Finding a Yoga Teacher in India

Traveling to the birthplace of yoga can be a rewarding experience—if you think ahead about what you're really looking for.

By Rachel Brahinsky

Many American yogis dream of finding a master yoga teacher in India so they can learn about the practice in the place where it began—perhaps in some sweet ashram tucked away in quiet mountains. That idea has spun its way through my own mind over the years, and this summer I decided to try it out.

Over the past month, I've been traveling across Northern India, taking yoga classes and talking with fellow yogis who have spent months in various ashrams and classes. I've learned a lot about the reality of yoga here—some of which I wish I had known before I left home.

It's true that the Indian subcontinent has a wealth of yoga teachers. Still, setting out simply to "study yoga in India" is a lot like trying to find a baseball coach in the United States. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of teachers spread out over many miles, and there's no single guidebook to tell you who's who. The good news is that if you know exactly what you're looking for, you may be able to set up your classes from home. If your yoga goals are less targeted, you can still find a credible teacher—you just need to give yourself much more time on the road.

Choose Your Path
Generally, there are two ways foreign yogis try to connect with a teacher in India. Some plan focused yoga trips, and others are wanderers.

For anyone, but especially for those who have specific goals and/or limited time, it's important to do your research long before booking your plane ticket. Suppose, for example, that you'd like to study at the B.K.S. Iyengar Institute in Pune, where you could work with some of the top teachers in the form. You should know that classes at the school are often filled two or three years in advance, and foreigners must meet a set of strict requirements in order to participate. And while there are dozens of ashrams across the country that do have spaces available for drop-in students, many fill up early during the high season (which varies from place to place, depending on the weather, but is generally between November and March).

If you're not sure about your yoga goals, give yourself a lot of time, both to settle into the experience of traveling and also to test out different teachers. Luckily, some towns are known for hosting dozens of yoga teachers, many of whom have good reputations. But there are challenges inherent in this kind of trip, and it takes patience and a lot of letting go of expectations—including any ideas you may have about what a "real" Indian guru or ashram is supposed to be like-to make it work.

Whether you want to zero in or to wander, you might focus first on some of the towns that boast many yoga teachers. In the north, for example, these include Varanasi, Dharmsala, and Rishikesh (the latter holds a yoga festival each winter in February). But in any of these places, you'll find hundreds of other tourists competing for space. This might be perfect if you want to meet a lot of other travelers. If you're looking for a calm yoga vacation, however, roaming through such loud and chaotic towns could prove challenging. Still, you will probably need to brave that part of the travel experience for at least a while in order to find a teacher you love. Many travelers find that it takes two or three weeks of disconcerting searching before they find a comfortable ashram with a teacher whom they trust.

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