Let the Flow
Guide You to Inner Bliss.
Bring a change
FOR YOUR INNER PEACE.
REVIVE YOUR SPIRIT
Bring out your flexibility
Meet Shiva Rishi
At age 15 Shiva started to develop a sincere and deep devotion to God Shiva. He went into the jungle for meditation or sit at a Shiva temple near his home in the south of Kerala in India.
Out of his wish to share this devotion with other beings, he started to develop yoga techniques throughout the last 12 years. Since 5 years he is teaching classes in Varkala and Dharamsala. He wants to make yoga techniques accessible to everyone, adapting them to your individual level of experience and flexibility.
“Whether you are new on the path of yoga and selfdiscovery or are looking to deepen your existing practice, I like to take you and your understanding of the true principles of yoga and conscious living to the next level.”
The Shiva Rishi Yoga Experience
- At Shiva rishi yoga school we offer more than certificates. We guide students into discipline, inner balance, strength, healing, and self-understanding through the traditional science of yoga. Through studying pranayama, meditation and especially asana and the underlying anatomy and alignment, we believe in the wholeness of yoga as a lifestyle – on and off the mat.
- Whether you are taking your first steps on the yogic path or ready to deepen your wisdom as a teacher, Shiva Rishi Yoga invites you into a life-changing journey of transformation. More than a training, this is a sacred experience where ancient Himalayan teachings meet modern understanding, guiding you to awaken strength, clarity, confidence, and inner peace.
- With decades of lived experience, authentic lineage, and heartfelt guidance, our programs are designed to nourish not only your skills as a teacher, but your soul as a human being. Here, you do not simply learn how to teach yoga—you embody it, live it, and carry its light into the world.
- Whether you join for personal growth or professional certification, each course is created to meet you where you are, while helping you rise into who you are meant to become. Step into a community of seekers, healers, and future teachers—and begin the journey that can transform your life forever.
Deepen Your Practice with Traditional
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in
Varkala.
100 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
100 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Private Room
€ 1050
Harmony, nurturing, family energyShared Room
€ 950
Unity, growth, shared wisdom
100 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Private Room
€ 1400
Mastery, transformation, inner strength
Shared Room
€ 1300
Spiritual awakening, collective journey
Transform your life with our yoga teacher training—where nourishing food,
comfortable accommodation, and holistic learning come together.
Retreat
5 Day Retreat
Revitalize Your Mind, Body, and Spirit at Our 5-Day Yoga Retreat!
Immerse yourself in transformative yoga sessions and rejuvenating Ayurvedic treatments designed to restore balance and vitality…
8 Day Retreat
Escape to Paradise with Our 8-Day Yoga & Wellness Retreat.
Enjoy daily yoga asana and pranayama (breathwork) classes, rejuvenating Ayurvedic massages, and discover local culture..
10 Day Retreat
Searching for a way to de-stress and relax while on holiday, while also learning tools for a more balanced life?
Immerse yourself in the world of yoga while on holiday..
Vision
To create a harmonious world where ancient yogic wisdom and modern practices unite to inspire holistic well-being, selfawareness, and lasting personal and communal growth
Mission
We strive to:
- Share Timeless Knowledge: Make ancient yogic traditions and Ayurvedic principles accessible to everyone, fostering a deeper connection to self and nature.
- Bridge Cultures: Blend the strengths of Eastern and Western philosophies to promote balanced, integrative approaches to health and life.
- Empower Individuals: Encourage self-responsibility and self-reflection to help individuals cultivate a fulfilling and purposeful life.
- Build Community: Provide a safe and inclusive space where people from all walks of life can come together, share, and learn from one another.
- Raise Global Vibrations: Bring like-minded individuals together to nurture collective growth, understanding, and higher consciousness.
- Support Self-Practice: Guide individuals in deepening their personal practice while planting seeds for future success and well-being.
Through these efforts, we aim to inspire a world where everyone can pause, reflect, and improve their lives in meaningful and lasting ways.
