More About the Training: Tradition, Depth & Practical Skill

This page offers a deeper look into the heart of our 200-hour Ashtanga Yoga Training. Whether you’re joining us online, in Oklahoma, or in India, the core of the curriculum remains the same—rooted in Mysore’s living yoga tradition and designed to support sincere students from all backgrounds.

Here you’ll find an overview of the three main pillars of our training:
• Yoga Methodology – clear techniques, intelligent alignment, and the art of teaching
• Physiology & Healing Arts – anatomy-informed practice and tools for long-term wellbeing
• Philosophy & History – classical Indian texts and living wisdom from Mysore’s Sanskrit scholars

You’ll also learn more about our connection to the Mysore Yoga Traditions film, our long-standing collaboration with the Samskriti Foundation, and the lineage of Sri Lakshmithathachar, whose legacy continues to shape this work.

Whether you’re seeking a strong foundation to teach or a personal journey of transformation, this program is built to offer structure, flexibility, and authenticity—so that the depth of yoga can meet you wherever you are.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Our 200-Hour Ashtanga Yoga Training

What makes this training different from other yoga teacher trainings?
This program is rooted in the living tradition of Mysore and draws directly from the Nāthamuni Sampradāya and Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta lineage that shaped the teachings of Sri Krishnamacharya. You’ll learn not just asana but also authentic philosophy, chanting, and cultural context from respected Sanskrit scholars, elders, and lifelong practitioners in India. The depth of this connection is rare and not found in most modern teacher trainings.

Can I take this training even if I’m not planning to teach yoga?
Absolutely. Many students join our program to deepen their personal practice, study philosophy, or connect with the roots of yoga—not necessarily to teach. This training offers a strong foundation for both personal growth and professional development.

Is the online training really equivalent to in-person training?
Yes. The online program includes the full 200-hour curriculum, with over 150 hours of guided content, philosophy lectures, video practices, chanting, and more. You can study at your own pace and have access to mentorship, Q&A sessions, and community support. It’s a comprehensive and immersive experience—just more flexible.

What’s the difference between the online, in-person, and India options?
All three options include the same core curriculum.

• Online is self-paced, accessible worldwide, and includes mentorship and support.

• In-person (Oklahoma) includes hands-on training, live workshops, and a close-knit community experience at our dedicated studio.

• Mysore Immersion is a one-month residential retreat in India with direct access to Sanskrit scholars, temple culture, and the Mysore Yoga Conference.

Is this training recognized by Yoga Alliance?
Yes. All three formats qualify you for 200-hour registration with Yoga Alliance upon successful completion of the curriculum and final exam.

What is the final exam?
The final assessment includes a short written test on the key philosophical teachings covered in the course. It is conducted online or in person by Dr. M. A. Alwar, a respected Sanskrit scholar from Mysore. His involvement adds great value and credibility to the certification process. A small fee of $108 is collected at the time of the exam and goes to the charitable works of Samskriti Foundation.

What if I can’t pronounce Sanskrit very well or haven’t studied philosophy before?
No problem. The course is designed to meet you where you are. All philosophy content is taught in accessible English, with step-by-step pronunciation guidance and a spirit of encouragement. No prior Sanskrit or philosophical training is required—only sincerity and curiosity.

Do I need to be advanced in asana to join?
No. A consistent practice and familiarity with yoga is helpful, but you don’t need to perform advanced postures to participate. Ashtanga is a progressive method. We welcome sincere students of all levels and will help you build your practice safely and intelligently.

Is there a payment plan?
Yes. We offer payment plans for all training formats. For the online training, the plan is $165/month. For in-person and Mysore trainings, we can work with you to set up a custom payment schedule.

What is the refund policy?
We offer a full refund for the online training within the first 7 days if it doesn’t feel like the right fit. For in-person and Mysore programs, cancellations made well in advance are eligible for partial refunds or transfer of credit to future programs.

How long do I have access to the online content?
You’ll have full access for one year after enrolling. If you need more time, extensions can be arranged at no extra cost.

Is there community support if I do the training online?
Yes. You’ll be invited to a private student forum where you can ask questions, connect with others, and share your journey. Optional Zoom calls and one-on-one mentorship sessions are also available.

How do I apply for the in-person or Mysore training?
Simply fill out the short application form on the website. We’ll review your background and schedule a free consultation with Andrew to discuss your goals and see if the program is a good fit.

Will I be ready to teach after this program?
Yes, if that’s your goal. The training includes practical teaching methodology, intelligent sequencing, safe adjustments, and deep understanding of yoga’s purpose and context—equipping you to lead with authenticity, confidence, and respect for the tradition.

What if I have more questions?
We’re here to help. You can schedule a free consultation with Andrew Eppler or email your questions directly to andrew@ashtangayogastudio.com. You can also reach us via WhatsApp at +1 405 503 7779.

