The Sivananda Yoga Advanced Teachers Training Course Madurai

This is how I ended two months and a half of yoga training at the Sivananda Ashram in Madurai, with the one-month Advanced Yoga Teachers Training Course (ATTC). I loved it! The content of the course was exactly what I like, the ashram is absolutely beautiful, but one of the most important things is the wonderful people I met.

You might arrive alone to a yoga training in India but you never leave without making a few good friends, and of the best kind, spiritual friends!

The Sivananda Yoga Advanced Teachers Training Course Video

I started the Advanced Teachers Training Course right after the Sadhana Intensive Course, so I actually didn't have much free time in between.

Maybe that was a good thing to help me stay focused.

And right after the Advanced Teachers Training Course was over, I took a night bus to Kovalam Beach with my friends to have a nice break after one month of intensive yoga training.

Ok ok, is not like we had a stressful life at the ashram but ashram life for the ATTC students is a bit intense. You wake up at 4.30 am, start the program at 5am and go to bed around at 10 pm.

There is not much free time during the day to do your own things and, although the food is delicious, sometimes you just want to eat something different.

Four days at the beach was more than enough to recharge my batteries before coming back to the ashram.

Back to the ashram?

Yes, that's right.  Actually, my training is not over yet. although I completed the main courses I decided to stay at the ashram for one more month as a Karma Yogi (a volunteer).

I'll be helping with any work that needs to be done.  I also hope I'll have the opportunity to help with the yoga classes and eventually, hopefully very soon, start teaching myself.

So at the moment I am a staff member and I'm really enjoying it, it was an excellent decision to stay here.

About the Sivananda Yoga Advanced Teachers Training Course

Although the training is called Advanced Teachers Training Course to me it felt more like a Vedanta course with intensive yoga practice included, and that was perfectly fine with me cause I love Vedanta philosophy.

During the Teachers Training Course (TTC) we learned about so many different topics related to yoga philosophy, but none of them was covered in depth.

During the ATTC the focus was mainly on Vedanta philosophy, Vedanta meditations and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. We also had anatomy classes focused on the Nervous System and Endocrine Systems.

The Asana (physical postures) classes mainly focused on our own practice, to gain more flexibility, control, relaxation, and concentration.  There was actually very little discussed on how to teach and this is something that I missed.

During the TTC we had twice a teaching rehearsal were we were divided into groups and had to teach a complete class to the other members of the group.

I was hoping to do the same kind of practice during the ATTC but we only had two or three classes where we talk about how to make corrections.

This doesn't mean that the training was poor or bad, but perhaps the objective should be explained clearly in the website.

I thought the training would feel more intense compared to the TTC, especially because we wake up one hour early to do pranayamas, but that was not the case.

I actually felt very calm and relaxed, perhaps because I came straight from the Sadhana Intensive.

The ashram daily schedule during the training

04.30 wake up (no bell)
05.00 to 06.00 Pranayamas
06.00 to 07.30 Satsang: Silent meditation, chanting and talk
08.00 to 09.00 Asana Class
09.15 to 10.00 Anatomy Class
10.00 Breakfast (more like lunch)
10.45 to 11.45 Karma Yoga
12.00 to 13.00 Lecture (Yoga Sutras or Sanskrit Class)
14.00 to 15.30 Main Lecture (Vedanta Phylosofie)
16.00 to 17.45 Asana Class
18.00 Dinner
20.00 Satsang

About the Sivanda Ashram in Madurai

Without hesitation, I can tell that I loved the Sivananda Ashram in Madurai.  I would recommend anybody coming to India and interested in yoga, to stay at this ashram for at least one week.

For some people, it can even be one of the best experiences of their yoga journey in India.

The location is beautiful.  It's in the middle of a forest, with beautiful landscapes in whatever direction you might look at.

The ashram feels very peaceful and quiet. There is a road next to it but luckily there is not much traffic so it is not really a problem.

Update 2019:  A lot has changed at the ashram since I published this blog.  Now it looks ten times better.  If you would like to see more recent pictures you can visit my article about my second visit to the Madurai ashram in 2016.

I never felt really comfortable at the Neyyar Dam Ashram, even though it's next to the Neyyar Dam Sanctuary, with its beautiful lake that we visited during the morning meditation walks.

I just felt like if there was a strange vibe at the Ashram.  Perhaps it's just a Feng Shui thing. Lol.

Everybody that I talked to and that had visited both ashrams prefer the Madurai Ashram, even the Yoga Vacationers (regular travelers that come for the open yoga classes) seems to like it more.

While in Neyyar Dam I would say that the guests stay on average 4 days, at the Madurai ashram they stay on average two weeks.  That is just my impression.

Perhaps it is because the Madurai Ashram is smaller and there are fewer people.

During my TTC in Neyyar Dam, we were 140 people, and I heard that some times there can be even more than 200 people! Adding the yoga vacationers the total number of people can reach up to 500.

