Today, health and fitness has taken on several shades of meaning. For some it’s a matter of eating right, for others it’s closely tied to regular exercise. There’s another section of the demographic that relies on alternative branches such as naturopathy, acupuncture, acupressure and yoga to fight ailments and keep diseases at bay.
Yoga has emerged as a unique discipline for it can act both as a curative and preventive measure. It harmonizes the body, mind and spirit, promoting a sense of overall peace and well-being.
There are lots of schools across the globe, where you can train as a yoga teacher and obtain certification, but there’s something about India. And here are 5 solid reasons you should do your Yoga teacher training in India.
1. Yoga originated in India –
India can proudly claim to be the land where yoga originated and developed. It was in Northern India, some 5000 years ago. As a matter of fact, it has been practiced by sages, rishis and Brahmans for ages before that.
Even today, India boasts of some of the best yoga schools. To name a few, there’s the K.Pattabhi Jois Institute at Mysore that specializes in Ashtanga Yoga. Another big name is the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute at Pune, also a branch of Ashtanga yoga, but one that makes use of props. There are centers at Chennai, Trivandrum, Rishikesh, Bodhgaya and Goa. India is also home to some of the best yogic gurus including Baba Ramdev, Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, Ramamani Iyengar, K.Pattabhi Jois etc.
2. Indian culture and tradition –
Yoga is very much a part of the India tradition and culture. It is ingrained in the day-to-day life of people.
To add, yoga is not only about exercising. It is a full-fledged science that has its roots in Indian scriptures. This yogic knowledge is necessary if you want to explore the potential of yoga as a health science to its fullest. And an understanding of Indian culture, tradition and ideology is important. It is an enriching experience. This is an experience you will miss out if you choose to learn yoga elsewhere.
3. You save money-wise –
No matter how much you are willing to spend for quality yoga training, you have to be practical. All of us are on a budget.
The average cost of a yoga teacher training program is between $2000 and $3000. The cost could vary depending on the training hours. Also, these figures cover only tuition fees. The same amount in India can last you a month inclusive of the course fee, food and accommodation. That makes it very economical. Many centers provide meals to students. It’s healthy and nutritious and keeping in mind the body requirements when doing yoga.
4. India is bigger and better than projected –
India is a beautiful land that offers so much to explore. Diversity sums it up. As you cross a state border, you have a new language, a different dress code and an exciting cuisine. It is heady mix of urban and rural, of the old and the new.
5. It’s here that you make friends for life –
The people in India are warm and welcoming. You will feel at home despite being miles away from home.