Sivananda Yoga Teachers' Training Course
Introduction
Background
Back when I first started, my yoga practice was a bit clumsy, but I never truly felt like starting from zero.
During my childhood, I always had a good relationship with sports.
I was part of the local junior rugby team.
During the long summer vacations, I used to play sports every day with my friends. Our go-to place used to be the
basketball field.
I really enjoyed playing team sports. As time passed, we all got into college, family life and work. It became harder and harder to synchronize
a group of people that would be willing to play sports together. That’s when I shifted my focus to individual sports,
where generally the only person you need to synchronize with is yourself. Gym was the obvious choice, but in a way it felt
superficial. The moves were repetitive and the environment was not inspiring. I am not saying
that going to the gym is bad. I still attend fitness classes and train in a gym regularly.
It’s just that, for me, this feels like a great complement to other sports, but it’s a means to an end, not my main focus.
When I tried yoga, I was finally able to find an activity that I could practice on my own, but still feel like
I am part of a community. It’s also something which allows me to better connect with myself.
I started by watching online videos. When my practice got “serious”, I attended yoga classes.
That progressed into taking private lessons. Fast-forward a few years later, and I have now enrolled into a
teacher’s training course. I am joining an ashram in Southern India, for a month-long intensive course.
Purpose of writing this
I decided to document this experience, as I believe it will be a great way to reflect on my journey and share it with others. This is not a guide on how to become a yoga teacher, nor advice on how to prepare for an intensive course. Every person is different, and there’s plenty of approaches to yoga. I am just sharing my own experience.
Make sure to only compare yourself to your past self.
Course
The course is organized by the SIVANANDA YOGA VEDANTA TAPASWINI ASHRAM, located in Gudur, Andhra Pradesh. The dates are 17th Dec 2023 - 13th Jan 2024. I picked the ashram in Gudur because it had specific dates that worked for me, taking into account my job and other commitments.
I found out about this school from the Neyyar Dam Sivananda and
Sivananda Yoga Centre, Gurgaon YouTube channels.
I was looking for a school with a traditional approach to yoga and their content resonated well with me.
There are plenty of Sivananda centers around the world, but I wanted one located in India, as I sought the opportunity
to experience the culture and the country.
The course I’m taking is a 200h Teachers’ Training Course (TTC), based on the ancient gurukula
system of India where teacher and student live together in a traditional Ashram. Graduates receive an internationally
recognized certificate. The school is a member the Yoga Alliance.
Before
Preparation
Generally, I believe the best way to prepare for something is to do it. So of course, I’ve been practicing yoga regularly at home and in classes. To aid with the physical aspect of it, I’m doing some fitness training at D’ Point Studio. The classes are great and the instructors are very knowledgeable. Every week, I attend three private training sessions, and aim for two group classes (one full body workout and a core workout). To get a glimpse of what it looks like, check out their YouTube channel.
Monday
8:00 - 9:00 personal training (HIIT)
I find HIIT the hardest of my workouts. In the beginning, it was very difficult to keep up with the pace, but now I really
enjoy it. It is indeed a challenge to keep my breath steady during the most intense parts of the workout, and it has
helped me a lot in that regard. I believe doing this type of athletic training once a week is a good way to balance
out the more relaxed pace of yoga, as I like to experience this kind of exercise as well, from time to time.
Tuesday
Yoga, at home. I generally use this day to recuperate from the previous day’s workout.
Wednesday
8:00 - 9:00 personal training (suspended training)
With yoga, you do a lot of pushing exercises, but not so many pulling ones, and on Wednesdays I try to balance that out.
It’s also a great way to build strength in your core and back muscles. Pull-ups are the main part of this workout. The
progress is generally slow, but steady, and you have to keep doing it regularly to maintain the results.
Thursday
18:30 - 19:30 fitness class (Power Strength - full body workout)
This is where I get to sweat a lot. It’s a good way to build strength and stamina, while making sure that not muscle
group is left behind. Generally, my legs are most sore after this workout.
Friday
8:00 - 9:00 personal training (workout)
A bit more random, depending on how I felt during the week and what me and my trainer decide to focus on.
Usually, we try to fine-tune some of the exercises. If I feel there’s a muscle group that needs more attention, my trainer
would come up with suitable exercises to target that area. Or, if I don’t make it to the group class on Thursday, we might do a
leg workout.
Saturday
11:15 - 12:00 fitness class (Core Strength - core workout)
I can’t stress enough the importance of core muscles in yoga, and in life in general. For me, the abs require the most
maintenance. I find it very easy to lose the results I’ve gained, if I don’t exercise regularly. Just to be clear,
by “results” I’m not referring to the visual aspect of it (eg. a 6-pack), but rather to the endurance and strength of the abdominal muscles.