The staff at the Madurai Ashram is great, especially now that I am a staff member.  Lol (just kidding).

There is nobody coming to the dorm in the morning to poke your back to wake you up for the satsanga. I hated when they did that in Neyyar Dam, and there is no need for that at all, everybody feels so comfortable and enjoys the place that they will wake up by themselves.

Of course, this can change since most of the staff are just volunteers that stay for a few months, but since I arrived here on January 4, 2011, all the staff that I met have been very friendly and reachable.

I also prefer the meditations here.

There is a better balance between the meditations and the chantings during the satsangas. The meditation usually lasts between 20 and 30 minutes.  On rare occasions they are shortened to accommodate something new in the program.

The men's permanent dorm is very comfortable. It has about 20 beds, it is very clean and there are some desks with chairs that are shared between 4 people.  But that's not a problem at all, there are many places around the ashram where to sit and study, do homework or just use your computer.

There are also some cupboards to store your things and put a lock if you want to.

The temporary dorm is a lot simpler, they call it the "exotic" dorm. It is like a big hut with lots of beds spread around the place. I'm a bit spoiled so I went for the permanent dorm but my friends who stayed in the temporary dorm were pretty satisfied. I guess is similar to the women's dorms.

The disadvantage compared to the Neyyar Dam Ashram is that there are no nice beaches nearby where to go during the days off.

On Fridays, at the Neyyar Dam Ashram everybody would go either to Kovalam Beach or Varkala Beach. In Madurai there are not many places where to go.  The city center is far, kind of hectic and besides visiting a few temples there is not much to do.

Services offered by the ashram

• Internet: During limited hours but most of the times the internet connection didn't work or it was way to slow. Most people would wait until Friday to be able to go to the city and use the internet.
• Boutique: With Sivananda yoga books, cds, dvds, yoga mats, soap, mosquito repellent, etc etc.
• Health Hut: Different fruit juices, milkshakes or fruit salads, and the famous "hot lemon ginger honey" tea.

How to stay connected at the ashram

Although the usage of mobile phones is normally not allowed at the ashram if you are discrete you can use a smartphone to connect to the internet whenever you need to.

The internet connection at the ashram was not that good and you can only use it during specific hours.

If you get a mobile internet plan for your smartphone then you can use it whenever you want, and with a better connection, but be aware that the ashram won't take any responsibility if your phone is broken or stolen.

You can find more information on my article How to stay connected with mobile internet while traveling in India.

Ashram activities

The talent show.  This is a tradition at the Sivananda Ashrams.

The students are given the opportunity to demonstrate or perform any talent on Saturdays during the evening satsanga. It is a really fun and entertaining event. I think the most exciting moments of the training are: tea time, lunch, dinner and "The Talent Show."

Sivananda Ashram Talent Show Video

Every Friday, when there are enough people, the ashram organizes a tour either to visit the temples near the Madurai city center or other places of relevance.

About the ashram food

Hmmmm, the best food ever! It was just excellent, much better than the ashram in Neyyar Dam.

How to get to the Sivananda Ashram in Madurai

The Sivananda Ashram is about 30 km. from the Madurai city center and it takes like 25 minutes in a rickshaw for 300 Indian rupees. You only need to mention "Sivananda Ashram" to the driver and he will know where to go.

If you want to save some money you can also take a bus from the Periyar Bus Stand. The bus number are 62A, 23P, 23T, 23U and 23Z. Tell the driver "Sivananda Ashram" and if he doesn't know it just say "Pavana Vinakul Junction" so he knows where to stop. The ride is about 45 minutes by bus.

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta
Meenakshi Ashram
Nathan Road,
Kalluthu, Saramthangi Village,
Vellayampatti PO 625 503
Madurai district
Tamil Nadu, India.

website: www.sivananda.org/madurai
email: madurai@sivananda.org
Telephone: 0452 2912950 Mobile: 09442190661

Other ashrams and yoga TTC in India

If you would like to visit other ashrams in India I suggest you visit my Guide to Indian Ashrams.  This is a list of all the ashrams that I have visited during my yoga journey around India.  It includes detailed information about each ashram.

If you are interested in doing a yoga TTC you can also visit my list of the Best Yoga Teacher Training Courses in India.  This blog includes a selection of some of the best YTTC you can find in India.

I also suggest you visit my India Packing List before you pack your bags, to make sure you bring everything you might need to travel around India and to stay at an Indian ashram.

Popular Sivananda Yoga Books

Related posts

• The Sivananda Ashram in Madurai. A Must Visit Ashram in India. My visit to the ashram end of 2015.
• The Sivananda Yoga Teachers Training Course (TTC), India
• Sivananda Yoga Sadhana Intensive
• Concluding three months of Sivananda Ashram life

I hope you've found it useful to read about my experience doing the Sivananda yoga teachers training course at the ashram in Madurai.

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