About us

woman in a greeting Namasté pose in front of a mandala fabric

Yoga Vidya e.V.

Yoga Vidya is a non-profit organisation whose aim is to spread the knowledge ("vidya"), practice and techniques of classical, holistic Yoga. Founded in 1992 in Frankfurt, seated now in Horn-Bad Meinberg.

The Yoga Vidya Retreat Centre in Westerwald (close to Cologne) opened in 1996 and Yoga Vidya Retreat Centre Bad Meinberg opened in 2003. There are Yoga Vidya Centres in more than 80 major german cities as well as in Vienna, Austria; Swiss and the Netherlands. We teach yoga in its many aspects, in a vast variety of courses and seminars.

Yoga Vidya is Europe’s leading and largest yoga educational organisation. All fees for courses directly support the trust. Donations are tax-deductible.

Yoga Vidya Teachers Association

The members of the Yoga Vidya Teachers Association are committed to the ideal of classical integral Yoga. In cooperation with Yoga Vidya, the Association offers teachers trainings and advanced courses, publishes Yoga literature, cooperates with other Yoga associations and supports its members in their work.

The "Berufsverband der Yoga Vidya Lehrer/innen e.V. (BYV)“ (Professional association of Yoga Vidya Teachers - registered association) is Europe’s leading institution in the education of Yoga Teachers. It offers an extensive range of continuing education, advanced training and courses in Yoga and related issues to teachers regardless of their tradition. Examples of this programme include in-depth training courses in teaching Yoga to children, Yoga during pregnancy, Yoga Therapy, Yoga Psychotherapy, Relaxation Trainer, Breath Trainer, Meditation Course Leaders' training, Ayurvedic Consultant and many more. This amazing range of courses is enabled by the close cooperation with the Yoga Vidya Association of Health Consultants, a member of the European Federation of Yoga Teachers´ Associations (EFYTA). Upon receiving your certificate you may become a member.

Swami Sivananda 1887-1963

One of the great Masters of yoga of the 20th century, Swami Sivananda is the inspiration behind all Yoga Vidya centres. Born in South India, he attended mission school and learned, at a young age, to integrate Indian and Western knowledge. He then studied medicine and emigrated to Malaysia where he managed a hospital.

At the age of 37 he returned to India to do intensive practice of Yoga and Meditation in Rishikesh (Himalaya). Swami Sivananda attained Samadhi, self-realisation, the aim of all yoga practice. Drawn by his personality and loving aura, many students came to live and study with him. Swami Sivananda dedicated his life to the integral practice Yoga and to spreading the teachings to his students from the East and the West alike.

Swami Sivananda's most famous books are "Bliss Divine“, "Sadhana“, "Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita“ and "Japa Yoga". His motto was: Serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realise. Some of his students: Swami Vishnudevananda, Swami Chidananda, Swami Satchidananda, Swami Satyananda, Boris Sacharow and André van Lysebeth, were the initial messengers of Yoga to the West.

Conditions of participation

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In keeping with our holistic approach, all trainings include at least 1 yoga class daily plus morning and evening meditation with kirtan singing. This is in addition to the training-specific content in lectures and workshops. We see them as an integral part of the training.

This combination of theory and practice, training of body, mind and heart, has proven particularly effective and successful:

Easy learning through organic combination of theory and practice
You get the necessary energy to actively put into practice what you have learned and the incentive to pass on your knowledge.
Over 18,000 satisfied graduates: proven, successful concept with a good reputation
High quality standards: authentic trainers who live and practice what they teach
All training come with a certificate and diploma of professional associations - Most training courses are recognized for educational leave.
Inexpensive inclusive prices
Integration thorough assistance
Lived health and ecology: smoke-free and alcohol free environment; healthy organic vegetarian food (in Bad Meinberg our kitchen is certified organic); photovoltaic and biogas electricity.

All together this lends a special character of the training, one which encourages personal practice and self-experience in addition to the pure transfer of knowledge. Even after the most intensive training you feel regenerated and full of energy, an attitude that lasts even when you return home.

