Teacher Training for the Active Series

Thank you to everyone for the overwhelming response to our first two Active Series Training sessions!

Our week-long program in New York City in mid-March was a dynamic, meaningful way to get the 2025 training started. And we are looking forward to our second event, scheduled for May 14-20 in Osaka City, Japan, which was fully booked within the first few weeks of registration opening.

The Active Series was developed by Sharath Jois for the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia (UVA) to make the profound benefits of Ashtanga Yoga available to a much wider audience, regardless of age or ability. It was his beautiful parting gift to the world—and the fruit of his lifelong dedication to sharing Ashtanga Yoga with as many as possible.

Sharathji envisioned the Active Series as a unique offering for his Authorized and Certified teachers—a new sequence they could learn and teach in their own yoga shalas, and eventually introduce in other venues. It was his way of supporting teachers and shala owners, providing them with a way to share the teachings of Ashtanga Yoga and expand their student base.

His original plan was to conduct multiple Active Series training sessions, exclusively for SYC Authorized and Certified teachers, culminating in authorization from SYC to officially teach the Active Series. After Sharathji’s passing, Shruthi-ji entrusted Shraddha Jois and Andrew Hillam with continuing this important work.

Shraddha and Andrew will be leading these group trainings in various locations worldwide, ensuring that more teachers have the opportunity to train in this special series.

Participants who complete the training will receive authorization from SYC to teach the Active Series.

About the Training

Shraddha Jois learned the Active Series directly from Sharathji, and features as the model in the full Active Series video.
Andrew Hillam (SYC Certified teacher) worked closely with Sharathji for 18 months from mid-2023, discussing every aspect of the Active Series—including its structure, similarities, and differences from the traditional Ashtanga series, and the methodology for teaching it. Many of these insights are captured in The Active Series book, co-authored by Andrew.

We will be announcing additional training locations as the year continues, and all SYC Authorized and Certified teachers are encouraged to join us for these sessions, if your schedules allow.

Want to get updates on the new training sessions as they take shape? Enter your email address below, and we’ll keep you updated with email announcements on new locations as the year progresses.