Are you an avid yoga practitioner who practices yoga principles on and off the mat? Also, are you someone looking to deepen your yoga practice and disseminate your yoga learnings to one and all? Well, then a yoga teacher training program is what you need to hone your yoga skills and teach yoga professionally. Although there are many places across the world where you can undergo yoga teacher training we suggest that you travel to India and specifically Kerala for your yoga teacher course.
This blog will walk you through the many reasons for choosing the yoga course Kerala for gaining deeper knowledge and insights pertaining to yoga.
The natural beauty of Kerala offers a calm and serene backdrop
For those unversed, effective yoga practice is one that is integrated with natural surroundings. Yoga students require a quiet, serene and calm ambience to meditate, study and deepen their practice and knowledge of yoga. Kerala landscape offers all of these and many more natural locales which are not only ambient to yoga practice but also abundant with natural beauty. Kerala is a coastal state that boasts of palm-fringed coastlines, serene backwaters, frothy waterfalls and lush green forests. This southern Indian state is rightfully called ‘God’s own country as it is dotted with many locales that abound in natural beauty. The inland Western Ghats’ slopes support bewitchingly alluring, vast expanses of coffee and tea plantations. Also, a visit to aromatic spice gardens is an experience in itself.
Besides, Kerala is home to many wildlife parks and sanctuaries such as the National parks of Periyar, Eravikulam and Wayanad that add more diversity to its spellbinding beauty. The peaceful and serene landscape of Kerala offers the perfect ambience to immerse in the soul-healing discipline of yoga.
Kerala has a thriving yoga culture
Almost anywhere you go, you will find an ongoing yoga teacher training Kerala course. Some of the best yoga schools can be found in Varkala and Kochi. Also, such yoga schools and retreats may even offer Yoga Alliance-certified courses which are recognized the world over. Furthermore, due to proliferating yoga studios and immersive yoga culture, you can easily choose from a plethora of yoga courses in Kerala. So, whether you intend to do the beginner level 200 hours ttc Kerala course or the 300 hours, or even 100 hours course, you will easily find a yoga TTC program as per your need and suitability.
The most popular forms of yoga practiced in Kerala are Hatha yoga, Vinyasa flow yoga and Sivananda yoga. Besides, Kallari yoga which combines the ancient Martial art form with yoga can be found only in Kerala. Mysore Ashtanga yoga and Kriya yoga are other specialized forms of yoga practiced in Kerala. Besides, since Kerala has yoga studios mushrooming in many places, you will also find modern yoga practices of Forrest yoga or Aerial yoga, albeit with some research. Although classes teaching such yoga forms are few, if you want to learn such niche yoga practices, then Kerala can be the most preferred destination.
Opportunity to train with authentic yoga teachers
As mentioned in the above sections, Kerala is where the niche yoga practice of Kallari yoga originated. Such and other niche yoga styles require constancy and poise on the student’s part. Besides, these yogic practices also call for unflinching dedication and expertise from the yoga teacher to tirelessly hone the students’ abilities in achieving appropriate body alignment and postures.
Kerala has produced many spiritual yoga gurus like Thycaud Ayyavu Swami, Chattampi Swamikal and Narayana Guru who left behind a rich heritage of yoga and social reforms in this coastal Indian state.
These ace teachers were far-sighted and passed on their knowledge of yoga to future generations. Their disciples and followers kept this ancient art alive by consciously working towards disseminating yoga knowledge through many generations to reach the modern-day gurus. These experts now teach yoga in world-renowned yoga schools. Also, students can look forward to training in yogic sciences influenced by the philosophical perspectives of such yoga masters. For example, Sivananda yoga bases yoga knowledge on 5-point philosophies of yoga postures, breath-work, food, relaxation and optimism through meditative practices.
Well-entrenched Ayurvedic practices
Kerala is home to the ancient science of Ayurveda. In Kerala, there are many yoga schools and retreats where yoga knowledge is combined with Ayurvedic practices. In fact, Ayurveda knowledge is deeply intertwined with yoga as part of yoga course Kerala programs. Such yoga teacher training Kerala programs encompass an Ayurvedic perspective of one’s physiology and anatomy to bring about a state of homeostasis in our bodily systems.
Besides, Kerala has reared and protected many age-old Ayurvedic medicinal interventions. There are still many households which practice the Ayurvedic way of living having passed on through subsequent generations. Such a rich culture imbibing ritualistic Ayurvedic practice connected to family lineage are some of Kerala’s open secrets.
Besides, Kerala is home to some rare species of herbs and plants that are endemic to this coastal state. These rare florae are important parts of herbal formulations and Ayurvedic medicines that are believed to heal a plethora of ailments.
Also, Kerala offers authentic Ayurvedic interventions through its comprehensive knowledge of Ayurvedic offshoots such as body treatments (Kaya Chikitsa), Surgery (Shalya Chikitsa), and other areas of Ayurvedic medicine systems. So, just like the modern medicine system, Ayurveda has time-tested elaborate branches of treatment that can heal myriad bodily disorders.
So, if you want to learn holistic Ayurveda practices besides the core yoga knowledge, then undertake yoga teacher training in Kerala to become a well-balanced and well-informed yoga teacher
Closing thoughts
Kerala’s verdant countryside, flowing river waters and enchanting vistas offer a perfect backdrop for a soulful yoga practice. The winter months of November to March are perfect for visiting Kerala for your yoga teacher training course or even for a leisurely sojourn.
All in all, Kerala offers an ambient environment for learning the nuances of yoga complete with deep Ayurvedic knowledge, blissful natural backdrops and a deeply ingrained culture of yoga..
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