Sivananda Ashram.www.flickr.com user indri1.
There's no doubt that Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in Trivandrum, Kerala, is very popular. But is it really one of the best yoga centers in India, particular for advanced yoga training?
A reader, who undertook the intensive one month Teachers Training Course, recently wrote to me about his experience. He said he found the teachings of Swami Vishnudevananda, the Center's founder, to be of a high value. However, he questioned whether the teachers and classes were up to the top level. In particular, he didn't think that the philosophy class was good, as the teachers struggled to clarify with real experiences what they were saying. In addition, personal guidance was almost nil.
Does anyone else have any views about the Center to share?
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yes i also felt the same way when i did my ttc last year. the crowd is so huge that personal attention is non existent. I’d rather attend somewhere where the crowd is limited to max 10. I want to do a teacher training course in mysore. Do you recommend any place where they teach ashtanga yoga ttc ?
Hi Tom, Ashtanga Yoga Institute is the best place there. Also have a look at this article which suggests a few places: http://goindia.about.com/od/yogawellbeing/a/mysore-yoga.htm
STAY AWAY
Money making scam this ashram is
Hi.Sharell… For Hatha Yoga you can depend upon almost all organisations. But for practicing any spiritual methods of yoga (like Kundalini or Kaula Yoga , Shiva Yoga etc ) then you should take care.. try to undersatnd the things through books and internet before going to an Institution or Guru. For every thing relating to Indian spirituality ,philosophy and culture, i will suggest you to read good books -as a good start… Best wishes
Thanks for the tips, Manjith. That’s definitely a wise suggestion.
I would recommend to any serious yoga seekers (=interested in something more than just asanas and complicated postures) to read “Sivananda Buried Yoga” from Yogi manmoyanand. In the last chapter, he explains how he is ashamed by the commercial aspect of current “yoga”, and all the 30-day teacher training programs …
Aum…
I’m a trained teacher from Sivananda, Kerala. There are facts we need to know first before feel grudge over the past experience.
1. People mostly come here to get Certification with no difficulty like in the West. Yes, money one need to spend wherever they go to learn; in fact, much more than this Ashram.
2. People seem to be ignorant to think that they can be taught Yoga in a month’s time! No matter from whom!
3. It’s way too easy for anyone these days to believe that they can TEACH Yoga! That’s how 1000s of quacks out there! Take it easy.
Well, the desired results can only flourish by our understanding and continuous Self Practice. Beyond Body bending circus, there’s something called Mind management in Life/Yoga. This is learned only through deepening one’s practice with Self Awareness, Creativity, and Open-Minded attitude, and more importantly, Patience.
If it’s simply Body-work and for general Well-being, then i feel, Sivananda style is absolutely perfect for all age group. However, if that’s considered a Sport, then, i think, Mysore, or any other big balloon is the place.
To be honest, there are many individual teachers who are brilliant in delivering this better than the Ashrams (Now, let’s remember the fact of greed that we go there to get Certification).
Great Books have already been written, published. As one friend suggested, they are great starters, and i believe they serve to be great teachers too. Because they have been written by those competent teachers who wanted to prove that they are the best. So, naturally, the books are great help along with any superficial practical experience in the ashrams/schools.
Make not a goal, but learn different styles. Discover and explore more through your own practice. You will be an authentic teacher, for sure. A true teacher is a good learner. And learning is never ending.
Wish you all well.
Love.
first let me clear that this problem is persistent in every reputed ashrams.
I live near another world famous ashram BIHAR SCHOOL OF YOGA MUNGER BIHAR INDIA. In early stage of this ashram when only few people used to come swamiji discussed deep and powerful techniques
normally.But the people of that time were real spiritual aspirants,But nowadays majority gon in ashrams as a tourists.