500 HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING IN RISHIKESH

Hatha yoga is performing foundational yoga postures. It is an essential and finished framework that helps the practitioner self-realize. Hatha Yoga is the traditional and first kind of yoga which gives you the real taste of the essence of yoga. When we think of Yoga, we tend to look towards the West and its various styles of Yoga. All these practices have one common approach: Hatha Yoga. This branch of yoga uses postures to preserve and increase the vital force (Prana) in the body and mind. Hatha Yoga is a worldwide known style that helps you to gain purification mentally and physically. The practice is a tool to grow spiritually through transformation.

This style of yoga has been made famous by a man called K. Pattabhi Jois in the 20^th century. The style is a flow where you coordinate the breath and movements. Asanas are linked together by performing a specific flow called a ‘Vinyasa’. Each asana in ashtanga yoga is part of a set sequence. The purpose of the asanas is to increase the strength and flexibility of the body. When practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa, five rounds of Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) are being performed. After the sun salutations a sequence of standing asanas are practiced, followed by a ‘series and a closing sequence.

Vinyasa is a flow and the movements are practiced in coordination with the breath, which brings a sense of natural balance. ‘Vi’ means in a special way and ‘Nyasa’ means to place. The word ‘special’ explains the intention and choice behind a movement, the logic of placement and how the placement is arranged. Vinyasa is a fast-paced practice in which you experience a smooth way from one posture to next, using the breath and gaze for steady alignment.

A Yin Yoga practice is characterized by long static holds, allowing for a meditative focus, self-reflection, letting go of stored emotions and thoughts, to surrender and find stillness. It is a powerful self-healing practice. The two opposite energies of Yin and Yang are similar to the principle of the duality of Ida and Pingala Nadis, which are the channels we work with in traditional Hatha Yoga. The two energies can be used to benefit different people in different situations.

In traditional Hatha Yoga, alignment is the key to practicing without injuries. Modification is the way to unite all level practitioners in the same session. You will be able to gain the full benefits of a pose, when practicing with the right body alignment.

Prana is the vital force; it is the essence of the entire creation. The word ‘Pranayama’ is a combination of the Sanskrit words ‘Prana’ and ‘Ayama’. ‘Prana’ is the principle of life or aliveness. ‘Ayama’ means expansion or the extension of the range of Prana. Pranayama purifies the energy channels and increases the energy flow within the body. There are many different Pranayama practices and we can adopt them as a part of our daily Sadhana. ‘Bhastrika’ can increase the level of Prana, ‘Nadi Shodhana’ can bring harmony in personality and ‘Bhramari’ is a tranquilizing Pranayama. By practicing Pranayama, we can learn to control the subtle energies within the body and gain full control over the mind.

Important topics in anatomy includes the skeletal muscular system and cardiovascular system. The skeletal muscular system is responsible for movement and posture and is composed of muscles, bones, and joints. The cardiovascular system is a complex and vital system that is essential for maintaining health and well-being. Understanding its structure, function, and disorders is important for anyone interested in Yoga, health and medicine.

Through meditative awareness one gains intuitive knowledge, which removes the boundaries of the conditioned mind, thus, bringing one closer to their own source. Meditation is a state of concentrated attention on an object of thought or awareness. It usually involves turning the attention inward to a single point of reference. In Yoga, it is seen as a means to spiritual mastery. Mediation trains the mind like asanas train the body.

No one knows exactly when Yoga began, but it certainly predates written history. Stone carvings depicting figures in Yoga positions have been found in archaeological sites in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more. The tradition of Yoga has always been passed on individually from teacher to student through oral teaching and practical demonstration. The formal techniques that are now known as Yoga are, therefore, based on the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years. One of the earliest texts describing Yoga was made by a scholar named Patanjali. Patanjali set down Yoga theories and practices of his time in a book called ‘Yoga Sutras’.

Be sure to have a balance of exercises in the class. Give the same amount of time to forward bends, backwards bends, side bends and spinal twists. Integrate hip-openers and balancing poses, as inversions. It is also good to have a list of precautions available for certain exercises. Ask new people if they have heart problems or back problems.

Self-practice means gaining your own experience, and this is key. It helps you understand the knowledge you have learned. You realize what you understand or not and accordingly you can move further in your practice. Discuss with your teacher what is next in your practice, or if you gain enough experience and confidence, you will feel what is the next level for you in your practice.

Mantra chanting is a part of ‘Bhakti Yoga’ (devotion). It is a part of any asana class at Hatha Yoga World. A simple chant like “OM Shanti Shanti Shanti” is a powerful way to end a class. The mantra means ‘peace’. Another example of a chant is “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” It means ‘let the entire world be happy’ and is a good intention to set any day.

The science of purification in order to achieve a state of higher consciousness. The first step is purification of the body. When the body is detoxified, energy blockages are removed. Examples of Kriyas taught at Hatha Yoga World are ‘Neti’ which a process of cleansing and purifying the nasal passages, ‘Kapalbhati’ which is a breathing technique that clears the frontal portion of the brain, ‘Trataka’ which is gazing at one point or at an object to develop the optimum concentration and one-pointed awareness and ‘Nauli’ which is the rotation of the abdominal muscles and it massages and tones the abdominal organs.

Ayurveda is an ancient and one of the oldest medical system that originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. ‘Ayurveda’ means ‘science of life’ and is a natural and holistic approach to prevent and heal disease physically, mentally and emotionally. An important aspect of Ayurveda is to know which of the three Doshas are most dominant in the body. The three Doshas are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha and are elements from which the body is made of.

‘Karma Yoga’ or the ‘discipline of action’ is a form of yoga based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Karma Yoga is an important step in the processes of higher Sadhana. It cleans impurities of the mind and purifies the soul. Only when mind and soul are purified can one move toward higher levels of meditation or consciousness. In the course you will practice Karma Yoga by keeping your own room clean and helping with keeping the shared facilities clean by washing your dishes and tiding up the dining hall.