Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I contact your school?

Answer: Please call or email.
+91-99 977 63812
RishikeshSchoolOfYoga@Gmail.com

Q: Is there any receipt system for the advance payment done?

Answer: Yes, we can send you a receipt upon request.

Q: Can you arrange an airport pickup from Dehradun or New Dehli?

Answer: It is recommended that you arrive at Dehradun airport and from there we can help arrange a taxi direct to our yoga school. Please send us your flight details and agenda. We will arrange for a taxi to pick you up from the airport. The driver will have a poster with your name and he will drive you directly to the ashram.

Q: Please give me a working number of administration so I can contact you.

Answer: You can contact Shyama Tiwari, our administrative coordinator at +91 96 751 98290 directly or call our yoga school at +91-99 977 63812

Q: I am paying for a private room so I hope I am booked for that.

Answer: You are booked for a private room, however, the floor you are on has a shared kitchen. At our location have three floors for hosting yoga students and retreats.

Each floor has a kitchen, two bedrooms and one or two bathrooms. The fourth floor includes our yoga hall and the fifth floor is the stunning view of the Himalayan mountains and the holy river Ganges.

Q: Apart from the schedule given on the website, is there anything else that I have to come prepared for?

Answer: Bring an open mind and open heart. We recommend that you stay open to trying new things. If you need anything during your stay we can arrange to get you what you need.

Q: Will there be classes on weekends? I would like to explore the area so is there any scope of going for weekend excursions?

Q: What is the Ashram Uniform?

Answer: The school has a relaxed feel and there is no official uniform requirement. We do recommend daily showers and clean clothes as this supports yoga.

Q: How many hours do you give time to the teaching part in total?

Answer: We take special attention to making you feel comfortable as a teacher. Some people only need a few classes teaching while others can use more support and teaching time.

You will get the attention needed to make sure you feel comfortable teaching even if you'd like to get more experience than other students.

Q: Whats the best way to get to Rishikesh? Flying to Delhi and take another local flight to Rishikesh? Train?

Answer: We recommend a flight into Delhi and a connecting flight to Dehradun.

Sometimes you can even book directly to Dehradun. From there please share your travel agenda and we will arrange a taxi to pick you up and deliver you to our location.

Q: About the training, how many people will attend the yoga teacher training?

Answer: Some classes will be a lovely opportunity to get extra one-on-one attention directly with our teachers.

If it is the off-season for yoga so we will have between 2-5 students attending which gives more opportunity for one-on-one attention to your needs. Classes typically range from 5 to 15 students.

Q: How many teachers will be here with us during the training and what do they exactly teach?

Answer: We will have approximately 5 teachers available during your training with more staff on hand. For full details see our teachers page: https://rishikeshschoolofyoga.org/yoga-teachers.html
Yogini Seema Kanwal - Hatha yoga and Asana
Yogini Aparna Sharma - Pranayama, yogic text (sutras, hatha yoga pradipika)
Yogi Ryan Parenti Ji - Yoga philosophy and Vedic lifestyle
Yogi Mahesh Tiwari - Ganga meditation and concierge
Swami Umesh Yogi (world teacher,may or may not be available) - Meditation, healing hand and peace education

Q: Do I need to prepare something before the training? Lectures, books or other?

Answer: There is no need to bring any extra materials as we have all the books and training on hand in English.

We do recommend, however, that if you would like to study in an alternative language please bring copies of this text in your preferred language.
Asana Paranayama Mudra Bandha - "Swami Satyananda Saraswati"

Q: My English is not perfect, will I be able to understand and teach in English, at the end of the training?

Answer: Yes. Every effort will be made to help share the teachings. As an example, recently we had a student from Spain and his English was not the best.

He still rated us a 10 out of 10 experience and said it was perfect for him. It is hard to say how well you will learn in English as everyone is different but many of our students teach and learn with English as their second language.

Q: Are your students confident enough to teach immediately after yoga teacher training?

Answer: We put great care into making sure our students are comfortable teaching during and after their course.

Many of our students start teaching right away after their experience. We often have students who are already yoga teachers come to learn more about the field and become better teachers. You will be ready to teach after your stay.

Students start teaching during the second half of the course and the students do teach their own classes. We feel it is important for future teachers to learn more than just asana including the fundamentals and practices on the entire field of yoga.

Authentic yoga is very different than gym yoga and we focus on helped teachers develop their relationship with the experience of yoga. It's like finding your heart in a world full focused on materialism.

Q: Is the training is certified by yoga alliance?

