The Love · Evolve · Awaken YTT is a love-crafted, authentically Tantrik Yoga Teacher Training Program.
“Love says ‘I am everything’.
Wisdom says ‘I am nothing’.
Between the two, my life flows.”
– Nisargadatta Maharaj
Our trainings are NOT for everyone, but for those ready to truly show up for Deep Self-Inquiry with Discipline, Courage and an Open Heart.
Why invest in this training?
- Because you deserve one of the longest, deepest, highest-quality yoga trainings available (see testimonials)
- Recognized worldwide as RYT-200 by Yoga Alliance, USA
- Founded and facilitated by passionate & seasoned instructors with twenty+ years of practice & study experience
- Based on Authentic Yogic Teachings, Vedic Sciences, Tantrik Scriptures and Advaita Vedanta (the non-duality tradition of India)
- Held in a Safe Loving Container of nurturing Growth (plus the food is amazing)
- An invitation not just for those interested in becoming quality yoga instructors, but for everyone yearning to go on a real transformative journey by cultivating your inborn awareness with clarity & presence, reconnecting with your natural Inner Guidance
We are a Yoga Alliance-registered school working out of several sacred spaces around the world, dedicated to the attainment of real Freedom & Happiness through spiritual practice and deep understanding of our True Self.
Our extraordinary locations, combined with a unique comprehensive academic-level curriculum and powerful daily practice guided by highly-educated, experienced and caring teachers facilitate self-development of life-changing scope on all levels – physical, energetic/emotional, mental, and spiritual.
The Love · Evolve · Awaken YTT supports you in creating a vibrant, inspired and blissful life for yourself and your future students by accessing the highest, most love-filled version of yourself through focused spiritual practice and proper understanding.
It is our intention and vision to be creating Genuine & Safe spaces for
developing Greater Intimacy with Oneself, Life & Others.
Attending the ‘Love Evolve Awaken’ programs means staying at
our forest retreat home to share practice and learn from yogis with
decades of experience right at their private yogi hideaway.
Dhanurasana – Bow poseInstead of an overly gymnastic approach, our classical style of Hatha/Kundalini Yoga focuses extensively on Stillness of Body & Mind in each posture to be recognized as the source and background of our being. This safe approach allows for deep self-inquiry, profound insights and lasting inspiration.
Major course elements:
- Authentic postures & gestures (asana & mudra)
- Expansive breathing practices (pranayama)
- Powerful locks (bandha)
- Simple, yet effective age-old purification techniques (kriya)
- Comprehensive talks & discussions on the various aspects, stages and practices of Yoga, featuring Ashtanga / The Eight Limbs of Yoga aka Raja Yoga
- Insightful Practicums (teaching rehearsals)
- Heartful chanting circles with Ceremonial Mayan Cacao (Bhakti Yoga / The Yoga of Devotion)
- Guided meditations (Advaita / Self-Inquiry)
- Anatomy and physiology background knowledge including how to properly achieve and correct the alignment of each posture as well as their individual health benefits
- Personal guidance along the way
- A valuable 4-day Intensive Module on a different topic in each training: Bhakti, Meditation retreat, Ayurveda (kindly check our calendar to see which course includes which module)
- 1-day workshop on Tantra & Relationships (no nudity, of course)
All this will be completed with valuable insights on how to kick-start (or upgrade) your career as a successful and inspiring yoga teacher:
- tailoring your offerings to potential clients
- ethical yoga marketing
- student & venue management
- web design and advertisement guidance
- our insights & experiences from social media exposure
Arpita & Arjuna, founders of Mahadevi Ashram & The Inner Peace Sanctuary, are an amazingly complementary and synergistic couple who dedicate their lives to the path of Service & Union in the Light of Consciousness & Truth.
Arjuna Dharmadas (ND, E-RYT-500) is our main teacher who will guide you through the Hatha/Kundalini Yoga practice & theory, Yogic philosophy and anatomy.
Arpita Kshama Devi (MA Eastern Studies) is leading the practices of meditation (dhyana) and will offer you a safe space for reconnecting with your Self & Heart in Ease, Compassion and Kindness.
Both, Arjuna and Arpita are passionate about Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of Devotion), Mantra chanting and Tantra and will hold these sessions together.
For more detailed information about them, please see the Instructors page.
YOGA PRACTICES — 100 HOURS
· Asana (Posture)
· Pranayama (Breathing techniques)
· Kriya (Purification techniques)
· Chanting & Mantra (The Yoga of Sound)
· Tantra (no nudity)
· Meditation
These hours are a mix of a) Guided practice of the techniques, b) Pedagogical training of how to teach and practice the techniques
TEACHING METHODOLOGY — 25 HOURS
· Principles of demonstration, observation, assisting/correcting, instruction
· Teaching styles
· Qualities to be developed as a Yoga teacher
· The students’ process of learning
· Business aspects of teaching yoga
YOGA ANATOMY & AYURVEDA — 20 HOURS
· Physical human anatomy and physiology (bodily systems, organs, etc.)
· Anatomy of the subtle bodies: chakras, nadis, polarity etc.
