Shiva Rishi Yoga at Varkala Cliff

Yoga op het dakterras, goede pranayama en meditatiedocenten ernaast.... veel geleerd!

Sehr abwechslungsreich, tolle Lehrer, Sehr harmonische Gruppe

I did 100 hours YTT at Shiva Rishi yoga school.

I had a wonderful stay and experience.

From my arrival I was pick up in the airport (included in my package) and brought to the school. There I checked in and was assigned a spacious, clean room with balcony and private bathroom with toilet. The comfort of the room was above my expectations. Linen and bedsheets were nice and changed weekly. I also had a mosquito net and air co was available but I didn’t needed it as they were also a fan on the ceiling.

I never encountered any pest in my room.

The food was amazing, from breakfast to dinner Bina was cooking everything from fresh ingredients, purely vegetarian and gluten free. I truly enjoyed the variety of the meals and the quality of it. On our last day we had a celebration Kerala lunch served on banana leaves with more than 25 types of curry and preparation.

The shala were the class were given was beautiful and spacious. I noticed mats and blankets were cleaned for each batch which is not the case in every school. We had different teachers all with great knowledge.

Shiva was giving list of the classes and I can say how dedicated he is to his students. He likes telling story and go the extra miles.

We were given the chances to teach our own class to the other students to practices which I truly enjoyed.

We had a wonderful closing ceremony with all our teachers, priest and some musicians. We all received our certificate after completing a test we have all worked for.

What an amazing Yoga 200hr YTTC!

Shiva and all his team of fellow teachers and support staff are brilliant!

The teachers are so professional and knowledgeable in their dedicated fields of teaching, and the back of house staff who look after the food preparation and accommodation are wonderful!

The schedule for classes is concise and the course builds momentum as the 28 days progress. Excellent high quality and delivery of classes and you feel supported throughout!

Shiva is an amazing and passionate yoga teacher and his knowledge, energy, huge smile and encouraging personality fills the Shalah each day!

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided and the food is all cooked fresh for each meal providing you with the energy and nutrition to get you through the days classes.

The group outings usually Saturday afternoons are good fun and entertaining.

The school is located close to the beach, and there are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops and local tourist shops for you to explore on your breaks and rest days.

El retiro es un desastre no es un retiro es una formación de yoga en la que aceptan gente.. desorganizado, ruidoso el alojamiento frente a unas obras y la organizadora ni siquiera estuvo presente… fue desagradable y muy estresante.:: todo lo que puedes no esperar de un retiro… el primer dia me llamo para decirme que habian sobrevendido una plaza y debia irme un dia antes. No había comunicacion entre la organizadora y la gente del retiro..

All the teacher are so passionate about their work and the subjects they are teaching and the other students there were sooo sweet

Shiva Rishi yoga is a beautiful school, teaching the roots of yoga with all its practical benefices with wisdom, great knowledge and enthusiasm.

It offered much more than what I expected.

The place is beautiful, in a quiet street, where we can enjoy birds songs. It is well taken care of, there is not a spot of dirt or dust anywhere. The meals are really tasty, people working there always smile and Shiva is a very dedicated person I had the pleasure to meet 🙏

I was here for the yoga retreat and I had the best time! I absolutely recommend everything about this place, from the location (the yoga on the rooftop is something else, I still dream about this, and you can go to the beach in 5 minutes), to the food (Bhina is the best cook!), to the accomodation and most of all to the teachers.

Shiva is a great teacher with a deep spiritual wisdom and yogic knowledge, he has a big sense of humour and always lends a hand to help if you are in need. You can see how much respect he has for everybody and that he is always open to listening and learning from his students, also you can see the passion he puts in the lessons.

Shoutout to Kavitah, the pranayama teacher, starting every day with 1 hour of pranayama made me really want to get out of bed and start the day in the best way possible. She is a gem, she made everyone laugh and you could see she had an intuitive knowledge of people.

I'm really grateful for my time at the school, there is really so much one can learn here. The meditations and yoga nidra were helpful too.

I loved everything about my 3 weeks there and I would do it again in a heartbeat! Cannot recommend this place enough.

All the teachers were excellent, their knowledge is vast and teaching style fantastic. The course is structured amazingly well. Shiva also keeps its fun, which is rare. Feel deeply grateful to have been and qualified as a yoga teacher 🕉️

The 200-hour yoga teacher training was well-structured and truly worth the price. Shiva and the other teachers are highly professional and knowledgeable.

This training goes beyond just asanas, offering deep insights into philosophy, pranayama, meditation, and overall yogic lifestyle.