This is a difficult class, but it comes with soo many benefits.
Sunday
Yoga, at home. By now, I’ve had plenty of fitness during the week, so I try not to overdo it.
Looking at the above, it might seem like a lot, but I’ve been doing this for a while now, so my body is used to it.
Sometimes, I might skip a workout, if I feel like I could use some extra rest. However, I never skip my personal training
sessions. I find that having a personal trainer is a great way to keep myself accountable and show up. Needless
to say, in order to maintain this lifestyle, the sleeping schedule (and eating habits) have to be on point. I generally aim to be in
bed before 22:00.
You might be wondering where is the yoga in all of this. Well, I try to do yoga every day, but I don’t have a fixed schedule.
What kind of practice I do really depends on how I feel. Sometimes, I might do a full one-hour class, other times
I might just do a short meditation. There’s plenty of practices to choose from, but usually my main focus is on
hip-opening and balancing poses.
Visa
I got my indian visa from indianvisaonline.gov.in. I heard there are some websites out there which try to pose as the official one, so be careful.
Schedule
In the last couple of months before the course, I became serious about my preparation. I decided to record my daily schedule, which I’ll share below. I tried to keep it as consistent as possible, but sometimes I had to make adjustments to accommodate other commitments. Nevertheless, recording my schedule was a great way to keep myself on track. I’m not saying that this is the best way to prepare for a yoga course. Bear in mind I had zero prior experience with yoga courses, so I’m just sharing my own practice.
| Date | Practice |
|---|---|
| 22nd August | Yoga to Overcome Depression, Yogrishi Vishvketu (evening) |
| 23rd August | Low Flow for Happy Hips, Akhanda (evening) |
| 24th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Yoga for Increased Energy, Akhanda (afternoon) |
| 25th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Yoga for Self-Acceptance, Akhanda (evening) |
| 26th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) |
| 27th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) |
| 28th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) HIIT (morning) |
| 29th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) |
| 30th August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Suspended Training (morning) Yoga for Hip Opening & Emotional Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 31st August | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 1st September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Core Workout (morning) |
| 2nd September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 3rd September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) |
| 4th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) HIIT (morning) |
| 5th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Core Strength Class (evening) |
| 6th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Suspended Training (morning) |
| 7th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Power Strength Class (evening) Yoga for Hip Opening & Emotional Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 8th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Yoga for Hip Opening & Emotional Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 9th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) |
| 10th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Yoga for Hip Opening & Emotional Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 11th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) HIIT (morning) Yoga for Hip Opening & Emotional Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 12th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Yoga for Hip Opening & Emotional Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 13th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning, completed 21 days 🌞) Suspended Training (morning) |
| 14th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 15th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Back and Shoulders Workout (morning) |
| 16th September | Sun Salutations with Mantra, 12 rounds, Akhanda (morning) Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 17th September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 18th September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) HIIT (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 19th September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 20th September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Suspended Training (morning) |
| 21st September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 22nd September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 23rd September | 20 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 24th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 25th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) HIIT (morning) Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 26th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 27th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) |
| 28th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) |
| 29th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Core Workout (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 30th September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Core Strength Class (morning) Light hip stretching at home (evening) |
| 31st September | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 1st October | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) HIIT (morning) Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 2nd October | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (evening) |
| 3rd October | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Light hip stretching at home (evening) |
| 4th October | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Suspended Training (morning) Light hip stretching at home (evening) |
| 5th October | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 6th October | 40 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (morning) Core Workout (morning) |
| 7th October | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 8th October | Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (morning) |
| 9th October | Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (morning) HIIT (morning) |
| 10th October | Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 11th October | Suspended Training (morning) |
| 12th October | Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 13th October | Core Workout (morning) |
| 14th October | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 15th October | Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 16th October | HIIT (morning) |
