Choosing India for My 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Choosing a place for my 200-hour yoga teacher training wasn’t difficult — I could easily think of India. Being the birthplace of yoga, India is also a country known for its vibrant colors, its diversity of culture, and its hospitality — something everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime. This was my second visit to India, and once I received confirmation from my yoga school, I was like an excited kid.
Rishikesh, the Yoga Capital of the World, offers everything an aspiring yoga teacher can dream of — from classical Hatha Yoga to Aerial Yoga, Hot Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga, alongside a paradise for those drawn to meditation. Beyond yoga, Rishikesh also has a taste for sound healing, dance classes, and Ayurvedic cooking classes that students can take up alongside their training.
Meeting a Silent Yogi: A Visit Organized by Rishikesh Yoga Valley
Out of the many beautiful experiences during my teacher training in Rishikesh, I particularly want to share a unique visit organized by my school, Rishikesh Yoga Valley — to meet a Silent Yogi who has been practicing Mouna Sadhana, complete silence, for 12 years.
On Sunday, we packed a light, healthy breakfast and set out at 7 AM. For the entire journey, the Ganga stayed on our right as we drove past beautiful mountain views. We crossed a bridge into the calmer side of town, away from the tourist crowds. The riverbank here barely had any people — just a few locals, shepherds, and cow-herders. A few hundred meters ahead lived my yoga teacher’s spiritual guru — the Silent Yogi — in his humble home.
The Life of Guru Narayan Giri
Guru Narayan Giri, nearly 50 years old, has practiced yoga since his younger years and has kept Mouna Sadhana for the past 12 years. He lives in a humble mountain home — a small living area attached to a kitchen and one room. What touched me most was that despite having so little space for himself, he keeps a room reserved for travelers and yatris passing through the region’s holy temples. It said everything about how full his heart is with service and love for others.
His day starts at 4 AM. He bathes in the Ganga, offers Surya Arghya — a prayer where water is offered to the sun — then performs sun salutations before moving into meditation. He eats two simple, sattvic meals a day: fruits, berries, dal, and rotis. In the evenings, he offers prayer to the fire and returns to meditation once more.
A Conversation in Silence
It isn’t every day that he meets guests, so I felt lucky and honored to have this opportunity — and curious to ask him a few questions. He agreed to communicate through writing, translated by my yoga teacher, Kamal.
The first thing I asked was why he had taken up such a difficult Sadhana. His simple answer: “Because my intuition guided me to,” he said, smiling.
“There is a lot of noise in the world, but I’m deaf to it. There is a lot of temptation in this world, but I’m dumb to it. My heart is so full with prayer, at peace and in love, in silence. I have no pressure to seek validation or attention from the world.”
He also said, “Very often we take our speech for granted and hurt others with our words — words have the power to scar another person’s heart. My Sadhana doesn’t allow me to do that. The goal is to gain control over your senses, not to give in to their temptations. My Sadhana isn’t just about silencing my tongue — it’s about silencing my mind.”
That’s when it hit me — the true essence of yoga is to silence the mind and always reflect inward. We’re gifted with free will, but how many of us are truly capable of using it? It was thought-provoking, and honestly, inspiring.
As we rode back, we stopped for chai. No one said much. I think we were all quietly contemplating our own lives.
Bringing the Lesson Back to the Mat
There are countless yoga schools in Rishikesh, but choosing the right one is the first step, and it shapes your entire experience and transformation. I chose to learn authentic classical Hatha Yoga at Rishikesh Yoga Valley, and Kamal always made sure our experiences aligned with what we were learning. The next morning, he taught us heart-opening asanas, to reflect on the previous day’s lessons — acceptance, and living guided by intuition. We worked on our Anahata Chakra, and I nearly had tears during Shavasana by the end of the session.
Reflections on Rishikesh
There’s something for everyone in Rishikesh — river rafting or bungee jumping for the adventurous, hostels and cafe-hopping for travelers, the Ganga and countless ashrams and temples for spiritual seekers. But this experience wasn’t listed anywhere. I’m grateful to Rishikesh Yoga Valley and Kamal for including such a thoughtfully crafted, unique cultural immersion as part of the 200-Hour Teacher Training — the kind of experience that helps students find answers to whatever they’re really seeking.
My 200-hour yoga teacher training experience in Rishikesh couldn’t have been better. It’s impacted me in ways that will stay with me for a long time. To all the aspiring yoga teachers out there — may the universe grant you experiences like this one.
Love & Light
Curious what a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Rishikesh Yoga Valley looks like beyond the syllabus?
Check 200 Hour TTC Details