Our Youtube Channel
What our students say on Google
About Shiva Rishi Yoga School
A selection of reviews and testimonials of our students
EXCELLENT Based on 140 reviews Posted on Google Emily Mueller18 April 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Based on the reviews I read before attending the Shiva Rishi School, I expected a good experience. My actual experience was better than expected!! From the moment I arrived (early) there was someone at all times to assist with anything I needed. Shiva himself was welcoming and helpful even though he was busy preparing for our classes. Each evening during the course he sent us additional resources for a deeper understanding of sequencing and postures, as well as an assortment of helpful yogic content. Every yoga class taught something new. Shiva designed many classes focused on various themes and showed us how to modify or change our routines based on needs, flexibility, time of day, the moon, menstration, etc. I left the 200 hour yoga teacher training prepared to teach my own classes right away. What I didn't anticipate was the intensity and expertise that we would gain from the additional classes. I enjoyed learning pranayama, yogic philsophy, and meditation. Lorne's yin classes were a wonderful balance to our hatha and vinyassa training. Every class provided a balance that taught me how to address my entire body and mind, stretching me outside my comfort zone. The Shiva Rishi School is NOT a yoga factory. They do not believe in yoga simply as exercise, but as a lifestyle. Every instructor cares deeply for the education and well-being of their students. Our teachers created a safe space for us to explore our limits. They were always approachable to answer questions and provide clarification when needed. I found this to be a very personalized experience, worth every single euro. I can not recommend it enough!Posted on Google hazel robinson5 April 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Myself and my partner just completed our 100hrs at Shiva Rishi yoga school. We are really grateful for our time at this school and everything it gave to us. We stayed at the house were Shiva , Maria , little Eliva and Lorne live. We loved staying here personally it was so lovely to see the family everyday and enjoy our short walk to the school each morning and I mean 2min walk but it was so to wake you up before you start training. The main yoga shala is so beautiful you are so happy to just hang out and relax during break and rest time up there and even spend time with the rest of the group. I loved all the classes so much, Kavita the pranayama teacher was especially amazing a Beautiful sense of humour with extensive knowledge she had this aura I can’t even explain and she always knows when you feeling unwell and how to help. Swarmi also for yoga philosophy and meditation was incredible so easy to talk to and always happy to help and give advice even after we left he was open to giving advice and I’m so grateful for that. To have teachers that create a safe space is so important. Sam our yoga nidra teacher was very sweet. Doctor Anish the Ayurveda teacher was so knowledgeable and I thoroughly enjoyed his classes a lot. Shiva was a great teacher he is funny and silly as well as professional you feel they are friends. His passion for yoga is inspiring and you can feel that it makes you want to go deeper in yourself. know it can be hard when doing group training to attend to every student but he tried his best and I felt if you needed more and asked it was given . Lorne was a very special one with such a big heart and kind soul he was very easy to open up to and help with anything you needed. He has such a relax presence around him and it was just so great to have him around I’m grateful to have had the pleasure to get to know all these wonderful humans including all the students. As a couple and staying at the other house we always felt super included with everyone from the group and it was nice to actually have that little space away felt like our own sanctuary. Thank you to Maria and Eliva for always being around to have beautiful chats with. Maris is very helpful with any inquires and questions you have and understanding of needs. I never felt I couldn’t talk with her and it was lovely to get to know her. Also food was delicious and fresh everyday!! We are so grateful for our time at this school anda the people we met and hope we will be back again to finish our 200hrs 🙏💫Posted on Google Lavinia Friemel30 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Honestly, this was the best school I could have picked for myself. I loved Varkala, the school has an amazing energy, the teachers bring so much joy, wisdom and depth with them, it’s fascinating. We shared a deep connection with all the people who participated in our journey. Thank you Shiva, Shakti, Lorne, our wonderful teachers and the whole team for this wholesome and healing experience. I would definetly recommend coming here. The shala is just incredible. The beach is about five minutes away, the food is amazing and everyone cares so much about our wellbeing. I am very glad I chose a program with 28 instead of 21 days because we really needed the rest and time we were given. Thank you!Posted on Google Tess Pahl22 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Loved coming to this school for a retreat! If I came back to Varkala to do yoga again, I would DEFINITELY stay here. Shiva was an amazing yoga teacher and the shalla was beautiful. It was really useful to have Lorne as a constant presence as someone to talk to about worries and concerns. He helped make the yoga school feel like a home and for us to feel really cared for. Eating with the other students made us into a family and the excursion really brought us together! And the food was delicious. Because I was on a retreat, we were housed in separate accommodation: Sky Lounge Residency. This was not good enough and substantially worse than the rooms within the school.Posted on Google Anne de Joly16 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I completed my 200-hour training in February and am not leaving the same. I absolutely adored the time spent at the school, Shiva is an amazing teacher and soul and really pours his heart into the training, sharing his knowledge, his experience, his stories and his beautiful energy to us, with a wide smile no matter the time of the day. The other teachers are equally as talented and offered their knowledge, stories, humour