Sri Sri Yoga gave me a fresh and deeper understand of what yoga actually is. It broke down my preconceived notions and gave me moments of wonder. It is challenging yet attainable. The knowledgeable yogis attending on the class were  highly qualified teachers from diverse professions and backgrounds who have dedicated their life to understand and live yoga.

The love, ease, and care that each teacher provided made my stay memorable. Also worth mentioning is the pristine location with it’s amenities and the astounding nature that soothed my mind and senses into a meditative and content state of being. I personally couldn’t think of a better way to get certified as a yoga teacher.

This training is be a great fit for those looking into a career in yoga, as well as those simply wanting to have a well-rounded understanding of yoga and personal practice deeply grounded in the heritage of the ancient tradition brought by those who not only practice yoga but are yogis in the full essence of the word.

In one word: Life-changing.

A 200-Hr yoga teacher training was not on my mind. But, I had heard a lot about Krishan Verma. When the opportunity came up, I had a tug in my heart that said I should go for it – and I did.

The daily practice during the training gave me deep, profound experiences of peace. I couldn’t believe that I was actually experiencing the stuff that the great texts of yoga talk about. Incredibly beautiful – or any other words to describe it – cannot even begin to do justice.

The second highlight of the training was the deep bonds of friendships we participants established. Inner transformation was experienced by all, and we opened up and recognized the beauty both within us and in the people around us. Some of my strongest friendships were forged during this training.

The Art of Living Retreat Center  was the perfect place to train, up in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with  delicious food and abundant nature.

Since the training, I’ve continued to help others start or renew their commitment to a daily yoga practice. Before the training, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get into teaching or if I was ready for it. However, post training I experienced that teaching happens effortlessly when one is established in one’s own practice. All the jitters about being able to teach simply disappeared.

I consider myself really fortunate to have gone through this training.

My favourite aspect of the SSSY teacher training was my incredible teacher Krishan Verma.  I could have gone to any school of yoga to receive training in how to do asanas properly, offer modifications, correct tiny details of postures, and to understand the functional anatomy of each posture. If yoga was just about physical fitness for me, then I might have made that choice. What I really wanted was a complete knowledge of yoga.

Having gone to many yoga classes at many yoga studios, I felt that not all, but many of the teachers were “pretending yoga” the same way children play house and the kids pretend to be the mother. There was some gap between the profound ancient tradition of yoga and the instruction in the yoga studio that had been diluted or modified knowingly or unknowingly somewhere down the line. The teachers had a lot of expertise when it came to asanas, but something was missing. I felt it not only when they tried to make some explicit reference to yogic wisdom, but even in the pauses between their words. I felt we were resting on the surface and I wanted something more.

In the SSSY, I found an authentic training that encompassed a full definition of yoga. While most schools these days give instruction in the history and philosophy of yoga, absorbing this knowledge from a teacher who is a living example of every pearl of wisdom is a very special experience. In our sessions, when Krishanji would elaborate on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras or the Yogasara Upanishads, I could feel the knowledge taking root in me.  

“We do not become better Yoga instructors by simply learning more postures, we become better Yoga instructors by becoming a better Yogi” – Yogacharya Krishan Vermaji

There are very few moments that shift the course of your life. The Sri Sri Yoga Teacher Training Program is one of them. Yogacharya Krishan Vermaji is Yoga. He does not simply live by the principles of Yoga; he abides by them. Every breath of his being resonates this powerful science of the body, mind, and spirit. Just as drop of water in a still pond spreads its vibration in all directions. Just as the sweet scent of a flower emanates its essence in all directions, so the presence of Yogacharya Krishan Veraji will enable you not only to dive deeper into your own practice, but will enable you to embody yoga in your every breath.

The yoga training is extremely thorough. From a yoga teaching standpoint, the mechanics of each asana, ie how to prepare to take a posture, how to enter into that posture, hold, and come out of the posture are all meticulously explained, and you will experience each posture with one-on-one corrections and coaching as you are taught to teach it. Dr. Bharti Verma guides the anatomy and physiology component of the yoga teachers training. With her vast experience as a medical doctor and yoga practitioner the training goes above and beyond what is required to a whole other level of rigour and expertise in yoga training.