I found were teaching in the HYA 5 weeks Teacher Training between October and December 2015: Ashish Sharma and Surinder Singh.
Besides that, the training was very well organized, without missing classes or surprise changes that I realize were very common on other institutions. They had a very objective approach, which was what I was looking for, giving basis in anatomia, alignment, philosophy and breathing, cleaning and meditation techniques.
Other thing that is important to say is that the the food was very good, abundant and different each day. The organization was very effective in creating a good environment for the students to get the best from the 12 teachers they invited.
Could not find a best Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh.

Kim 99 months ago

I joined the Yoga Teacher Training of Himalayan Yoga Academy in November 2014.
It's a 5 weeks yoga training in Rishikesh - the yoga capital of the world - and a very beautiful place close to Mother Ganga.

For me it was a really incredible experience because of the intensity of the program, the great inspiring Indian teachers (for example Ashish Karma, Surrinder Singh & Jivasu) and the rollercoaster I was part of (I found it really intense). I think that's also good because you dont get the certificate for free. You have to make an effort and in the end that's so much more rewarding.

The level of education is very good.
Classes of yoga philosophy, asana's, anatomy, pranayama, (zen)meditation, acro yoga, kundalini yoga, shatkarma, teaching theory and you're also gonna teach some classes (+/- 15 minutes) to your fellow students. Every week you have a different schedule and a lot of classes, from early morning (6AM) to 5PM or somedays even until 8.30PM. Most of the classes are mandatory.

Also the connection with other students when you are all part of such an intensive program is very special and inspiring.

On Sunday you have the day off.
Himalayan Yoga Academy organizes on that day trips, for example rafting, going to the waterfalls, yogi cave. The extra activities are free to join and are payed by the school.

Also the accommodation is good. My apartment was really nice. At first I stayed somewhere else, also a nice place, but a little far away from the canteen and the building where the yoga classes took place. I asked for a place more close and it was arranged pretty quickly!

The meals are good and mostly healthy. After a couple of weeks I wanted some variation of food sometimes, so decided to eat out more often.

I have searched for a long time to find a good YTT and I am really glad I have chosen HYA! The website is really informative and has a lot of information about what they're gonna teach each week. Also because there are a lot of schools in Rishikesh who aren't that professional and they're just in it for the money.

So, if you're looking for a school with excellent teachers, good books which are also included, fun extra activities & really nice staff - choose Himalayan Yoga Academy!

Abhimanyu Sahai 99 months ago

I was part of the Yoga Teachers' Training 200 hours course, a 5 week intensive course, at Himalayan Yoga Academy, in November 2014. It was an incredible experience for me as well as for so many of my co-students, and I would recommend this Academy without hesitation to anyone who wants to deepen their knowledge of Yoga, to learn about the philosophy, anatomy, theology etc. as well as do some rigorous physical sessions focusing on correct alignment of the body in various asanas. There are many things that I liked about it, but if I were to name the top 5 they would be:

1. The place and setting - set in a beautiful part of Swargashram, off Ram Jhula - not too crowded yet not too far off from places of interest, and of course, right on a beautiful beach of the Ganga.

2. The attitude and knowledge of the teachers and other people in the academy - as I found out after staying here for some time, this academy managed to get some of the best teachers in Rishikesh to train us. I especially liked that the academy had a non-commercial attitude and was more focused on providing a great experience to its students.

3. The rigorous program with many different facets - the program was very well-rounded, with 3-4 hours of physical yoga sessions every day as well as sessions on philosophy, anatomy, theory of teachers training, ayurveda, voice training, pranayama, shatkarma, meditation as well as many other "freebies" like classical music nights, massage training etc. It was in fact a little too intensive, but definitely a great learning experience

4. The "extracurricular" activities - trips to beautiful places around rishikesh, mud baths, etc.

5. Definitely my co-students, somehow I guess the academy attracts a certain kind of people. I found people who were positive, open-minded and inspiring, and everyone was very friendly. The fact that I was the only resident Indian in the course did not make the experience any different for me. The overall vibes at this place were very positive and peaceful.

3 cheers to HYA!