Beyond 500-Hour Yoga Education
A Comprehensive Coursework in the Pursuit of Yoga
Our Yoga Alliance approved, 500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training gives yoga teachers the advanced tools to rise to the top in their yoga career and pursuit. From philosophy to pranayama to advanced practices, our training helps you develop personally and prepares you to support students through their unique yoga journey.
Your pursuit, however, does not need to stop there! Yoga for Life offers extensive additional courses to immerse in the many facets of Yoga to lead towards Self-realization.
Yoga for Life has been offering Yoga Teachers’ Training Programs since 2011. Our graduates teach yoga nationally and internationally.
COURSEWORK STRUCTURE:
SUMMARY:
MODULE 1. 100 hours: Functional anatomy, alignment, dialog of 35 Asana, history, philosophy. (YA200-M1)
MODULE 2. 100 hours: All aspects of Vinyasa, sequencing principles, philosophy, Pranayama, Bandha, 8 Limbs. (YA200-M2)
MODULE 3. 100 hours: Asana across 5 classifications, Subtle body, 7 Kosha, Shiva Nata-1. (YA500-M3)
MODULE 4. 100 hours: Mandala cross-mat Vyanayama, Pranayama sequencing, Kriya, Shiva Nata-2. (YA500-M4)
MODULE 5. 8-day hermitage: Internal practices, Chakra Tantra, advanced Kriya, advanced Pranayama. (YA500-IP1-M5)
MODULE 6. 8-day hermitage: Advaita Vedanta coursework for highly advanced practitioners. (AT100-IP2-M6)
MODULE 7. 6 weeks. Purposeful Living - Applied Yoga: Discovery and overcoming of Karmic motivations, and finding personal path of Dharma while overcoming Klesha. (AT100-PL-M7)
MODULE 1. 100 hours. YA200-M1
Functional anatomy of over 30 hours, including the detailed anatomical significance of 35 asana, and 7 pranayama.
Proficiency in teaching a full sequence of Hatha Yoga class to students of all skill levels, based upon the systematic and scientific Universal Yoga principles in ranges of mobility, orientation in space and levels of complexity.
An understanding of how to access and deepen static yoga poses.
An understanding of how to safely instruct and align poses, while offering simplifications and intensifications using verbal and physical adjustments.
Subtle body anatomy, including the chakra and nadi systems, and their significance in an 8-limb practice.
An understanding of how to work with and accommodate students of all skill levels.
Yoga Philosophy lectures: History and lineages of yoga; Modern styles of yoga practices in the East and the West; Impacts of Karma, finding your Dharma; Original motivations of the Caste system; Understanding the nature of Chitta and Samskara in the first two chapters of Yoga Sutra of Patanjali; Introduction to Mayakosha and its role within Yama and Niyama.
DETAILS:
MODULE 2. 100 hours. YA200-M2
Proficiency in teaching a full sequence of Vinyasa Yoga class to students of all skill levels, including ways of a Power Vinyasa sequence.
System of Vinyasa with origin in classical Himalayan Surya Namaskara.
An understanding and application of intelligent sequencing principles.
An understanding of how to safely instruct and align poses and movements in a Vinyasa, while offering simplifications and intensifications using verbal and physical adjustments.
An understanding of how to work with and accommodate students of all skill levels.
Strategies for advancing personal practice, and inspiring students; physical and energetic safety practices.
‘Business’ of yoga in modern times; ownership of a studio; working with insurance, customers, employees, government bodies, and plus-minus of Yoga Alliance as governing body.
Public speaking and leadership skills within the context of yoga instruction and teaching.
Yoga Philosophy lectures: Full system of Pranayama for energetic influence; Music and Rasa in yoga in correspondence with the Manomayakosha and Chakra system; History and social significance of the dawn of Buddhism; Decoding the symbolic significance of various Buddha, Deities, Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism and Buddhist counterparts; Lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism and modern day incarnation of Universal Yoga; Significance of Mudra, Bandha, Rasa in the context of Kundalini awakening.
MODULE 3. 100 hours. YA500-M3
Advanced training in complete system of asana across 5 classifications.
Segmentation and categorization of yoga asanas, including reconstruction of complex asanas with anatomical understanding; creation of new asana dissecting de/merits.
Active and Passive asanas based on human ranges of mobility as described in Universal Yoga.
Foundations of Universal Yoga system and sub-styles.
