Ashtanga: Core Primary

Content and schedule

Take your Ashtanga yoga practice and teaching to the next level. During this training week, you combine your personal Mysore practice with precise adjustments, a physiologically sound approach to challenging asanas, and the philosophical depth of the Yoga Sutra.

1) Practice

Your daily practice is at the heart of your yoga journey. Each day begins with meditation and breathing practices from the Ashtanga tradition. Dr. Ronald Steiner then guides you through your personal Mysore-style practice. You work at your own pace and towards your individual goals—therapeutic and preventive, meditative, or athletic and acrobatic.

Practice time: 7:30–10:00 a.m.; subject to change.

2) Philosophy and Sanskrit

Yoga Sutra, Chapter 4: Explore meditative practices, imagery and concepts from Sāṃkhya and apply them to your practice and everyday life.

Sanskrit: Work with verbal roots and compounds to deepen your direct connection with the source texts. This helps you understand subtle shades of meaning and share the texts respectfully.

Class time: 12:00–2:00 p.m.; subject to change.

3) Teaching techniques

Adjustments: Learn to guide students safely and confidently through the middle section of the Intermediate Series, beginning with Karandavasana.

Vinyasa Count: Deepen your understanding of the Second Series and learn to teach breath and movement with the precision of a musical score.

Adapting asanas: Build challenging postures in a physiologically sound way and develop variations for different needs.

Arm-balance special: Develop clear technical steps for playful and safe arm balances.

Class time: 2:30–5:00 p.m.; subject to change.

4) Meditative evening

Recitation and meditation take you deeper into the themes of the fourth chapter of the Yoga Sutra. The shared evening practice runs from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.; subject to change.

Start: Friday, July 17, 2026 at 2:30 p.m.
End: Friday, July 24, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

Prerequisites

Please complete “Ashtanga: Foundations” and one additional Ashtanga training module of your choice beforehand—or contact us in advance to confirm your eligibility.

Training scope and certificate

120 teaching units: 60 in person · 60 eLearning · Certificate upon successful completion

Not included: travel, accommodation and meals.

Your eLearning Journey

Your Classic access unlocks the accompanying eLearning Journey for preparation and follow-up. This helps you integrate the module into your AYI training.

Catering

The AYI Café team offers vegan organic catering throughout the training week. Brunch and dinner can be booked separately until one week before the course begins. Please email cafe@ashtangayoga.info.

Image: Tree meditation. Photo: Tom Rosenthal.