ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES 2012

Agama Yoga School (AYS) is an independent, self-supporting and self regulating organization. Its aim is to provide a complete, long-term Yoga teaching program. It will engage the services of the Trustees of the Agama Yoga Foundation, the Departmental Managers, various supported staff positions, and visiting workshop lecturers and workshop presenters at rates and on terms agreed upon by the Board of Directors.

See Addendum AA (Aims and Ideals - 2011) for the mission statement of AYS.

The Agama Yoga Foundation is a private Foundation with Swami Vivekananda, Sahajananda, and Dr. Mihaiela Pentiuc as the sole Trustees. The primary objective of the Foundation is to support the Agama Yoga School by providing guidance in all spiritual matters. The Foundation will also guide the development and selection of teaching materials, teachers, and leaders of workshops and retreats.

Other objectives of the Foundation are to create books and other media materials relevant to the aims and the mission of the Foundation, to establish Agama Yoga Schools and Yoga Centers around the world, and to develop a comprehensive center of health and healing.

Any profit from the publishing of books and other media materials will eventually become a source of financial support for the Foundation members. Currently, Agama Yoga School manages book publishing and sales, and retains any profits.

The Agama Yoga Board of Directors consists of the Agama Yoga Foundation Trustees and the General Manager of Agama Yoga School. The Board will provide the overall direction to the AYS, but will not be involved with the day-to-day operations. The Board will aim to meet twice per year or as necessary. 

Decisions made by the Board of Directors are subject to a democratic vote. Non-present members are encouraged to vote on all issues in absentia, but may elect to abstain.

The General Manager (GM) is appointed by the Agama Yoga Foundation and is responsible for the organization of the Agama Yoga School and the management of its operations including all of its staff, resources and facilities. The General Manager meets with Swami Vivekananda to report progress and to receive spiritual guidance and insight.

Before August, the General Manager will present the Annual Plan and the Annual Operating Budget for the ensuing year to the Foundation. The Annual Plan will outline all proposed activities of AYS including classes and workshops, retreats and other events, and the acquisition of new facilities and equipment, specifying the resources needed including people, space and materials. The Annual Operating Budget will detail the revenue and expenses associated with activities, maintenance and renewal costs.

The General Manager will meet by invitation or of his own initiative with the Agama community in an open assembly to present new initiatives, to present modifications to the activities and policies, and to hold general Question & Answer sessions with the aim of a transparent and interactive management style.

The Agama Yoga Board of Directors engages and dismisses Department Managers on consideration of recommendations made by the General Manager. The Department Managers recommend personnel for all other staff and volunteer positions to the General Manager, who approves personnel for these positions. The Department Managers manage the day-to-day operations outlined in their individual job descriptions within the guidelines of the Administrative Policies and within their departmental budgets.

Since 1 January, 2010, Department Managers are contracted on a seasonal basis with written terms of agreement that specify financial compensation and expectations of service. Applications for open positions must be made in writing directly to the General Manager.

Annually from June to July, available Department Manager and supported positions will be open for application for upcoming terms by any student who has reached at least Course Level 8. Candidates will be chosen for open positions by the Agama Board of Directors by 1 August each year. Additionally, the Board of Directors may – without restrictions – invite select students to positions of supported service.  

Volunteerism is in keeping with the spiritual aims of Agama Yoga School, and all students are encouraged to volunteer their time and skills to the operation of AYS in a selfless manner. In addition to supporting an environment for all to learn and to grow, service helps to keep costs down, and subsequently, school fees.   

The day-to-day operations of AYS are guided by comprehensive Administrative Policies.

The Administrative Policies will be reviewed annually. The process shall begin in May and should be completed by 15 July.

Initially the General Manager will review the current Administrative Policies with the Departmental Managers. Based on recommendations of the Departmental Managers, the GM will decide on all new policy issues and on any changes to the current Administrative Policies statement. The updated Administrative Policies will then be presented to the Board of Directors for approval. Once approved, the updated Administrative Policies will be presented to the Agama community for review and comment on its contents in an open meeting with all community members and management. The General Manager will take advice from the community into consideration, discussing again with the Department Managers, and, if changes are made, a new draft of the Administrative Policies will be written and presented to the Board of Directors for final approval.

Issues arising that are not addressed within the Administrative Policies are resolved at the sole discretion of the General Manager.

The General Manager has the sole right to grant exceptions to any aspect of the Administrative Policies. In his absence, he transfers this authority to the Internal Operations Department Manager.   

