What is the Best Meditation Teacher Training in Rishikesh?

I recently completed, in my opinion, the best meditation teacher training in Rishikesh. The official name of the course is Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP). It includes hatha yoga but it is mainly a meditation course. Meditation is the core teaching of the HYT, and that's exactly what I love about it.

The course took place at the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, a beautiful ashram in Rishikesh. This ashram is basically the home of the HYT.

“Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG) is also the Headquarters of the Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International (AHYMSIN), a worldwide non-profit society of like-minded persons with the aim and purpose to teach and make available the knowledge of Yoga meditation within the Tradition of the Himalayan Masters, as interpreted by Swami Rama of the Himalayas.”

Since the main focus of the Himalayan Tradition is the practice of meditation, when it comes to yoga asanas, the practice is very gentle and slow to be able to develop mindfulness.

Although the regular daily schedule includes two hatha yoga sessions, the main activities of the day are the group meditation sessions: two sitting meditation sessions of one hour each.

How I discovered the Himalayan Yoga Tradition

A few years ago I found on YouTube some very interesting yoga philosophy lectures given by an Indian yogi called Swami Rama from the Himalayas.  I felt very inspired by his lectures so I decided to dig deeper into his teachings.

Little by little I started to watch more of his lectures and read his books. I searched for an ashram in India where I could study yoga according to his teachings and I found Sadhana Mandir in Rishikesh, but they didn't have the kind of program that I was looking for.

A few months later a friend told me about Swami Veda Bharati, a disciple of Swami Rama, and his ashram Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh. After reading about it on the internet I immediately decided that this was a place that I was going to visit for sure.

I had a very good feeling about this Himalayan Yoga Tradition and about this ashram, so I purposely planned to visit it by the end of my first two years in India.

That was exactly what I did.  After I completed the Sivananda Teachers Training Course, Sadhana Intensive and the Advanced Teachers Training Course, and after the 4 Months Yogic Studies Course at the Bihar School of Yoga I joined the HYT-TTP.

I guess in a way, I was thinking about leaving the best for the end.

By "the best" I don't mean that this program is superior to any other programs, but actually that it is one of the most exciting and suitable for me because of the emphasis on meditation. I do feel very satisfied and happy with the other yoga courses that I have taken so far.

The Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program

One of the teachers during the course said that the real and unofficial name is Self Transformation Program because that's exactly what it is, but they call it HYT-TTP otherwise not many people would come.

"Our Teachers Training Program is for people who wish to be connected to an authentic living lineage for ongoing study and spiritual guidance. Working with all aspects of our lives, the aim of the program is self-transformation. We train people to be not merely teachers of classes, but guides of people." Swami Veda Bharati

"The main goal of our program is to deepen the students' sadhana so that they can transmit authentic yoga teachings to others, not only from a storehouse of academic knowledge, but also from a depth of personal experience." From the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Website

Swami Veda Bharati

I really liked the course. From my point of view, this is really high-quality yoga, probably one of the best yoga trainings that you can find.

The teachers are amazing. We had four different teachers, each one an expert on a specific field.

One teacher for the anatomy and physiology and posture alignment, another teacher to focus on the science of breath, another teacher for the Yoga Philosophy and meditation and another teacher for the Hatha Yoga class.

There were also a few other teachers that were assisting the course in different ways. Swami Ritavan, a senior Swami of the ashram, also gave us a few classes and we were also very fortunate to be able to receive some meditation classes by Swami Veda Bharati himself.

The Teacher Training Program is divided into three different levels. Each level includes a two weeks intensive course/retreat at the ashram and then 12 months of home study assignments, as in a long distance course with the help of a mentor.

• Level One - Awareness: exploration and self-acceptance
• Level Two - Control: mindfulness and regulation of emotions
• Level Three - Synthesis: harmonious whole personality

After the first 12 months, you complete the first level which accounts for 200 accredited hours with Yoga Alliance as RYT-200 (Registered Yoga Teacher - 200).

If you wish to continue further with your training you can apply for the 600 hours program which accounts for a RYT-500 certification after completing level 2 and Level 3.

So in total if you wish to get the RYT-500 certification it will take three years.

"The intent of the curriculum is to guide students so that they will become gradually aware of subtler layers of their personalities (body, breath, mind and higher levels of consciousness) and then pass this acquired knowledge on to others. The three levels of the 600-Hour Curriculum correspond roughly to the three levels of growth that student can experience." Student Manual

The course curriculum

The program covers ten major study areas. Each level focuses on these same ten study areas but at a greater depth in the second and third level.

