Testimonials

An intensely magical experience in India. Learned so infinitely precious things from a wise, enlightened and incredibly talented teacher.

"What I liked most about this training? Ganga, the principal teacher! I could not have had a better experience. Ganga was the light in all our hearts, a true yogini and a very skilled and experienced teacher. Ganga, you make all of the teachings deeply fascinating and you kept us in the moment every time you taught. I feel that I have made immense progress and that my future practice will be way more stable and interesting. I will keep riding the wave and yoga will be the center of my life. The accommodation and facilities were perfect! Very subtle and sentient setting. The food was brilliant and I always felt that my environment contributed to my practice and a very supportive and tranquilizing way. Ganga's philosophy classes were the highlight of the training and my favourite part of the course. Ganga has such deep passion and understanding. All the subjects were conveyed in a pure and loving way. I simply could not get more excited. I felt like time had stopped. It was a big experience for me. So deeply inspiring. Thank you! I loved every moment of the practical classes and workshops and to have a yogini like Ganga to help your practical experience is a big opportunity. So many years of experience come to expression in Ganga's asana classes. She knows all the postures in profound detail. She is a loving example of what a regular asana practice can do to your being. My own practice and understanding has improved by light years. I am so happy that Nishtha was my first Sanskrit teacher. I think it is rarely found that someone has such love for his subject. Nishtha went above and transcended theory by introducing us to the spiritual importance of Sanskrit. He inspired me to continue studying Sanskrit in the future. I am deeply satisfied with this training. It was very informative, inspiring, challenging, loving and enlightening. It feels like everything was meant to be. This course provides true and traditional yoga for the true spiritual seeker. It was beyond all my expectations and I will never forget such a life-changing experience. I am so deeply moved and grateful for having been part of this training. I will keep developing my practice and teaching and I deeply hope to be able to contribute and participate in your future ashram and projects."

"I loved that this was immersive and intensive so we were completely focused on our spiritual path with no distractions for a month. I especially enjoyed learning Indian history, Tantra, anatomy and the satsang. The location is beautiful with all the amenities including hot showers, comfy beds and great roommates! The garden was lovely and the staff were brilliant. Ganga, you have a wonderful organised way of teaching that conveys a lot of information in an efficient and timely way. I found it illuminating and deeply interesting. I like how thorough you are with the key, most popular asanas. The anatomy classes were amazing. I absolutely loved these classes. There was a lot of information and terminology but I felt I grasped all the concepts and could apply it to my spiritual path and understanding of teaching. A wonderful month spent with beautiful souls that will stay in my heart always. I feel so blessed to have had this experience and will carry this joy, passion and love for yoga with me spreading and sharing it with all who are interested. Thank you for your love, passion and warmth."

"The environment was fantastic for this particular training and the teaching was of a very high standard. I find myself with a far superior knowledge of yoga now than I ever possibly would have gained from anywhere else. I enjoyed the focused time to dedicate to my practice and the depth of the training - the knowledge, the trainers, the asanas, the themed practical. The accommodation and facilities were very good. Ganga is a very good teacher with extensive knowledge and with incredible practical experience as well as being well-read on all topics covered. I feel honoured to be taught by her. I enjoyed the practical classes and workshops very much. Ganga's asana classes were excellent. The anatomy teacher had an excellent manner and was easy going. He conveyed the information in a very informative, easy to understand way - he was great. I feel very privileged to have shared this experience with such amazing, like-minded people.

"The location of the ashram was secluded in the beautiful countryside with Zen-like gardens. I loved the accommodation and my roommates too! The entire cast was a fantastic group. Loved the home. 🙂 Ganga's philosophy and theory classes were extremely thorough and gave a bundle of useful information. I am going away with so much information to continue study and read and spread my knowledge. Ganga's asana classes helped me to feel strong leaving the month-long course. I feel like I gained strength in certain areas physically and also in my practice. I am forever grateful to have had this experience with you, Ganga. You have changed me in my way of thinking and my practice forever with my spirituality. I am excited to continue learning and deepening my practice because of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this experience. I cannot wait to come back and see you again someday!"

"What I like most about this training was simply being with and learning from Ganga. The philosophy classes provided excellent content. I loved the asana classes and the way Ganga teaches them. The anatomy classes were excellent, the teacher has great teaching skills, comprehends the subject and made the classes fun. The accommodation and facilities were outstanding. Thank you so much for everything. I truly enjoyed spending this past moth with you, Ganga, and fellow students in lovely India. I would like to return when your ashram is completed. Much love!"

