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Sivananda Yoga

Teacher Training Course Online

Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Online

4 WEEKS – 6 DAYS PER WEEK
+ OPTIONAL 9 DAY IMMERSION

 

Yoga Alliance Certified 200 hours training

Mar. 2 – 30, 2024

For taking the course onsite in-person, please check out this page.

Right from the start of the closedown due to corona virus we started offering group yoga classes and courses with many people joining in. The regular practice helps to cope with the stress of isolation and connecting with a universal energy brings solace and positivity.

This encouraged us to offer a Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course Online.

  • Authentic yogic teachings at home in real time
  • Daily personal coaching with your mentor

The online experience

Needless to say it is a different experience than the hitherto existing Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training. But it appears that the online-version brings a great amount of nearness and authenticity.

  • This is a great way to use our time at home in a meaningful way: This is the time to intensify our practice, learn new aspects of yoga and implement a healthy and positive lifestyle.
  • The exit restrictions give us a chance to reflect on ourselves: our habits, our mental tendencies, our perspective on life. The TTC online will support this process of deep inquiry and will enable you to gain insight into your inner world.
  • It seems this lockdown will deeply impact the society and life as we know it: the TTC online will give you tools to develop adaptability, openess of mind and creativity to reinvent your life, your relationships, and your connection to the world.
  • You will learn how to transform your living place into a mini center of spiritual power, which will inspire you to maintain a systematic pratice at home after the course.
  • The training includes practical cooking instructions. During the four weeks you will learn to prepare healthy and tasty vegetarian meals.
  • Guest speakers and artists will share their knowledge in the fields of Ayurveda, mantra chanting and Indian arts.
  • Individual coaching every day with a personal mentor enables individual optimization of your personal practice of asana, pranayama, meditation and mantra. Question and answer on the teaching contents.
  • Since there are no costs for room and board, people with a tighter budget can also participate.

90-minute video on what is classical yoga training and the spiritual path

Student Testimonials from our August Online Teachers’ Training Course

Cost

OF THE ONLINE TTC

$1,650 USD

Course Description

  • 4-week theoretical and practical training in all aspects of Yoga, consisting of 267 teaching units of 45 minutes each
  • Internationally recognised certificate from the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres (ISYVC) upon successful completion of the course. The title of the diploma is ‘Online Sivananda Yoga Teachers’ Training Course’.  The course is recognized by the Yoga Alliance (based in the USA) for the 200-hour training standard as RYS (Registered Yoga School).
  • This course was founded by Swami Vishnudevananda in 1969 and is the first Yoga Teachers’ Training Course for students from the West with over 48,000 graduates since then.
  • Prerequisite for participation is the sincere desire to learn and to open up to the techniques of yoga. It is of advantage to become acquainted with the basic exercises of yoga and the principles of yoga philosophy even before the training, but it is not absolutely necessary. In the online training you will learn to teach yoga postures, breathing exercises and relaxation practice for beginners and intermediate levels, as well as to improve your personal yoga practice.
  • In 1969 Swami Vishnudevananda developed a yoga teachers‘ training as the first Indian Yogi in the West. It is part of a universal vision of peace: The more people experience peace within, the more this peace will manifest in outward action. In this way, a glow of peace envelops the world.
  • Today the yoga teachers’ training courses are under the supervision of senior instructors who were personally trained by Swami Vishnudevananda. The goal of this training program is to produce qualified and inspired yoga teachers who are able to draw on their own practice and personal discipline in imparting the yoga experience to others.
  • ​Method of online conferencing chosen: We have chosen zoom teleconferencing software that is easy to manage with the possibility of chat and group work. We can help you to get access. We have been working with this software satisfactorily for the past 6 months for all our satsangs online and online courses. There is also a feature for simultaneous translation. 

Course Curriculum

ONLINE YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

The curriculum is based on the five points of yoga which can be understood as the practical application of the four traditional yoga paths:

Proper exercise (Asanas)
Proper breathing (Pranayama)
Proper relaxation (Savasana)
Proper diet (vegetarian)
Positive thinking and meditation (Vedanta and Dhyana)

Daily: one meditation session, one yoga class, a workshop on online teaching techniques, two lectures. One day a week is lecture-free.

