Dates
- Jul 9 – Aug 6, 2017
- Oct 22 – Nov 19, 2017
- Mar 25 – Apr 22, 2018
- Jul 8 – Aug 5, 2018
- Oct 21 – Nov 18, 2018
| Tent RV |
Standard Shared |
Standard Private |
Deluxe Shared |
Deluxe Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2856 | $3780 | $5628 | $5068 | $7616 |
Teachers
Maitri Jones, Melody Hansen, Nayaswami Gyandev McCord, Nayaswami Diksha, Barbara Bingham, Annapurna Lacour and Satyana Hall
More Information
Registered with
Yoga Alliance at
200 & 300 Hours
Go beyond physical exercise into the deeper realms of yoga. It's a life-changing experience — for both you and your students — as you experience spiritual growth and wellness on all levels.
Immerse Yourself in Yoga as a Way of Life
This residential yoga teacher training in California is much more than techniques. You'll be a full-time part of Ananda Village, one of the leading ashrams in the U.S. As you explore creative new ways to live your yoga, you'll be supported by the magnetism of an entire community of long-time yogis.
Nursing CEU Eligible: 86 hours
Become a Certified Yoga Teacher
- Introduction Level 1
- Sample Schedule
- Frequent Questions
- Instructors
- Graduates’ Testimonials
- Photo Gallery
- Costs
- Accommodations
- Apply for Level 1
200-hr certification in one month
You can split the course into 2 two-week segments
You'll learn to teach—and practice more effectively—a broad spectrum of yoga techniques, including:
- 30 asanas, including how to draw their spiritual benefits
- Specific affirmations for each asana
- Asana mechanics, safety cautions, and how to adapt asanas for student limitations
- How to work directly with the body's subtle energy, including the chakras and kundalini
- Classical pranayama (yoga breathing techniques)
In addition, you'll learn and practice traditional yoga meditation techniques and Yogananda's renowned Energization Exercises. As in any ashram environment, you'll also have the option to participate regularly in chanting and prayer.
A Spiritually Dynamic Certificate Training
For more than 40 years, Ananda School of Yoga & Meditation® has been training teachers in the full range of the yoga tradition as taught by Paramhansa Yogananda—from asana, pranayama, and meditation, to health and yoga philoosophy. This course experience is a dynamic blend of professional training and personal growth.
Go Beyond Techniques
This comprehensive curriculum includes:
- Yoga philosophy, including Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and more
- Yoga lifestyle, including yogic diet and magnetic living
- Anatomy and physiology for yoga teachers
Become a Magnetic Teacher
- Practice teaching for groups and one-to-one
- How to assist and adjust students in the asanas
- Guidance on how to refine your teaching, including a video recording session and personal teaching reviews
- How to plan a class: structure and sequence; your own teaching style; marketing
“At my first class after the yoga teacher training retreat, one of my students said, ‘You are different. I want what you have.’ To me that is the best testimonial of my Ananda experience.”
– C. S., Fresno, California
Additional Personal Benefits
- Create a new direction in your life
- Become much more personally empowered
- Connect with your own highest self
What was the most helpful advice an Ananda Yoga Teacher offered to you to help you succeed?
Receive Post-graduation Support
- Newsletters, question and answer forum, student referrals, discounts on courses for 500-hour yoga teacher certification, and more
Register with Yoga Alliance
Graduates of this yoga teacher training in California can become Registered Yoga Teachers (RYTs) with Yoga Alliance, the national yoga teacher certification standard in the United States.
This designation will enhance your credibility as a teacher.
“My experience at The Expanding Light Retreat was ecstatic.… My personal practice has deepened, and I can confidently share my knowledge, feelings and practices with my students. ”
– L. J., Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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Maitri Jones
Certified Yoga Therapist, Level 2 Ananda Yoga Teacher, E-RYT-500, Ananda Minister, Counselor
Maitri is a calm, high-energy person who approaches her many programs with enthusiasm and talent. Her name means “Friend” in Sanskrit and well describes her extraordinarily kind and supportive nature.
Melody Hansen
Director of Ananda Yoga® Teacher Training, Director of Restorative Yoga Teacher Training, Level 2 Ananda Yoga Teacher, E-RYT 500, Ananda Meditation® Teacher
Melody is an extraordinary yoga teacher, who conveys her great knowledge of yoga asanas—from physical mechanics to spiritual upliftment—with a blend of graciousness, authority, and fun. One of Melody's greatest strengths is the purity of her transmission of Yoga. She has very little egotism to block the clear flow of inspiration she shares. Her inner life is committed and deep, and she's able to help students experience that depth in their yoga practice.