The teaching program consists of four-week cycles divided into the following categories:

1. Red Sash consisting of the First Level Intensive, Level 2, and Level 3

2. Orange Sash consisting of Level 4 through Level 8

3. Yellow Sash consisting of Level 9 through Level 14

4. Green Sash consisting of Level 15 through Level 24 (Kundalini Program)

5. Blue Sash consisting of Chakra Tapas Levels

6. Violet Sash consisting of Kashmiri Shaivism Levels

In order to progress to the next category of the teaching program, a student must successfully pass an exam signified by the bestowing of a sash. Specifically, since 1 January, 2010, to enter the Orange Sash Category that begins with Level 4, the Red Sash Exam must be passed, etc. All exams will be held both before and after the course for which they are prerequisite.

For those who fail their needed exam, a grace period of one course level only will be extended, after which time they may retake the exam. In addition, students arriving directly from overseas may join their intended course level without having passed the required exam as long as they take and pass it at the end of the course. Note: Currently enrolled students may not take the one-month grace period, and will forfeit their course progress by skipping this exam.

Exceptional exams will not be arranged. Any registration fees paid prior to a skipped or failed exam that prevents enrollment will be returned. Sash exams must be taken sequentially and in full.  

Courses offered during the following calendar year will be posted on the notice board and on the Agama Yoga School website by 15 June of the current year.

Specific class times and venues will be posted on the notice boards at least one week in advance.

Each student’s education consists of up to seven course levels of the teaching program per year. During the remainder of the calendar year, students may further their education by attending workshops and retreats, and they may repeat, without fees, any level which they have already studied if there is enough space in the yoga hall. The stipulation of seven maximum levels of education applies to any combination of course levels, whether studied at Agama’s Koh Phangan Headquarters or at one or several international branches in the same calendar year.

An exception exists for TTC participants who in the season of their TTC are allowed to study up to nine levels (due to the inclusion of five course levels in the TTC).

A minimum of 75 percent attendance (nine of 12 classes for Levels 2 and 3, six of eight classes for Level 4 through Level 24) is required in order to progress to the next course level. As an exception, First Level Intensive students may begin Level 2 having completed only 13 of 24 days of the course, but they must continue their First Level Intensive studies in conjunction with Level 2 classes. To officially complete the First Level Intensive and receive a certificate of achievement, a student must have attended at least 18 of 24 days in full and must have paid the first level in full. 

An exemption is granted for Agama retreat participants who are extended a 65 percent attendance standard (eight of twelve classes for Levels 2 and 3, five of eight classes for Level 4 and up) so they may participate in Agama 10-Day-retreats without sacrificing their standing in the curriculum. At least two of the missed classes must occur during the retreat.

As a result of the attendance standard, students wishing to join Level 2 and up may not join courses after week 2 has begun.

Attendance is defined as participation in the video teachings or lecture segments, presence for initiations, and full Hatha Yoga practice with the class. Exceptions to participation in, or presence during, the Hatha Yoga practice for medical conditions can be made by teachers at their discretion.

Students must recover missed course teachings and initiations at the next possible opportunity. 

No special classes or initiations will be held for individual students within the scheduled curriculum.

If a student misses a class during the level for which he or she is currently registered, the teacher will demonstrate the missed asana or technique to the student. However, the video teachings will only be shown, and initiations only held, during class hours under a teacher’s supervision at their appointed times. No lecture CDs will be loaned out. It is the responsibility of the pupil to observe the course program and to know when the lecture is being shown again.

Pending available staffing, permission for private teachings for Levels 2 and up may be granted by the Teaching Department Manager, at a rate of 1,500 Baht per individual class per student, according to an overview of involved criteria including the availability of appropriate level teaching staff and hall availability. This option is intended primarily to assist students who missed one class too many in their current level of study to recover missed lessons so that they may progress to the next course level. This option is not intended to force the opening of new course levels.

Classes must be arranged through the Agama Teaching Department and paid, in advance, at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during any open office hours. Fee is per class per student; there are no reduced fees for two or several students who join together for the same private class.

Hatha Yoga sessions are mandatory, along with the lecture or video, in order to verify that asanas and techniques are being practiced and assimilated properly.

Additionaly, AYS now offers the possibility of Private Teachings for whole course levels. The cost for an entire level depends on the number of students:

1 student ….. 14000 baht

2 students ….. 8000 baht each

3 students ….. 7000 baht each

4 students ….. 6000 baht each

Private Teachings for the entire level consist of 8 complete classes, including videos, initiations and Hatha Yoga at the same length as regular classes.

