Yoga Life Residential Training

Meditation * Yoga * Service * Community * Sustainability

Yoga Life is a residential work-study training designed to give students the opportunity to develop themselves personally through the practices of yoga and yogic meditation, as well as develop their skills and ability to serve living beings through service, community-building and study of yogic knowledge.

In this program, students will learn individual meditative practices for their personal development, as well as receive classes each week in yogic wisdom teachings and paradigms for sustainable development. There will be collective meditation at least twice daily, chanting, yoga sessions, daily check-ins with the group and work study. Every few weeks, students will have an opportunity to meet with their spiritual advisor who will review their progress and support them in the development of their practices. There will be up to 6 residential students accepted at each participating center in the program at any given time. The 6 residential trainees will live in community: eating, working and practicing together.

There are 6 core areas of focus for the program, which are:

1. Personal development through yogic meditation, asana and other yoga-related practices.
2. Study of the ancient teachings of yoga, the mind, psychology, cosmology, right living, dharma, and related topics such as paradigms for sustainable development, organic gardening and permaculture.
3. Service: this includes organic gardening, karma yoga on the property, office work, community service projects, organizing local retreats and yoga days, helping out with trainings, and possibly teaching yoga and meditation classes and giving lectures.
4. Community building skills development: this will be through living together with others in the ashram, collective planning, maintaining collective space, relationships, group process, communications, and so on.
5. The development of organizing skills: this will be through planning and organizing events and activities as mentioned above.
6. Entrepreneurial development: this is an exploration of creative business skills and activities ("cottage businesses") with other students for sustaining self. Examples might be: the development of organic gardening jobs, making textiles or other projects.

These areas are not exclusive, but overlap in various ways.

Student Commitments, Fees and Registration

Yoga Life Training is designed to give students a deep experience of immersion in the yogic lifestyle, and living and working in harmony with the way of nature (dharma). The training allows for the exploration of opportunities to "follow your bliss" and find unique and personally-empowered ways to bring light and truth into the world.

Yoga Life Residential Training Requirements:

- This training requires a minimum commitment of 3 months to one year.
- Tuition: $300 per month, including room and board, to be paid in advance: $900 for 3 months, $1800 for 6 months.
- Service commitment: 20-25 hours per week divided between service to Ananada Seva, community service, and service to the ashram.
- Commitment to daily yoga and meditation practices.
- Commitment to follow the guidelines of the center where you are staying.
- Collective responsibility for meals, cleaning and other daily tasks.

This training is accredited by Ananda Seva Mission. Those who fulfill their training commitments, and deepen and grow in their yogic practices, knowledge base, and service to living beings to sufficiently pass the standards of their trainers, will graduate with a certificate of training and the title of "Dharmika," one who follows and upholds dharma. There is also the opportunity to continue to develop and deepen your commitment to work and grow in the community of Ananda Seva.

To Register:

Centers Offering Training

Space is available for our Santa Rosa Location now!
Ananda Seva holds Yoga Life Trainings in Santa Rosa, California; Eugene, Oregon; Kila, Montana and Finland. We are now registering for our Santa Rosa Center, Ananda Kamalalaya. Call the main office at (707) 575-0886 if you have questions or are interested in registration or email

Ananda Kamalalaya

To learn more about the location please go to our Ananda Kamalalaya web page. At the center we have daily meditations morning and evenings, weekly community meditations and yoga classes, and a monthly third Friday evening Kirtan with beautiful devotional music. There are 6 residents at Ananda Kamalalaya and up to 6 Yoga Life trainees at any given time. The Santa Rosa Center, Ananda Kamalalaya is the international headquarters of Ananda Seva Mission and main training center. There are Yoga Teacher Trainings, Yoga Therapy Trainings, Yogic Ministerial Training, and retreats held at the center as well as the residential Yoga Life program.