| 17th October | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 18th October | Suspended Training (morning) |
| 19th October | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 20th October | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 21st October | Interval Fusion Class (morning) |
| 22nd October | Yoga for Strengthening Arms, Sivananda (afternoon), 20 Minute Sivananda Class (afternoon), Yoga Nidra for Stress Release, Akhanda (evening) |
| 23rd October | Legs, Chest and Arms Training (morning), Yoga Nidra for Stress Release, Akhanda (afternoon), Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 24th October | Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (morning), 20 Minute Sivananda Class (afternoon) |
| 25th October | Back, Abs and Glutes Training (morning), Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 26th October | Yoga for Strengthening Legs, Sivananda (morning), Power Strength Class (afternoon) |
| 27th October | Core Workout (morning), Yoga Nidra for Stress Release, Akhanda (afternoon), Hatha Yoga Class (evening) |
| 28th October | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 29th October | Yoga Nidra for Stress Release, Akhanda (afternoon), Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 30th October | Legs, Chest and Arms Training (morning), Yoga Nidra for Stress Release, Akhanda (afternoon) |
| 31st October | Yoga for Back Flexibility, Sivananda (morning) |
| 1st November | Back, Abs and Glutes Training (morning) |
| 2nd October | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 3rd November | Core Workout (morning) |
| 4th November | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 5th November | Yoga for Improving Balance, Sivananda (morning), 20 Minute Sivananda Class (afternoon), Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 6th November | HIIT (morning) |
| 7th November | Basic Sivananda Open Class (morning) |
| 8th November | Suspended Training (morning) |
| 9th November | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 10th November | Core Workout (morning) |
| 11th November | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 12th November | 108 Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar), Sivananda (afternoon, full practice 🌞) Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 13th November | HIIT (morning) |
| 14th November | Yoga for Hip Flexibility, Sivananda (morning) Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 15th November | Suspended Training (morning) |
| 16th November | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 17th November | Core Workout (morning) |
| 18th November | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 19th November | Guided Meditation, Ajahn Brahm (evening) |
| 20th November | Lower Body Training (morning) |
| 21st November | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 22nd November | Suspended Training (morning) |
| 23rd November | Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 24th November | Core Workout (morning) |
| 25th November | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 26th November | Basic Sivananda Open Class (morning) |
| 27th November | Custom Yoga for the Legs and the Hips (morning) |
| 28st November | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 29th November | Back and Abs Workout (morning) |
| 30st November | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 1st December | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 2nd December | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 3rd December | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 4th December | Custom Yoga for the Legs and the Hips (morning) |
| 5th December | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 6th December | Suspended Training (morning) |
| 7th December | Power Strength Class (evening) |
| 8th December | Custom Yoga for Spine (morning) |
| 9th December | Core Strength Class (morning) |
| 10th December | Yoga Nidra for Deep Sleep, Akhanda (evening) |
| 11th December | Abs and Obliques Training (morning) |
If there’s something I’ve learned from this, it’s that the power of consistency is immense. It’s not so much about the particular practice you choose to do, but rather about showing up every day.
Reading
Before the course, I tried to learn a bit about the philosophy of yoga. One, a gentleman from ISKCOM handed me a copy of Bhagavad Gita, which I finally decided to put to good use. I’ve managed to read about half of it (including commentary) before the course, which already gave me a good head-start. My suggestion is to go for a version that includes commentary, as it helps a lot with understanding the meaning behing text.
During
Arrival
I arrived in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 13th December 2023, 4 days before the course started. I wanted to give myself some time to adjust to the weather and time zone. One of the first things I did was buy some local clothes. Not only are they made of lighter materials, but they also help you blend in with the locals. It was really fun travelling around India and not feeling like a tourist. Totally worth it. Needless to say, the city is pretty busy.
The people were just wonderful. The food was amazing. My favourite place was Geetha Cafe,
a pure vegetarian restaurant located on Sir Thiyagaraya Road, T. Nagar. Their masala dosa is out of this world. I ate there
every day, and it will always be my go-to place when I visit Chennai.
Below is a picture of me wearing a Pathani Suit, together with one of my friends from Geetha Cafe.
On Saturday, I went to the train station and took the train to Gudur Junction. Because I could not use online booking, due to the fact that I never received my confirmation SMS message (OPT), I had to buy the ticket at the station the day before, on Friday. I managed to get a tatkal ticket on the Navjeevan SF Express, at a higher price, but it was still cheaper than a taxi. If you find yourself in a similar situation where you can’t book a ticket online, I suggest you go to the station at least a day before and ask for help at the counter. They will guide you through the process. The train ride itself took about 2 hours and was quite pleasant. From Gudur Junction I took a rickshaw to the ashram. The ride was about 30 minutes long and surprisingly cheap.
TTC
I was so happy to finally arrive at the ashram. The staff was very welcoming and helped me with my luggage. They immediately served me tea and some snacks. I was shown to my room, where I was going to live for the next month together with my roommate. I recommend arriving the day before the course starts, as it gives you time to adjust and get to know the place.