They can be booked through the Registration Office, depending on availability of a teacher and hall space.

Private Teachings for an entire level cannot be taken at the same time with a regular course level.

Course papers are included in the course fees. For students who pay fully and in advance for any course level, course books will be provided which contain all of the course papers for that level (A5 format).

First Level Intensive students who missed part of the month are allowed to buy two sets of papers for each instructional week during which they were present in the course.

The fee for one extra set of course papers is 50 Baht. The fee for course books is 300 Baht for First Level Intensive and 200 Baht for all others. The book for the First Level can be purchased as soon as the whole Level is paid for.

Students are expected to honor the teachings in the course papers and are not allowed to share them with others or to disseminate them in any way unless they have specific permission from AYS.

Students may not skip course levels or take multiple new course levels simultaneously. This applies to private teachings as well as to regularly scheduled classes. The only exception to this rule applies to First Level Intensive students who have attended a minimum of 13 days. They may start to study Level 2, but must concurrently complete the First Level Intensive.  

Audio or video recordings of all course teachings, evening lectures, Q&A sessions, and workshop presentations are not permitted. In addition, it is not permitted to photograph or video record any material in workshops or retreats. First Level Intensive lectures (with the exception of the Laya Yoga and Brahmacharya) and inspirational talks from retreats may be audio recorded, in addition to lectures presented by Sahajananda.

First Level Intensive students may register for classes on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis by registering on our website, agamayoga.com, or in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours. Students of Levels 1 however, are encouraged to sign up on a monthly basis; an A5 booklet of course notes is included only with full payment made in advance for the entire course.

All course fees must be paid in full before a student may continue to the next course level. This applies even in cases where course attendance was not completed but met allowable minimums. A student’s first day of instruction in the First Level Intensive Course is free. All students must fill out a Student Profile and Liability Release in full prior to their first free class of the First Level Intensive.

See Addendum A (Student Profile and Liability Release - 2011) for a preview of this form.

Please be aware that our Yoga hall can accommodate only a limited number of students. During peak season, certain special conditions may apply, such as a one-week minimum for paid attendance or, on especially popular days, students may not be able to freely repeat classes.

Beginning 1 January, 2012, course fees will be raised to 400 Baht per day for the First Level Intensive. Effective 1 January, 2012, Level 2 and 3 courses will change to 4,000 Baht per course cycle. Daily payments of Level 2 and 3 classes will no longer be possible.

For First Level Intensive Course students discounts will be available for weekly and monthly payments.

See Addendum B (Registration at a Glance - 2011) for a summary of all registration policies.

Registration for Level 4 and up is available on the website at agamayoga.com and in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours.

Late registration begins on the Saturday preceding the new course cycle and continues through all of week 1. A late fee of 500 Baht will be charged for all late registration. The student will be issued a receipt of late payment that must be submitted to the teacher prior to class attendance. The late fee will be charged for students, teachers and managers who fail to register on time.

A student arriving directly from overseas exceptionally is allowed to attend one class without having paid; by the second class, he or she must present a receipt showing proof of payment to the teacher.

The course fees for Levels 4 through 24 are 4,000 Baht, paid in full on a monthly basis. There is no partial registration.

Teachers do not handle payments for their classes.

Registration for the Chakra Tapas Program may be made on the website, agamayoga.com, or in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours.

The fee for the entire Chakra Tapas Program is 7,000 Baht. The fee must be paid in full prior to commencement. This fee applies to all students as well as both active and non-active teachers and managers.

Students who wish to join the Advanced Teachings (eligibility begins after completion of Level 24) must be personally approved by Swami Vivekananda. Please apply to the Agama Teaching Department at least two weeks in advance: teaching@agamayoga.com. Registration for the Advanced Teachings may be made on the website, agamayoga.com, or in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours.

The fee for Advanced Teachings is 3,000 Baht per course cycle (classes may be paid at a daily basis at 750 Baht per class). The fee must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the class. You will receive a receipt, which you will have to present to the administrator of the Advanced Teachings. This fee applies to all students as well as inactive teachers without exception.

Registration for the Agama Yoga Teacher Training Course (ATTC) takes place via online application. We hold two courses per year with a maximum of 24 participants per course.