Answer: We are certified by the yoga alliance and all students leave with their yoga alliance teaching certification.
[*Find us on: Yoga Alliance U.S.A Official Website]

Q: What yoga styles are practiced during the training?

Answer: Our classes and talks go over many topics including Ayurvedic lifestyle, the eight limbed approach to life (ashtanga yoga) and teachings on the entire field of yoga. The asana classes are focused mainly on Hatha Yoga and if you are familiar with the contemporary vinyasa flow it will feel very natural to you.

Our yoga TTC is always focused on the students needs some sometimes students need advanced asana theory and other times they need the fundamentals of Hatha yoga to create Raja yoga. We focus in on your needs to support the flowing of yoga in you and your future student's lives.

Q: In my own practice, I also like to be creative and use self-expression in the postures. Is this something that resonates with your training?

Answer: Yes, we agree that you should be creative and use self-expression in your training. It is also very important to understand that asana is a very technical practice and the asanas are sequenced in a way to create very specific Mudras, or energy locks.

It is beneficial to follow the sequences because they are designed to support specific states of mind and body to support union with spirit which is, of course, is the purpose of yoga.

Q: Does the schedule or typical day schedule on your website is still the same? Do we have day off during the training (to explore India or just relax)?

Answer: Our scheduled and website is being refined right now as we are always getting feedback and improving every class. It stays close to the website, however, there is room for flexibility.

Sundays are a free day and Saturdays are half days and many students enjoy exploring Rishikesh!

Q: Will I have my own bedroom and bathroom?

Answer: Yes! At our location have three floors for hosting yoga students and retreats. Each floor has a kitchen, two bedrooms and one or two bathrooms. The fourth floor includes our yoga hall and the fifth floor is the stunning view of the Himalayan mountains and the holy river Ganges. We are also literally surrounded by hotels and offer upgrades or extra / different rooms based on your needs.

Q: What about the food? I read we have Ayurvedic and yogi standard food, what it is exactly?

Answer: Food is an important part of yoga. There are subtle elements in food that dramatically impact the mind.

Our food and preparation (more on that in class) is based on yogic scriptures and are to support your "yogic" evolution. Specifically, that is vegetarian and mainly vegan meals. Many students report dramatic weight losses but that is merely a side effect. For example, a typical meal would be rice, dal (a lentil dish) served with vegetables.

Very tasty and we also have a concierge at our location that can literally get you anything india has to offer. Fresh fruits are also very enjoyable and commonly requested.

Q: Do we have a notebook from the school to take notes or do we have to take our own materials?

Answer: We do recommend that you take notes and if you do not have a notebook one will be provided for you.

Q: Does the room include wifi and hot shower?

Answer: Yes and yes! We have hot showers however we often recommend to students to give cold showers a chance. They are very helpful physically for yoga and many report positive benefits after giving it a try.
We have two wifi internet services. One is for emergencies and staff the other is for students and retreat attendees.

Q: Should I take a train, taxi or flight to Dehradun from New Delhi?

Answer: The price of a taxi from Dehli to Rishikesh is about 95,000 RS but we rarely recommend considering it over a flight. The taxi driver will have a hard time finding our school and may not know how to direct him. Also, the trip is a grueling 6hr+ drive on busy indian roads.

A flight from Dehli to Dehradun, on the other hand, is cheaper at about $20-$90 US and only takes about an hour. We can then arrange a taxi to pick you up from the airport and drop you at our location for only 1,000 RS. The ride is about 20 minutes. We also don't recommend a train as it wouldn't be as efficient as flying.

It is extremely important that your travel details are arranged before your journey. At airports there are often fake taxis that aim to steal your money or your luggage. Please avoid this trap by arranging a flight to Dehradun and we will send a taxi for you. Also, we can arrange a taxi for you in Delhi if needed.

Q: Does the cost including all living, eating and yoga classes for no extra cost？

Answer: All food, lodging and classes are included.

Q: Do you have any picture of the training, location, classes, and accommodation?

Answer: Yes, please see our image gallery by visiting this link: https://rishikeshschoolofyoga.org/yoga-image-gallery-in-rishikesh-india.html

Q: Can you send us a Visa invitation so we can apply for our visa easier?

Answer: Yes, we provide Official Visa invitation letters. Please email us at RishikeshSchoolofYoga@gmail.com.

Q: Why is the price for 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training course. $10,008?

Answer: Our 500 hour course has been designed to get back to the roots of how yoga is originally taught.

