260-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course
Somananda Tantra School offers its students an unparalleled, comprehensive spiritual system that can take a devoted follower from A to Z in terms of self-development and higher consciousness.
Since our founding in 2010, we have brought the original philosophy and rigorous practice of authentic Yoga to thousands of students worldwide.
We invite you to join our 260-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course!
Move beyond the very ordinary approach to Yoga teaching likened to an “art of stretching” found everywhere nowadays, and discover what it means to bring a system of transformation and spiritual evolution to others while deepening your practice until it becomes your life.
We acknowledge the spiritual guidance of Somananda’s guru Swami Vivekananda Saraswati who’s teachings and initiations have made it possible to offer this Yoga Teacher Training Course to our students.
In our YTTC you can expect to:
- Be a part of a Yoga Alliance Teacher Training Program
- Learn to teach a comprehensive system of 20 powerful Hatha Yoga techniques for physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being
- Give important lectures about the essential principles of Yoga
- Obtain the highest form of spiritual and practical wisdom in meditative Hatha Yoga
- Benefit from an empowerment initiation given by a genuine yogi master
This five-week 260-hour in-depth program is both extensive and intensive, preparing an individual to become a spiritual guide and to teach Hatha Yoga, a tantric form of Yoga, in its most classical and powerful form. From the standpoint of personal growth, participants will develop greatly enhanced self-awareness and encounter their own extraordinary spiritual awakening.
Personal benefits you gain:
- Refinement and clear self-definition as a spiritual being
- The ability to create a balanced and meaningful approach to life
- The development of energetic intelligence and clarity
- Improved health and physical strength
- Increased willpower and self-confidence
- The cultivation of genuine joy and contentment
- Renewed spiritual inspiration and aspiration
Practical skills you gain:
- Understanding and applying the teachings of Yoga in daily life
- Evolving into a skilled teacher of authentic Yoga
- Developing your teaching persona
- Learning to uphold maturity, confidence, and wisdom while teaching
- Properly executing and teaching powerful Hatha Yoga techniques
- Giving clear and enthusiastic lectures
- Motivating individuals on a genuine spiritual path
Teachers of this course
The YTTC is led by head teachers Somananda and Liisa Maimon, and is supported by other team members.
Curriculum of Study
Our unique Yoga Teacher Training Course is divided into three essential modules, each one representing a fundamental aspect of a skilled and qualified Yoga teacher. The modules are not separate from one another, but are rather interdependent and interconnected, representing a structure parallel to their ideal integration in a human being.
Module 1: Theoretical foundations of Yoga
- What is Yoga according to ancient tradition and the original texts
- Comprehensive study of the chakra science and human aura, and how they relate to Yoga
- The meaning of an asana – how to use Yoga positions to deliberately generate desired spiritual and healing effects
- The polarity of energy
- Deep exploration of yogic philosophy, including the yamas and niyamas
- The eight stages of Yoga by Patanjali
- Understanding the various branches of Yoga – Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, Raja, and others
- Healing strategies in Yoga
- Macrobiotic diet and Yoga
- Introductory elements of prana, the etheric life force
Module 2: Practical foundations of Yoga
- Proficiency in 20 powerful Hatha Yoga asanas – proper execution as well as energetic and healing effects
- Complete yogic breath and practice of pranayama
- Mind development including introductory concentration techniques
- Meditation with music for chakra activation
- AUM meditation
- Vital purification and cleansing techniques as defined by the Kriya Yoga methodology
- The introduction and practice of Nidra Yoga – the Yoga of conscious dreams
- Initiation into Laya Yoga – a powerful tantric form of meditation
- The practice of surya namaskara – sun salutations – to build up solar energy
Module 3: Becoming a Yoga teacher
- Teaching spirituality as a vocation – spiritual, energetic, practical, and professional implications and considerations
- The morals and ethics of a true Yoga teacher
- Development of isvarapranidhana – spiritual aspiration – for teachers
- Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and its relevance for a Yoga teacher
- How to influentially teach high spiritual truths and give enthusiastic lectures
- The spiritual imperatives of consecration for a Yoga teacher as explained in Karma Yoga
- Safety considerations and energetic protection methods for teachers
- The art of conducting appropriate corrections for your students
- How to handle questions
- Fundamentals of human anatomy
- Tools for becoming a successful Yoga teacher in modern times
- Ample practice of teaching opportunities
What you can teach
After graduating from this Yoga TTC, you will be certified to teach a holistic 27-class meditative Hatha Yoga Level 1 program in the format of one- to two-hour classes, as well as Hatha Yoga retreats or workshops of up to five days in duration. Prototypical schedules will be provided for you during the YTTC.
Your toolkit
- A professional teaching certificate recognized by Yoga Alliance qualifying you to apply to become an internationally recognized Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT)
- Five (5) longer lectures on the foundations of Yoga
- Twenty (20) powerful Hatha Yoga techniques with the ability to give a short lecture on each
- Two (2) meditation techniques and the ability to teach them to your students
Become a teacher of Yoga and obtain centuries-old secrets in achieving the ultimate balance of ha and tha, the goal of Hatha Yoga – unification with the Absolute.
Yoga Alliance certified
Somananda Tantra School is a registered school of Yoga Alliance, an internationally recognized, professional membership and trade association representing the yoga community. This authority endorses our Yoga Teacher Training Course, confirming it meets the highest standards of yoga training. Teaching certificates are extended under this authority and students who complete this training – as long as they meet all the necessary criteria of certification and graduation – are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). Graduates will have the ability to teach Hatha Yoga worldwide with the support of international recognition in the global teaching community.
