A course for Shadow Yoga teachers and experienced practitioners who feel drawn to guide others upon the path of Shadanga Yoga, which is the gift of the Nāth Sampradaya.
The forces of commerce and social media dominate all areas of modern life including Yoga and the inner arts.
Of a similar period of commercialisation in Japanese history the great swordsman Miyamoto Musashi wrote:
“In this world we see the arts of cultivation are now for sale. Men use equipment to sell their own selves. As if, in horticulture, fruit has become less than the flower. In this distortion of the path both those teaching and those learning are concerned only with appearance and showing off their technique as they strive to hasten the bloom of the flower. They speak of ‘this school and ‘that school’. They are looking for profit. Someone once said ‘immaturity on the path is the cause of grief’. That was a true saying.”
The ability to guide comes from maturity on the path and that maturity naturally draws those who genuinely seek guidance. Maturity here means understanding the process of change one is going through by means of steady and uncoloured observation. Then one is able to make the right choices about what one does and how and when one does it.
In the internal arts, observation means seeing with the inner eye and feeling with the inner sense of touch. This sensitivity comes from the access to the adharas gained through the yogini-nyasa-vidim. This is the core skill on one’s own path and also the key in guiding others.
Observing the aspirant in this manner and responding appropriately without agendas and investment is the required mindset of the guide. The path set out in Shadow Yoga from the preliminary work of the vyayamas to the khechari sadhana gives the guide a complete set of tools for the journey. However one must first be clear about when a student is ready to learn a subject and when one is ready to teach it to be able to safely and effectively use these tools.
This course on the required skills and mindset for those who choose to guide will consist of four two-week courses over two years :
The first two courses will be held in 2026 in Perpignan in the South of France. Information on how to get to Perpignan and about the surrounds will be added soon.
- 17–30 April 2026 (beginning on the New Moon)
- 26 October–8 November 2026 (beginning on the Full Moon)
The course will cover Nrtta Sadhana, the Asanas and Mudras, which are appropriate for the 16 Adharas and the Yogininyasavidhim.
Application is open to all experienced Shadow Yoga teachers and practitioners and is via email to guiding@shadowyoga.com
Please include your name, place of living, age, contact email, past experience and current teachers.
Cost: EU2,160 for each two week course (24 classes)
Full payment will be due three months before each course. Payment terms are available.
Please do not pay via the link below until your application is approved.
If you make a payment in error, refunds are subject to a deduction of bank charges of 6%.