• Foundational studies: The lineages of Rishis and role of the teacher in the Himalayan Tradition.
• Sadhana: The Five Pillars of Sadhana, sacredness of spiritual practice, influence of Eastern spirituality on the West, and spiritual integration: the highest purpose of life.
• Hatha Yoga - Asanas: Asana as meditation, Joints and Glands Exercises, cleansing, anatomy and physiology, subtle body awareness.
• Pranayama: The subtleties of breathing as the integrative link between body and mind, gross and subtle body. Underlying principles of pranayama in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras as well as mudras and bandhas.
• Relaxation, Concentration and Meditation: Systems of meditation, science of mantra, chakra concentrations, purifying the personality, five koshas, advanced shavasana techniques, and yoga-nidra.
• Yoga Anatomy & Physiology: The importance of the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics of the muscular-skeletal, respiratory, and other systems of the body as it relates to the energetic (pranic) component of the joints and glands exercises and asanas.
• Holistic Health & Biofeedback: Awareness of habit patterns, the effect of meditation on one's well-being, journal-keeping, conscious eating, transition to a balanced lifestyle and the uses of modern science such as biofeedback in measuring associated states of body, mind and consciousness.
• Yoga Psychology: Eastern and Western approaches to the mind and personality, purifying emotions, karma and reincarnation, and yoga psychology in daily life. Also discovering and applying Yoga as a therapeutic modality in one's life.
• Yoga Philosophy: Patanjali's Yoga-sutras, philosophy of hatha yoga and Raja Yoga, developing a personal philosophy of life, the Bhagavad Gita and principal Upanishads.
• Teaching Methodology: Practical applications of course planning, preparing the physical classroom environment, basic attitudes (e.g. ahimsa) in the teaching of yoga.

Source: Himalayan Yoga Tradition Website.

“This unique program of ongoing spiritual guidance and home study is for anyone who seriously seeks self-transformation in this lifetime.

By drawing from the ancient wisdom of sages such as Patanjali, Shankara, Swatmarama and Swami Rama, students will develop philosophies and skills, which can be applied to workplace situations, personal relationships, and mental and emotional conditions.

Our practical, experiential approach to teacher training encourages students to incorporate these skills into their daily lives.”
Swami Veda Bharati

Level One - Awareness: exploration and self-acceptance

The classes were very intense. One hour, two hours and some times they would extend to up to three hours with a couple 5 minutes break.  And we didn't have any days off during the two weeks residential course! But it was not so exhausting because everything was so interesting for everybody.

The focus on the first level is on awareness. When I read about the Level 1 description on their website I didn't fully understand what it was about but during the course, it all became very clear to me.

The whole emphasis during the course was on becoming more aware, aware of our posture, aware of our breathing, aware of our thoughts, aware of our emotions, aware of our actions and aware of why we perform those actions.

You hear about this all the time during the course so by the time that you finish the course you leave thinking continuously "awareness, awareness, awareness!"

Meditation

Right from the very first class that we had with the anatomy and physiology teacher we learned about the correct sitting posture for meditation.  I think we spent two hours just learning about how to sit correctly!

It was an awesome class and I was very happy because we started the course from what really matters, from the good stuff. And in the next few days, we learned the steps for the meditation practice so we could include them in our own practice, and later on teach it to others.

We also spent many hours just talking about the right way to breath using diaphragmatic breathing. We reviewed this every single day of the course and especially during the meditation and hatha yoga sessions.

Hatha Yoga

During the two weeks course, the emphasis was on the joints and glands exercises (pawanmuktasana series). These are very easy and gentle exercises like eyes or neck rotations that are usually done as a preparation for the yoga asanas.

It doesn't matter if one is a very advanced or a beginners yoga practitioner, these exercises are beneficial for everybody and at many different levels. If done correctly with full awareness of each body movement and of the breath it can become a dynamic meditation practice.

Besides the joints and glands exercises, we also learned a few basics asanas, again always making a lot of emphasis on the awareness: awareness of our posture, awareness of the breath, awareness of the mental state.

The home study program

Following a long-distance program with today's technology is so cool. I found another good excuse to make the best use of my iPhone.

Once you subscribe for this program you get access to the Himalayan Yoga Teachers Website.  On it, you find several pdf documents and audio files (mp3) that you need to download for your home study. You also need to read some of Swami Rama and Swami Veda books.

I downloaded all the pdf files on my laptop and I synced them with Dropbox so I can also view them on my iPhone as well.

I saved all the mp3 files on my iTunes and on my iPhone and I bought some of the books through Amazon Kindle app so I can also read them on my iPhone. Very cool eh, and very practical for sure.

The Teacher Training Manual which is also available in pdf format on the website includes a systematic month to month assignments schedule so you can easily know what you need to focus on, but it is not mandatory to follow that exact schedule.

This same schedule is available as a checklist on the website so whenever you complete one of the assignments you just tick the checkbox, save the changes and your mentor will be notified of the work that has been done.

The assignments can be reading the different articles or booklets, specific chapters from some of Swami Rama or Swami Veda's books, listen to some of the mp3 files or submit a written assignment by uploading it into the website.

Mentoring: A guide along the way

Another very cool thing about the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program is the support that you receive after the two weeks of intensive retreat through a mentor.

After completing the first two weeks retreat you can choose a mentor that will help you with any doubts that you have along the way, and to help you stay in track with your home study.

He/She will review your progress after completing each assignment through the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teachers Training Website.  The mentor will also be responsible to review your teaching practice sessions that are part of the program.