Course Structure
The YTTC involves a total of 260 hours of intense theoretical studies and practical training. The course is conducted over a period of five weeks, and culminates with theoretical and practical exams.
Upon the successful completion of the exams, a 260-hour Yoga Teacher Certificate will be issued to graduates by the Somananda Tantra School.
All course modules will be taught simultaneously, however, the first weeks will be dedicated predominantly to Modules 1 and 2. Module 3 and practicum training sessions will be focused more on from week 4 onwards.
In practicum training sessions all participants will give lectures and lead practical Hatha Yoga sessions for their peers and supervising teachers, to be followed by feedback and comments on their performance and areas for improvement.
The Yoga TTC will be concluded with final exams, graduation ceremony and empowerment meditation.
Exams and Certification
In order to receive the YTTC teaching certificate a participant must successfully pass the theoretical and practical elements of the exams and be present in 95 percent of all mandatory class sessions (strictly optional evening sessions may be excluded).
The theoretical element of the course includes two multiple-choice exams: a midterm exam and the final exam. The practical element includes a general cumulative assessment of all practicums led by the participant during the YTTC plus additional practical assignments given by the lead teachers. A student’s final exam grade must meet or exceed 80 percent in order to receive the teaching certificate.
Please note that participation in this YTTC alone DOES NOT guarantee certification. You will need to acquire and display all the necessary skills to be eligible for a certificate. Final decisions about certification will be made by YTTC head teacher Somananda. If a YTTC participant does not pass his or her practicums and/or theoretical exams at the required level, he or she can apply for a certificate at a later time after more personal practice and preparation has been achieved. Please be aware of this before you make your payment!
Application
For the purpose of creating a balanced and harmonious group, this course can be joined by application only. Once you have completed your deposit payment online you will receive a link to a short application form by email. Upon completing the form your application will be processed and a response will be given within five working days. If an applicant is not approved to join the YTTC, the full deposit payment will be refunded.
This course includes intense study and practice of the yogic teachings. At times the schedule can be very demanding. In addition to the YTTC program hours, you will need to spend a good deal of time preparing for your practicums by memorizing teaching mnemonics and studying for and preparing to give lectures and Hatha Yoga sessions. Please realistically evaluate yourself before applying for this program, and by your application indicate that you are ready to meet the demands on your time and energy during the course.
FAQ
For whom is this YTTC?
The Somananda Tantra School YTTC is open to all individuals with a sincere interest to learn a genuine form of Yoga, become a teacher of spirituality in the highest sense, and transform personally in all aspects of their being. It is designed for everyone from the novice to advanced practitioner, with no previous experience required.
Do I need previous Yoga experience to join this course?
No, there is no prerequisite to join our YTTC. Our unique curriculum caters to all levels of students and, in fact, will help you progress spiritually and cultivate a balanced approach to life.
What courses will I be certified to teach upon completion of the YTTC?
After graduating from this Yoga TTC, you will be licensed to teach a holistic 27-class meditative Hatha Yoga program in the format of one- to two-hour classes, as well as Hatha Yoga retreats or workshops of up to five days in duration. Prototypical schedules will be provided for you during the YTTC.
Do I need to be flexible to join this course or become a Yoga teacher?
Traditional Yoga is not defined by physical factors such as flexibility, strength, or endurance. In its purest form it is a comprehensive spiritual system that helps an individual develop on all levels of the being – physically, energetically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. If genuine aspiration, leadership presence, and skillful teaching qualities are present, physical flexibility is inconsequential.
Will I be required to teach among my peers?
Yes. In Weeks 3 through 5 training practicums will be an essential part of this course, aiding in the assimilation of the knowledge and techniques you have learned as well as the development of your teaching persona. You will be required to lead Hatha Yoga classes and deliver lectures of varying lengths for your peers and trusted teachers. We find this practical portion of the program a vital component in molding and preparing you as a teacher.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion of the YTTC?
Upon successful completion of this course and passing the required exams, a Yoga Teacher Level 1 Certificate will be issued to you by Somananda Tantra School.
What happens if I do not pass the exam?
If you do not pass the YTTC midterm exam, you will have the opportunity to retake it once in a few days’ time. If you do not pass it the second time, you will need to leave the YTTC and join it again the next time the course is offered (paying a 50% discounted course fee again).
If you do not pass the final exam of the YTTC you may retake the exam at a later date, dependent upon the availability of our head teachers. Until that time a certificate will not be issued to you.
How should I plan my trip and flights?
Once the course is fully confirmed our team will send you suggestions and guidelines regarding how to plan your arrival and departure from the venue. In some cases it is recommended to arrive two days prior to the start date of the course and not to plan a departure flight until two days after the course concludes. Specific details will be provided according to the exact course and host country.
What should I bring with me to this course?
There are indeed some items we recommend that you bring with you; a list will be sent to all participants a couple of weeks prior to the beginning of the program. One of the needed items is a Yoga mat, which can also be used outdoors.
Does this program meet international standards of yoga teacher certification?
Yes, our Yoga Teacher Training Course is recognized and approved by Yoga Alliance – an internationally recognized, professional membership and trade association representing the yoga community. This authority endorses our Teacher Training Course, confirming it meets the highest standards of yoga training. The certificate you receive from Somananda Tantra School upon satisfactory completion of this program, combined with the Yoga Alliance stamp of approval, makes you eligible to register as a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) under Yoga Alliance, which is highly recognized and many times required in the global teaching community.
Language Requirements
Our YTTC is conducted in the English language. During practicums students will need to give lectures and conduct practical sessions in English. Please be sure that your language proficiency is at the necessary level before you apply for the course. Poor English skills may result in the withholding of certification.
