Return to the Source Yoga Satsang

Return to the Source Yoga Satsang
RTTSYS is a yoga school based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Co-directed by Gaelen Hanson & Neil Jefferson, two of Chiang Mai’s most beloved and experienced yoga teachers, RTTSYS is dedicated to providing a richer and more thorough context for
the practice of Yoga.

OUR STORY:

We first met while studying Yoga in an ashram in India in 2007. Our individual yogic studies took us on various journeys throughout Asia, and our paths crossed frequently. We cultivated a shared passion for Yoga and through various experiences together, both on and off the mat, we established a profound connection. Consequently, in 2011 we both decided to make our base in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Since we met, we have supported each other in many ways as we developed our individual teaching voices and styles. We share an in-depth ongoing dialogue about Yoga philosophy and theory that inspires us to a level of understanding that can only be reached through rich conversation and communication.

In the interest of going beyond the teaching of asana classes and with the desire to grow and share our knowledge, the natural progression of our association was to create specialized workshops and retreats. We established an official collaboration under the name Return to the Source Yoga Satsang in 2016, and began offering yoga and meditation retreats in Chiang Mai. Through the success of this platform and a continued shared vision, we established Return to the Source Yoga Satsang as an official yoga school, and we have designed a comprehensive 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training curriculum which we launched in July 2019.

OUR NAME:

Why 'Return to the Source'?
The first part of our name, Return to the Source, serves as a gentle reminder to us, as practitioners and teachers of Yoga, as well as to our students. It reminds us to 'return to the source' of our own being - to the silence, to the breath and to what we know in our own experience.

As an authentic yoga school, we also return to ancient sources because we are passionate about discovering the original meaning and purpose of Yoga. We are dedicated to sharing the wisdom of Yoga and revealing its highest truths as outlined in ancient texts such as The Upanishads and The Bhagavad Gita. These original sources direct our attention inwards to the very essence of our being - to the source of peace and happiness. A source that is not to be found ‘out there’ but within us. A source that is concealed but waiting to be revealed as sat-chit-ananda – the joy of knowing our own being as it truly is. This is the jewel at the heart of our practice. It informs our asana, our pranayama, our meditation, and it transforms our lives.

Why 'Satsang'?
Sat means that which is ‘true’ or ‘real’ and Sanga means ‘gathering’ or ‘community.’ It is our intention as a yoga school to gather together, to establish what is ‘true’ and ‘real’ and honour that in our own embodied experience. Return to the Source Yoga Satsang is an invitation to others on a similar quest to join our community. To practice with us. To share the quest. You are very welcome to join us.

OUR PROGRAMS:

all programs emphasize:

'returning to the source' - with the rich tradition of Yoga Philosophy as our foundation, and the breath as our connection to the universal life force.
a mindful asana practice with a focus on body awareness and sensation based experience that serves to keep us present with whatever is arising in each moment.
the development of a well balanced Yoga practice that includes the dedicated study of meditation and pranayama techniques.