I really like the idea of having a mentor and I really like my mentor, Randall Krause one of the senior yoga and meditation teachers from this tradition. He has a twitter account @hymlayoga and a website Himalayan Yoga Meditation - Los Angeles through which he shares the teachings of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati.

Actually, I met him for the first time through twitter before doing the course at SRSG. Every month we schedule a Skype meeting to review my Home Study progress and answer any questions.

Receiving Mantra Initiation

During all this time that I've been traveling in India, and living for some time in different ashrams, the friends that I've made at these ashrams always asked me the same question: "are you going to receive diksha?"

Diksha means initiation. During the initiation, there is usually some sort of ceremony by which the guru of the ashram gives you a mantra for you to practice meditation. By receiving the mantra you are normally accepting that particular master or lineage as your guru.

So, my answer was always, "No."

Although I might have enjoyed a lot all the other ashrams and courses that I have taken before, and even I even feel a strong connection with the gurus, I never felt ready for a mantra initiation.  None of these places felt like the right place for me to receive initiation.

The exception was at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. I stayed at the ashram for about 20 days in May 2011 and little by little the thought that I wanted to take initiation there started to grow.

By the time that I came back to the ashram in Feb 2012 for the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program I was totally decided.

As soon as I arrived at the ashram I asked for a meeting with Swami Ritavan to share some doubts with him, and a few days later I received my mantra initiation.

It totally felt that this was the right place for me to take initiation. They were also very professional about it.

After my initiation, I received a CD with some documents talking about mantra initiation, with another document explaining the meaning of my mantra and with an mp3 file with the recording of my mantra so I wouldn't forget.

This was actually a very important and big step for me. I wasn't sure about taking initiation in the first place because I already have an initiation, not a mantra initiation but a Kriya Yoga initiation that I received through Paramahansa Yogananda's lineage.

But at the Himalayan Yoga Tradition, they are very open-minded and flexible.  They told me that that was not a problem at all, and of course, I could continue with my normal meditation and Kriya Yoga practice.

It is not mandatory to receive initiation to complete the training, but if you wish to continue with the Level 2 and Level 3 for the 600 hours certification and teach as a Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher then I think it is expected that you do take the initiation.

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 my personal experience and detailed information about each ashram.

If you would like more yoga TTC recommendations you can visit my Top 10 list of the best yoga teacher training courses in India.

This list is based mainly on personal experience and friends recommendations.

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.

Related blog posts

• Meeting With a Himalayan Yoga Master.  My meeting with Swami Vedha Bharati.
• Living with the Himalayan Masters.  My review of an inspiring book writing by Swami Rama
• Sadhana Mandir Yoga Ashram.  The sister ashram of SRSG, right next to the Ganges.  Perfect spot for a silent retreat.
• What to Pack for Travel and Yoga in India.  Everything you need to pack to practice yoga in India, based on my own personal experience.

Popular Swami Rama books in Amazon.com

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How to reach the ashram

You can find information about the ashram facilities, daily schedule and more in my previous blog: The Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama Ashram, Rishikesh

To reach the ashram from the Haridwar bus stand, which is just 2 minutes walk from the Haridwar train station, you can take a direct public bus to Rishikesh.

When I called the ashram they told me to ask the driver to stop at the Koyal Grand Stop, a restaurant at the crossroad with Virbhadra road and from there take a Rikshaw instead of going all the way to Rishikesh.

This was not that easy cause nobody on the bus knew this place. But if not a big problem, the Rishikesh bus stand is not so far away from the Ashram.

After getting off the bus, either at Koyal Grand Stop or at the Rishikesh bus stand just take an auto rickshaw and ask for Seema Dental College. Every rickshaw no it. It should cost between 40 or 70 rupees. You can also take a shared rickshaw which would be 7 rupees.


From the ashram to Rishikesh proper

To reach Ram Jhula or Laxman Jhula bridge you can take a shared auto just outside the ashram, on the left side, to market (7 rupees) and from there change to another share auto (these ones are bigger and bluish) for 5 rupees. The total journey should be around 20 minutes.

Ashram contact information

Phone: +91 135 2450093, +91 135 2453030, +91 135 2450596
Fax: +91 135 2450831
email: sadhakagrama@gmail.com
Website: himalayanyogatradition.com: Information about the Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teachers Training Program:

Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama
Virpur Khurd, Virbhadra Road,
P.O. Pashulok, Via :Rishikesh
Uttarakhand, India - 249203


I feel very happy every time that I remember that I'm following this Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program.

I have already become a yoga teacher through the Sivananda tradition, but this program helps me to stay on track.  I can continue working on myself, deepening my knowledge of yoga and meditation, in theory, and in practice, and with the help of a mentor to guide me through the process.

Although there are many differences between the Sivananda Yoga Teachers' Trainings and this Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Program, I see them as complementary. I'm very happy with both of them.

If you are searching for a meditation teacher training course in Rishikesh, with an authentic tradition and very experienced teachers, I can strongly recommend the Himayalan Yoga Tradition.