Classes run from Monday to Saturday, with Sundays free for rest or exploration. I stayed in a house just a 3-minute walk from the school. While my room didn’t have a balcony, there was a shared terrace, and my room was comfortable and spacious.

The food was excellent—healthy, delicious sattvic meals that nourished both body and mind. The location of the school is ideal, just a short walk from the beach, and Varkala itself offers a relaxed atmosphere.

I highly recommend this teacher training for anyone looking for a truly immersive and holistic yoga experience—it’s a valuable investment in both knowledge and personal growth!

Shiva is a real yogi ! You will only understand the meaning of this when you meet him .His place is a peaceful heaven very close to the cliff and beach . The other teachers are very knowledgeable and are motivated to share their wisdom . This 100 yttc was a real nice introduction to yoga so deff coming back for my 200 hour training :)

I enjoyed Shiva’s yoga classes and the good energy he created

The training was great and included various courses on Ayurveda and energy, providing a deeper understanding of yoga philosophy—such a privileged experience. Shiva is a great teacher, always responsive and ready to offer support for anything. The food was absolutely amazing! Another advantage is that the beach is less than five minutes away, allowing for a quick swim between classes.

Shiva Rishi Yoga was a beautiful experience for anyone that want to be teaching yoga in the future or simply want to deepen their practice. Shiva shares very precious and deep yogic knowledge which makes this experience so special. When you think you know about yoga well.. you don't ! That is what I love about yoga anyway there is always more to discover. Thank you to all the other teachers for sharing their experience and knowledge as well, everyone carried the class with undeniable patience and wisdom. Thank you also Bhina and vinida for cooking and taking care of the spaces <3 What would this place be without you!!!

Thank you Shiva & its team for being so dedicated to make this world a better place!!

It was a great experience to do my 100h TTC with Shiva in Varkala. It was a nice place to stay and the food was great. Overall a really nice experience.

I was my first time in Indien. Und I liked the place, the clases, all the teachers, and the people who works there , they help you wenn you need something. 🤩the people our group it was like a family, the food was really fresh, tasty and a lot of love prepared . Nice atmosphere 🙏🏻✨

The quality of the teaching was superb. This applies to the asana classes, alignment classes as well as the philosophy, anatomy and yoga science classes too. It's also good that Shiva brings in other teachers with expertise in the philosophy, anatomy and science rather than trying to do it all himself. the pace and level of the classes are stretching and helps me to progress my yoga practice significantly. The philosophy and science side was thought provoking and lead by teachers who knew their subjects in great depth and welcomed questions and discussion.

If there was a down side then for me it was the food. I like Indian food but in the main I didn't like what was on offer, though most of the other students did enjoy it - so maybe its just my taste! There was some consensus amongst us that there was insufficient protein in the meals when you are doing 3.5-4 hours physical exercise a day for 4 weeks. Varkala is a reasonably cheap place to eat if you want to supplement your diet outside of the school.

However that does not detract from the fact it's an excellent course that represents good value for money and tuition is by friendly tutors who believe in what they are offering and practice it themselves.

I think you would struggle to get better quality teaching and value for money elsewhere. When I need to do a 100 hour refresher course in a couple of years I'm pretty sure I will be heading back to Shiva's school and his big welcoming smile.

I came with no expectations, but left with so much love, connection and new-found knowledge. Shiva and the rest of the teachers are such gems.

I was slightly worried about asking critical questions, but it was no problem and they respect your views and way of thinking. It was also so nice to have a team of teachers that have different backgrounds and slightly different perspectives, yet be united by their love for yoga. That made for a holistic Yoga Teacher Training!

Shiva is amazing. Every class was so much fun, hard sometimes yes, but we could always share a laugh, which is my preferred way of practicing - with a smile. The schedule was quite full, especially during week 2 due to some unforeseen circumstances, but Shiva made sure to update us and to ask for our opinion as well, which I greatly appreciate.

I also greatly enjoyed the classes with Kavita, she is a treasure! And Salini, dr Anish, Ashok, Sam and dr Priya were amazing and so open as well. Not to mention, I left with so many new friendships. Thank you, Shiva, for creating a welcoming space where I learned a lot about yoga and about myself :)

Other than the classes, the accommodation was fine (I stayed at the "other building", not at the school). The food was great as well, though at the end maybe a little repetitive. But hey, it's close to restaurants if you feel like you need something else.