Course books

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnudevananda, Three Rivers Press
Bhagavad Gita with a commentary by Swami Sivananda, the Divine Life Trust Society
Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion by the Sivananda Yoga Centres (Dorling Kindersley)

They can be purchased via our online shop.

Teaching Language

The course will be taught in English. 

Timezone

Even though anybody can register, it is preferable that the applicants live in USA time-zones in order to take advantage of the proper timing of activities which follow the rhythms of nature.

Registration Deadline

All applications must be in at least 1 week before the course is set to begin in order to have time to do an interview with teachers and for us to send you the manual, uniform, and books for the course.

Additional Immersion Retreat

Once we are able to open again, we will schedule a 9-day immersion retreat for all the online TTC graduates to come to the ashram and learn in-person with the teachers.  This will include some advanced practices, such as learning the headstand, advanced kriyas, advanaced pranayama, and mantra initiation.

ASANAS (Yoga Postures)

The daily in-depth practice with individual corrections comprises:

  • Sun salutation
  • 12 basic yoga postures
  • 100 asana variations, from intermediate level to advanced
  • Postural alignment
  • Deep relaxation with autosuggestion
  • Release of blocked energy

Benefits of asanas on the body:

  • Control emotions
  • Improve power of concentration
  • Rid the body of excess fat
  • Enhance physical fitness
  • Relieve chronic ailments such as constipation, rheumatism, stomach complaints
  • Stimulate circulation
  • Stabilise thyroid functions
  • Keep muscles youthful and supple into old age
PRANAYAMA

Pranayama, the science of prana control, consists of breathing exercises to enhance the health of body and mind.  In summary pranayama will give you the following benefits:

• Expands capacity of the lungs
• Increase oxygen intake for the cells
• Remove carbon dioxide and toxins
• Recharge your energy battery
• Relaxes the nervous system
• Balances the two hemispheres of the brain
• Purifies the nadis (subtle energy channels)
• Awakens the inner spiritual energy
NUTRITION

Food is responsible for building our physical body.  The foods we eat and the manner we eat, also affect our mind, senses, energy, capacity of thinking, intellect, and environment.

Course topics include:

• Proper Diet

• Vegetarianism for ethical, spiritual, and health reasons
• How diet affects the mind
• Proper balance of the main nutrients
• Ayurvedic principles of nutrition
• Healing effects of fasting
MEDITATION AND MANTRA

Meditation is an integral part for the practice of Yoga.  During this course you will learn:

  • the practical steps of meditation,
  • what meditation is
  • what meditation is not. 
  • techniques of concentration and positive thinking
  • In addition, you will learn techniques of Self-Inquiry for Self-Knowledge. Meditation is a spiritual journey to the realisation of oneness

During the course there will be a focus on:

  • japa meditation, or mantra repetition.
  • We will learn how a sanskrit mantra is a mystical energy encased in a sound structure
  • Furthermore through repetition we will create a positive thought pattern
KRIYAS
  • The 6 classical cleansing exercises for the eyes, nose, respiratory tract, esophagus and stomach, abdominal organs and large intestine: Explanation of the exercises and their effects. Practice of Tratak, Neti, Kapalabhati and Nauli
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

This study helps you to improve the understanding of your body during your own yoga practice, and to apply it in your teaching practice.  You will learn:

• Introduction to the major body systems
• The effects of asanas and pranayama on: the cardiovascular, respiration, digestion, skeletal muscular and endocrine systems
• Yoga and physical culture
YOGA PHILOSOPHY
  • Yoga philosophy will give you insights into our mistaken beliefs of who we are and what reality really is. 
  • A deeper understanding of yourself will help you to detach and release stress which will bring your mind and body in harmony with your life purpose. 
  • You will learn about karma and will understand the causes of your obstacles and challenges.
  • The philosophy classes are considered the main teaching and will benefit you for a long time as the seeds of knowledge are being transmitted. 
  • The study of classical yoga texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and the writings of our own yoga masters will also take place to enrich you.
KIRTAN
  • ​Kirtan is singing of the Sanskrit sacred mantras which are considered pure vibrations of the divine names. Kirtan helps with development of devotion, love and faith.

