7 Day Pranayama (Breathing Practice) & Yoga Retreat (Continuing Education) in Rishikesh, India
"Authentic 7-Day Yoga Experience in Rishikesh"
Program Overview
Authentic 7-day yoga teacher training experience in Rishikesh with Yoga Vidya Mandiram.
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- Daily yoga asanas classes
- Karma-yoga and daily mantra recitations
- Daily shat-kryiya and pranayama practices followed by pranayama theory
- An excursion on a rest day at the foot of the Himalayas (near Rishikesh)
- Daily guided instructions into relaxation and meditation practices
- Three daily healthy, nutritious vegetarian meals
- 6 nights non-AC accommodation
- Karma
At a glance
Yoga styles
Check-in Time
14:00
Check-out Time
12:00
Facilities
- Smoke-free property
- Yoga studio
- Free Wi-Fi
Library
The accommodation is facilitated with Wi-Fi connection and with air-conditioning available (on request only). However, please note that Yoga Vidya Mandiram School provides accommodation for a student who joins yoga classes. Any friends or relatives will not be included in the accommodation.
There are 3 different room options available for this course: private single room, Twin shared room and Triplet shared room. The rooms are equipped with beddings, attached bathroom and Wi-Fi connection. All shared rooms are shared with the same gender. Mother and daughter, wife and husband can share their rooms. The bathrooms are equipped with hot showers and towels.
Certifications
The course/hours count as Continuing Education hours for Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®) only.
- This retreat is suitable for those who
- Are either fresh beginners or beginners with basic knowledge of yoga
Wants a short break from a busy and fast lifestyle to refresh and balance the body and mind
- Are interested in learning breathing and pranayama techniques to practice in daily life
- Are looking for a balanced lifestyle through yogic wisdom, science, and practices
- Are yoga teachers who want further guidance or deepen their pranayama practices
- Are registered RYT and want to collect Continuing Education (CE) training hours
The Breath and Pranayama Retreat at Yoga Vidya Mandiram in Rishikesh, India, is held over a duration of 7 days and 6 nights. While this retreat explores the practices of pranayama as the highlight of the program, the curriculum also integrates yoga asana, relaxation, and meditation practices on a daily basis to bring balance into students’ practice. For asana practices, the school focuses on Hatha yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga styles of asana.
Students will go through 6 days of training with one rest day per week. On this rest day, the school organizes a half-day excursion for students that may involve visits to one of the sacred sites in Rishikesh. The rest day usually falls on a Sunday but may be shifted to a weekday to avoid tourists and traffic during high season in Rishikesh. The excursion would be a visit to either Vashishtha Cave or Kunjapuri Temple. The excursion may shift to a different destination in specific circumstances. excursion organized by the school is included in the course fee and the destination would be selected by the school.
Retreat curriculum
Yoga Vidya Mandiram guides its students of yoga to a journey of self-discovery and inspires them to practice yoga holistically; yoga for you is a process of integrating the body, breath, and mind, and focus are placed on other limbs of the practice beyond the physical yoga asanas.
- Breathing and pranayama practices
- Establishment of diaphragmatic breath
- 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 breathing practices
Different practices of pranayama: nadi shodhana, ujjayee, kapalabhati, bhastrika, shitali, shikari, and brahmari
- Benefits or pranayama practices
- Satkarma or cleansing exercises
Jala-neti
- Sutra-neti (Introduction)
- Practice relaxation and preparation for yogic sleep
- Introduction to the concept and practices of relaxation
- Relaxation in daily life
- Sequence of relaxation practices
- Tension and relaxation exercises
- Systematic relaxation exercises
- 31 points relaxation exercise
Meditation
- What is meditation and what is not?
