Integral Yoga teaches students in each form of yoga. This includes Hatha Yoga, which includes poses, breathing and diet; Raja Yoga for ethics and meditation; Bhakti Yoga for devotion and spiritual life; Karma Yoga for service to others; Jnana Yoga for the study of sacred texts; and Japa Yoga, which includes chanting, mantras and sound. According to Integral Yoga International, learning all components of yoga creates well-rounded, happy people.
History
Sri Swami Satchidananda founded Integral Yoga in 1966 and became a presence among the counter-culture of the time. He blessed the opening of the Woodstock Festival in 1969. Satchidananda learned from his guru, Sri Swami Sivanananda Saraswati Maharaj, and became a monk in 1949 in the Divine Life Society. Today, there are more than 50 Integral Yoga Institutes and Teaching Centers in the United States. His first school, Satchidananda Yoga Ashram, began in Yogaville, Virginia (or Buckingham, Virginia) in 1979.
Features
Integral Yoga asana, or pose practice, includes many formats that are common to other styles of yoga. For example, the Integral Yoga Institute of New York features Gentle Yoga, Restorative Yoga and classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Integral institutes also offer numerous workshops and retreats in areas such as meditation, chanting, basics of ayurvedics and nutrition. Integral Yoga is popular for its live-in programs, where students can live a yogic lifestyle at one of their ashrams.
Time Frame
Integral Yoga encourages students to incorporate all principles of yoga into their daily lives. The length of classes and content within may vary, but according to the Integral Yoga Institute Guide for Students, they all include basic principles, including opening chants, eye movements, physical postures, deep relaxation, breathing practices, meditation and closing chants. The guide also lists 12 poses and a variation of Sun Salutation A--a sequence of poses for warm-up common to yoga-- as Integral Yoga Poses. Yoga instructors may teach other poses as well. Classes end with a portion of meditation.
Considerations
Although students of all demographics practice Integral Yoga, "Yoga Journal" emphasizes that the style is good for students with chronic illness, back pain or pregnant or elderly students because it uses a gentle approach to poses and meditation. Because of Integral Yoga's holistic approach to the principles of yoga, many dedicated students choose vegetarian or vegan diets as well as participate in volunteer projects and other humanitarian efforts. Among other departments, Integral Yoga has a ministry, monastic order, prison outreach and fine arts society.
Teacher Training
Many of Integral Yoga's teacher training programs take place at the Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia, since it is their world headquarters. They have both 200- and 500-hour teacher training for those wishing to obtain certification recognized by Yoga Alliance. Typically, the trainings require residential stays of about one month. Other Integral Yoga institutes have smaller teacher training programs, which are residential or just run on a weekly basis.
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