My name is Richmond Bashia and I am from Norway. My decision to come to India to pursue my 200-hour yoga teacher training in Himalayan Yoga Association in Rishikesh changed my life in a way that I never expected. It was the first time I was in India and I had no clue about it. Looking back at this now I can honestly declare that this has been such an amazing experience.
Choosing Himalayan Yoga Association
I started my quest to this school online, just like most of the contemporary adventures. I had been browsing yoga schools in Rishikesh with dozens and dozens of websites and photos. Something struck me as soon as I came across Himalayan Yoga Association. The images depicted an authentic, serene, and friendly place. Something about the ashram, the surroundings and the atmosphere attracted me at the very first sight. These pictures communicated with me more than words and I immediately connected with them. That attraction was the point of departure of what would be a really transformative journey.
I took time to research the school, read on how they teach yoga and I also read about the conventional ways they teach. All the facts that I learned supported my original impression that this was where I belonged. Although I felt scared to go to India for the first time and undergo such an intensive course of training, I used my gut feeling and went ahead and made the jump.
The Training Experience
The teacher training course (200 hours) helped me in surpassing expectations. I was introduced to the world of yoga in its purest form right at the beginning. The curriculum was thorough and properly built, with all the traditional asanas, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga philosophy, and teaching methodology. The most important thing about this experience was that the instructors mixed the ancient wisdom with the practical knowledge which we can use in our lives and in our future teaching.
Each day started early in the morning and the days were full of learning, practise and self discovery. The instructors were very well informed, tolerant and enthusiastic to pass their knowledge of yoga.
The way they had taught each pose, made us realize these aren’t just poses, but carry some deep and real meanings. By learning from them, we all get to believe that yoga is not only a physical exercise but a whole lifestyle, a philosophy, a thinking. This approach helped me to see new aspects of yoga that I never thought of before.
The ashram atmosphere alone was a massive contributor to my education. It was like an energy being in the company of other hard-working students all over the world. We had come together with a common cause, which was to help one another go through the difficult times and rejoice in our advancements. Our friendship was more than a friendship, we became a yoga family.
Living in Rishikesh
Even Rishikesh was a magic place. This holy city is also known as the yoga capital of the world and is located at the foothills of the Himalayas and the holy Ganges River passes through it. The religious mood is so thick in the air. The ringing of temple bells, the view of the river and the existence of the mountains formed an ideal environment of internal change.
I used the free time to do sightseeing of the local places, viewing the old temples, and walking along the river shores. The evening Ganga Aarti ritual during which the priests recite fire and chant rituals was an extremely emotional experience. Such experiences outside the training programme enabled me to have a glimpse of Indian culture and spirituality.
The other pleasant surprise was the food in the ashram. The food was all prepared keeping in mind the sattvic cooking principles of yogic cooking. The vegetarian food was also deemed to be healthy and good to taste providing us with the energy we needed on our intense training days. It was a highly valued experience of our lives to eat with other students.
Personal Transformation
I also noticed some development in myself as I continued with the training. I became more aware of my body, my breathing and my thoughts. I was also instructed to bring the mind to rest and to calm the mind even in hard moments. It made me stronger and more flexible, however the mental and spiritual growth was even greater thanks to the physical training.
I can definitely say that doing my 200-hour yoga teacher training in Himalayan Yoga Association was among the most suitable choices in my life. I would highly recommend this school to anyone who might be considering attending yoga training to become a teacher in Rishikesh. The ideal learning/growth environment is provided through experienced teachers, pure traditional teachings, scenic places, and the community.
This experience earned me an award other than a certification. It has given me a new perspective in life, which I will always continue in my life, and lifetime memories. I went to India as a curious traveller and emerged as a certified yoga teacher with a reformed heart and mind.
