Teachers at the Atma Center

Qualifications.

All Atma Center instructors have completed Level One Accreditation as SATYANANDA YOGA® teachers, which requires a minimum of 1.5 years of study. Students must undergo written assessments on applied anatomy & physiology, student support skills and other topics; must teach 16 weeks of classes under the guidance of a senior instructor in addition to 4 weeks of free classes for an underserved population; and must complete various assignments plus First Aid and CPR training before they are certified through our program. This training surpasses the 200-hour registration level of the Yoga Alliance.

Several teachers have completed Level Two Accreditation, which necessitates an additional 1.5 years of study and comprises over 3000 hours of training.

All instructors must also document continuing education, agree to abide by a code of ethics and maintain registration with Yoga Aliiance. You can see in detail what our teachers study in our teacher training program.

Names and initiations: what they mean.

Many of our instructors have received initiation (diksha) into this lineage of yoga, which means they have made a formal commitment to deepen their knowledge, serve others through teaching, and further the development of yoga as a tool for health on all levels. You may see one or more of these terms in an instructor's biography:

Mantra initiation: a commitment to a daily yoga practice given specifically for them by the head of the Satyananda lineage.
Jignasu sannyasa: sannyasa means "renunciation" and jignasu means "willing to learn". Jignasu sannyasins agree to renounce, or give up, part of their time to learn more about yoga and to help others who wish to learn about it. Jigansu sannyasins often wear yellow to remind them of their commitment.
Karma sannyasa: karma means "action". A karma sannyasin dedicates a significant amount of his/her life to the service of others through teaching and developing educational, medical, or charitable centers. Karma sannyasins wear orange while working so that students needing special guidance know to whom they can go.
Poorna sannyasa: poorna means "full". A poorna sannyasin sees his or her whole life as a yoga practice and is fully dedicated to serving others under the direction of a teacher or guru.

Some instructors also receive Sanskrit names which they use when teaching. The names are meant to reveal the innermost part of the self which is to be developed through the practice of yoga. The translations for the names are given on the individual biography pages.

Teachers at the Atma Center

Qualifications.

Names and initiations: what they mean.

Teachers: