Thursday, July 28, 2011

A Good Yoga Teacher in Rishikesh? Try Surinder Singh's Class

Surinder Singh Yoga Teacher in Rishikesh

I gotta be honest, I have a big ego problem. Every time that I go to a yoga class I'm always judging the teacher and his/her class. I find myself with my cup completely full (full of preconceived ideas and judgments). I try to empty it but it is quite hard for me. Luckily from time to time, I meet a good teacher with whom I can naturally become very humble and just break my cup. This was my experience with Surinder Singh. From my point of view a really good Hatha Yoga teacher in Rishikesh.

(update Jan 2019) I met Surinder again in October 2018 and I had an interview with him. To watch the interview please visit: Interview with Surinder Singh, Hatha Yoga Teacher in Rishikesh.

I came back to Rishikesh looking for a good yoga teacher or an intensive yoga course to improve my practice but June and July are not the best months. Most of the good teachers leave Rishikesh and the courses are closed until October when the season starts again. I had a few classes with a couple of teachers but I was not satisfied until I found Surinder Singh thanks to "Whereiscallie's" blog.

About Surinder Singh


Surinder is an Indian Yogi, a Sikh. He has a robust body, long hair and long beard (according to the Sikh tradition), which gives him the ideal look of a yogi but he dresses like any regular guy with jeans and t-shirts. He looks very humble and spiritual. Before starting the class he always takes his time to be still and connect within.

Surinder Singh Yoga Class in Rishikesh

Surinder Singh Yoga Class in Rishikesh


Surinder's yoga class in Rishikesh


His class is excellent and what I like the most is that he does not only have a very good knowledge of asanas but he also knows yoga philosophy and he can give quite deep talks regardless his basic English.

Surinder Singh Yoga Class in Rishikesh

During the class when he shows us a new posture he would ask "Do you know why we perform this posture?" And then he would give an interesting exposition on the deeper meaning of the asana. Each one of his classes is like a workshop or seminar. You get everything, asanas, and philosophy, in one single class.

Surinder Singh Yoga Class in Rishikesh

At the end of the class after the closing prayer, he would ask if we have any questions and he would ask us to sit closer. He would take his time to answer any of our questions and then he would talk about any yoga philosophy subject that he might feel inspired to. It feels like he tries to give the best of himself in each class and share as much knowledge as possible.

Surinder Singh Yoga Class in Rishikesh

He likes to focus a lot on alignment. While we would perform an asana he would walk around the whole hall making adjustments to each one of us to ensure that we are doing the asana correctly, even while performing simple postures like neck rotations! His adjustments are very gently, most of the time he doesn't even touches you, he just make a gesture with his hand to show us what we need to correct.

I normally get annoyed when a teacher comes to make me any adjustment (that's my big ego) but with Surinder I would actually expect him to look at my postures and make as many adjustments as possible. I guess I trust him because I believe that he has a good knowledge and experience on Hatha Yoga.

Surinder's yoga class price

Surinder charges 150 rupees for each class which last about two hours, actually almost two an a half hour because of the small lecture at the end. It is a quite a good price, most teachers charge 200 per class and they can't offer as much as Surinder does.

How to find Surinder Singh's Yoga Class

In the afternoon from 5pm to 7pm (or starting 5.30pm when it gets too hot) he teaches Hatha Yoga at the Raj Palace Hotel and in the mornings from 8.30am till 10.30 he teaches at the Hotel Rajdeep. Both hotels are located in the Ram Jhula area.

If you want to attend to Surinder Singh's Yoga Class and you don't know where to stay in Rishikesh then the Parmarth Niketan Ashram is a good option. The Raj Palace Hotel where he teaches in the afternoon is just behind the Parmarth Niketan Ashram.

For more information about Surinder you can check his website SwastiYoga.com.

19 comments:

  1. What is so good about him? Well, in the first place, he’s a very special Indian yoga teacher that does not try to bend you into final position against your pain and limitations (as most Indian teachers tend to do), he sees the limits of every person and tries to expand what you’re doing into doing it more effectively. So he adjusts you very gently, barely touching you with a finger, and you suddenly feel the area that can be enhanced and that you need to work on. Or he can not touch you at all, just tell you to roll the tailbone or press your sitting bones, etc., and you can see that your posture is significantly improved, not only in regards of physical alignment, but concerning work with energy and attention. This is a very good type of adjustment, as you don’t depend every time on teacher that just puts your hands/shoulders/whatever in some position and you don’t realize what is going on. With Surinder, you can understand inner effect of the posture and apply his recommendations every time you work on your own or with other teacher. So this is a very extraordinary quality that you definitely have to check out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for sharing Rishikesh Yoga, very valuable comment for other readers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Not at all, Marco, I really enjoyed your blog, and your posts on Surinder and Yogananda are great! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for this post. Would very much looking forward for my trip to Rishikesh next year. Google end me up here. It save my time :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Undoubtedly he is such a good teacher , i had the privilege of doing yoga with him in VEDANGAS rishikesh these days he is working as a lead teacher for Yoga teacher training courses in Vedangas rishikesh , i really recommends him as a teacher and as good person for yoga in Rishikesh

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for sharing. Maybe next time that I go back to Rishikesh I would look for this place Vedangas, would love to do an intense course with Surinder

      Delete
  6. Thank U so much for sharing this Marco. I have been in search of a very good yoga asana teacher under these experiences that you have shared and now by the few responses here shared by commentor's. And I love that he is Indian (not american), Sorry, but I have my preferences and biasis's. I now have a goal to learn from a real teacher with sincere purpose in teaching. I love that you mention that he offers the reasons to why we practice such a pose and that he gives lectures at the end of the class and allows questions about anything yoga especially the philosophical areas.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks to this post and many other positive references I decided to do my teacher training with Surinder. If someone is looking for a yoga teacher in Rishikesh, don´t hesitate and go see him. He´s a very good teacher and a great person.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your feedback Niki, I hope one day I'll be able to do a training with Surinder. He is a great teacher indeed.

      Delete
  8. Hi..... Your blog is very honest and impressive. Surinder Ji is really a good yoga teacher, I had also learned yoga with him in Rishikesh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Allen, I'm happy you like my blog. Yes Surinder is indeed a great teacher. Did you do a training with him? Please don't hesitate to share about your experience with him here. Thanks.
      Namaste

      Delete
  9. Im lookin for Surinder tomorrow. Hopefully he is still here in Rishikesh. Thanks a lot for this blog, very enlightening and inspiring. Abrazo. Andrés.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello!
    I love you post and your blog. Thanks for sharing. :)
    I am going to Rishikesh in September. And I am really interested to make a class with him. Does anyone know if is busy with the teacher training or we can enjoy his classes on other places?
    Also, Any place clean and with good food to stay? Would be so helpful for me.
    Thank you all!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Sir,
    The informations provided in your site is very helpful to me even if I am an Indian and also those who wants to study yoga from India. I am having very much thankful to you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Where we can be in touch with surinder ?

    ReplyDelete
  13. info@zenmultimedia.itOctober 31, 2016 at 8:24 PM

    Hi Marco, do you know how to contact him? thanks

    ReplyDelete
  14. I have heard about Surinder Singh yoga classes. He is really experienced yoga teacher. The yoga poses are looking good. Thanks for sharing this information.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you Marco. .Your blog gave very valuable information about lots of courses.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for informations I want to find him .,

    ReplyDelete