Interview of Our Hatha Yoga Teacher: KULDEEP

INTERVIEW OF OUR HATHA YOGA TEACHER: KULDEEP

1. Where are you from and/or where do you live? Present yourself 😊

I'm basically from Rudrprayag, Uttarakhand. I did my school and yogi studies in Rishikesh and Haridwar, Uttarakhand in India. I live presently in Nepal.

2. How did yoga come into your life?

I have been influenced by my parents, as my parents fully devoted themselves into bhakti yoga. They encouraged me in tender ages and sent me to gurukul (a society of masters) to learn yogic studies. They firmly believe spiritual awareness is summaries of human beings’ existence in this earth.

3. How long have you been practicing yoga?

I have been practicing yoga past 12 years as well as teaching people around the world.

4. How has yoga changed your life?

Practicing and following yoga principles changes my life in a various way. Of course its essence make balance between mind and body, a part of it has deep relation with our subtle energies which we need to manifest by true devotion or sadhana (yogic practice)

5. What is your yoga routine?

I used to practice yoga at morning 6 am, where I focused more on pranayama and kriya with static vinyasa flow. At evening, I use to practice ashtanga vinyasa.

6. What is your yoga philosophy?

I would say yoga reshape, realigned the body and mind. Therefore, yoga is alignment for me of subtle and gross dimensions of human body.

7. Do you view yoga as more mental or physical?

I see yoga is great tool to rebuild the physical and mental connections with body. Therefore, both aspects of human dimensions could see same time.

8. How and when did you decide to become a yoga teacher?

As I did my master in yoga and naturopathy in 2010, I was more curious about the next step in life to be a teacher, but it's more about to sharing your true intentions. To develop that I started to work as a volunteer with different school in Rishikesh and learn the skills which is necessary to become a teacher. I got to know only through serving love and compassion you can share something in this world.

9. What type of yoga do you teach?

I teach traditional hatha yoga, pranayama, kriyas, share karmas, alignments, and adjustments, Iyengar yoga and ashtanga vinyasa.

10. What are the benefits of your yoga style/class?

Through my teaching I always approach to experience true spirit of yoga, which is about to have firm faith in process to be somewhere in spiritually. Through my teachings a person get stability with mind and body also develop the sense to nourishing the soul.

11. Which aspects of yoga are you most excited about teaching?

As I love to teach few aspects of yoga but I would love to teach yoga philosophy, it has firm foundational and deep sense, before we come to practice yoga.

12. What are the qualities of a good teacher?

I would like to mention few points to be a good teacher here:

• Keep Yourself Balanced.

• Demonstrate and Explain in Detail.

• Incorporate the Art of Breathing.

• Design Your Class Around Your Students.

• Engage in Effortless Communication.

• Commit Fully to Your Own Practice.

• Always Keep Learning and Continue to Evolve.

13. What can students expect to get out of this teacher training?

A teacher training course develop the strong foundation in a person who willing to see themselves as a teacher. A YTTC is key of confidence for teachers as the cover most of the yoga aspects through hours of practicing every day and understand why does is so important to experience such skills by their own before to teach someone.

14. Do you have any recommended yoga reading?

There is so many yoga books and commentary by great masters and sages like:

• Hatha Yoga Pradipika

• Light on yoga

• Patanjali Sutra (commentary by Swami Vivakananda) and many more

15. Do you feel anyone can enjoy and gain from yoga?

Yes, everyone can get benefits of practicing yoga, either child or older people can practice yoga. Yoga is for everyone, there is no limits of age and physically disabled.

16. The 200 hour program is the first stage of the teacher training program. What advice do you have for yogis considering starting their teaching career?

I would like to give masterpiece of advice to fellow yogis to be disciplined with theirs own self practice, this the key of experiencing and exploring the depth of yoga within you. Meanwhile a discipline practice leads you towards to be great person, human and yoga teacher as well.

17. How does this training differ from other teacher training program available in Nepal / Pokhara?

Pokhara yoga school has unique designs of YTTC which is fittest for each and every one who want to become teachers. They have talented and experience teacher who are consistently sharing their wisdom and knowledge to all the students who had been passed through from here. They environment, people are so pleasant here to deep divine in yoga studies. They always focus on quality of teachings and not just stuck with few planned schedule, they often Introduced new things and subjects between the courses which make students feel like there is always so More to learn here.

18. How does this training differ from other teacher training program available in Europe?

The differences I find here in Pokhara Yoga School is that they have mix blends of male and female yoga teacher, also they always open up for foreigner teacher to share their knowledge about yoga.

YTTC with Pokhara yoga school is a way to graph your career as yoga teacher, the school provides basic depth of yoga and cover it's all aspects. I found here the teachers are so keen with theirs subjects and very professional as well.

19. What do you love most about Pokhara Yoga School?

Pokhara Yoga School is a school where you find yourself in family or community, where every day all the members of family move together and support each other and always ready for unknown challenge, which make Pokhara Yoga School different then European yoga school. I love their moto of love, serve and give.

I love the generosity of each and every member of school, the teachers, staffs and director of school always ready to serve the love and devotion. I found they are humble and very down the earth.

20. Why would you recommend Pokhara Yoga School?

If someone looking for to immense themselves in yogic studies Pokhara Yoga School would be the best choice to been in their YTTC programs you have opportunity to become a certified teacher as well as you can enhance your self-practice.

After completing YTTC with them you can systemically practice yoga and follows its principles in life, also can share with others if you willing to become an certified yoga teacher through Pokhara Yoga School.