Nayaswami Gyandev McCord
Director of Ananda Yoga®, Level 2 Ananda Yoga teacher, E-RYT 500, Raja Yoga Teacher, Spiritual Travel Host, Writer and Lecturer, Ananda Minister
What is a nayaswami?
Combining a fun-loving spirit, keen insight into the spiritual life, and genuine warmth, Nayaswami Gyandev makes the inner quest seem both natural and doable. Since 1983 he has taught Ananda Yoga to thousands of students and trained hundreds of teachers around the world, often forging deep and lasting bonds of friendship and inspiration.
Nayaswami Diksha
Ananda Minister, Counselor, Level 2 Ananda Yoga teacher, E-RYT-500, Director of Ananda Meditation Teacher Training
What is a nayaswami?
A popular Expanding Light teacher since 1997, Diksha McCord is the Director of the Meditation Teacher Training program. Nayaswami Diksha, a native Israeli who came to the U.S. in 1990, is a powerful and dynamic woman who has shared yoga postures and yogic teachings across the United States, in Canada and Europe.
Barbara Bingham
Level 2 Ananda Yoga Teacher, E-RYT 500, Ananda Yoga Therapist
Barbara is a Hatha Yoga teacher, a Registered Physical Therapist and a former gymnast. She brings all of her training together in her yoga teaching and helps people enjoy using their bodies in the healthiest way possible.
Annapurna Lacour
Ananda Yoga® Instructor, E-RYT 200, Ananda Meditation® Teacher
Annapurna Lacour graduated from Ananda Institute of Living Yoga, in Bothell, Washington, and has been teaching yoga since 2007. She has been a student of Ayurveda since 1990, and continues her education with Kerala Ayurveda School in Wellness Counseling.
Satyana Hall
Ananda Yoga and Meditation Teacher
Satyana brings lighthearted joy and energy to her teaching of yoga and meditation. She is loving, caring, and accepting, and enjoys helping people discover their highest potential, whether that be in body, mind, or spirit.
or e-mail or call us at 1-800-346-5350
Yes, you can split the course into 2 two-week segments
Costs (YTT)
Costs are on a per person basis.
- Jul 9 – Aug 6, 2017
- Oct 22 – Nov 19, 2017
- Mar 25 – Apr 22, 2018
- Jul 8 – Aug 5, 2018
- Oct 21 – Nov 18, 2018
| Tent RV |
Standard Shared |
Standard Private |
Deluxe Shared |
Deluxe Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2856 | $3780 | $5628 | $5068 | $7616 |
Prices are all-inclusive and cover accommodations, meals, classes or activities, and course materials.
Ananda Yoga Teacher Training starts the afternoon of the first date listed and ends with lunch on the last date. Please see:
Pick up & drop off at Sacramento Airport. Click links for details.Yoga Alliance RYTs and E-RYTs receive a 10% discount on the total cost for Ananda Yoga Teacher Training. To receive the discount, please tell us when you register: your name as it appears in the Yoga Alliance registry, and your city/state/country.
You can add extra personal retreat days before and/or after your program. Check availability and costs for the days and accommodations that you require.
Ananda Yoga Teacher Training starts the afternoon of the first date listed. It’s ideal to arrive before 4 pm, if you are able to. That way, you can join in the afternoon session of yoga and meditation, which begins at 4:45 pm. Dinner is at 6:30. The first real gathering of your group is at 7:30 pm. If you need to arrive here after 5 pm, that’s fine, but it helps us if you let us know at 800-346-5350. We can also put aside a dinner for you if you need to arrive after 7 pm. The program ends with lunch on the last date. Please see our Daily Schedule.
See Transportation and Directions whether you are coming by plane, car, bus or train. Our Frequent Questions page answers many of the questions you might have about How to Go on Retreat.
The Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease is currently looking for yoga teachers/stress management specialists trained by Ananda. Read more...
“This was the best month of my life – truly a life-transforming experience…”
– C. S., Fresno, California
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“My 4 weeks of Ananda Yoga Teacher Training was one of the most fulfilling and spiritually transforming periods in my life. All of the instructors, along with the entire Ananda community, were very supportive and nurturing.”
– R. F., Lake Bluff, Illinois
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