29-Day Ashtanga & Hatha Yoga Teacher Training in Mysore, India

This 29-day residential training covers the full 200-hour Yoga Alliance curriculum. Mornings start before 8am with yogic kriyas or detox practices, followed by asana classes. The teaching-learning sessions that follow are led by Yogacharya Santhosh Kumar himself, working through lesson-plan writing, the G.M. method, the 8-step method, and live teaching practice with expert feedback.

The curriculum itself is comprehensive. Technical yoga classes break down asanas, pranayama, kriyas, bandhas and mudras - analysing each one's name, background, technique, common mistakes, benefits, modifications and contraindications. Anatomy and physiology are studied from both a medical and a yogic viewpoint, covering cells, tissues, bones, muscles and the respiratory and circulatory systems.

Yoga philosophy classes study the Yoga Sutras, the eight limbs, the different streams of yoga, mantra, chakras, nadis and the ethics of teaching. Student teachers practise teaching daily, first observing live classes, then assisting the main teacher, and finally leading sessions with expert feedback. There's also self-practice time for studying meditation and different yoga systems, and seva (karma yoga) where trainees help run the school to understand the administrative side of a yoga business.

Outside the classroom, the school arranges optional excursion trips to practice outdoors at holy places, lakes and lawns. Evenings include cultural programmes, bhajans, chanting, krida yoga games, talent expression and bonfires with South Indian food. As a residential course, you'll form a close cohort of between 15 and 25 trainees from around the world, living together for the month.

The course is led by Yogacharya Santhosh Kumar, a Mysore-based teacher who trained under B.K.S. Iyengar in Pune and has studied with Dr. R. Pai in Dharamsala. He holds degrees in Education and Nutrition from universities in Karnataka and Kerala, and has trained over 700 certified yoga teachers from 65+ countries since founding Yogadarshanam. He's now engaged in research on yoga and illness.

What's included

- 28 nights accommodation in private single rooms - 3 daily healthy vegetarian meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - All Ashtanga and Hatha yoga classes and curriculum - Pranayama and breath work classes - Meditation, relaxation and healing sessions - Yoga Alliance 250-hour certificate and registration - Yoga mats, blocks, straps and bolsters - Course manual and practice charts - Detox and cleansing activities - Kids/acro yoga and prenatal/postnatal yoga classes - Outdoor practice trips to holy places - Yoga dance, chants, bonfire and South Indian food evenings - Anatomy and physiology classes - Yoga philosophy and ethics classes - Teaching practice, supervision and feedback - WiFi connection, sports and library access - School t-shirt and bag - Green tea and drinking water - Pre- and post-retreat support

What's not included

- Flights to Bangalore - Travel insurance - Airport transfers (can be arranged separately) - Meals outside the three daily provided - Personal expenses - Optional excursions and treatments