- Meditation in daily life
- Two to five minutes meditations
- So-ham mediation
- Meditation with sushumna breath
- Mantra chanting
- Intro to mantra science
- Morning prayers and evening prayers
- Suryanamaskara 12 mantras along with bija mantras
- Hatha yoga and Ashtanga yoga asana
Meditative steps of performing the Hatha yoga: centering, entering, refining, holding, coming out, and reflection
Suryanamaskar (sun salutations)
Types of yoga asanas: standing, sitting, backward bending, forward bending, spinal twisting, fire series, inversion, Shavasana, and others
- Yoga asanas benefits
- Typical daily schedule
- 05:00 Wake up!
| 06:15–06:30 | Mantra chanting |
| 06:30–07:30 | Session 1 - shat-kriya and pranayama practice |
| 07:30–09:00 | Hatha yoga (classical) |
| 09:00–10:00 | Breakfast and free time |
| 10:00–12:00 | Session 2 - Pranayama theory and practice |
| 12:30–13:00 | Karma yoga (Seva) |
| 13:00–14:30 | Lunch |
| 14:30–16:00 | Self-study / self-practice |
| 16:00–16:15 | Tea break |
| 16:30–18:00 | Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga |
| 18:00–19:00 | Relaxation (yoga Nidra) and meditation practice |
| 19:00–20:00 | Dinner |
| 20:00–21:00 | Self-study / free time |
21:00 Go to sleep!
Schedule is subject to slight changes without prior notice.
Please note that on the first day, the course will start with an opening fire ceremony at 10:30. Yoga Vidya Mandiram advise that you arrive at least 1-2 hours early to settle into your room and take your time before the course starts. However, if your journey will be a long one, you may plan to arrive a day early to give yourself time to recover from your journey.
- Important Note
- Official Check-in Time: 14:00 - 21:00
- Official Check-out Time: 12:00
Early check-in is possible only if room is available, ready and requested in advance before arrival. Early check-in would be possible only starting from 09:00 onwards. They usually keep rooms available on the first day of the course, so students can check-in when they arrive in the morning.
Late check-in is not possible after 21:00.
Please take into account the check-in time to plan your arrival at the school. Many international flights landing in Delhi and overnight transports means arriving in Rishikesh at night. Their school does not have 24 hours check-in, but they can help with taxi pick-up 24 hours and transfer you safely to a hotel / hostel with 24 hours check-in service, if needed.
Excursion is half-day sightseeing on the rest day, usually on Sunday but may change depending on the weather or the time of the year to avoid traffic from the annual pilgrimage. The destination of the excursion is usually to the Vashishtha Cave, but can change under unexpected circumstances.
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Cleansing and wholesome nutrition for your practiceDuring this yoga training, you will be served three daily delicious and healthy vegetarian meals; breakfast, lunch and dinners. Filtered water, Chai tea, and snacks are also available. We offer simple Indian dishes balanced with proteins so you feel full and satisfied. If you are planning to have fast in any day, please inform Yoga Vidya Mandiram for avoiding food waste.
The following meals are included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Drinks
The following drinks are included
Water
Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
Vegetarian
Vegan
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Organic
- Yogic
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organizer when making a reservation.
Massages/treatments
- Mountain hiking, walking, or trekking
- Rafting in the Ganges
Shopping
- Trekking in the Himalayas
- Visit nearby temples and shrines
- 6 nights non-AC accommodation (AC available at additional cost)
- Three vegetarian meals per day
- Afternoon tea (Masala Chai)
- Half-day excursion
- Free Wi-Fi
- Yoga materials during class (i.e. yoga mat, block, belt, etc.)
- Printed study handouts
- Course certification
- GST (18%)
- Airport transfer (available at additional charges)
- Travel expenses (i.e. airfare, train, bus, taxi, and others)
- Extra nights beyond course dates (available at additional charges)
- Extra excursions not organized by the school
- Air conditioning / heater (available at additional charges)
- Travel and medical insurance
- Other personal expenses
- Laundry services (available nextdoor)
Beautiful and serene location in Rishikesh, carefully chosen to provide the perfect setting for your yoga journey.
Recommended Airports
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price. The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled. The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
- A reservation requires a deposit of 15% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
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