· We cover the study of the subject and the application of its principles to the yoga practice
· Benefits, contraindications, healthy movement patterns, etc
PHILOSOPHY, LIFESTYLE & ETHICS — 30 HOURS
· Meaning and value of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
· Essence of the Bhagavad Gita
· Historical evolution of Yoga
· The Yoga lifestyle in modern society
· Ethics for Yoga teachers
PRACTICUM — 25 HOURS
· Teaching practice
· Observing others teaching
· Giving and receiving feedback
· Assisting the teacher in the daily practice class
RETREAT / MODULE – 36 HOURS
· Taking our experience to the next deeper stage of internalization
· Cultivating Stillness, Joyousness & Deeper Intimacy with Life and observing how peace and happiness are our natural state underneath the usual busy-ness of the mind
· Developing authenticity of what you are teaching
The course consists of four weeks of classes with five days per week, 7 am – 1.30 pm and 4.30 – 7.30 pm, complemented by one of these 4-day special modules:
- Silent Meditation Retreat
- Uplifting Bhakti Module
- Wholesome Ayurveda Module
Check the schedule to see which module runs when. Many other YTT’s offer quicker programs (over three or even two weeks) with less actual ‘contact hours’ in the classroom, requiring students to complete a number of hours by themselves before & afterwards to reach the 200 hours required for certification. Our course features over 225 contact hours, ensuring that you will be adequately prepared to guide future students confidently and successfully.
Our teacher trainings are registered with Yoga Alliance International as RYT-200. In order to receive the Yoga Instructor certificate we require successful completion of the whole course (with at least 95% attendance), a presentable practicum class and passing of the final exam.
This is no reason for concern, we do achieve great success rates due to the professional preparation throughout the course. Please see the Disclaimers below.
- Guatemala: Airport pickup (GUA airport)
- Italy: Airport Pickup (Pisa airport) or railway station pickup
- Tuscan-style or simple ashram-style accommodation (shared or private rooms, bell tents)
- 225+ hours of instruction and practice recognized for 200-hour RYT international Yoga Instructor Certificate of Yoga Alliance (subject to disclaimers below)
- Small group size up to 14 people (12 in Italy) for ample personal attention & focus
- Course Manual and supplemental materials
- Numerous ready-to-go workshop notes allowing for quick and easy offerings to recover your investment
- All meals – vegetarian (vegan in Guatemala), students often write home about them :p
- Bhakti module / Ayurveda module or Silent Meditation Retreat (see dates below to find out which module for each course)
- Ceremonial Cacao Kirtan every week
- Italy: Sauna sessions and Weekend trips to Pisa, Lucca and other places around Tuscany
- Personal guidance throughout these life-changing journeys
Use one of the buttons on this page to secure your spot by placing a deposit protected by our 14-day Money-back guarantee for all Early Bird rates.
Your deposit counts towards the course fee, of course.
The remainder is due before the current price level expires, alternatively it can be paid at a later point at the rate that is applicable then.
Once you have paid in full, if you need to cancel for any reason we will refund 70% of your second payment until two months, 50% until one month prior to the first day of your course. There is no refund less than one month in advance, but the option to attend a future course at a reduced rate.
For participants that cannot travel due to Covid-19 we offer the special option of moving to the next available course date.
- Minimum age for this training is 21 years.
- Your stay at the Inner Peace Sanctuary will be ‘ashram-style’, which means silence from 10pm-8am and everyone engaging with the space by cleaning our own plates, taking on small chores around the house and keeping all spaces orderly. This is in no way a fully serviced hotel-like environment, it will be an authentic immersion of living with two long-time yogis at their forest sanctuary, respectful & co-responsible of environment, privacy and hygiene. If anyone fails to meet these requirements and the Sanctuary guidelines we may ask them to leave.
- We don’t allow meat, tobacco, alcohol or drugs on the premises and request students to abstain from these things for the duration of the training.
- We do not consider it appropriate for a Yoga teacher to smoke at all, so if you are not able to give up such habits over the course of the YTT, we will not be able to issue a Teacher’s Certificate (no refund available). You will receive a Practitioner’s Certificate instead to acknowledge your participation.
- We reserve the right to terminate any student’s course participation on grounds of being unfit to become a Yoga teacher. This decision will be at our discretion (but not made lightly or without consultation with the student in question and has never happened so far). In such cases a refund will be given proportionately to the part of the course that was taken (e.g. after half the course, half of the second the payment will be refunded unless the termination is due to false information in the application form or message exchange, in which case there is no refund)
- Should a student leave the course at any point on their own accord, no refund will be offered
- Should a student not pass the final exam of the YTT, they will have the chance of taking the exam a second time the next day; if failed again, we offer to take the entire YTT again at a reduced rate
- The Guatemalan ashram is located in a traditional village of a developing country, which may cause noise and other inconveniences. Even in the remote location of our Italian sanctuary there is no guarantee for perfect silence.
Placing the deposit constitutes agreement with the above terms.
The Inner Peace Sanctuary in Italy is a sacred space tucked away in the picturesque hills of Northern Tuscany, half-way between Florence and Pisa. It is dedicated to those who wish to really get away for a while to immerse themselves in nature, stillness & the wisdom of the Heart.
Mahadevi Ashram in Guatemala is located in Tzununa, right outside San Marcos La Laguna, a unique village often called “the spiritual heart of Central America”, which harbors a beautiful and diverse scene of seekers, healers and artists to connect with.
You may be able to arrive early or stay on after the course, please inquire for details.
For more information and photos kindly see the Locations page.
You haven’t read what other yogis and graduates are saying about their experience yet?
Hop on over here for plenty of Truly Inspiring