"I loved the balance of practice and theory, the depth, the intensity, generosity of the teachers and their spirituality, the theme-based classes and the participation in the cultural festival on Tantra. Ganga is competent, passionate, inspiring and loving - in one word: an excellent teacher! I loved the training and hope to have the honour to receive more training and mentoring from Ganga, to spend more time with her and have her support in my spiritual development. Not just a training but to embark on a spiritual journey. The program was comprehensive, offered a good balance of theory and practice, as well as opportunities to experience a yogic lifestyle. Ganga, the lead teacher is highly experienced, she shares with generosity and an open, warm heart. She is a role model and a strong, loving presence during the whole training. A comprehensive training in an ashram inspired setting with a highly experienced, committed and loving teacher. A holistic, intense and unique yoga experience that has a deep transformational impact. I loved it."

"I liked the variety of topics we covered, which made this training really interesting, but I particularly enjoyed the practical topics such as yoga therapy. I loved the venue - it was very peaceful and tranquil with wonderful staff. Ganga makes the philosophy classes very interesting and her enthusiasm is infectious. As a highly pragmatic individual, I found her practical classes and workshops extremely interesting and very detailed. Her asana classes were rigorous, challenging and she is a very knowledgeable teacher. The anatomy teacher was wonderful. His classes were thoughtfully structured. He brilliantly used metaphor to help us understand sometimes complex topics. He was abundantly patient and clearly passionate about his subject. This training was quite an experience! It has provoked thought and added breadth to my understanding of yoga. I suspect this reflection, questioning, research and application will continue for some months upon my return home."

"I loved the intensity of the training, the focus and immersive nature. The accommodation and facilities were fantastic. Ganga's philosophy classes had fascinating depth and had a nice balance of storytelling and personal anecdotes - very inspiring. Her workshops and practical classes were always clear and informative and her asana classes were just great. The anatomy classes provided fantastic detail and knowledge. The teacher was playful and gave helpful analogies when teaching complex topics. When is the next training retreat :)?"

"I always wished to get the best available training and this was the case with the Himalayan Yoga Institute’s advanced course in India. I came to the school with four years of continuous and successful teaching experience behind me, as well as with a big need to be then led further; to be helped in taking a quantum leap to a new level both in my profession, as well as in my personal growth. The intense focus of the program; the uplifting, motivating and devoted teachers; the daily all-round yoga practice including pranayama, meditation, kiirtan, and the many hours of asanas practice etc., while at the same time being fed on some excellent sattvic food, and having a pleasing accommodation surrounded by lush tropical gardens in the beautiful South Indian countryside, was remarkable in itself. On top of it all I noticed an enormous transformational and beneficial effect, especially on my pranic body, cakras, mind - and beyond it – my soul. At the end, I felt deeply grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend this course. The theory lectures taught by Ganga, the primary teacher, offered a wonderful variety of topics and were delivered with so much respect, empathy and intention so as to provide for our best understanding. Special focus was given to the cakras and how asanas and other practices can be used to balance them and increase our sense of well-being. We were given great insight into the make-up of the cakras and then practically experienced working on our cakras through specifically designed cakra classes. It’s wonderful that I will be able to share these classes with my students in the future. The school gave special care to such essential topics like Sanskrit and Ayurveda in a way they could really serve us in practice, and in the long run, depending on our own degrees of interest. In a series of lessons on Ayurveda, a specialist and teacher from Kerala – the mother country of Ayurveda - opened my mind on how complex this science was in spite of being “simply” based on the observations of life and nature. Here again, and on more than one occasion, we were being educated on the principles of a multi-layered science, and in which workable ways it could best serve us. Ganga too added much to the understanding of Ayurveda with her clear exposition of some of the major tenets. Thanks to artfully led deep yoga immersion provided by her, I could taste myself what we were being taught in theory: the change of play of the three nature forces, or gunas and their influence on our constituent natures or doshas, so crucial to be grasped by advanced yogis. Indeed, on this course nothing from the timeless yogic tradition was left out. I would only add that the Himalayan Yoga Institute was never offering a peripheral approach to yoga, but always presented us with a possibility for the complete study and a meaningful experience. I would highly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the more advanced yogic sciences."

The experience of the 300TT training with The Himalayan Yoga Institute in India has added much value to me as a yoga teacher but most of all as a yoga practitioner and as a human being. The month spent in the charming property In South India under the guidance of Ganga Devi has immersed us into the yogic lifestyle which touched me personally giving a deeper and clear sense to my practice and from here on transforming my yoga routine, my teaching and my life.

You won’t find this kind of Advanced YTT training anywhere else in the world! This training is for serious yogis seeking an all-encompassing practice. It is the nurturing kind that stays with you all of your life, the moment you meet Ganga Devi. The practice itself provides a quiet persistence, consistent structure, which gradually cements itself as a foundation to work toward the ultimate goal. The knowledge provided here pulls together whispers and scrolls from the ancient Tantric line dating back 10,000 years or more and creates a longing within you to strive. It was a most enjoyable program that kept us on our toes. The lectures were always fascinating and the asana practice was dynamic and provided a library of sequences I got to take home. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every day surrounded in the most beautiful sunny and vibrant garden wrapped up in the warm sunshine. This experience has been deeply transformational for me and I feel so very blessed to have shared this experience with so many lovely like-minded yoginis. Ganga Devi is a true Yoga Master with an infinite heart for this world. I am truly privileged to call her my teacher and Guru. With all the charms of my mind and love in my heart, I am grateful beyond words to you Ganga ~ Thank you ~ Namaskar!