The fee, including a 8000 baht deposit, is 99,000 baht. The deposit will be returned if an applicant is not accepted to the program. If accepted, the applicant will need to pay the remainder of tuition by one month prior to the start of the course date. See website for payment deadlines. For withdrawal after the payment deadline until seven days prior to the start of the ATTC, 50 percent of tuition minus deposit will be refunded. There is no refund after this point.

Previous completion of the First Level Intensive Course entitles an ATTC participant to a 4000 baht discount.

A student who has been accepted to the Agama Yoga TTC may withdraw by email notification. If the notification of the intention to withdraw is received at least two months prior to the first day of the ATTC applied for, half of the deposit 4000 baht) will be returned. Students withdrawing after this deadline will not receive any refund of their deposit.

An evaluation of each student will be made at the end of the first 30 days of the ATTC. If Agama Yoga School decides after the first month that a student is not fit to become a teacher in its tradition, AYS will refund two-thirds of the tuition fees (for a total of 66,000 baht / 63,000 baht with prior First Level attendance). No other refunds will be given.

If students do not pass the final exam, they may retake the test, and, in the case of a second failure, may participate in a future ATTC at a reduced cost of 50 percent of the course fee.

Students who have not participated in the ATTC may not become Agama Yoga School teachers unless specifically invited to attend the Internal TTC.   

 After having reached at least Level 14 of our regular Course program, a student might be invited by Swami Vivekananda Saraswati personally to participate in an ‘Internal Teacher Training Course’, which will take place once a year at AYS headquarters.

If such an invitation takes place without the request of the student, the student is entitled to participate in this ITTC without any costs.

Should a student explicitly request participation in this ITTC, the fee for the two-week long course will be 20,000 baht, if the application is accepted. Such a participant of the ITTC will only receive a ‘200-hour’ certificate, but is not a registered Agamayoga teacher for the time being. However, after further evaluation of the teacher this might become possible.

The date of the ITTC will be made available only to invited and applicable students.

Successful completion of the ITTC entitles the student to teach at AYS Koh Phangan under the supervision of Swami Vivekananda Saraswati.

After teaching three course cycles under this supervision, the now fully acknowledged ‘Yoga Instructor’, will be allowed to teach Agamayoga also on an International level.

 The six-week Mystical Dance^® Teacher Training Course (MDTTC) fee, including deposit, is 77000 Baht. Previous completion of a Mystical Belly Dance 1 entitles a MDTTC participant to a 4000 Baht discount. Previous completion of the Mystical Belly Dance 2 entitles to an additional 4000 Baht discount. Please check with Monika if you are not sure if a previous course that you attended qualifies. Agama Yoga certified teachers are also eligible for a further 4000
Baht discount.

Every TTC applicant must submit a deposit in the amount of 8000 Baht alongside her application, in order to be considered for acceptance to the program. This deposit must be made on Agama Yoga's website using PayPal.

If Mystical Dance^® does not accept a student for participation, the full MDTTC deposit amount (8000 Baht) will be re-deposited to the applicant's PayPal account.

If Mystical Dance^® accepts a student for participation in the course requested, the deposit will be held in reserve upon approval notification to the student. MDTTC participants will need to pay the balance of tuition fees by five weeks prior to the course start date.

A student who has been accepted to the Mystical Dance^® TTC may withdraw herself by email notification at least five weeks prior to the start of the course.

A student who notifies us of her intention to withdraw by this deadline will receive half the course deposit returned by PayPal transfer.

Students withdrawing after these deadlines will not receive any refund of their deposits.

An evaluation will be made such that if the Mystical Dance^® program decides after the first two weeks of the program that a student is not fit to become a teacher in this tradition, MDTTC Administration will refund two-thirds of the tuition fees. No refunds will be given after this point in the program.

 Children up to 6 years are not allowed in any Yoga courses, workshops, or retreats.

Children 6-11 years old may attend Yoga classes free of charge as long as they are accompanied by an adult and they do not disrupt the class. Children 12 years old and up must pay full price.

For those at the age of 6-12, permission to attend each course level beyond the First Level Intensive Course must be granted by Swami Vivekananda on an individual basis.

For those under the age of 18, attendance of workshops and retreats requires either approval in advance by a teacher of Title 5 or up on an individual basis or co-attendance by a parent or guardian.

Registration for Agama Yoga workshops is available on our website, agamayoga.com, or in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours. All workshop participants who are new to Agama must fill out a Student Profile and Liability Release prior to joining the course.

See Addendum A (Student Profile and Liability Release - 2011) for a preview of this form.

