Prana Yoga Institute

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Established 1978 · Mysore Tradition

Prana
Yoga
Institute

Ancient Wisdom, Present Grace. A classical yoga sanctuary dedicated to the transformative arts of Hatha, Ashtanga and Iyengar practice.

Begin Your Practice Our Philosophy
46 Years of Teaching
3,200+ Students Certified
18 Master Teachers
12 Annual Retreats
Our Foundation

The Three Pillars
of Prana Practice

☯

Asana & Alignment

Precision is the language of the body. We cultivate structural awareness through careful study of posture, breath and the subtle architecture of form, guided by the Iyengar lineage.

◯

Pranayama & Breath

Prana — the vital life force — is accessed through disciplined breathwork. Our pranayama curriculum draws from classical texts to awaken energy and still the fluctuations of mind.

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Philosophy & Study

Yoga is a complete system of living. We integrate the study of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Sanskrit and the philosophical foundations that give practice its deepest purpose and direction.

Our Offerings

Programs & Pathways

Hatha Yoga Foundation
Foundation

Hatha Yoga Immersion

A thorough grounding in classical Hatha practice — posture, breath, inner attention and the foundational principles from which all yoga traditions emerge.

8 Weeks • All Levels • Morning Cohort
Ashtanga Mysore Program
Intermediate

Ashtanga Mysore Program

The traditional Mysore-style self-practice method, where each student moves through the Primary Series at their own pace with personalised teacher guidance.

Ongoing • 3 Months min. • Dawn Practice
Teacher Training 200H
Teacher Training

200-Hour Teacher Training

An internationally recognised certification programme covering asana methodology, pranayama, anatomy, Sanskrit, philosophy and the art of conscious teaching.

4 Weeks • Intensive • Yoga Alliance RYT
Yoga Retreat Program
Retreat

Sacred Valley Retreat

Annual residential retreat in a mountain sanctuary. Seven days of deep practice, silence, contemplative study and integration in the company of dedicated fellow seekers.

7 Days • Residential • Limited Places
Master Teacher Arjun Mehta

Arjun Mehta

Founder & Principal Teacher

Trained for nine years under Guruji B.K.S. Iyengar in Pune and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, Arjun Mehta founded Prana Yoga Institute in 1978 with a single conviction: that yoga, taught with integrity and depth, transforms life from within. His teaching carries both the precision of Iyengar alignment and the meditative flow of the Ashtanga tradition.

Certified by the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune

Authorised Ashtanga teacher by KPJAYI, Mysore — Level 2

Author of The Still Point: Essays on Classical Practice

Over 12,000 hours of personal practice and 8,000 hours of teaching

The Method

A Progressive
Path of Study

01

Foundation: Body Awareness

We begin with the body as teacher. Students learn to observe sensation without judgement, developing proprioceptive intelligence and a stable relationship with the physical form through foundational asana sequences.

Weeks 1–3
02

Breath: The Bridge Within

Pranayama is introduced as the science of vital energy. Students learn Ujjayi, Nadi Shodhana, Kapalabhati and Bhramari, experiencing how controlled breath transforms concentration and emotional equilibrium.

Weeks 4–6
03

Integration: Sequence & Flow

Postures and breath unite in sequenced practice. Students build intelligent sequences drawing from Hatha and Ashtanga traditions, learning the logic of pose progression and the art of counter-postures.

Weeks 7–10
04

Philosophy: The Inner Architecture

Patanjali's eight-limbed system — the Ashtanga of the Yoga Sutras — provides a complete map of consciousness. Lectures in Sanskrit, the Sutras and classical texts illuminate the deeper context of practice.

Weeks 11–14
05

Mastery: Teaching the Teachable

The final stage prepares students to transmit practice with clarity and compassion. Methodology, observation, demonstration, hands-on adjustment and the ethics of the teacher-student relationship are explored in depth.

Weeks 15–18
Our Journey

Four Decades
of Practice

1978

Founded in Rishikesh

Arjun Mehta opens Prana Yoga Institute in a small hall beside the Ganges with twelve founding students and a determination to teach in the classical tradition without compromise.

1989

International Teacher Training

The 200-Hour Teacher Training programme launches, drawing students from across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The first cohort of 24 graduates goes on to establish schools on five continents.

2001

The New Hall is Built

A dedicated practice hall is constructed in the Himalayan foothills — a naturally lit, purpose-designed space with teak floors, stone walls and a library of over 2,400 yoga texts.

2012

Yoga Alliance Senior School

Prana Yoga Institute receives Senior School status from Yoga Alliance International, recognising 500-Hour advanced training programmes and the distinguished quality of its faculty.

2024

The Online Lineage Archive

A curated digital archive of over 400 teaching recordings, Sanskrit lectures and guided practices is made available to alumni and enrolled students worldwide, preserving the lineage for future generations.

Student Voices

What Our Students Say

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"The 200-Hour training at Prana completely changed how I inhabit my body and my life. Arjun's teaching holds equal parts precision and poetry — I left not just with a qualification, but with a living practice."

L

Lena Harrington

Teacher Training Graduate, Berlin
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"I arrived at the Sacred Valley Retreat exhausted from years of city life. Seven days of silence, morning practice and evening philosophy study returned me to something essential that I'd forgotten I had."

M

Marco Cavalcanti

Retreat Participant, São Paulo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"The Mysore programme taught me patience — with my body, with progress, with myself. After two years of daily practice here, yoga has become not something I do but something I am."

S

Sayo Nakamura

Mysore Student, Kyoto
Begin Your Journey

Enquire & Enrol

We welcome sincere students from all backgrounds. Complete the form and our admissions team will respond within two working days.