After a long search and wait for the right yoga school, the Himalayan Yoga Institute was the first truly authentic school I came across. I was put off by other courses due to their superficiality and was admittedly nervous when I first arrived in Pondicherry. I’d been seeking expansion for a long time and had gone down a few dead ends but Ganga’s course blew me away. Not only is she an inspiring yogini herself, the teachings she shares cover all aspects of yoga (not just asanas), are of the highest integrity and are everything I’d been looking for in my search to know my true nature. As a budding yoga teacher, I’m confident that I gained the right tools and skills but on a more personal level, my heart opened in ways I’ve only dreamed of and I connected with the most incredible group of sisters. I’m excited to share everything I learnt and felt over those 30 days and to keep the yoga ball rolling. Thank you, Ganga!

It has been a month now since I arrived back home from the 300h TTC in India. I have been able to keep the daily morning and evening practices, which we practiced during the course every single day. At first I was a little sceptical if I would be able to maintain the daily practices once back home, but the changes I am experiencing today in my physical, emotional and mental body keep me motivated. My faith in the transformational and uplifting results of yoga practices has never before been so strong. I feel so inspired. It’s magical and yet deeply logical and so obvious. And I know this is just the beginning. For me this is what this Advanced 300 hours TTC was all about: the greatest gift I could have received - to find faith based on actual experience within my own body. And to become more self-aware and inspire other people to also take up this journey. For me Ganga has been a true inspiration in the form of pure selfless service to the world. Inspiring not by words but rather by her very own nature, which is the result of years of devoted practice. To develop calmness and to accept everything and everyone just as they are is the fruit of long-lasting and deep internal work. That is why just being around her was uplifting. There are thousands of teachers everywhere who teach by word, but do not live by their words. And that is why I am deeply grateful I have found a teacher like Ganga, who is always inspiring and is also there for me if I ever would need her support.

The Himalayan Institute Teacher Training is superb in all aspects. The lovely villa accommodation, in a peaceful, beautiful, and secluded setting, provides delicious yogic meals and charming, attentive staff. Logistics were planned and executed with efficiency and comfort, including transportation and extraordinary outings. No request seemed to be too much trouble for teachers, staff, and host. Best of all I was taught so much more than I even expected. Thorough instruction was provided in all aspects of how to teach effective, individualized, safe, and therapeutic yoga classes. Curriculum and resources provided were substantive and extensive. I learned more than just the physical aspects teaching asanas. I was also inspired by learning the history, philosophy, and spirituality of yoga. Being provided with daily guidance in meditation and bhakti yoga has transformed my life. Ganga Devi, director and extraordinary teacher, lovingly and selflessly offers to provide resources, information, and assistance even after training has concluded. There are no words to adequately express how much this training and Ganga have done to enhance my personal spiritual development.

I knew even before meeting Ganga Devi that she would be my yoga teacher for life. Not only did she promptly reply to all my email queries but address and assuage my insecurity about the institute’s fee payment policy. I was uncomfortable with paying the full amount, having had a bad experience previously. Ganga took time (via email and phone) to explain her position and even graciously allowed me to extend payment over a few installments. Having now experienced her 300-hr YTT course, I must say that Ganga had put a lot of efforts and thought into crafting the course. She was steeped in the theory and practice of yoga and generously shared her knowledge. Ganga also flew in guest speakers such as an Ayurveda professor, a Sanskrit specialist, and even a medical scientist to provide her students a range of perspectives to understanding yoga. As a teacher, Ganga is firm and confident. As a person, she is kind to all (including the animals in the ashram) and gentle. As a guru, Ganga has deep insight into each of her student, which is possible because of her strong (and pure) spiritual faith and conviction. Ganga is clearly someone who is not just running a yoga business; she is answering a higher calling. In my ten years of practicing yoga, Ganga is indeed the truest yoga teacher I’ve met.