Yoga Methodology – Practice, Teach, and Grow with Confidence

You’ll learn the Ashtanga Primary Series as your foundation, including Sanskrit names, vinyāsa counts, hands-on adjustments, verbal cues, and contraindications. Rooted in the tradition of Ashtanga Yoga, this training also incorporates a global fusion of techniques that expand your understanding beyond asana into the deeper limbs of yoga.

Our goal is to help you practice and share yoga with clarity, safety, and authenticity. You’ll refine your postures, deepen your pranayama, and develop the tools to guide others with confidence.

What You’ll Experience:

• Detailed instruction on every posture in the Primary Series

• Safe and effective hands-on adjustments, demonstrated clearly in video tutorials

• Feedback from Andrew and your peers to help refine your personal technique

• Practical teaching skills: cueing, sequencing, and adapting for different bodies

• Study of Sanskrit posture names, chanting, and pronunciation

• Exposure to energetic anatomy and the subtle body

• Introduction to prāṇāyāma, mudrā, and meditation as daily tools

• Shared learning and support within a community of sincere practitioners

In the in-person program, you’ll also enjoy time in nature—swimming, hiking, and meditating at the serene Magic Forest Center in Oklahoma. In the online training, you’ll have year-long access to all videos, allowing you to study at your own pace while staying deeply connected to the tradition.

Philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga – Traditional Teachings from the Heart of Mysore

This segment of the training offers a rare and authentic immersion into the philosophical and spiritual foundations of yoga. Drawing from centuries-old traditions still alive in Mysore, India, you’ll explore the six classical schools of Indian thought (Ṣaḍ Darśanas), with special emphasis on the Patañjali Yoga Sūtras, the Bhagavad Gītā, and the Sāṅkhya Kārikā.

These teachings aren’t filtered through modern reinterpretation—they are presented directly by respected Sanskrit scholars who were trained in traditional gurukula systems. Through recorded sessions and live Q&A opportunities, you'll engage with a living tradition that has shaped yoga for generations.

What sets this training apart is its cultural authenticity and academic rigor. We are proud to be affiliated with the Samskriti Foundation and the Mysore Yoga Conference, and honored to feature guidance from Dr. M. A. Alwar, one of India’s most distinguished Sanskrit professors and a direct representative of the Nāthamuni Sampradāya, the lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya.

In this module, you'll develop a grounded understanding of:

• Yoga’s metaphysical framework and ethical foundation

• How classical philosophy applies to modern life and practice

• The historical development of Ashtanga Yoga in Mysore—from its ancient origins to its modern evolution

• Key ideas from traditional Indian systems of thought: dualism, non-dualism, karma, liberation, and more

You'll also receive access to the Mysore Yoga Traditions film archive, offering rare insights through interviews with scholars, elders, and practitioners who have shaped modern yoga’s evolution.

Whether you're a student of yoga, a teacher, or a lifelong seeker, this portion of the training invites you to see yoga not just as a technique—but as a worldview. You’ll gain both clarity and inspiration from these timeless teachings, rooted in one of the world’s deepest philosophical cultures.

Physiology & Healing Arts – Practical Knowledge for a Safer, Smarter Yoga Practice

In both our online and in-person training programs, this segment is devoted to understanding the human body in motion—and using that knowledge to cultivate intelligent, sustainable, and pain-free yoga practice. Rather than relying on generalized anatomy theory, we focus on practical tools that help you recognize structural imbalances, assess movement patterns, and make thoughtful adjustments—whether for yourself or for others.

You’ll learn to observe the body with greater clarity and care, developing the ability to support and refine postural alignment using safe, time-tested techniques. This is not just about flexibility or strength—it’s about awareness, function, and longevity in your yoga journey.

Whether you’re studying at home through our online video library, or attending a weekend training at Magic Forest Center, you’ll receive experiential guidance in how the body actually works in practice, including injury prevention strategies, gentle hands-on adjustments, and modifications that honor individual needs.

Topics include:

• Postural Assessment: Learn to identify asymmetries and structural issues that impact movement and alignment

• Functional Anatomy: Go beyond textbook theory to understand how key muscle groups contribute to real-world mobility and stability

• Manual Techniques & Safe Adjusting: Study tools like reciprocal inhibition, isometric stretching, somatic movement, and more

• Thai Bodywork: Gain access to a complete online course in traditional Thai massage, and practice key techniques during in-person sessions

• Adaptive Sequencing & Modifications: Learn how to tailor asana safely for diverse bodies, injuries, and limitations

• Self-Massage & Body Awareness: Develop tools to release tension, manage discomfort, and support lifelong practice

• Mentorship & Feedback: Receive guidance from experienced teachers to help refine your personal movement patterns and observational skills

This portion of the course empowers you not only to practice more safely, but to share that safety and awareness with others. You'll gain insight into the subtle signs of imbalance, how to avoid common injuries, and how to create a yoga experience that is healing, intelligent, and supportive of long-term well-being.

