In today’s situation, especially when dealing with the pandemic, every human needs to relax their body and mind. Each of us can’t go to the gym and do a hardcore workout. But yoga is something that is beneficial for people of all age groups, despite the level of their body fitness. Hence, yoga centers are the best fitness option for today’s mechanical life.
What is Yoga?
Not only in India but yoga classes are common abroad as well. Though yoga in India is taken very seriously. Traditional Yoga is all about a combination of relaxation, meditation, breathing techniques, and physical postures. This practice is over 5000 years old and has its roots connected to India. There are 6 different branches of yoga, which can be categorized based on characteristics and focus.
- Hatha Yoga is a mental and physical branch that focuses on mind and body primarily.
- Raja Yoga involves meditation and the following of disciplinary steps known as “8 limbs of yoga” strictly.
- Karma Yoga focuses on a path that helps the one performing it to be free from selfishness and negativity
- Bhakti Yoga objectives are to establish a devotional path, cultivate tolerance and acceptance, and also shows us the path that helps to channel emotions in a positive direction
- Jnana Yoga focuses on the path that helps to become a scholar focusing on wisdom and intellect development through studying.
- Tantra Yoga is a pathway of the ceremony, rituals, and relationship consummation.
There are different styles and types of yoga which a person can do based on their level of fitness and goals. Ashtanga Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Kripalu Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Power Yoga, Sivananda, Viniyoga, Yin Yoga, Prenatal Yoga and Restorative Yoga. But people and yoga centers in India prefer modern yoga, which focuses on multiple techniques and postures.
Yoga Courses in India’s Yoga Centers
People in India often go to ashrams to learn Yoga. The true Yoga essence can be well understood in Ashrams only. Anyone who wants to go for a yoga retreat is interested to learn yoga for themselves or become a yoga instructor can go to these yoga centers. Here are few ashrams that should be considered if interested to learn Yoga.
-
Amma’s Ashram
This ashram is located in Amritapuri, a place in Kerala. It is owned by the famous saint Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, who is also addressed as “Hugging Saint.” The most famous yoga program here is Amrita Yoga which focuses mainly on Hatha Yoga.
-
Art of Living Ashram
This ashram is located in Bangalore was founded in 1986 by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and is a registered school for yoga. A person can master yoga as here in this ashram everything they teach is from the basics. They focus on all the types of yoga, making sure that the breathing technique and the posture of a person are as perfect as that of a yogi.
-
AyurYoga Eco-Ashram
Located in Mysore, this ashram teaches traditional yoga but with a modern infrastructure. They have one-month courses as well that allows a person to become a yoga teacher.
-
Bihar School of Yoga
Founded in 1964 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and Swami Sivananda Saraswati, this ashram is located in Munger, a small town in Bihar. Training for all the four Hathya Yoga stages as well as a program especially Raja Yoga is provided here.
-
ICYER
International Centre for Yoga Education and Research located in Pondicherry was founded by Dr Swami Gitananda Giri and is for someone who can dedicate a longer period. This ashram is famous for its “6-month residential teacher training program” that runs every year. It is very difficult to get admission for this course. This program of them includes 375 Kriyas, Mudras, and Asanas, forty techniques of pranayama with 1400 hours of practice, yoga therapy, yogic eating as well as meditation.
-
Phool Chatti Ashram
Located in Rishikesh, this ashram has a 7-day Meditation or Yoga Program. It is best suited for someone who does not want to dedicate longer hours but still wants to get the essence of Yoga.
-
Parmath Niketan
It is one of the largest and the strictest ashrams. They have more than 2000 rooms. One can go to this ashram for their retreat weeks as well as a training course of 200 hours which lets one become a yoga teacher.
Apart from the above list, people who want to learn yoga or become a teacher can also go to Kaivalyadham in Lonavla, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram which is situated in Chennai, Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, and Yoga Institute in Mumbai.
Yoga Trainers and Best Yoga Centers in India
Not everyone wants to go to an ashram to learn yoga or to become a teacher. Most people want yoga to be included in their daily routine and that is why they look for yoga trainers or yoga centres. Due to COVID and lockdown, people can’t step out and go to yoga studios but they can definitely attend live classes or follow yoga trainers online. Here are five classes or trainers to be considered:
-
Cult Fit
Cult Fit is a Bangalore-based fitness company. It has centers in many places including Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Nagpur, Kolkata, and many other places. Due to COVID even they have shifted their classes online. There are preloaded videos that have free access but one can pay and join the group as well as one-to-one classes.
-
Vinyas Yoga Studio
This studio was established in 1997 and is of the friendliest as well as a flexible yoga studio. They have a provision for online classes for pregnant women, children as well as parental yoga.
-
AtréYoga studio
One of the best classes for yoga, AtreYoga studio makes sure that the people who have signed up for their online classes should have a great posture. One can easily sign up for the classes from its official website.
-
Yoganama
Yoganama is a fitness studio by Namita Piparaiya. Namita is a former banker and knows the challenges one faces daily when in corporate life. Her videos are available in curefit, voot, and many other channels as well. There are different types of membership one can’t opt for to participate in the online classes.
-
Sakshi Gupta
Sakshi provides a blend of live sessions as well as pre-recorded classes. She has a facility of virtual group classes as well as virtual mobility classes.
One can follow fitness influencers on Instagram or YouTube as well if they are not willing to spend money for yoga classes. Influencers like aanchal (Train with aanchal), Natasha noel, and many others do not have yoga centres but are well trained and can definitely be followed. People can also follow simple soulful Shilpa Shetty at a very reasonable price and it is free for the one who has Jio Fibre.