Only in recent years has yoga been taught in a 200 hour, 300 hour or 500 hour format. For this reason we have reserved our 500 hour teacher training for true seekers of yoga.

This exclusive program is designed to give the seeker an authentic experience.

If you are looking for a longer stay please be aware that you can come to our location and practice for virtually any duration of time by attending back-to-back yoga TTCs or an extended stay yoga retreat. We do however reserve the 500 hour training for the traditional approach to teaching and learning yoga.

Q: How much cost is a taxi from Delhi Airport to Rishikesh?

Answer: Usually about 4,000 rupees (Around $50 USD) but you will certainly pay more if you arrange it in the airport. Typically we tell students to have us send a taxi for them so they get a certified taxi.
It is VERY important to take a certified taxi as non-certified taxis can be dangerous. Your school may be able to help you arrange this or I can .

Q: Is there in Rishikesh a free internet for computer available?

Answer: There are internet cafes that have a relatively low price but most people bring their own computers or phones.
Almost every cafe and yoga school has free wifi. It is as common as in the west.

Q: If I will bring my computer - what kind of electric plug ( like European, or like Russian)? and what is in there - 110V or 220V?

Answer: Electrical devices say on their power outlet which voltage it can take. Most expensive electronics, your computer likely included, can tolerate both 110V and 220V.
India has 220V and you will need a simple cheap adapter to plug in your computer / phone. Adapters are available here for around 150 rupees. For less expensive electrical devices, for example a hair dryer, you can check on the device and it shows which voltage it accepts.
If your device is only 110V then you will need a power converter to switch the current from 220V to 110V.

Q: When is the best time to come to Rishikesh? What is the weather like?

Answer: September is amazing here. Still a bit warm but mostly very nice.

January is the coldest month but it is still much warmer than the US or EU.

Here are some more details if you want to know more:
Although, there is not any fixed time to visit Rishikesh as it is a suitable location in all seasons but tourists mostly prefer months from April to June as white water rafting is most active during these months. However these seasons could be a little warm but still, the charm of Rishikesh will not let hot weather to act as a hurdle in your enjoyment.

But, if you wish to visit Rishikesh for activities rather than Rafting or other adventures, then late September - October to mid-November and from February to the first week of May will be the right time due to moderate weather.

October-March: From October to March, the weather of Rishikesh becomes so enjoyable and amazing, however, there will be little chilly during January but that also makes you feel amazing. December and January is the coldest month in Rishikesh and so woolen clothes are advisable. During March, the famous “International Yoga Festival" is organised in Rishikesh and you can also be the part of this festival.

April-June: These months marks the beginning of the summer season in Rishikesh in which June is the hottest month with temperatures rising up to 35°C. Tourists prefer to visit Rishikesh more in this season as this is the time to gain the best experience of River Rafting or other adventure activities.

July-September: Monsoon season starts from early July in Rishikesh which makes the weather more pleasant. During this season, "Shravan Mela" of around 1 month is celebrated here and you can see many "Bhole Bhakt" (Adorer of Lord Shiva) in Rishikesh during Shravan.

Q: Can you tell me more about the yoga style you teach?

Answer: We teach in small group settings of around 5 to 10 students to keep the essence of traditional spiritual teaching. Big yoga classes are a new fad that we try to avoid. In our tradition it has always been teaching from guru to disciple.

Traditional yoga is much closer to the heart and it is about direct experience. We build connections with our students that are based on the feelings of the heart.

Fundamentals of yogic living are shared as we learn and practice. Our practices are focused on Sun and Moon integration, Hatha, which is a secret science that many claim to share. It is nearly impossible to tell you about these secrets in an email but there is a beauty that unfolds as we go through the experience together.

The joy of the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras or other great texts are discovered and experienced in a practical way that helps guide us back home to the Supreme Self.

The journey of the self, to the self, through the self - With full hearts and enjoyment

Q: Can you tell me more about your lineage?

Answer: Swami Ji was born into a centuries-old lineage of Brahmins, those members of society engaged in attaining the highest spiritual knowledge.

In a Brahmin family this knowledge is passed from parent to child as it has been throughout centuries.

Swami Ji's grandfather was a disciple of Jagadguru Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, then Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath. The senior Jagadguru Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, also known as Guru Deva, was the teacher of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who famously brought Transcendental Meditation to the west.

Now, Swami Ji carries the fire of the Vedic teachings and continues the lineages' work to bring peace, love and understanding throughout the world.

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati is a disciple of Jagadguru Madhav Ashram Ji Maharaj, the Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath from the Himalayan mountains of India.