Ananda Yoga® brings yoga back to its original spiritual essence
Exercise and stress relief are only the beginning; the higher purpose of Ananda Yoga practice is to uplift your consciousness. To accomplish that, you’ll work not only with your body, but also with your Pranayama (breathing and energy-control techniques), Yogic meditation techniques and Applied yoga philosophy.
What Is the Practice Like?
Yoga posture practice in Ananda Yoga® is gentle for beginning students, becoming more challenging with experience. It is an inwardly directed practice, and is never aggressive or aerobic. The primary emphases are:
- Safety and correct alignment
- Being relaxed at all times, even during the midst of effort
- Working directly with the body's subtle energy via the yoga postures
- Adaptation – modifying each yoga posture to fit the needs and abilities of the practitioner
What Makes Ananda Yoga Unique?
Energization Exercises
The Energization Exercises are a series of 39 special energy-control techniques that Yogananda developed in order to help the practitioner increase, focus, and control the life-force.
Affirmations
Each yoga posture is paired with its own affirmation, which one practices silently while in the posture. The affirmation is designed to reinforce the posture's natural effect on one's state of consciousness, bringing the mind actively and directly into one's practice.
ANANDA YOGA® RESOURCES
The resources below will help you explore the many facets of Ananda Yoga, which was developed by Swami Kriyananda, based on the teachings of his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi
Ananda Yoga books,
CDs, DVD's, props
Warm-Up Videos for
Asana & Pranayama
Instructional Aids &
Safety Guidelines
CERTIFIED ANANDA YOGA® TEACHERS
These teachers are certified graduates of Ananda Yoga Teacher Training programs, and are members of the Ananda Yoga Teacher Association (AYTA). Feel free to contact the teachers nearest you.
ANANDA YOGA® TEACHER SUPPORT
Learn how to reach your students on all levels: physical, psychological, spiritual.
- Teach students with unique needs
- Use the life force in asanas
- Facilitate personal spiritual experience
- Stay inspired in your teaching
Yoga Teacher Articles
Inspiration for Your Teaching
Ananda Yoga
Therapy Articles
Ask a Question
Yoga Teacher Advice
UPCOMING YOGA PROGRAMS
What is the most helpful advice an Ananda Yoga Teacher has offered you?

The most fundamental piece of advice I received from an Ananda Yoga teacher is this: The energy that moves through our bodies, our prana, directly affects our consciousness and how we choose to use this energy can change who we are. More...
LEARN ABOUT OUR YOGA TEACHERS
