Hatha & Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training in Nepal with Heather Elton

200 hour yoga teaching course in Nepal, in unique collaboration with a Buddhist monastery

Heather Elton and Mahalaya present Level 1 (200 hour) Hatha & Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training in Nepal

Space is limited to 16 students – to ensure a place we encourage you to apply early.

---

This Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training is for the discerning student. It is a high-quality training with excellent teachers, but what really sets it apart is that you will study yoga philosophy ‘in situ,’ on location in Nepal, where ancient yogic traditions are still alive. You will feel supported in your practice by monks, spiritual practitioners and naths (holders of the ancient yoga lineage, thanks to Heather’s unique relationship formed over years in Nepal). You will be living within the grounds of a Tibetan monastery. And you will have a chance to visit temples, stupas and sacred sites.

Our training is designed to take you to the spiritual heart of this holistic practice.

While there are many different authentic paths of Yoga, we believe that they all distill down to one essential teaching that uses the body and the breath to liberate ourselves from suffering. While we aim to give you the highest skills possible to teach, we also want to reveal the spiritual path underlying the practice and the technologies to stabilise the mind, so you can glimpse your true nature. We want you to actually live the yogic reality – and to be able to take the practice off the mat, integrate the knowledge into your life and share it with others.

This is therefore a transformative yoga teacher training where you’ll experience an authentic process that guides you to look at your own reality, takes you deeper in your own practice, and gives you the skills to teach yoga. It will give you the capability to teach from your own experience and practical know-how that are the stamp of an authentic teacher – someone who can teach at a more authentic, more intelligent and more intuitive level because they live it.

This Level 1 training provides an overview of different aspects of yoga. It’s designed to give you a taste of what it means to be a yoga teacher and practitioner. By the end of the training you will:

• have developed a skilful and varied asana practice;
• understand basic yoga philosophy in a way you can integrate into your teachings;
• understand basic anatomy and alignment so you can prevent injuries in your students and yourself;
  
• have taken steps towards a genuine spiritual practice;
• have had an experience that will provide you lifelong inspiration and context to practice and teach yoga;
• be able to make an informed decision about what aspects of yoga you like, and what you want to practice and teach.

Deciding to teach yoga should not be a career move. It should be a sincere calling within your heart. Yoga Teacher Training is an investment in the future. Becoming an inspired and excellent teacher involves much more than getting a certificate. It requires dedication, discipline and years of continuous practice. You must also have a true desire to serve others in order to communicate to your students the true essence of yoga. Establishing yourself as a teacher is a journey of many steps: start your journey here and become the teacher or practitioner you aspire to be.

Why do this yoga teacher training?

Study yoga in Nepal, the land of Living Tantra – philosophy on the road with yogis, Rinpoches, monks, priests, artists and take the practice off your mat into real life. This dogma-free yoga teacher training offers great value: you’ll stay in a modern, bright and comfortable guest house within the grounds of a stunning Tibetan monastery and receive an excellent, high-quality training.

 

Study with senior teachers, all of whom are serious yoga practitioners with global reputations and who will work with you intensively throughout the course to give you personal attention that is sensitive to your needs and ongoing development. This is a transformational training that integrates ancient wisdom with contemporary anatomical science and intelligent asana, in a mindful practice designed to diminish suffering in our lives. 

Hindu, Buddhist and contemporary yogic philosophy are taught in a way that lifts them ‘off the page’, and ‘off the mat,’ so you can integrate them into your teaching and personal practice. Learn mantras, how to use prayer beads, spin prayer wheels, receive Puja, observe ceremonies, enter a holy place with respect and immerse yourself in living yogic culture in Nepal. The philosophy is relevant to both the physical experience and the spiritual practice. It is not an academic lesson, but a yogic inquiry relevant to real life.

