Yoga Alliance Approved • State-Licensed Vocational School
founded and directed by Aadil Palkhivala and Savitri, world-renowned yoga masters
For those who have completed a 200-hour training and are ready to for the next level,
Nourish yourself with a holistic program from a dedicated lineage,
and learn to teach and practice from the heart of yoga.

For yoga teachers or serious students who want to affect the world in a positive way by teaching yoga and meditation, the Purna Yoga 500-hour Level is the next step.
Consisting of 300 hours of training and independent study, the course gives you the tools, techniques, and information to deepen your practice and elevate your teaching. Plus, you will have the time to integrate and apply what you are learning.
Plan to delve into the wellsprings of your inspiration to teach yoga—and into your heart, bringing forth the teacher within. In this course, expectations are higher and living yoga is the goal. As a graduate, you may apply to become an RYT-500 and an Affiliate Purna Yoga Instructor.

Each participant receives a 538-page manual written by Aadil Palkhivala.
Course also includes the renowned Being a Yoga Professional business class.

 

Curriculum

Philosophy:  Purna Yoga introduction and lineage, Yoga Class Etiquette, Key Sutras, Yamas and Niyamas, Kleshas, Saucha in Teaching, Savitri, Om, Mantras, Poetry, and much more

Meditation: Purna Yoga Meditation  introduction, Purna Yoga Meditation Snacks, Student/Teacher Relationships, Keeping Your Aura Clean, How to Teach Meditation

Nutrition and Lifestyle:  Nutrition Systems, Sunrider Basics, Ayurveda Basics, Ayurveda Recipes, What to Eat/What to Avoid, Alkalinity, Acidity, Digestive Health, What to Do/What to Avoid, Daily Practices for Health and Hygiene

Anatomy:  Anatomy Principles in Yoga, Bones and Bony Prominences, Joints and Muscle Classifications, Yoga Anatomy Muscle Sutras (“YAMS”), Asana and Anatomy, Anatomy of the Foot

Teaching Yoga:  Foundations for Living, Creating a Practice, Preparations for Teaching, Foundations of Teaching Asana, Relationships with Students, Method of Teaching, Delivery, Actions and Alignment (Duality, Breath, Pelvis/Head/Heart, Muscles and Joints, Spine), Adjustments, Props, Injuries and Healing, Setting Up a Class, Class Control, Professional Presentation Skills and Appearance, Voice and Verbal Presentation, Command Language

Asana:  In each section on Standing Poses, Inversions, Twists, Backbends, Abdominal Strengtheners, Seated Poses, Forward Bends, Reclining Poses, and Restorative Poses you receive information on the actions in the pose, what to look for (alignment), benefits, contraindications, moving into the pose,  adjustments, and prop work

Prānāyama:  Purpose and Practice, Methodology, Supine Position, Seated Position, Program for Prānāyama Practice

Sequences and Series: Guidelines for Sequencing, Basic Asana Reference Sequence, plus 22 detailed class sequences

Health and Healing:  Women’s Health, Menstruation Sequence, Pregnancy and Postpartum, General Considerations in Therapeutics, Therapeutic Topics - What to Do/Avoid, Therapeutic References by Pose, Therapeutic References by Condition

Being a Yoga Professional:  What is Business, Laws of Successful Business, Foundations of Professionalism, My Business Outline, Naming My Business, Places to Teach, Income and Expenses, Business Risks and Uncertainties, Essential Tools for Business, Essential Tools for Marketing, What to Charge, Basics of Bookkeeping, The Interview, Holistic Marketing, Social Media, Networking, Promotional Photos, Recruiting New Students, Retaining Current Students, Continuing Education

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What certificate will I receive?
What certificate will I receive?
This program has two certification tracks.  Students select which track they wish to complete. 

The first track is the RYT-500 Track.  In this track, with your successful completion of the program requirements (course hours and all homework) you will earn the 500-Hour Course Completion Certificate from the College of Purna Yoga. With this certificate, and once you have completed 100 hours of teaching yoga, you may register with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour Level, becoming a RYT-500.  Graduates at this level may say they teach alignment-based yoga.

In the second track, you will earn the Affiliate Purna Yoga Instructor certification in addition to the 500-hour Course Completion.  Graduates at this level will be recognized as Affiliate Purna Yoga Instructors on the Purna Yoga website (www.purnayoga.com).  This track requires additional independent study above and beyond the Yoga Alliance requirements for an RYT-500. Completion of the required elements on this track does not guarantee certification as an Affiliate Purna Yoga Instructor; this distinction is subject to approval by Aadil and Savitri.  Graduates at this level may say they teach Purna Yoga

What is the Yoga Alliance?
The Yoga Alliance was created to establish national standards for yoga teachers. Over the years, it has grown to become the nationally recognized body of yoga teacher training standards. Yoga Alliance does not certify teachers; instead it provides a list of teachers who have fulfilled certain yoga teacher training minimum standards. Those standards make up the 200-hour level and the 500-hour level of most teacher training programs today. Most studios and yoga teaching venues require teachers to be registered with the Yoga Alliance in order to teach yoga.

When can I register with Yoga Alliance?
With your successful completion of the program requirements (course hours and homework) you will earn the 500-Hour Course Completion Certificate from the College of Purna Yoga. To register with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level, becoming a “RYT-500,” you will need this certification and you will need to document 100 hours of yoga classes that you have taught in order to complete your Yoga Alliance application for registration. You may begin counting your teaching hours as soon as you have earned your RYT-200 certification, and may even include the teaching hour that you will complete during this training.

What if I my 200-hour training was not at The College of Purna Yoga?  May I still attend this course?
We honor that there are many different types of yoga and that there are many differences.  In Purna Yoga we teach specific alignment points and actions for each of the poses. The foundation for the 500 hour Level built in the 200 hour Purna Yoga Teacher Training. However, many successful graduates have bridged from other styles of yoga to this training to become excellent Purna Yoga teachers. While their 200 hour training was not in Purna Yoga, these teachers have had sufficient Purna Yoga training, through teacher trainings or workshops with Aadil Palkhivala, Savitri, or other Certified Purna Yoga Instructors to replace the curriculum they missed in the 200 hour course. Some students have found that they had to do a significant amount of study of the 200 hour curriculum (which is included in their manual) in order to be successful in the 500 hour course.

Students who attend a different school for their 200-hour training may attend the Purna Yoga 500-hour teacher training provided that they have attended at least 30 hour of Purna Yoga classes or workshops,. The 30 hours  will give students a refresher in Purna Yoga Meditation, philosophy, and teach them the primary asana sequences as well as the Purna Yoga approach to asana. In addition, you will be given the knowledge summary from the 200-hour training, so that you can create the foundation in the Purna Yoga 200-hour training, upon which the 500-hour level is built.

What if I am not registered with Yoga Alliance?  Will I still be able to attend this program?
Yes, you can attend if you meet the prerequisite of having a 200-hour foundation in teacher training.  You will not, however, be able to register as a RYT-500 with Yoga Alliance after completing this course.  You also would not be able to register at the 200-hour level, since this course does not fulfill the 200-hour standards by Yoga Alliance; it fulfills the standards for an additional 300-hour training. 
What if I have to miss one of the three courses in theWeek-long format?
Because the course progresses sequentially through the curriculum, it is very difficult to continue if you cannot attend all weeks/weekends of the courses in order. If a leave of absence is unavoidable, or if you miss more than 12 hours of a course, you will be permitted to resume the course at the same point one year later.

What if I miss a class session?
To receive your Course Completion Certificate and be eligible for Yoga Alliance registration, you must complete 100% of the classes and requirements. In addition, you must attend the first 5 modules of the course. However, we understand that you may not be able to foresee every conflict, so we have devised the following procedures if you must miss a class.
If you miss more than 30 minutes of a module (4 hour course), either by arriving late or leaving early, you will not receive credit for that module, and the entire module will have to be made-up.

Any missed modules may be made up in the following ways:
If you miss 1-3 modules (up to 12 hours), you may still complete the program by making up missed classes by taking private lessons with a teacher training instructor. One module (4 hours) = 1.5 hours of private instruction, at a cost of $120 per 1.5 hour session. Private lesson make-ups must be completed within 30 days of the completion of your course.
If you miss more than 3 modules, you may continue in the course, but you will not be eligible for a Course Completion Certificate. If you wish to receive a Course Completion Certificate, you will have to retake the course.

How many people will be in class?
We have a minimum of 8 students and accept a maximum of 16 students. In most classes, you will have one teacher and one or two assistants.

How much homework will I have?
During the breaks, you will have homework that you must complete. The homework consists of anatomy lessons, home practice in asana and meditation, books to read and respond to, and other written assignments. Your homework must be complete prior to each of the courses. Expect to spend approximately 2 hours a day on your yoga homework, which includes your personal yoga and meditation practice. Expect about 30-50 hours of homework for the entire course.

How much should I expect to pay for books and materials?
Your books should cost around $200 (less if you already own the anatomy text book from the 200-hour program). You can order them from the Yoga Centers Online Store, or find them at other book retailer.

I am coming from out-of-town. Where can I stay?
We will provide you with a list of local recommended accommodations, ranging from rooms in houses, to hotels and bed and breakfasts, as well as transportation options in the Clayton area as well as in the Bellevue area. The list is also on our website (www.yogacenters.com) under the Workshops tab - see the “Bellevue Transportation and Lodging” link on the left. Many students find that they prefer to set up carpools and shared lodgings with their classmates while they are here.

After I graduate, where will I be able to teach?
Upon completion, you will be able to teach Purna Yoga at a variety of yoga venues, such as studios, gyms, park departments, and schools. While there are no legal requirements for teaching yoga, most studios require their teachers to be registered with Yoga Alliance. The 500-hour level is one of the most prestigious levels of Yoga Alliance Registrations.