Whether you're pursuing the online certification or deepening your study in person, these tools will enrich your practice, improve your teaching, and expand your understanding of yoga as a healing art.

A Living Lineage: Teachers Who Guide This Work

This training stands on the shoulders of a living tradition—one that has been carefully preserved and passed on through direct relationship with teachers in Mysore, India. It’s not just a course—it’s a continuation of a dialogue that began generations ago.

I’ve had the rare privilege of studying closely with Guruji BNS Iyengar, one of the last living students of Sri T. Krishnamacharya. Guruji’s soulful voice, deep knowledge, and unwavering devotion have guided me for decades. His teachings form the spiritual and practical core of this program.

Our philosophy curriculum is presented in collaboration with Dr. M. A. Alwar, a senior Sanskrit professor at Maharaja’s Sanskrit College in Mysore, and Acharya of the Nathamuni Sampradāya. His father, Sri Lakshmithathachar, was a deeply revered Vedic scholar whose wisdom and humility touched generations of students. Their family lineage is directly connected to the Sri Vaishnava tradition and brings unparalleled depth to our study of yoga texts.

Together with these esteemed teachers, I’ve also had the support of many Sanskrit scholars, yoga elders, and colleagues through the Mysore Yoga Conference and Samskriti Foundation. The relationships forged through this work continue to shape and inform everything we offer.

This training isn’t a brand. It’s a bridge—linking sincere students around the world to the heart of Mysore’s yoga tradition. As you study, know that you are learning within a lineage: one that is alive, evolving, and rooted in timeless wisdom.

Behind the Scenes: 35 Years in the Making

This course is the culmination of more than three decades of study, travel, and devotion. For over 35 years, I’ve been journeying to Mysore, India—drawn by the depth of its yoga traditions, the wisdom of its teachers, and the living presence of a lineage that cannot be recreated in textbooks.

In that time, I’ve sat at the feet of masters. I studied with Guruji BNS Iyengar—whose direct connection to Krishnamacharya shaped the global spread of Ashtanga Yoga. I’ve spent years in dialogue with Sanskrit scholars, most notably Dr. M. A. Alwar, whose profound understanding of Indian philosophy continues to elevate this program. I’ve worked with traditional healers, bodyworkers, and elders who’ve generously shared insights passed down through oral tradition.

What makes this course unique is not only the content—but how it was built. Every lecture, video, and resource has been developed with great care, often recorded in Mysore itself or in collaboration with lineage holders. The Mysore Yoga Traditions film and conference emerged from this same devotion—to document what is often invisible in modern yoga culture: the roots.

This online program is not a repackaging of common material. It’s a living transmission. You’ll find teachings here that are hard to access anywhere else, especially in such an organized and flexible format. You’ll hear the voices of scholars who rarely appear in public forums. You’ll get a front-row seat to traditional philosophy, grounded practice, and the untold stories that give yoga its soul.

Behind the scenes is a long story of respect—for the culture, for the teachers, and for the students who sincerely want to learn. My hope is that this course carries forward the spirit of that respect, and serves as a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern seekers around the world.

The Mysore Yoga Traditions Film

A Window into the Soul of Modern Yoga

The Mysore Yoga Traditions film was born out of the same impulse that created this training: to preserve and honor the living roots of yoga. Directed and produced by Andrew Eppler, the film documents the deep philosophical, cultural, and historical context of yoga in Mysore—home to one of the world’s most influential yoga lineages.

Featuring rare interviews with Sanskrit scholars, traditional healers, historians, and lineage-holders—including members of the Mysore royal family—the film gives voice to perspectives often left out of mainstream yoga narratives. It offers a view into the transmission of knowledge that continues in India today: subtle, sacred, and steeped in meaning.

For students of this course, the film serves as both an inspiration and a foundation. It reminds us that yoga is not only postures or breath—it is part of a civilizational knowledge system rooted in deep inquiry, devotion, and community.

You’ll receive access to the full Mysore Yoga Traditions archive as part of your training. Watching it is not a requirement—but it is a gift. Many students have found it to be the heart of their inspiration, offering clarity and context that reshapes their understanding of what yoga truly is.

In Honor of Guruji BNS Iyengar
Anchor of a Tradition, Gateway to the Sacred

Sri BNS Iyengar was my first and most enduring teacher. I began studying with him in 1995, long before yoga was widely known outside India. Over the decades, I returned to Mysore year after year to sit at his feet, listen, and absorb the teachings of a living master. In time, I brought him to the United States to teach at my studio, not only so students could learn from him directly—but because I wanted to document his teaching for future generations.