 

• Study traditional Hatha Yoga with BKS Iyengar alignment principles;
• Learn techniques to breakdown difficult asanas (inversions, arm balances, backbends, etc) to teach ‘workshop style’;
• Build movement vocabularies and learn to sequence Vinyasa Flow as a seamless ‘moving meditation’;
• Study biomechanics of movement and get hands-on experience with adjustments and prop usage that is relevant to ‘real bodies’;
• Gain experience of practical teaching: demonstrate and adjust asanas, work in groups and individually to create Vinyasa Flow sequences, structure and teach a yoga class, get feedback from teachers and colleagues, and see yourself in action on video;
• Learn how to teach basic Pranayama and Mediation;
• Sample restorative and pregnancy yoga;
• Understand how to make Yoga your Business

**Watch the video from a past TTC and this testimonial from student Tommy Crawford** 

What we believe

Even though advanced asana can be exhilarating and has its purpose, Yoga is not gymnastics. Yoga is an ancient Indian science that uses the body and breath to penetrate the mind and liberate us from suffering. While traditional Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Krama are the main forms of practice, this yoga teacher training offers a comparative study of contemporary Yoga styles, including BKS Iyengar methodology.

Asana is the starting place for a genuine yogic inquiry – a practice that moves beyond a mere physical experience and makes its relevant to real life. We believe that the Guru lies within and will do everything in our power to guide you on this transformative journey.

 

The Teachers

This course brings together some of the top teachers of the specialism – Heather Elton as the course designer and lead teacher, Andrew McGonigle (“Dr Yogi“) teaches anatomy and physiology, and we have special guest teachings from senior monks and sadhus.

Our teachers have a passion for Yoga and have dedicated their lives to the spiritual path. We do not preach the dogma of one tradition, but take a comparative view that embraces all Yoga traditions and the big questions on the path to liberation. We walk the spiritual path and bring that experience to the course to guide you to find the qualities to be an excellent teacher and a practitioner who is able to map out your path and embrace yoga into your life.

See full teacher bios by clicking the link at the bottom of the page.

Sample Daily Timetable

6:00 – 7:15	Pranayama and meditation
7:30 – 10.00	Asana
10:00 – 12:00	Brunch
12:00 – 14:30	Philosophy
14:30 – 15:00	Break
15:00 – 18:00	Yoga Clinic
18:00 – 19:30	Dinner
19:30 – 21:00	Evening program (twice a week)

Note: This is a sample schedule and will vary according to the specific programme of each day. Saturdays are free each week.

The Venue

The training will be hosted in a stunning and welcoming Tibetan Monastery, supplemented by three days on the road visiting sacred sites in Nepal, such as Boudhanath, Pashupati and Patan. The Monastery is situated near Pharping in the Kathmandu Valley and foothills of the Himalayas. We will stay in the comfortable and modern guesthouse in the grounds of the temple, less than an hour’s drive from the heart of Kathmandu. 

For Tibetan Buddhists, the hills of Pharping are considered as sacred as Bodhgaya in India, as it is where is where the second buddha Guru Padmasambhava (“Guru Rinpoche”) attained the state of enlightenment, before going on to establish Buddhism in Tibet. The monastery which is our home during the retreat makes important contributions to the preservation and sharing of the Buddhist teachings, and our stay there helps to fund education for the many young monks from remote areas of Nepal.

The lovely guesthouse in the monastery grounds has spacious and modern rooms, comfortable beds for deep and refreshing sleeps, all with contemporary attached bathrooms and hot showers (and many with balconies). The yoga space overlooks the rice paddies of the Kathmandu valley, and – when the weather is clear – gives us stunning views of the sunrise over the Himalayas.

It is the perfect place to go within and study.

All vegetarian, delicious local and international menus freshly prepared to nourish your practice. Dietary requirements can be accommodated on request.

The price is all-inclusive from the time we meet in Kathmandu to when we drop you off back in the city at the end of the course, covering all teaching, twin-share accommodation, substantial brunch and dinner each day, local transport for the TTC, and use of props. International flight and visa not included.