Condition: Primary and Further Education
During all our trainings there’s a complete absence of alcohol, smoking, drugs, meat, fish and eggs.

Participation in the daily program is required for the final certificate, including morning and evening meditation, kirtan singing, yoga classes and 45 minutes of karma yoga. Also, the passing of the final exam is a pre-requisite for the certificate.

Failure to comply with the terms and conditions will result in the participant being excluded from the course. In this case, or in case of a premature termination of the course, there is no right to a refund.

Please note that there are legal requirements for the practice of medicine. Trainings do not entitle you to practice medicine in Germany and most other countries. If you do not have a license to practice medicine, you can use the contents of the training courses in wellness areas or in the form of group offers, in which no diagnoses are made or specific complaints are treated.

Arrival / departure, course start

Arrival: from 1pm
Check in: from 3pm
It is possibile to take part in our free arrival yoga classes at 4:30 pm (Yoga teacher training 4pm)
6:00 pm Dinner: Large wholefood buffet
8pm actual seminar start with meditation, kirtan singing (Yoga teacher training 7pm)
Departure on the last day from about 12pm.

In our trainings it is not possible to arrive later, leave earlier or miss a day.

6-7:00am	Pranayama (mandatory for particioants of 9day advanced trainings; optional for all others)
7-8.05am	Satsang: silent meditation, kirtan singing, inspiring reading
8.05pm-11am	Workshop/yoga class
11am	Brunch, followed by 45 min karma yoga- and then free time
2/2:30-6pm	Lecture, workshop/teaching techniques, followed by yoga class
6pm	Dinner, free time
8-9pm	Satsang: meditation, kirtan singing
9-10pm	Lecture, workshop, study time

The daily routine follows our sucess proven Yoga Vidya seminar concept. Depending on the training, there are minor deviations. The workshops, lectures, meditations and yoga classes are largely tailored to the respective training topic.
Seminars finish on the last day after the brunch or at 12.30; on weekends at 2pm.

Free day
In the case of trainings that last longer than 7 days, there will be no classes one afternoon each week. In longer training one day per week from 9am to 8pm is free of lessons. Only morning and evening meditation (compulsory participation) and the pranayama from 6:00 to 7:00 (voluntary) take place on these days.

Karma Yoga
Selfless service is an integral part of the training; this includes about 45 minutes daily in various in-house jobs. As ‘karma yoga’, this service is seen as an important aspect of personality and spiritual development. At the same time, it helps keep seminar prices down. It is also an opportunity for the participants to feel at home and to get more familiar with each other and the staff at Yoga Vidya.

Accommodation
There are single, double or dormitory rooms available. For details see the description of the individual houses in Bad Meinberg, Westerwald and North Sea.

Meals
There’s two wholesome lacto-vegetarian meals daily: Brunch (breakfast and lunch together) is at 11.00 and dinner at 18.00 o’clock. With food from certified organic farms, all meals are prepared with love. Our main center in Bad Meinberg is also home to Europe's largest certified organic kitchen. If requests are made at least one week in advance, we can usually take care of special requests.

Prices
All at the seminars and trainings prices are flat rate prices. They include the entire seminar / training / wellness program, including 2x daily meditation, kirtan singing and short presentation, 2-3 lectures / workshops, 1-2 yoga classes, as well as accommodation in the selected room category and vegetarian food.

Terms of payment / refund:

Deposit for weekends is € 25; week-long seminars € 100; multi-week courses € 250.
The balance of payment is due 2 weeks before the seminar begins or 8 days before when paying by direct debit.
If you book within 2 weeks of the start of the seminar; you must pay in full upon registration.
We can guarantee your reservation and room request only if your payment is made within these parameters.
If you cancel less than 2 weeks before the start of the seminar, 50% of the seminar fee will be retained ( or you can choose to receive a voucher for the total amount, which may be applied to the same or another course at a later date).
25% discount for young people up to the age of 25 at the campsite / dormitory in Bad Meinberg and Westerwald - at Haus Nordsee, this is applicable only in the low season.