At first, Guruji agreed to be part of my documentary film, Mysore Yoga Traditions. But true to his uncompromising integrity, he later changed his mind. He felt the world was not ready to understand what he had to share. And so, paradoxically, his refusal became the very seed that gave rise to the film. Guruji was not only the foundation of my education in yoga—he was the starting point of everything that followed.

From Guruji, I learned how to walk with humility, how to approach Sanskrit scholars, and how to interact with traditional teachers with sincerity and respect. His influence was not just technical—it was cultural, spiritual, and deeply personal. He taught with sharp wit, poetic depth, and an unwavering connection to the rishi paramparā—the great lineage of sages who preserved the Vedic vision of life.

In his own words:

“A rishi belongs to a world beyond the ordinary, where thoughts and actions are aligned with nature and with God… This is the essence of yoga: to unite again with the divine, to return home.”

Guruji described yoga as a sacred inner journey—a transformation from iron to gold, from body to light, from confusion to clarity. He reminded us that real yoga was not about performance or popularity, but about inner refinement. It was about becoming a better human being, about aligning with dharma, and serving something greater than ourselves.

His teachings reached beyond method into meaning—emphasizing not just how to move the body, but how to think clearly, act ethically, and live with devotion. To study with him was to be reconnected with the deeper purpose of yoga.

Even now, Guruji remains the anchor of my path. His spirit lives on in everything I share, every student I teach, and every connection I make between the old world and the new. I owe him more than words can express.

Om śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ, śāntiḥ.

In Remembrance of Sri Lakshmithathacharya Swami

The Saint who had a Great Influence on Our Yoga Training

This course is rooted in tradition, not just through technique or philosophy—but through the living presence of teachers who embody yoga’s highest ideals. Among them, Sri U. Ve. Prof. M. A. Lakshmithathacharya Swami stands as a guiding light whose influence permeates every layer of our curriculum.

I met Swami Ji in 2016 while filming Mysore Yoga Traditions. At the suggestion of his son, Dr. M. A. Alwar, I traveled to Melkote not knowing what to expect. From the moment I met him, I knew I was in the presence of someone extraordinary. His wisdom, humility, and piercing insight left a deep impression. I asked if he would teach me—and to my amazement, he said yes.

What followed was a three-and-a-half-year mentorship in the Gītārtha Saṅgraha and beyond. We spoke weekly. He taught with patience, kindness, and sincerity. Even when my Sanskrit was weak and my understanding shallow, he never made me feel small. His support during difficult moments—like my father’s final illness—carried a weight of compassion I’ll never forget.

Only after his passing did I realize the full extent of who he was: an Acharya in the ancient Nathamuni Sampradāya, a lineage that includes Sri T. Krishnamacharya and reaches back over a thousand years to the sage Ramanuja. Swami Ji was not only a Sanskrit scholar, but a visionary who embraced technology, created AI tools to preserve Indian texts, developed new breeds of cows based on ancient treatises, and authored over 20 books. He was a flutist, a vocalist, and a yogi who often spoke of samādhi as a natural state.

Swami Ji believed that yoga without service is incomplete. He once told me, “You can’t just close your nose and do prāṇāyāma. You have to be of service.” This training carries that spirit forward. Beyond āsana, it’s about seeing yoga as a means to live with awareness, compassion, and purpose.

Swami Ji’s son, Dr. Alwar, now serves as a key teacher and final examiner in this program. Through his continued support, and with the blessings of this lineage, we offer this course not just as instruction—but as a living tribute to a truly realized soul.

Why This Training Matters

This training was created out of love—for yoga, for the traditions that shaped it, and for the people who sincerely want to understand it.

It is the result of over 35 years of study, travel, and personal relationship with the living roots of yoga in Mysore, India. What you’ll find here is not a generic online course. It’s a doorway into an ancient lineage, shared with humility and care by someone who has walked the path and continues to learn every day.

This training matters because yoga itself matters. Not just the āsanas, but the philosophy, the breath, the values, the inner transformation. In a world increasingly focused on image and speed, we offer something different: time-tested wisdom, real mentorship, and an invitation to slow down and go deep.

If you're looking for more than postures—if you're seeking real clarity, connection, and a meaningful way to live your yoga—this training was made for you.

Thank you for reading. May your path be sincere, supported, and full of discovery.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. It means you care deeply about what yoga really is. If you feel called to join us, you can return to the MAIN TRAINING PAGE , or reach out with any questions. Keep in mind we do have a compassionate pricing policy. If you come from a non first-world country or economical situation that doesn’t support our pricing, then reach out and I will do my best to make the training available to anyone who is seriously interested. Sincerely, Andrew

andrew@ashtangayogastudio.com

WhatsApp +14055037779