Daily schedule

OF THE ONLINE TEACHERS´ TRAINING COURSE 

This is the schedule (all times are in Pacific time-zone)

  • 6:00 – 7:15 am: Satsang (meditation, chanting, lecture)
  • 7:30 – 9:00 am: Yoga practice class (asanas & pranayama)
  • 9:00 – 11:15 am: Lunch Break / Mentor Counseling
  • 11:15 – 12:15 pm: Bhagavad Gita, mantra chanting, meditation techniques, karma philosophy (cause and effect), nutrition & lifestyle at home
  • 12:30 – 2:00 pm:  Main Lecture: Philosophy and anatomy
  • 2:15 – 4:00 pm: How to Teach Asanas and Pranayama

Optional evening satsang is also available at 7:30 pm.

Plus one hour of individual coaching every day with a personal mentor:

  • Questions and individual optimization of your personal practice of asana, pranayama, meditation and mantra
  • Question and answer on the teaching contents

One day a week is lecture-free. The optional participation in an online yoga class and the evening meditation is recommended.

Course Teachers

OF THE ONLINE TEACHERS´TRAINING COURSE 

Swami Sitaramananda, RYS 500

Swami Sitaramananda, RYS 500

Vedanta and Yoga Philosophy teacher

Swami Sitaramananda is a 39 years experienced yogini and yoga and meditation teacher. She has been director of the Sivananda Ashram Vedanta Yoga Farm for 25 years and now is also director of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga resort in Vietnam. She is the main teacher in the 800-hour Yoga health Educator Training and has taught for many years in India, China, Japan, and Taiwan. Swamiji is a senior disciple of swami Vishnudevananda and is a talented spiritual teacher with a clear and humoristic explanation of difficult philosophical topics. See her teachings at:
Swami Jnaneswariananda, RYS 500

Swami Jnaneswariananda, RYS 500

Bhagavad Gita and Anatomy Physiology Teacher

Swami Jnaneswariananda has been director of centers and ashrams in Canada and Italy, and has taught many TTC worldwide, including India. She is currently a senior teacher at the Yoga Farm in Grass Valley. She teaches with great enthusiasm and humor. Swami Jnaneswariananda has a Phd in Biomedical Engineering and is a member of the faculty of Sivananda Yoga Health Educator Training program. She is an excellent teacher of anatomy and physiology and yoga philosophy.

Swami Dharmananda, RYS 500

Swami Dharmananda, RYS 500

Yoga philosophy, positive thinking and meditation teacher

Swami Dharmananda is assistant director of the ashram and is the main teacher of Yoga Philosophy and Meditation at the Ashram for more than 10 years. He is a member of the faculty of Sivananda Yoga Health Educator Training program. He is keenly interested in yoga psychology and philosophy, presenting the classical teaching in a practical and accessible way to people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Swami Vashistananda

Swami Vashistananda

Namboodri South Indian Priest and Vedanta teacher

Swami Vashistananda comes from the Namboodri lineage in Southern India, Kerala and was the personal priest of Swami Vishnudevananda. Swamiji has been a long-time teacher of bhakti and vedanta in the Sivananda organization ever since. He has been at the Yoga farm since October 2014 and does ceremonies at all the ashram temples and shrines.  Swamiji teaches and does story-telling with much inspiration and humor.

Swami Sivasankariananda, RYS 500

Swami Sivasankariananda, RYS 500

Meditation teacher, Yoga and health teacher, Bhakti Yoga teacher

Swami Sivasankariananda had 23 years experience of teaching both in San Francisco Sivananda Yoga center and Los Angeles Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center where she is serving as director. She is a member of the faculty of Sivananda Yoga Health Educator Training program. She is a compassionate teacher and is able to convey devotion and enthusiasm through kirtan and Bhakti Yoga teachings.

Swami Adiparashaktiananda, RYS 500
Swami Adiparashaktiananda, RYS 500

Hatha Yoga Teacher

Swami Adi Parashaktiananda is a Hatha Yoga teacher for more than 10 years. He has taught the Hatha yoga section in many International Sivananda Teachers Training Courses in many countries Vietnam, China, USA and has taught many Hatha Yoga intensive courses. He is a dedicated sadhak and pranayama practitioner.