to us and shared so much with us. I had a little accident during the training and everyone was there to help and support me or even cook for me and go the extra mile 🫶 I loved the training and I feel much more confident in my practice, having learnt so much about yoga philosophy, history, meditation, pranayama, alignment and having taught twice to my fellow classmates ❤️ and I'll miss singing the mantras with our beautiful group! We were 14 at the time and our group felt so so tight and supportive, I made some lifelong friendships there that made the training even more meaningful! The Puja ceremonies were beautiful, the musicians, the singing, the dancing, and felt very special to open and close the training all together. I lived with some other student in another building less than 2 min away from school, which gave a good break from the school environnement, and the room was pristine, like-new and felt really cozy. Oh and the food, from Bina and the lovely ladies, was absolutely delicious and we could feel the love out in the cooking! Both the school and my house were just a few minutes away from the cliff and the beach, which after having spent 6 weeks there really felt like home. I would love to come back to Varkala and come again to Shiva's classes in the future for sure. Hari om 🕉️🤍Posted on Google Funky Traveler4 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. What and absolutely breath taking month. Spent about 10 days of deep researching till I decided on Shivas Yoga school. As a teacher myself of about 15 years of outdoor activities, what I saw about Shiva and his program made me believe it was the best choice. Shiva is such an emotionaly intelligent and supportive teacher that only if you arrive with serious baggage he wont be able to help you heal. His teaching environment is safe and welcoming. His team of Teacher are passionate, caring and knowledgeable. The rooms are Very Clean and cleaned often by the staff who is always smiling. And the food is varied and nourishing. I saw many programs for 21 days . I dont know how they do it. 28 days instead of 21 for the 200 hours YTT is the right choice. Even with a more relaxed Saturday and a Sunday completely free it is intense. But you have time to read, contemplate and assimilate the knowledge, feeling much closer to the yogic philosophy you will be learning about, and Not like a Yoga teacher training factory!Posted on Google Nikos Elgreco4 March 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Reader , and fellow possible future Yoga teacher. Dont hesitate, contact Shiva and join him with an open heart for a completely amazing journey. You will make friends for life. You will be affected by the deep teachings . And if you are, of a fairer skin like me , you will leave with a nice tan aswell 😊.Details bellow: Dr Anish. So much knowledge. You can see his passion of his practice , Ayuverda. His analytical lectures and very clear cut white board skills made it a joy to follow his class. Yogini Kavita Pranayama Teacher. Well you will see many speaking about her on the reviews. After sharing Chai at her house talking about life, I came to know her a bit about her as a person• As in her class she is such a great human being. Her love and laughter is infectious . She deeply cares about all of her students and she is always there if you want some support or someone to speak to. Yogi Sanathanam . Philosophy and Yoga Nidra teacher. Lovely analogies and stories might need a class to get used to his way of story telling but once you do he will take you for a ride. And if you ever manage to make it through a class of his Nidra without sleeping please tell me how, because I know I could not, despite his often reminders to the class to not sleep but meditate. Yogi Sam. Yogi Sam will be your meditation teacher . Sam with his huge joyful smile and his reminders to "take a deep joyful breaths" made our last class of the day feel easy and bonding. His circles of sharing and singing really made us all a unit , a union , like the meaning of Yoga. Swami Gurukrupananda. Swarmi G is a most amazing passionate lecturer for our philosophy. His a Monk and a Spiritual teacher and his passion to share his wisdom really shines through. Found it very interesting and immersive of his use of his laptop to show some videos to make analogies and examples of his teachings. A person that embodies calm , stable and continuous practice i found Swami Gurukrupananda very inspiring personality. Yogini Lorne Yogini Lorne our Yin Yoga teacher and our bridge sometimes between the western ways and the Indian practices. He was many times our linchpin and our translator in our practice from the early busy first days to the last days where the emotions are high and we needed someone to translate the Yogic sutras in our personal situations or day to day life. Lastly every ship needs its Captain. And that Captain is Shiva. I really tried to be up in the Yoga Shala before he was in the morning but I couldn't ,he was there meditating from the early morning. * Shivas practice is his prayer. * He is deeply passionate about his Hatha and his Vinyasa classes . His Asanas are clear and precise. He is always ready to start the class and give his all about his practice. From small stories of his personal practice (usually while in a stance :) ) to his research in modern practices and how you can incorporate them. Now his alignment classes are detailed and structured. Making each class precious for your understanding and latter your personal practice. Its important for him that you can teach your asanas safely and understand how to guide your pupils into the right postures. Not just like an exercise, but so they can quiet their mind (Chitta Vritti Nirodaha "Sutra 1.2") and reach towards a deeper practise with breath and movement. Personally, especially his respect, for the different body types and flexibility, was a joy to behold. He could take the flexible students deeper while also giving options to work on for the less flexible . In some postures I relearned them completely because I was always trying to bend my back to reach further and copy other participants instead of doing my own practise and keeping my back straight. Shiva thank you again my Guru it was a joy learning from you. A shout out also to Shivas wife Shakti Maria . She's also there to help with scheduling and messages and like Shiva she is always with a huge Smiley Face 😊! And a Shout out to Eve (i know you read these !) for your help and management.