Shiva is a great teacher who combines yoga practice and philosophy with ease, so that every yoga class makes sense and doesn't just remain a series of asanas. He has a humorous nature and is authentic because he lives what he teaches. All of his other teachers in the team are also special people in their own way from whom you can learn - not just techniques, but also how to treat others with an open heart and respect. Thank you for the wonderful experience of being able to learn from you and practice with you!

Shiva is an excellent instructor and a kindest, generous, and humble person.

His classes were always to the highest standard and something not to miss on.

The food was delicious and the accommodation and the location convenient and safe.

Great vibes!

Thank you & Hope I can some back soon.

You could really tell Shiva put his heart into it. All the teachers did their best to answer our questions and help us along our journey

My month of YTT at Shiva Rishi Yoga School was an absolute blessing. Shiva is one-of-a-kind; he lives and breathes the practice of yoga and shares his knowledge and passion for the philosophy with integrity, generosity and a healthy dose of humour. The supporting teachers are very knowledgeable and highly passionate about their subjects, and the content of lessons is comprehensive: pranayama, ayurveda, anatomy, yogic philosophy, diet, asana, meditation, etc. The setting itself was wonderful, set back from the hustle and bustle of Varkala beach by just a few minutes' walk, and surrounded by fruit trees, birdsong, and flowers. The school is spotlessly clean, and the food provided by the lovely Bina is absolutely delicious, healthy, flavourful Sattvic South-Keralan cuisine. I came away from my month at Shiva's school feeling strong, balanced, fully renewed, and ready to start teaching yoga!

Thank you Shiva and the the rest of the team for an unforgettable experience!

Vielfalt an Wissensvermittlung

Coming from Germany, i didn't know what to expect coming to india doing a YTTC here. But it was even more i could ever imagined.

My course was small, but we became such a beautiful Yoga family and we've learned a lot about our bodies and ourselfes. I'm really grateful for this experience .All the teachers there are doing a great work, full of passion and openess to everything which comes to a students mind.

Great location close to the beautiful beach. Good, nice, friendly teachers. Shiva, the yoga teacher, will really make your body work!

So happy to have done this TTC. Recomend it to anyone wanting to go deeper into yoga.

Passer ce certificat de yoga en Inde est formidable. On est au coeur de cette pratique. Tous les professeurs sont au top, les cours sont complets et beaucoup de pratique. Endroit magique. Siva est un vrai yogi. Intensif mais sérieux et rigoureux.

Thank you Shiva!! This experience was so amazing that it's hard to express my gratefulness with words.

Everything was beyond what I could have expected: teachings, nature around us, accomodation, food, group energy...

Shiva is a person you would never forget. He is passionate about yoga and teaching and always happy to share and to help. He was really attentive about our needs. I will definitely come back to Varkala to practice and learn more with him.

Thanks to Swamiji, Santhosh, Shalini and Dr Annish, we also had great quality lessons about meditation, theory, philosophy, sanskrit, anatomy and ayurveda. They are really interesting, as teachers and persons.

Nature around the place is so beautiful, perfect to practice yoga and meditation.

The location is amazing: 5mn to the beach by walk. I loved to go for a swim everyday and to enjoy the peacefulness of Varkala in march-april.

The food was really good, even better than in any restaurant on the cliff.

The room was clean and spacious, with its own bathroom.

On the day off, you can spend the day on the beach, go to Amma ashram, explore around with a bike...

I have learned so much in only 28 days even if I have been practicing yoga for 7 years and read about theory and philosophy. It is an excellent introduction of yoga, both practice and theory, for beginners and an amazing way to deepen practice and knowledge if you are already into yoga.

I would recommend this yoga teacher training to anyone!

The list of what I liked about this yoga retreat would be endless and I would highly recommend it to any friends or family. Firstly you are welcomed, supported and truly cared for in the most genuine way. Shiva is a phenomenal teacher who has the ability to share his devotion and skills with the whole class so that each individual can strive to reach their goals. This yoga retreat is a real authentic experience, that not only teaches you the meaning of yoga but helps you to live and gain a better understanding of the lifestyle. The location of the school is fabulous, you soon become part of a local community, where the people are kind and friendly. The food was sensational and quality was the best in India. The 200hours TTC was well organised and the itinerary worked well, again feedback was always welcomed to ensure you had the best experience. The teachers that came where brilliant and worked through an extensive syllabus.

It really is a wonderful yoga retreat and one that will give you experiences and memories that you will treasure forever.

Everyone was warm, welcoming, helpful and enthusiastic. The atmosphere was wonderful.

Location, atmosphere, Shiva passion and tolerance, company,