Accommodation
The place is magical. As it is surrounded by lush jungle, you’ll see lots of monkeys roaming around.
| Surrounding Jungle | Monkeys | Ashram Gardens |
|---|---|---|
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I stayed in a shared room, which was equipped with two beds, a fan, a table, a sink and a bathroom. The facilities were pretty basic, but trust me, all you need will be there. The other options that I am aware of are private rooms and the shared dormitory. There are pros and cons to each of them, but my train of thought was that I would have liked some privacy, but also wanted to meet new people, so for me the shared room seemed like a good mixture of the two. It was pretty cool to have our own shower and restroom, but the downside was that the single and double rooms were closer to the road (which can be noisy), and further from the yoga halls. On the other hand, the dormitory was right in the middle of the ashram. Honestly, I don’t think the double room was really worth it. If I were to do it all over again, I would probably choose the dormitory. You’ll spend most of your time in the yoga halls anyway, and by the end of the course, you’ll realize that it does not really matter where you are, because “Happiness - ananda, bliss - is not outside, it is within”.
| Double Room View | Double Room Beds | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|
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There are two main halls. Most of the asana classes were held in the Vishnu Hall, which offers a beautiful view of the jungle. The other one, Mandakini Hall, is used for lectures and meditation. The ashram also has a reception, a small shop, and dining hall.
| Mandakini Hall | Vishnu Hall |
|---|---|
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Schedule
The schedule was pretty intense. I would usually wake up at 5:15 AM, and the first class would start at 6:00 AM. Although I don’t recommend it, I generally went to sleep way past 10:00 PM. I was just too excited to sleep.
The first asana class was more focused on the teaching aspect of yoga, and the second one was more about the practice. The lectures were very interesting. We learned about the history of yoga, the philosophy behind it, the Bhagavad Gita and the anatomy of the human body. We would do lots of chanting and meditation. And believe it or not, we also had homework. Nothing too difficult, but I am still surprised that we all managed to somehow make room for that in our schedule. I found Vishnu Hall to be the most beautiful place in the ashram. It was so peaceful and quiet. I would often go there to study.
| Asanas | Meditation | Study |
|---|---|---|
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Once or twice a week we would do walking meditation. We would walk around a nearby lake, then sit down, meditate and chant.
My favourite part was the chanting. It was so powerful. I sometimes felt like I was in a trance. Overall, I don’t remember being so sober and ecstatic ever in my life. It is like that immense energy we all had as children, for example when we used to play a football game with our friends. Imagine something like that, but with literally zero worries in the world, as a grown adult, dependent on no one but yourself. It is just pure excitement and joy. Here’s a note I wrote to myself one night during the course:
It’s like I am an adolescent again. Back then, I had such a tremendous amount of energy, yet my biggest wish was to become independent. When I became independent, there were so many things I wanted to do, but I was lacking the energy. Now, at this moment, I finally know how it feels to have both.
We were all blessed to have Swami Janardhana Ananda by our side, as the philosophy teacher. Chanting and praying together with him was a great experience. One evening, during Sri Lalitha Sahasranaamam, I had my deepest meditation ever. It was absolute bliss. After a while, the discomfort in my legs and butt started to appear, but the bliss was so intense that it completely overshadowed it. Afterwards, I felt so rested and energized as if I had a 12h sleep. I’ll post below a couple of snippets from our mantra recitation and chanting sessions.
- Om, the universal vibration. It is said that in the beginning, the universe there was in complete stillness.
Then, the creation process started with one vibration, and that is the sound of Om, which set everything in motion.
Think of it as the sound of the big-bang, from the perspective of the ancient yogis.
- Om Namo Narayanaya is a mantra that is said to bring peace and tranquility. It is a salutation to Lord Vishnu. During
the course, we used to chant this a lot, as a contribution to world peace.
- Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Viche is a mantra dedicated to Chandika, the divine mother. She is worshiped in order
to awaken the energy within us and in order to get rid of all the difficulties in life, bringing prosperity, wealth
and health. You can pray for yourself, or relatives and friends, whoever you want to, keeping them in mind while
reciting the mantra. In this recording we add “Namah” to it as a form of reverence.
As for chanting Bhajans, the way we do it is call and response. The leader sings a line, and the group repeats it. It’s a
great way to get everybody involved. Here’s a recording of “Om Sakthi Om” that I sang with my friends. At first, I was
skeptical about it, but it turned out to be one of the most fun things we practiced during the course. It can be amazing
when you really put your heart into it. At the end of each song, everybody would go clapping and cheering out of genuine
excitement.