1. In what languages do you offer yoga classes?
All courses are in English, BUT we offer to our students a guide book that resume most of the theory classes and photos of Asanas to help you for your study and future teachings, so it should help you to have a better comprehension of theory classes. Also students tend to help each other’s.
2. What type of yoga are you teaching?
We focus on traditional Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Flow. Shiva has developed his own style, incorporating mantra with the breath. We follow ancient techniques based on Patanjali’s philosophy. We believe that yoga is more than just bending and stretching; it is a path of total transformation, purifying negative tendencies through self-inquiry.
3. Do you teach Meditation ?
Yes, we do practice meditation and Pranayama everyday, it is also an important part of our teachings.s.
4. What food are you serving?
Our food is served frehsly cooked and suitable for most diets and presented as a buffet. We do not use too many spices or chili, focusing more on herbs for flavor.
We accommodate special dietary needs and allergies, please let us know in advance!.
FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
We will keep you updated
Find us and follow us on social media, and delve into all that we do here at Shiva Rishi. Keep updated on courses and offerings through our facebook page and instagram; try out some meditation recordings on our Soundcloud Page; and read our blog on wordpress!
Yoga FAQ
Were Embarrassed To Ask!
All courses are in English, BUT we offer to our students a guide book that resume most of the theory classes and photos of Asanas to help you for your study and future teachings, so it should help you to have a better comprehension of theory classes. Also students tend to help each other’s.
We focus on traditional Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Flow. Shiva has developed his own style, incorporating mantra with the breath. We follow ancient techniques based on Patanjali's philosophy. We believe that yoga is more than just bending and stretching; it is a path of total transformation, purifying negative tendencies through self-inquiry.
Yes, we do practice meditation and Pranayama everyday, it is also an important part of our teachings.
We offer 3 vegetarian meals per day, featuring traditional Kerala cuisine made with coconut oil. Our menu includes gluten-free dishes such as dosa (flatbread made with rice flour, similar to chapati) along with salads, fruits, beans, and a wide variety of vegetables,
Our food is served frehsly cooked and suitable for most diets and presented as a buffet. We do not use too many spices or chili, focusing more on herbs for flavor.
We accommodate special dietary needs and allergies, please let us know in advance!
All courses are in English, but we offer our students a guidebook that summarizes most of the theory classes and includes photos of asanas to assist with your studies and future teachings. This should help you gain a better understanding of the theory classes. Additionally, students tend to help each other.
We are registered with YOGA ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL so you will receive a certificate after completion of the 28 days TTC. We have theory’s and practice exams. All our teachers are very qualified and they have been teachings for many years, you can check our curriculum.
We had students who were beginners but had a strong mind. They followed through, and rested when needed during Asana class in Savasana, which is totally acceptable. However, be aware that a teacher training is very intense. You will have to practice Asanas 2 hours twice a day (morning and evening) for 6 days a week. Therefore you need to be dedicated and fit to follow this routine. Additionally you will have theroy classes, practice meditation and pranayama. All of this takes a lot of time and energy. If you are rather looking for a challenging or relaxing Yoga vacation, we recommend you to book one of our retreats instead.
We offer private rooms, with a private bathroom and balcony for max 2 persons. We provide towels and sheets that are changed and washed weekly.
No, but we can share the adress of local laundry services with you who will wash your clothes at low cost.
You also have a bucket in your room that you can use to wash your clothes by hand. By are happy to provide washing powder.
Yes, we have 4 AC rooms available at extra cost, which depends on the length of your stay. Just ask us for the availability and we'll send you all the information.
Every room is equipped with a ceiling fan and mosquito nets.
We are located at 5 m. Walking distance to beaches and store and restaurants for your convenience
There is an ATM machine in Varkala town, 15 m from our School you can get there by rickshaw for low cost. Also it is possible to change money at TRAVEL AGENCIES on Varkala Cliff, 5m. Walking distance from our School.
Trivandrum Airport We offer free pickup at Trivandrum airport only. We can help you to organize your departure, or travelling interest in Kerala or India with local travel agencies.
Our 300h students have the opportunity to practice more teaching classes and get different study material. Furthermore, they will be trained in more detail in sequencing and will have more alignment classes with our Lead Instructor Shiva Rishi.
LET’S CONNECT
SHIVA RISHI YOGA TRAINING PROGRAMS
We will keep you updated!