Becoming a Yoga Therapist in the Krishnamacharya Lineage
Becoming a yoga therapist wasn’t about gaining another qualification. It was the culmination of years of study, practice, self-inquiry, and the privilege of learning from extraordinary teachers within the Krishnamacharya tradition.
For four years, I travelled to Chennai, India to undertake formal training in yoga therapy. Alongside clinical study, anatomy and physiology, I immersed myself more deeply in the teachings that have shaped my life for over two decades: Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra, Sāṅkhya philosophy, Āyurveda, Vedic chanting, and the principle that yoga must always be adapted to the individual.
The certification marks an important milestone, but it is not the destination. In this tradition, learning never really ends. Every stage of study simply opens the door to a deeper understanding, and a greater responsibility to preserve and transmit the teachings with care.
Receiving My Certification on Śrāddhāñjali
I completed my certification on Śrāddhāñjali, the annual day of remembrance for Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Although I didn’t choose the date, receiving my certification on this day felt deeply meaningful.
Within a living lineage, these moments serve as a reminder that the teachings do not belong to any one individual. They have been carefully preserved and passed from teacher to student over generations. To become part of that lineage is both a privilege and a responsibility. Every year, Śrāddhāñjali will remind me of where these teachings come from and of my commitment to continue studying, practizing, and sharing them with integrity.
What Yoga Therapy Training Really Involves
Today, the term yoga therapy is used in many different ways. Sometimes it simply refers to adapting postures for a particular condition. While individualized practice is certainly part of yoga therapy, my training in the Krishnamacharya tradition was far broader than learning techniques.
It required years of study across several interconnected disciplines.
Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra provides the philosophical foundation, helping us understand the nature of the mind and the causes of suffering. Sāṅkhya philosophy offers the framework through which we understand consciousness, the mind, and our lived experience. Āyurveda teaches us to see each person as an individual, recognising that no two constitutions, or two therapeutic approaches, are ever exactly the same.
Alongside these traditional teachings, we studied anatomy, physiology, pathology, and clinical application, learning how yoga can safely support people living with a wide range of conditions, while always working alongside conventional healthcare when appropriate.
Throughout the training, one principle remained constant: the practice is adapted to the person, never the person to the practice.
The Real Practice Is Self-Study
Perhaps the most valuable lesson wasn’t clinical at all.
Every subject eventually turned the attention back towards myself.
Patañjali calls this svādhyāya, self-study. Not simply reading sacred texts, but honestly observing our own habits, reactions, assumptions, and conditioning.
The more clearly we understand ourselves, the less likely we are to project our own experiences onto someone seeking help. Technical knowledge is important, but without self-awareness it can only take us so far. Yoga therapy asks us to continue learning about ourselves just as much as we continue learning about others.
Guru Vandana
Śrīkṛṣṇa vāgīśa yatīśvarābhyām
samprāpta cakrāṇkana bhāṣyasāram
Śrīnūtnarangendrayatau samarpitasvam
Śrīkṛṣṇamāryam guruvaryamīḍe
virodhe kārtike māse śatatārā kṛtodayam
yogāchāryam kṛṣṇamāryam guruvaryamaham bhaje
Om Śrī gurubhyo namaḥ
A Continuing Journey
Receiving my 850 hour C-IAYT certification is a milestone that I am deeply grateful for, but it also feels like another beginning.
The responsibility now is to continue studying, to continue practicing, and learning from my teachers so that what has been entrusted to me can be shared with the same care and respect with which it was received.
For me, that is what it means to stand within the Krishnamacharya lineage.
pic from my 1st trip to Chennai to study Yoga Therapy in 2018. Pic by Dr Rob Lamport, @morethananatomy (my husband)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a yoga therapist?
A yoga therapist is a trained professional who applies the principles of yoga to support an individual’s physical, mental and emotional health. Rather than teaching the same practice to everyone, a yoga therapist creates an individualized approach based on a person’s health, lifestyle, goals and unique needs. Yoga therapy complements conventional healthcare and is not a replacement for medical treatment.
What is the difference between a yoga teacher and a yoga therapist?
A yoga teacher generally leads classes for groups, while a yoga therapist works one-to-one or in small therapeutic settings, adapting practices to support specific health concerns. Yoga therapy requires additional training in areas such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, philosophy, breath, lifestyle and clinical application.
What makes the Krishnamacharya lineage unique?
The Krishnamacharya tradition is founded on the principle that yoga should always be adapted to the individual, rather than asking the individual to fit a fixed method. This personalized approach integrates movement, breath, philosophy, meditation, lifestyle and self-inquiry to support the whole person.
What is Viniyoga?
Viniyoga is the principle of applying yoga appropriately to the individual. Rather than being a separate style of yoga, it describes an intelligent, personalised approach in which every practice is adapted according to age, health, constitution, goals and life circumstances.
What does yoga therapy training involve?
Training within the Krishnamacharya tradition includes the study of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra, Sāṅkhya philosophy, Āyurveda, anatomy, physiology, pathology, breath, meditation, understanding conditions, therapeutic application and supervised clinical work. It also requires ongoing self-study, recognizing that personal practice is inseparable from professional development.
Is yoga therapy evidence-based?
Research continues to demonstrate the benefits of yoga for a range of conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, stress, cardiovascular health and recovery from illness. Within the Krishnamacharya tradition, yoga therapy also draws upon centuries of classical knowledge while working responsibly alongside modern medicine.
What is C-IAYT certification?
C-IAYT stands for Certified Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists. It recognises graduates who have completed an accredited yoga therapy programme and met internationally recognised standards of education and clinical competency.
Why is lineage important in yoga therapy?
A lineage provides continuity, accountability and depth. Rather than relying on personal interpretation, teachers study within an established tradition where knowledge has been carefully transmitted from teacher to student across generations. This helps preserve both the integrity of the teachings and the quality of their application.
Why did you choose to study in the Krishnamacharya tradition?
After many years of practice and teaching, I wanted to deepen my understanding of yoga for injury and yoga beyond technique alone. The Krishnamacharya tradition offered a comprehensive framework that integrates philosophy, therapeutic application, breath, self-study and individual care. It is a living lineage that continues to shape both my personal practice and my work with students.
About the Author
Tara Mitra is a C-IAYT certified yoga therapist and lineage teacher within the Krishnamacharya-Desikachar tradition with 23 years of practice (Ashtanga Lvl 2 authorised) and 17 years of teaching. She offers mentorship programs for advanced yoga teachers alongside Dr Vigneshwar Bhat (Vedic priest and scholar), Dr Padmini (classical Āyurvedic physician), and Dr Robert Lamport (Gonstead chiropractor). Her teaching draws on Patanjali’s Yoga Sūtras, yoga therapy, Vedic chanting and Āyurveda. Her work is rooted in the transmission of authentic Indic knowledge within a living lineage.
Mentorship, courses, and programs at taramitrayoga.com
