Attending a yoga teacher training intensive is a great time to explore yoga in-depth. Many intensives are held at remote retreat centers, giving students an additional break from the routine demands of life. The range of possibilities is wide, from spa-like to regimented, and from a gentle immersion to serious advanced teacher trainings. While many of the students will have definite plans to teach, others will be there to deepen their practice or to explore the possibility of teaching.
Time to Focus
Most modern yogis fit classes in between work, family, housecleaning and other demands. A yoga intensive is a time to focus on your yoga practice, while learning more about yoga philosophy and lifestyle. During the intensive, you can explore teaching and evaluate whether you like it or not. Spending a couple of weeks or months on your practice will help you keep it as a priority when you return to regular life. According to Deb Bobier, who now leads yoga retreats and teacher trainings along with her husband, her first yoga intensive was a transformational experience. "We became more relaxed, calm and yes, even more confident," she says. "The knowledge we gained, and continue to gain about ourselves, has been invaluable."
A Yoga Vacation
You can also approach a yoga intensive as a vacation with a purpose. If you like yoga and you want to explore the possibility of teaching while visiting a far-flung place, a yoga intensive gives you a built-in group to hang around with. You know you'll have at least one thing in common with the other participants. Some intensives in places like Costa Rica, India, Mexico and Hawaii include long breaks in the afternoon for sightseeing. If you're looking for something vacation-like, make sure you read the daily schedule before signing up.
Traditional Intensives
At the other end of the spectrum, some intensives are just as they sound: intense. For more than 40 years, the Sivananda Vedanta Center has been training yoga teachers in four-week intensives. Its 26,000 plus graduates teach all over the world. Sivananda intensives are for people who want to immerse themselves in a yoga lifestyle, including chanting, vegetarianism and study of Hindu scriptures. These are some of the most affordable teacher trainings you can find. Four weeks in the Bahamas runs from $2,400 for tuition and a tent to $3,290 if you want a dorm room as of 2011. Also, as of 2011, you can study yoga in Argentina for $2.300 for tuition plus a room housing three people, or $3,100 for a double. Sivananda also offers advanced trainings and specialty courses.
Curricula and Daily Programs
Curricula and daily schedules vary widely between intensives. The Kripalu Center, a well established retreat and learning center located in Massachusetts' Berkshire Mountains, offers what they call "skills for transformational teaching" during their teacher training intensive. They're known for teaching a gentle, individualized approach of working with students. Tuition for a month at the Kripalu Center is $2,575, plus lodging, which ranges from $2,185 for a dorm bed to $4,332 for a nice private room as of 2010. The Sivananda centers favor self-discipline, with a wake-up call at 5:30 a.m., lights out at 10:00 p.m., and no significant breaks during the day.
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