What Is A 500 Hour Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training Course?
About 500 Hour Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training Courses
Regardless of your level of practice or determination, any 500 hour yoga teacher training course is not for the faint of heart. On a physical level, the intensity of such a course requires long hours of consistent practice, training, and study. On a subtler level, this advanced-level course forces us to look inside with a depth and scrutiny that is likely unprecedented.
Reliable For Practiced People
Any 500 hour yoga teacher training course, regardless of your intentions, is not for those who get tired so quickly. The typical 500-hour training course includes long hours of consistent practice and study, truly challenging those who take on such a course. Despite being vigorous, a 500 hour yoga course can also be completely life-changing. So how does one go about preparing for and completing one?
Firstly, who should be taking a 500 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh? A 500-hour training course is best for those with a well-established practice of two years or more who want to deepen their practice. A 500 TTC is also for someone who has already been teaching for one year or more and would like to advance and refine their teaching skills. A teacher training course is also suitable for those who practice yoga beyond asana as it goes beyond just posture practice into the more subtle and complex realms of the yoga system.
In doing such an advanced course, participants can experience the wonders of pranayama and meditation and learn more about the theoretical framework of yoga in in-depth philosophy classes. 500-hour courses also look at more complex anatomy and physiology and how we can apply yoga directly to healing in yoga therapy and Ayurveda classes. In short, a 500-hour TTC is perfect for an intermediate yoga practitioner and/or a beginner or intermediate teacher who wishes to expand their knowledge, practice, and teaching of yoga.
Have A Series Of Tough Challenges
Though yoga is for everyone, a 500 hour teacher training course is not always for anyone. Practitioners with less than a year of practice, inconsistent practice, or without interest in teaching or learning about yoga beyond the practice of postures are probably better off taking workshops, a 200-hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, or preparing more sufficiently before undertaking a challenging 500-hour training course. But regardless of your preparation, a 500-hour course is a challenge. Dedication is an essential quality in a person intending to take this course. One should be dedicated to their practice if they are a teacher, also dedicated to teaching, and most importantly, to the journey.
Needed Proper Focus And Time For Practice
When should one take a 500-hour TTC? As mentioned above, it is best to have a good practice or teaching experience beforehand. But one should also do this course at the right time in their life. As it is very demanding and can quickly reshape your world views and life trajectory, giving yourself ample time before and after the course to prepare and re-assimilate is very important. Make sure to find a time in your life when you can genuinely take the time and make the space to be present, focus, and allow the magic of such a profound experience to enter your life. This is how one can make the most and reap the benefits of a 500-hour course.
For yogis with a more limited schedule, many yoga schools also offer the option of a 500-hour training course broken up over an extended period of time. So rather than spending three months in a school practicing and studying every day, this option allows students to meet a few times a week over 6-12 months. The two different systems have their benefits and drawbacks. When you are entirely immersed in a course full-time, you have the opportunity to really focus, learn and go inwards without the distractions of daily life.
On the other hand, such intensity often offers little time or space to digest all the information, experience, and processes fully. When you can break up the course over the course of many months, you have the time and space to digest everything you are learning and not disturb the routine and commitments of daily life. However, there is less opportunity and capacity to be thoroughly engaged and focused on the course, making it more difficult for profound transformation and deep experiential learning.
Best Place To Take A 500-Hour TTC
Where does one take a 500-hour TTC? As yoga has become increasingly popular, the opportunities are endless! If you don’t already have a teacher or school, you connect with, be sure to do your homework, as there are many not-as-awesome programs. It is essential to factor in where you want to be and if you want to travel far away or stay close to home. Some people like to go to yoga destinations such as Costa Rica, Bali, and India. Some people prefer to go straight to the source and head to Rishikesh.
Reasons For Taking A 500-Hour Yoga TTC
Why does one take a 500-hour TTC? Of course, this is a very personal question as everyone’s reasons likely vary. The intentions in undertaking such a commitment are of utmost importance, and everyone taking such a course should know their purpose. If you don’t have a preference, set one.
As aforementioned, some reasons to take a 500-hour TTC can be as straightforward as deepening your practice, learning more about philosophy and anatomy, becoming a better teacher, etc. But diving into a 500hr TTC has the potential to affect our lives if commenced with the right intention profoundly.
Look What Professionals Say
In writing this article, I asked my yoga teacher Sunil Sharma of Tattvaa Yogashala in Rishikesh, to share his insights into what he sees in the people who come to Rishikesh to undertake the 500-hour course. He responded: “500 hours is for those who have this intense desire to know one’s purpose in life.
Some people have that quest to know about the mysteries of life and death, and they are guided by a higher purpose of life beyond life that is only based on sensory gratification. I have no idea about those who come for teacher training. But I went to learn for a long time due to my seeking. So when one goes for longer intense tapas (the practice of purification), they can find deeper meaning in their practice and life.”
Conclusion
Before commencing a 500-hour yoga teacher training course in India, prepare yourself accordingly, set clear intentions, and go with no expectations, as the answers tend to reveal themselves along the way. You will get back what you put in and transform as much as you allow yourself to change. This kind of course indeed can heighten your awareness, heal old wounds, release stubborn patterns, and bring your closer to yourself and something divine. It’s up to you!
If you are looking to learn ashtanga yoga then attend the best yoga school in Rishikesh and join yoga teacher training in Rishikesh.