Karma Yoga was also a part of the course. We would help with cleaning, cooking, and gardening. For the first two weeks, I was assigned to the temple cleaning team. It was a great experience, and I got to meet some really lovely people. The local priest, Muni Ji, was full of stories and always had a smile on his face. They often say that a keen sense of humor is a key to keeping one’s ego in check. The capacity to step back and share a hearty laugh, regardless of the topic, is truly admirable. In this respect, Muni Ji is a natural 🙏
The other two weeks, I spent cleaning the dormitory. It was a bit more challenging, and at first the environment did not seem as fun as in the temple. The dormitory is a bit darker, which clearly helps at night, but during the day it can be depressing. Nevertheless, the point of Karma Yoga is to help you get rid of your ego and free your mind. You learn to do things without expecting anything in return. It’s a great way to practice selflessness and humility. In the end, I realized that cleaning the dormitory is a great opportunity to practice. Think about it as “Advanced Karma Yoga”, and be thankful for the opportunity to practice it. I can tell you that it changed something in me. By the end of the course, I was so grateful that I would go during the evening and voluntarily clean the dining hall. It was an awesome feeling.
We also had plenty of fun and social activities together. Every Friday was a day off, and the ashram would organize a trip to a nearby temple or a beach. Every week there was a talent show, which you don’t want to miss. One Friday, me and some friends prepared dinner for the entire ashram. Cooking for 50 people was fun.
| Travel | Talent Show | Beach |
|---|---|---|
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Food
The food follows the Sattvic diet, which is a pure vegetarian diet that is meant to promote a peaceful mind and long life.
There are two meals a day, brunch and dinner. The food is simple, not too spicy, and based on rice, lentils, vegetables.
Some small snacks and tea were served in the morning and afternoon.
I’m not going to lie, I was hungry, and it took me a while to get used to the food. The good part is that you may have
as many refills as you want, there’s no standard portion. Just make sure you don’t waste any food. It’s a good practice
to aim for about 50% of you stomach capacity, leaving 25% for water and the other 25% for air. I think it’s also worth
mentioning that I never felt sick or had any stomach issues from the ashram food.
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People
It’s hard to put into words how much I enjoyed the company of the people I met. I made friends from all over the world. If there’s one thing I am most grateful for, it is for my fellow yogis. Everybody was so upbeat, kind, friendly and supportive, we really became one big family, in the true sense of the word. I’m getting emotional just thinking about it. I miss them so much, and I’ll hope we’ll see each other again. I really don’t know what else to write, the feeling of being surrounded by such wonderful people is just indescribable. You’ll have to go through TTC yourself to understand it. I’ll post a picture of us below. You can find more content on the ashram’s official Instagram page.
There were people from all walks of life. Some of us were in their 20’s, some in their 40’s and some in their 60’s. We had different backgrounds, different cultures, different religions, different languages, but we all had one thing in common: we were open-minded. Shout-out to my roommate, Venkat, a top chemistry researcher from Connecticut, United States, who came to the ashram in order to dedicate more time to his spiritual practice, as he was doing TTC with us. He was a great guy, and we had lots of interesting conversations together about the Bhagavad Gita, understanding Sanskrit, and life in general.
Graduation
All the activities and classes are counted up for in order to get a certificate, and they’re pretty serious when it comes
to attendance. The final exam consists of a series of questions about the philosophy of yoga, the asanas, and the
anatomy of the human body. They give you about 3 hours to complete it, but it should be doable in about 2 hours.
If you’ve been paying attention during the lectures, you should be fine without any additional studying.
Please don’t stress about it, it’s not that difficult. They’re not trying to trick you, they just want to make
sure you’ve laid a good foundation for your future practice. Don’t worry, I promise you’ll pass 😉
Below is a picture of me and Swami Janardhana Ananda, after the graduation ceremony.
Departure
I left the ashram on 14th January 2024. It was a very beautiful morning, quite foggy. Those who remained had our last walking meditation at the nearby lake, which was very blissful. I felt so grateful for the experience, there was no room for sadness. I took the train back to Chennai, where I met some of my friends again, as we were all going to the airport. I was very happy to spend some more time with a group of fellow ashram yogis from Iran, whose flight was at a similar time. That departure was indeed hard, I can tell you that. I was the last to arrive at the boarding gate.
After
Has this course impacted me in a profound way?
Absolutely.
It took me a while to fully recover. I lost some weight, I was feeling quite hungry. I was also a bit sad,
as I missed my friends from the ashram. But nevertheless, I immediately applied to become a yoga teacher (part-time).
The course focused a lot on the importance of teaching, and they really made us feel confident in our ability to do so.
For sure, you are not going to become a yoga master in only one month, but you’ll have a good foundation to build upon.
Any chance to polish your teaching skills is great.
I led my first yoga class on the 12th of February 2024, at D’Point Studio.
I can tell you that, with every class, it gets better and better.
So my advice is, if you’re thinking about it, just go for it. You’ll be fine.
Om Tat Sat