I knew even before meeting Ganga Devi that she would be my yoga teacher for life. Not only did she promptly reply to all my email queries but address and assuage my insecurity about the institute’s fee payment policy. I was uncomfortable with paying the full amount, having had a bad experience previously. Ganga took time (via email and phone) to explain her position and even graciously allowed me to extend payment over a few installments. Having now experienced her 300-hr YTT course, I must say that Ganga had put a lot of efforts and thought into crafting the course. She was steeped in the theory and practice of yoga and generously shared her knowledge. Ganga also flew in guest speakers such as an Ayurveda professor, a Sanskrit specialist, and even a medical scientist to provide her students a range of perspectives to understanding yoga. As a teacher, Ganga is firm and confident. As a person, she is kind to all (including the animals in the ashram) and gentle. As a guru, Ganga has deep insight into each of her student, which is possible because of her strong (and pure) spiritual faith and conviction. Ganga is clearly someone who is not just running a yoga business; she is answering a higher calling. In my ten years of practicing yoga, Ganga is indeed the truest yoga teacher I’ve met.

A month after the 300 hour teacher training and it’s still having a positive impact on my life. Every morning I reconnect to ‘the bubble’, as one of my fellow students called it, through my practice and my heart is filled with gratitude. Every detail of the month is attended to, from the beautiful accommodation, the sattvic diet, the daily practice, to visits to sacred sites. It is clear that Ganga has a strong vision for her students and guides them with knowledge, wisdom, strength and kindness. The course is a rich mix of theory and practice. Living and learning in the context of an ashram gave me the chance to experience the benefits of maintaining and deepening my practice. Through the daily practice of pranayama, kirtan, meditation, mudra and asana, the theory is brought to life. The lectures were delivered with clarity and humour. Ganga embodies what she teaches and this engenders a sense of trust and respect. She has devised a well-balanced programme of lectures, but it is her presence as much as any of this that delivers her students into deeper realms of experience and understanding. The course has enriched my teaching and given me much to assimilate on a personal level. Ganga has a vast breadth of knowledge and is able to connect to everyone.

I was unsure about going to India because I thought I was not good enough and doubted my ability. The 300hr YTT course not only changed the way I thought about yoga but even more importantly, my experience on the course changed the way I viewed myself. I realised I am more than the sum of my thoughts and have blossomed into the person I am today with far more confidence and insights. I heartily recommend the wonderful teacher Ganga Devi who guided me and so many others, through to the completion of an interesting, informative and amazing journey.

When I first met Ganga Devi in Kullu Valley in the Himalayas of northern India, I immediately felt that I had found an extraordinary Archarya. No other school feels so clear, so safe, so well guided as the Himalayan Yoga Institute. Ganga Devi teaches yoga in its most authentic spiritual essence. The love and joy of this path is transmitted to the students and it is hard to put into words how deeply I am touched by Ganga's care and devotion to the yoga path and her students development. Ganga's clear guidance sometimes makes the impossible possible and one grows beyond one's own limits. The thing what has been the most challenging in the beginning, suddenly becomes the thing you love the most. Meditation. How strong I am missing these moments in the early morning, listening to the birds of south India, feeling the soft breeze of a warm wind, smelling the plants of the wild garden in front of our patio…and then, immerse myself into meditation. After I finished the 300h YTT in South India, I feel a deep contentment, and I also feel so much safer on my own path, seeing myself and the world more clearly and the desire to continue this path has become even stronger. Ganga Devi inspires and touches her students with her profound knowledge, her lifetime experience, which always amazes and transforms yoga from an unattainable theory, into a living thing. It comes alive - for everyone. That’s the high art of Yoga and of a YTT. I am deeply grateful that I have found Ganga Devi in this life and that I have the chance to learn from her and to develop my spiritual path. With great gratitude and much lively joy, Anandinii

I have been blessed to undertake both my initial 200 hours teaching training up in the Himalayas, and then last year complete my advanced 300 hours teacher training in Tamil Nadu with Ganga Devi. She is the most wonderful and knowledgeable teacher I have come across in my 21 years of personal practice. She shares an inner depth of spirituality that has changed my life. Being able to immerse yourself in your teacher training without the distractions of everyday life is a wonderful experience and I believe allows you to focus on the materials and your training and personal development in a much more thorough way. The training materials are varied, in depth and provide a holistic approach to teaching yoga - true yoga, not a fitness exercise class. Being able to train in India, the home of yoga is a real blessing and brings an entirely deeper aspect to the course. The additional trips/visits are a wonderful way to immerse oneself deeper in the local culture. I particularly enjoy the kiirtan, singing the beautiful songs and meditation as this is an opportunity to connect with yourself in a much deeper way than you would perhaps otherwise do. The way the course is structured allows you time for formal study and to enjoy the surroundings of the peaceful garden and terrace whilst reviewing your materials and additional practice. Since completing my teacher training I have successfully set up my own yoga business and confidently teach group classes, 1:1 lessons, meditations, workshops, retreats and paddleboard yoga in a wonderfully inclusive and mindful way. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to Ganga and all the wisdom she has been kind enough to share with me over the years. I am very much looking forward to studying with her again in the future. If you are considering completing your yoga teacher training then I highly recommend the Himalayan Yoga Institute.