200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Course in Rishikesh

• Definition of asana according to Yoga Sutra
• Meaning of sthira (steadiness) and sukha (ease)
• Effortlessness and stability in posture
• Role of asana within Ashtanga Yoga
• Distinction between classical asana and modern physical exercise

Focus: Seated postures traditionally used for meditation, cultivating comfort, stability, and stillness.

Postures Included:

• Sukhasana (Easy Sitting Pose)
• Siddhasana (Accomplished Pose)
• Padmasana (Lotus Pose)
• Swastikasana (Auspicious Pose)
• Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)

Learning Focus:

• Maintain natural upright spine and balanced pelvis
• Smooth, effortless breathing
• Gentle stillness without strain
• Respect individual body limitations

Focus: Supportive movements to prepare the body for classical asanas.

Joint & Spinal Mobility:

• Neck flexion, extension, and side movements
• Shoulder rotations
• Cat- Cow (spinal flexion and extension)
• Seated spinal flexion/extension and simple twists
• Standing forward fold (gentle spinal release)
• Pelvic tilts

Lower Back & Hip Preparation:

• Knee-to-chest movements (supine)
• Supine spinal rotation

Purpose:

• Improve joint mobility and spinal flexibility
• Release tension in shoulders, neck, and back
• Prepare body for stable seated practice

Focus: Develop mindfulness, relaxation, and postural awareness through supine and seated practices.

Supine Practices:

• Shavasana (Full Body Relaxation)
• Constructive Rest Pose
• Supta Tadasana (Spinal length awareness)
• Supta Pawanmuktasana (Single & Double Knee-to-Chest)
• Supta Padangusthasana (Gentle leg and breath awareness)
• Supta Matsyendrasana (Gentle twist)
• Supta Baddha Konasana (Supported, relaxation and breath)

Seated Practices:

• Sukhasana and Vajrasana (Grounding & spinal awareness)
• Dandasana (Upright sitting, postural alignment)
• Baddha Konasana (Gentle hip and lower spine awareness)
• Seated Forward Fold (Spinal length and breath awareness)
• Simple Seated Twist (Gentle rotational awareness)

Learning Focus:

• Cultivate body and breath awareness
• Develop relaxation without effort
• Prepare for stable seated meditation
• Support postural alignment and spinal health

Focus: Develop strength, flexibility, and balance while maintaining awareness and steadiness (sthira).

• Balancing Asanas: Develop concentration and even weight distribution
• Inverted Asanas: Introduce head-below-heart orientation for circulation and confidence
• Backward Bending (Extension): Open front body, increase spinal flexibility
• Forward Bending (Flexion): Calm nervous system, lengthen back body
• Spinal Twisting (Rotation): Improve spinal mobility and rotational awareness

Focus: Practical application of postures across functional movements without strict textual categorization.

• Standing movements for grounding and balance
• Forward movements for relaxation and introspection
• Spinal extension movements for posture awareness
• Twisting movements for spinal mobility
• Supine and prone postures for relaxation
• Introductory inverted orientations (optional, supervised)

Focus: Ensure safe, mindful, and effective practice.

• Fundamental principles of alignment for seated and advanced asanas
• Awareness of physical limitations, strain, or discomfort
• Safe entry, execution, and exit from postures
• Rest and recovery strategies
• Appropriate use of preparatory/supportive movements

• Integrate Asana into Daily Life: Understand yoga postures as a tool for overall health, vitality, and mental clarity, not just as physical exercise.
• Practice with Ease and Safety: Perform seated, standing, and advanced asanas with steadiness, awareness, and mindful alignment.
• Improve Mindfulness and Body Awareness: Develop a self connection with the body and breath through supine, seated, and functional movement practices.
• Support Functional Movement: Use preparatory and supportive guidance to prevent strain, improve posture, and good range of motion for daily activities.
• Traditional Yoga for Everyday Wellness : Honor the classical teachings of Ashtanga Yoga while applying them in a way that supports daily life. Learn to practice postures, breathing, and mindful movement not just on the mat, but as tools to reduce stress, improve posture, enhance flexibility, and nurture overall physical and mental well-being.

In this 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India, pranayama is taught as the fourth limb of Ashtanga Yoga, following the classical framework of Sage Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Patanjali defines pranayama as:

After steadiness is established in asana, pranayama is the conscious regulation of inhalation and exhalation.

In this course, pranayama is approached as breath awareness and regulation, supporting mental steadiness and preparation for meditation, rather than as forceful or performance-based breathing techniques.

According to Patanjali, pranayama refines the relationship between breath, prana, and mind, preparing the practitioner for Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses) and deeper internal practices.

Pranayama in this training supports:

• Calming mental fluctuations
• Developing breath awareness
• Reducing agitation and distraction
• Preparing the body and mind for meditation

Practice is gradual, gentle, and rooted in self-observation.

Students are introduced to the three functional aspects of breath:

• Puraka – controlled inhalation
• Rechaka – controlled exhalation
• Kumbhaka – breath retention (introductory awareness only)

Breath regulation is observed through:

• Duration (Kala)
• Direction and awareness (Desha)
• Rhythm and continuity (Sankhya)