A welcome pack full of information to help you to plan and prepare your visit will be provided once your place is confirmed.

Pre-Requisites

To be accepted on the training, you need to have practiced yoga regularly for at least two years, to ensure you have the necessary physical stamina and mental discipline. This training is intense on a physical and emotional level. There will be good days and vulnerable days. You will be totally immersed in yoga practice (pranayama, meditation, asana, philosophy, anatomy & physiology, as well as the business of yoga and practical teaching) for 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, for almost a month. You will emerge having a taste of what it means to be a yogi.

Yoga Alliance Accreditation

Heather Elton is a registered E-RYT 500 with both Yoga Alliance USA and Yoga Alliance Professionals UK. Our Yoga Teacher Training programme is internationally accredited to qualify for 200 hours Yoga Alliance USA and Yoga Alliance Professionals UK accreditation. The completion of the 200 RYS training allows graduates to qualify for an advanced 300 RYS training program with our school or any other Yoga Alliance certified training school.

How To Apply

Step 1: Email us to request an application form. Please read its instructions carefully. Once you have completed the application form, follow the link in the email to submit it.

Step 2: Each application is read in detail, with applicants judged individually. If you are accepted into the training, we will email you with confirmation of your acceptance and next steps.

Testimonials

“I spent a long time researching Teacher Training courses: there were so many out there and it was almost impossible to know which was the right one. I am so happy I chose this course! This TTC was one of its kind by integrating yoga philosophy with the physical practice. It was particularly impactful to have the privilege to be in a Monastery throughout the stay. The Buddhist environment invited a space for spiritual growth which was unique and of tremendous value. Gifting us with the opportunity to meet Nath Yogis on the road and have an introduction into Yoga Philosophy on a ‘hands-on’ level was truly special and deeply impactful. The high quality of teachers encouraged us students to raise our bar and challenged us to meet the standards that we were taught in. I would recommend this TTC to people who are open and ready to embark on a journey of self exploration and who define their yoga path beyond the realms of the physical practice of asanas.” 

Sarah Al-Subaey, Saudi/German graduate of March 2017 TTC in Nepal with Heather

“I learned so much during this TTC! I couldn’t have dreamed of a more appropriate venue. The expectations of the teachers were high and their dedication to make us reach this level was incredible. The whole course design was extremely clever and logical. The content was deep and complete. As a result, I feel now super confident and ready to teach. I will definitely recommend this TTC to all those who want to be quality teachers able to share a deep and authentic yoga.”

Véronique Hanoteau, Belgian graduate of March 2017 TTC in Nepal with Heather

“A fantastic and unique course for both personal and professional learning and growth, in a beautiful and meditative environment, with a teacher with unprecedented yoga knowledge and experience, who can bring the practice to life. Loved staying and studying at the monastery – the monks were lovely, the food delicious and the venue perfect. Asana was fantastic and it was amazing to be able to draw upon so many different styles and techniques of asana – Heather’s in-depth knowledge and experience here really enriched the learning experience. Adjustment clinics were fantastic. Yoga clinics were also great to understand alignment and families of poses better. Pranayama was great and I learnt some new techniques that I had only read about so it was great to be able to apply them and to have a range of pranayamas to include in my own practice.”

Skye Blyth-Whitecock, British graduate of March 2017 TTC in Nepal with Heather

“I cannot say enough how happy I am with the quality of instruction. Just a week in I felt like I had learned enough to have a strong enough grip on the reins to pursue the necessary knowledge to build a strong personal practice. Now, at the end of the training, I’m rather surprised I ever doubted that I would one day teach yoga. I feel so certain that I’m on the right path and I’m empowered to have all the necessary tools to effectively teach others to practice yoga in a fun, engaging, and safe manner that will in turn benefit the world.”

Abby Cilker, USA, graduate of Spring 2016 TTC in Nepal with Heather

Book this course