A Journey Within: My Path to Becoming a Hatha Yoga Teacher
Namaskaram & Hello!
My name is Deepak Shakya, and I am a certified Hatha Yoga teacher, trained at Sadhguru Gurukulam (formerly known as the Isha School of Hatha Yoga) at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore, India. From July to December 2022, I undertook an intensive residential training programme, spanning over 1,750 hours.
This unique 21-week programme, designed by Sadhguru, offers an immersive opportunity to learn, experience, and share Classical Hatha Yoga in its purest form. These powerful yogic practices, crafted by Sadhguru, are tools for profound self-transformation and empowerment, rooted in the ancient science of yoga.
Hatha Yoga Teachers Training 2022
Isha Foundation is an international non-profit organisation, dedicated to raising human consciousness, and fosters global harmony through individual transformation. Guided by Sadhguru, it is an essential resource for exploring the ancient science of yoga in all its depth and dimensions. The foundation offers a variety of programs that provide methods for anyone to attain physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Its offerings allow participants to deepen their experience of life, and reach their ultimate potential. Supported by 17 million volunteers in 300 centers worldwide, Isha Foundation’s activities address all aspects of human wellbeing. From its powerful yoga programs for inner transformation to its inspiring projects for society, environment and education, Isha activities are designed to create an inclusive culture that is the basis for global harmony and progress.
My self transformation journey started in Oct 2011 with Isha Foundation’s flagship programme — Inner Engineering — a program that offers tools to take charge of your body, mind, emotions and energies, and live a joyful, fulfilling life. Now, this is also available in a 7-session online course.
I enrolled in a four-day Inner Engineering Retreat with the expectation of learning yoga primarily for its physical benefits. It was a residential programme held at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore, nestled at the foothills of the Velliangiri Mountains — also known as the Kailash of the South.
The discipline, structure, and meticulous design of the programme pleasantly surprised me. Sadhguru had thoughtfully crafted every aspect to enhance one’s receptivity. The retreat featured multiple interactive sessions that dismantled my preconceived notions about the mind, body, and emotions. There were guided meditations and, most significantly, the powerful Shambhavi Maha Mudra Kriya.
Undergoing the initiation into Shambhavi Maha Mudra Kriya was a deeply transformative experience — one that, if I may say, changed the course of my life. Within just two to three months of daily practice, I began to notice greater control over my emotions, reduced anxiety and fear, improved focus, and deeper, more restful sleep. Since then, Shambhavi Kriya has become a non-negotiable part of my daily routine, requiring only about 30 minutes each day.
For those wishing to explore deeper inner dimensions, the Isha Foundation offers a variety of advanced yoga and meditation programmes, such as Bhava Spandana and Shoonya Intensive. Having experienced immense benefits from just the Inner Engineering programme, I felt a strong desire to delve further into the depths of yoga. It was at this point that I truly realised yoga is not merely about bending and twisting the body into unusual postures — it offers so much more, extending far beyond the physical.
“Yoga is not about twisting your body or standing on your head. It is a technology of wellbeing.”
I have learnt advanced yogic tools for inner wellbeing through these programmes. Bhava Spandana offers a unique opportunity to experience heightened states of consciousness and transcend the limitations of the body and mind. For those seeking to explore even deeper inner dimensions, Shoonya Intensive is an advanced meditation programme designed by Sadhguru, which combines the dynamic Shakti Chalana Kriya with Shoonya Meditation.
In my experience, the nature of these yogic practices is such that, while it may seem as though nothing is happening at the physical level, much is actually taking place within the human system. You have to place your trust in the ancient science of yoga, from which Sadhguru has derived and designed these transformative practices.
I have come to realise that our outer actions are merely an extension of our inner state, and are deeply dependent on the stability of the mind, body, and energy system. Through consistent practice of yoga and meditation, I have experienced greater balance and stability within myself, leading to enhanced focus and clarity. My dependence on stimulants like coffee or tea has significantly reduced, and the number of hours my body requires for rest (sleep) has also decreased.
I find myself more energised and open to embracing new opportunities in life — opportunities that, at times, have arrived unexpectedly, but I have welcomed them wholeheartedly.
I began my professional career in 2006 with FT100 companies such as Cisco and Juniper. Fresh out of university, I was full of passion to embark on my journey, but I lacked the tools for inner stability. Between 2006 and 2012, I experienced the inevitable highs and lows of life. In hindsight, I often found myself driven more by emotions than intellect, becoming anxious in unfamiliar situations and reserved in open communication. Naturally, this had an impact on my professional growth.
