It’s music to my ears when a kundalini yoga student tells me they want to take their practice deeper… and the way to take the practice deeper is to enrol on a teacher training programme. It’s such an epic adventure, a profound journey of transformation, and one that will open so many doors of discovery.
Generally, Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training Level One takes a minimum of a year to complete, with one weekend a month of practice/classroom tuition and plenty of homework! The teacher training can be extended over two years, in case you miss some weekends in the first year. Some schools have compressed a few of the weekends into an ashram-experience week, but the process will generally take a year.
There are a few UK-based schools offering certified Level One Kundalini Yoga teacher trainings:
iSky, Berkshire
One of the UK’s oldest kundalini yoga teacher trainings. Based in Berkshire, iSky has a warm, inclusive approach to the teachings. It’s not rigid and invites students to find their own way. The students I have met who have studied with them are always very happy to be with this school – it’s very welcoming and friendly. I didn’t study with them, but I really enjoy their warmth and there’s a duo of very experienced lead teachers at the helm, including the fantastic Guru Dharam Singh. There always seems to be a good group energy every year, as the weekends are residential so plenty of time to bond with your fellow yogis.
Sahej, Yorkshire/London/Scotland
Based in Yorkshire with Hari Harji at the helm, this is a respected school driven by some very strong women 🙂 It offers Level One and Level Two kundalini yoga teacher trainings. I haven’t come across anyone who has studied with Sahej yet (not that I’m aware of, anyway), so I can’t comment on that, but I have met the lovely Sat Nadar Kaur who is one of the trainers and brings heaps of integrity to the table – she’s a great teacher.
Karam Kriya, London/Birmingham/Portugal
Another of the UK’s oldest kundalini yoga teacher training schools. It’s based in Portugal with Shiv Charan Singh and Satya Kaur. They offer Level One over nine UK weekends in London or Birmingham with UK-based teachers (including Siri Sadhana), plus an intensive ashram week in Portugal. I did my Level 1 with them and I found it quite intellectual/ mind-based, but that was more than a decade ago and I think they have changed their approach since then! Here is what a recent graduate says about Karam Kriya:
‘My experience is that Angad holds an elevated neutral (rather than mind) space. It feels very pure and elevated. I guess Karam Kriya is somewhat puritan, but to be honest, with regards to music, I would probably choose to play only kundalini yoga music… I’ve been to a few classes where the teacher has played other music and I’ve found it quite jarring – the vibration is different.’
Amrit Nam Sarovar, France
Amrit Nam, or ANS as it’s sometimes called, offers a unique Level One syllabus over three four-day modules and one week at their beautiful ashram in the Alps near Grenoble. Their approach is very shamanic and experiential, and it’s a great teacher training for total transformation. I did my level 2 with ANS and I’m very glad I took the leap. The school is not acknowledged by the Kundalini Yoga Teaching Association (KYTA).
Gurmukh in Rishikesh
If this full immersion option is available to you (it’s pricey, requires a one-month commitment, and a flight to India), then I recommend you go for it! Gurmukh is a wonderful teacher and this one-month immersion is an incredible experience – not only of Mother India, but also with the lovely, humble and wise Gurmukh.
Guru Ram Das Hacienda in New Mexico