Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course May 2027

The Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course is a four-week, 200-hour yoga teacher training held in residence at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island, Nassau, in the Bahamas. It is for people who want a yoga instructor certification inside a working ashram, living the daily rhythm of the Sivananda tradition. The course is guided by swamis and senior staff of the Yoga Retreat, and guest presenters add evening programs. No prior prerequisites are required, only willingness to take part fully.

What to Expect

The course follows the gurukula system, in which students live, study and practice together in a spiritual environment. The curriculum covers Hatha yoga and pranayama (the twelve foundational postures, variations, kapalbhati and anulom vilom), Raja yoga and meditation, Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga and Vedanta with study of the Bhagavad Gita, yoga anatomy and physiology, yoga nutrition, kriyas and purification techniques such as neti and nauli, and supervised teaching practice, including adjustments and adapting asana for different needs.

The days are full and follow a set shape:

- 6:00 to 7:45 am: morning satsang with meditation, chanting and lecture, or a silent walk
- 8:00 to 10:00 am: asana and pranayama class
- 10:00 am: brunch
- 12:00 to 1:00 pm: Bhagavad Gita or chanting class
- 2:00 to 4:00 pm: main lecture on yoga philosophy and psychology, or anatomy and physiology
- 4:00 to 6:00 pm: asana teaching techniques
- 6:00 pm: dinner
- 8:00 to 10:00 pm: evening satsang, concert or special event

Free time between sessions is often used for karma yoga, an hour of selfless service each day. Attendance at all activities is mandatory. Students have one day off a week, though morning and evening satsang and karma yoga continue. That day is for study, rest on the beach or in the gardens, the Well Being Center, or the daily Yoga Vacation workshops.

Evening satsangs bring in visiting presenters. During this session the programs include Vedic chanting with Ivy Ingram, Pangu Shengong qigong with Olivia Ou, a Hindustani classical music and dance festival, sleep and dreams with Rubin Naiman, sound journeys and meditations with Arjun Bruggeman, Buddhist teachings with Tulku Sherdor, and mantra and kirtan with Manuela Mejia, along with Ayurveda and brain health with Ram Rao.

On successful completion of the course and exam, graduates receive the Yoga Siromani certificate from the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers, designating them a Teacher of Yoga. The course is accredited as a Yoga Alliance 200-hour Registered Yoga School, and graduates become eligible for the ashram's Retreat Leader Program. The manual is available in several languages, so you can study in the one that suits you best even when the course is taught in English.

The Setting

The ashram sits by the water on Paradise Island, with gardens, palms, a temple and a beach. Accommodation is offered in several forms: your own tent space, a shared eight-bed dormitory with air conditioning, a private single or double tent hut, or a single room with air conditioning. Thirty days of lodging in the chosen category are included. Two vegetarian meals are served daily, brunch and dinner. Guests arrive via Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport.

Before You Go

Tuition, the manual, lodging and meals are included, along with a course uniform of two pairs of white yoga pants and two yellow t-shirts. Airfare, ground transport, required books, the kriya kit and Bahamian VAT are extra. Bring a yoga mat, meditation cushion, toiletries, swimwear, sunscreen and plant-based snacks. Those booking tent space also need their own tent, bedding and towels.