However, I remain deeply grateful to the close friends who introduced me to Isha Yoga in 2011. Since then, my life has followed an entirely different trajectory — shifting, I would say, from a downward spiral to an upward, exponential curve. Between 2012 and 2014, I began to thrive in a more fulfilling professional role.
Alongside this, I co-founded a not-for-profit organisation called Anahatalife in Bangalore, India. The organisation supported refugee children in the city, helping them access basic healthcare and education. We organised various fundraisers, TED-style talks, and art exhibitions in the heart of the city at M.G. Road, Bangalore. These events even caught the attention of major national newspapers, which covered our initiatives.
“I feel like I am on F1 track all the time equipped with necessary (yogic & scientific) tools that help me to not only maintaining the speed but keep repairing the engine at the same time for any wear and tear without stopping.”
My journey received a significant boost in 2014 when I began practising Classical Hatha Yoga. These practices are designed as a holistic process to cultivate health, joy, and bliss, while exploring the deeper dimensions of this ancient science. Through daily practice, I noticed that my body became increasingly stable, both in terms of energy and emotional balance. I found myself able to focus for long hours without the need for water or toilet breaks. My quality of sleep improved noticeably, even as the number of hours I needed to rest decreased.
I still vividly remember a moment when a colleague asked me, “Why is your face glowing? What have you been doing?” That question made me smile, as it was perhaps an outer reflection of the inner balance and vitality that practising Hatha Yoga had begun to create within me.
“Your physical health, your psychological wellbeing, and your spiritual possibility depend on how well aligned you are with existence. Essentially, Hatha Yoga is towards establishing this alignment.”
Image from top of the Shard when I moved to London, UK to join Gyana — a data science startup
Since 2014, I gradually transitioned my career to specialise in building and scaling early-stage startups. I served as Chief Operations Officer at Gyana, a data science startup based in London, UK, which achieved a successful exit in 2018.
Following that, during the Covid period from 2019 to 2022, I co-founded a not-for-profit startup called SuperPitch, which aimed to connect women entrepreneurs from around the world with potential investors. We built a thriving community of over 200 global entrepreneurs and investors, many of whom successfully secured funding through these connections. In 2022, SuperPitch was acquired by Diversity-X.
Image captured during a SuperPitch event in May 2022, London, UK
I share these experiences to acknowledge that much of my success is rooted in the journey of self-transformation made possible through Isha Hatha Yoga and meditation practices. For me, this has been a truly transformative chapter in my life. It inspired me to take the next step: enrolling in the Isha Hatha Yoga Teacher’s Training in July 2022.
Through this, my intention is to offer these powerful tools to people here in the UK, helping them realise their full potential and overcome the many challenges life presents.
“We teach Hatha Yoga as a transformative process. The transformation will not only be on the level of your body but in the way you are.”
Sadhguru Gurukulam (previously known as Isha Hatha Yoga School) delivers classical Hatha Yoga in its full depth and dimension. It is Sadhguru’s vision to offer this ancient science in all its purity and make it available to every individual. As a step towards realising this vision, he has devised the Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Program. In this program, Hatha Yoga is taught as a living experience in the most beautiful ashram setting of the Isha Yoga Center - India, under the grace of a living master. Upon completion of the program, trainees have the privilege and fulfillment of bringing this knowledge to many more people.
Elated after blessing from Sadhguru as we completed the Hatha Yoga Teachers Training 2022
This programme embarks us on a journey of holistic inner transformation that goes beyond physical postures, integrating mind, body, and energy for a profound inner experience.
After completing my training in December 2022, I returned to the UK and founded YogaSattva, with the aim of offering these ancient tools for self-transformation. Since then, I have been fortunate to share these practices with many people across the UK, and, in my own small way, to contribute to Sadhguru’s vision: “Make one drop of spirituality happen across the world.”
My first programme in the UK was a free offering held in Orpington on 14th May 2023. I was deeply grateful for the many volunteers who supported the programme from start to finish and helped make it possible. As part of the International Day of Yoga celebrations, around 80 to 100 people attended the session.
Particpant practising guided practices as part of Yoga for Stress module
Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of offering a variety of group sessions, private classes, and guided practice correction sessions to people of all age groups across the UK.
As I continue this journey, I remain a student at heart — learning, sharing, and growing through these ancient yogic tools. It brings me immense joy to see others experience the same inner balance and transformation that first drew me to this path. I hope to continue sharing these practices with anyone seeking to explore their full potential.
If you would like to learn more about the teacher’s training programme or explore any of the Hatha Yoga practices, please feel free to get in touch through my website: www.yogasattva.co.uk.