Single and multi-sector new asana creation and alignment techniques and practicum
Advanced Yoga philosophy and decoding cornerstone Yoga texts
Expression of Mudra in asana for Manomayakosha
Principles and applications of adjustments based on anatomical and energetic alignments
Pranayama techniques and deep theories based on Tantrika Himalayan Yoga
Complete study and application of 7 Mayakosha according to Tibetan Buddhism and practices of each
Shiva Nata - Dance of Shiva for coordination and reaction: Level 1
MODULE 4. 100 hours. YA500-M4
Advanced training in complete system of Vinyasa with comprehensive orientation in space
Single and Double mat Mandala Vinyasa Sequencing principles in variety of levels of complexity
Advanced Vinyasa sequencing principles based on complexity of postures and logical progression of strength an stretch
Practices and cultivation of Tantrayana, Mantrayana, and Yantrayana traditions in Himalayan Yoga
Complete vinyasa of strengthening sequence
Sequencing techniques based on orientation on mat and developing psychic-energetic states in practitioners
Teaching sequences of Pranayama and Bandha within a yoga class, according to Universal Yoga principles
Meditation for teaching and personal practices
Partner yoga techniques and complete system utilizing range of mobility
Shiva Nata - Dance of Shiva for coordination and reaction: Level 2
MODULE 5. 100 hours. YA500-IP1-M5
Internal practices of Chakra Tantra Yoga in a hermitage retreat format
Theory and practices specific to the last four limbs of Raja Yoga that are rarely accessed outside of Himalayan lineages of Yoga
Specific sequences of Pranayama and Bandha to cleanse Nadis (energetic channels) and remove of Granthis (energetic blocks)
Asana as Mudra practice to invoke and raise Kundalini shakti through activated Chakra system
Extensive theory and practices of Nadi Shastra
Extensive theory and practice of Yogic eating
Techniques of Kundalini shakti awakening
Chakra meditation through Tantrik Shaivism, including methods of invoking dormant energy through practical Brahmacharya for household men and women
Kriya of Neti, Nauli, Basti, and Mitahari (guided 1-3 day fasting, and observances of silence)
MODULE 6. 100 hours. AT100-IP2-M6
While Kundalini Shakti is the essential start of Tantrik path of samadhi, the journey continues into transcendence - the absorption of the AnandaMayakosha in a hermitage setting.
Instead of spending any energy, you will learn to produce seeming limitless energy through blissful cultivation of Amrita.
Highly advanced, secretly-held Mudra and Pranayama combinations from Himalayan yogis to unlock the key to higher consciousness
Invoking and interacting with the layer of Astral Beings
Moving through three stages and layers of consciousness development
Allowing the state of Turiya to be the ever-present canvas of existence and the opening of wisdom eye
Full absorption of mind through techniques of infusion of prana in Nadis
Navigating fear and pride generated from the presence of luminous consciousness prior to selflessness and emptiness
The nature of these practices and techniques will unveil your own approach to knowing the deepest embedded divinity that will allow a path for your ego to merge into the absolute. It is highly experiential and personal and hence stating the coursework in words feels limiting — similar to, say, creating a guideline on falling in love — let alone, love of the highest order.
MODULE 7. Six weeks. AT100-PL-M7
Purposeful Living through self-discovery of the path that you are on, what got you here, and how well it is serving you
Discovery of your belief-system and how to overcome hindrances
Decode the roots of your perception of what others think of you
Learn biases and develop balance in your own psychological states (Chakra Balance)
Learn biases and develop balance in your own emotional states (Rasas)
Understand the principles of Yoga, Dharma, and Karma and how to meaningfully apply those in personal life
Application of ancient yogic cleanses applied using modern methods to optimize Koshas
Methods of attention and concentration development
Effective Himalayan techniques for deepening personal Meditation practice
Techniques for gaining control over emotions and thoughts while interacting with others
Playbook of happiness by removing hidden contradictions in your current life
Techniques, principles and applications of Pranayamas & Bandhas
Integrated Spirituality: Teaching Yogic Truths across all belief systems
You will receive a workbook, attend meditation, yoga nidra sessions, and read additional books
A YOGA ALLIANCE ACCREDITED EDUCATION CENTER
We offer training programs that continuously surpass all standards set by Yoga Alliance. The curriculum ensures our yoga practitioners and teachers grow to understand an authentic yoga lineage, while learning about anatomy, alignment and complex sequencing theories. Our advanced training programs also offer life skills and health information grounded in the yogic tradition.
Testimonials from past participants
“I honestly can’t praise the teachers and curriculum highly enough. I feel the program was really well balanced across everything that is important to teach and advance my own practice. I feel very confident in everything I’ve learned to both teach others and help them along their path and to take care of my own path as well. I was always treated with respect by everyone involved in the program too. The program expounded on so many topics that I’m looking forward to continuing to explore too. I really just can’t say enough great things about the program and the teachers. I’m grateful I went through this program with Yoga For Life, and I would whole hardheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in yoga training.”
“Raj and Kelly are deeply dedicated to the path of yoga, and are the most amazing humans with their students’ best interests at heart. Taking a training with them is like drinking from a deep well that is ever flowing, you will get knowledge from direct lineages, which is seemingly bottomless. You can tell the many years of practice they have done themselves, and the depth of knowledge they have gained, with love to share with anyone willing to learn. You gain life skills to help you move into the depths of yourself, to be able to deal with life’s stressors and begin to see them from a new perspective.”
“I experienced an inner steadiness that I had never experienced before. I have endless gratitude for all the synchronicity that led to this moment as it was no coincidence — and I don’t take that lightly, that my life is forever enriched by the Sangha. ”
“In such a short amount of time, these practices have brought me to ‘emptiness’, the practice is absolutely the best thing for any yogi to achieve and do on their path. I have noticed my ability to move into emptiness when my thoughts or emotions of lower frequency obscure my Self. ”
“I’ve talked to and practiced with many people who studied and trained at different places, and I do believe the training here was the best I could have asked for. It really feels like they went above and beyond in both the 300 and 500 hour teacher training programs. It ties back to the passion and dedication I mentioned earlier.
I started practicing with them in 2015, did both my 300 RYT and 500 RYT (Yoga teacher trainings) and went on a few yoga retreats with them.
I can confidently say that no place that has had more of a positive impact on me and the trajectory of my life than this studio. I mean that as both a person and a yoga practitioner. I would say that regardless of what your goals are, this is a studio you should strongly consider.”