Be aware that some trainings have special conditions for participation and/or cancellation.Some trainings consist of 2 or more parts, but must be enrolled as a whole. In these training, registration in only one part is not possible. No refunds can be given after the beginning of the first training section. This does not apply to training courses with flexibility in choosing modules, as each component represents a self-contained unit.

We reserve the right to cancel seminars 4 days in advance due to insufficient number of participants. Of course you can switch to another seminar or get your money back. If the seminar leader falls ill at short notice, we reserve the right to appoint a substitute seminar leader and will strive to find one who is equally qualified. If you do not wish to attend the seminar with the substitute seminar leader, you can switch to another seminar or request a refund. No reimbursement of travel costs will be made.

At the North Sea 1 € daily tourist tax is added (payable on arrival).You get a spa card, with many advantages: entrance to the beach baths, free parking (except Friesentherme), a discount of 25% in the sauna and other perks.

Educational leave / education checks and educational bonus vouchers
For all yoga teacher trainings, especially the block trainings, you can apply for funding and possibly get part of the training fee reimbursed. For more information about state subsidies click here.

Please bring:
Bed linen (rentable for 5 €), towels (rentable for 2 €), alarm clock, slippers, writing paper, pens and folders. Optional: meditation blanket and cushions (available for free in the yoga rooms or can be purchased in our boutique). In case you wear glasses, please bring a hard glasses case, in which you can store your glasses during yoga classes.

For Ayurveda training please bring: thermos flask, sufficient laundry soap (because a lot of oil is used), wool hat / headgear (for certain applications), 3 large bath towels, bathrobe and 1 set of bedding (no fitted sheets).

Abbreviations:
SL Seminar leader
MR Multi-bedded room
DR Two-bedded room
SR Single-bedded room
D Dormitory
T Tent
C Camper van
BM Bad Meinberg
WW or W - Westerwald

Why Yoga Vidya?

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Our courses and trainings are open to everyone who’s interested in learning about yoga, meditation, and holistic and alternative methods for consultation and treatment in any related field.

Even if you don’t want to use this knowledge professionally, but want to go learn about alternative health and lifestyles for your personal growth, our courses are perfectly suited to you. Yoga Vidya offers a wide range of trainings with a holistic approach.

Our courses are characterized by an organic combination of theory and practice. In our energetically charged and protected atmosphere, away from everyday life, learning takes place on many levels.

The Yoga Vidya schedule integrates yoga, meditation, lectures and kirtan singing. You get the necessary energy to put what you have learned into practice – and the strength to share your knowledge as a teacher.

Acquire knowledge, improve expertise and recharge your energy: thanks to specific training content and the basic spiritual practices of yoga, you will feel recharged. Often you’ll be more refreshed than after an ordinary vacation!

Success-proven concept with a good reputation: for more than 25 years, Yoga Vidya has been Europe's leading yoga instructor institution and has brought forth yoga teachers with its proven system. This concept has been successfully transferred to other training courses.

High quality standards: training courses are led by highly qualified professionals who practice and live what they teach. They offer much wisdom and practical knowledge.Trainings have re-started the lives of more than 18,000 satisfied graduates. All trainings come with a degree and certificate. Our trainings take place in cooperation with the Academy of Cultures in NRW. Most are recognized for legal educational leave.

Inexpensive inclusive prices: as a non-profit organization, we can provide high quality at uniquely low prices. Participants in trainings are asked to contribute 45 minutes of their time daily. This helps to keep prices down and encourages a more inclusive atmosphere among staff and seminar participants.

Healthy Living and Ecology: Yoga Vidya is a smoke-free and alcohol-free environment. Photovoltaic power and heat generation are from a neighboring biogas plant. We serve only healthy organic vegetarian and vegan whole foods; our kitchen in Bad Meinberg is Germany's largest certified organic kitchen!

We look forward to seeing you!
Your Yoga Vidya Team

Yoga Vidya is a non-profit association and Europe's leading provider of education and training in yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, massage, holistic health and spirituality.