In the week prior to each workshop, an introductory session will be held during which the workshop leader will provide an overview of the workshop’s syllabus, goals, methodology, etc. plus an opportunity for Q&A.

Late registration will take place during the 30 minutes just prior to the beginning of a workshop. There is a fee of 500 Baht for any late registration made on the first day of a workshop. The late fee will be charged for students, teachers and managers who fail to register on time.

Workshop fees are 8,000 Baht. All workshop fees must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the workshop.

For re-attendance of a workshop, the fee is 2,000 Baht for a regular student and 1,000 Baht for an active teacher, regardless of where in the world the participant first attended the Agama Yoga workshop. If the workshop in a different country was held for a shorter period of time, an additional fee of 1000 baht will apply. For teachers, teaching schedule obligations take priority over workshop re-attendance.

The attendance and re-attendance fees include full participation, although a participant may elect to attend only selected parts of the workshop. No partial or daily fees will be accepted.

A student attending multiple, fully paid Agama Yoga workshops within one calendar year (January to December) is entitled to a discount of 20 percent off the price of a second fully paid workshop and all subsequent workshops within the same calendar year. This discount does not apply to online payments, independent workshops held by guest presenters, or to re-attendance of workshops.

A workshop which does not meet the minimum enrollment of 12 fully paid attendees may be canceled by the General Manager before the beginning of the first session of the workshop.

Any person who wishes to hold an independent workshop as a guest presenter (who is not an Agama Yoga Foundation member or invitational faculty member) in a Yoga hall or elsewhere on AYS property must first submit a written proposal to the General Manager for approval. Proposals should be made by April of the teaching season which precedes the season of the intended event, and may be submitted by email.

Proposals must include

1. name and contact information of the person sponsoring the workshop

2. name of the workshop

3. purpose of the workshop and what it intends to promote

4. fees requested from participants

5. preferred dates, timing, and location of the workshop

If approved, the person sponsoring the workshop will be required to sign a statement agreeing to appropriate rules of behavior such as no nudity or sexual contact in the Yoga halls, no physically dangerous activities, and to end all activities daily by 21:45.

In addition, a contract must be signed by both the sponsor and the Agamayoga administration detailing a mutual understanding of the agreed-upon dates, timing, and location for the workshop, as well as the attendance fee.

Registration for independent workshops is available on our website, agamayoga.com, or in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours. All independent workshop participants who are new to Agama must fill out a Student Profile and Liability Release prior to joining the course.

See Addendum A (Student Profile and Liability Release - 2011) for a preview of this form.

Late registration will take place during the 30 minutes just prior to the beginning of a workshop. There is a fee of 500 Baht for any late registration made on the first day of a workshop.

All independent workshop fees must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the workshop.

The fee for independent workshops is to be determined with the workshop presenter and will be shared equally between the presenter and AYS.

The attendance fees include full participation, although a participant may elect to attend only selected parts of the workshop. No partial or daily fees will be accepted.

An independent workshop which does not meet the minimum enrollment of 12 paid attendees may be canceled by the administration prior to the beginning of the first session of the workshop.

Retreat fees are 3,500 Baht, to be paid in full prior to the beginning of a retreat. No partial payments or partial attendance will be accepted unless granted on an individual basis by the retreat leader.

A discount of 500 Baht will be granted to those participants who have attended at least one prior fully paid Agama Yoga School retreat within the current calendar year and who pay in cash.

Registration for retreats is available in advance on our website, agamayoga.com, in person at the Agama Welcome and Registration Office during office hours, or during the retreat registration and introductory session. All attendees must be present at this session, regardless of whether paid in advance or not, which is held on the day before the retreat at a specified location; check our events calendar for time and place. Rules and guidelines for attendance will be introduced at that time. All retreat participants who are new to Agama must fill out a Student Profile and Liability Release prior to joining the course.

See Addendum A (Student Profile and Liability Release - 2011) for a preview of this form.

Fees for courses, lectures, and workshops are set by the General Manager, within guidelines approved by the Agama Yoga Foundation.

Course fees are subject to an annual adjustment for inflationary pressure. Course fees will be announced in July alongside the new Administrative Policies.

All fees are listed in Thai Baht. All fees can be paid online or in person at the Registration Office.

No refunds of fees will be given for Level 2 and up courses, workshops, or retreats once the first session has begun. Exceptions will be made only in cases of emergencies (with substantiation such as a hospital bill or similar item of verification). 

For First Level Intensive Course students, individual classes paid for in advance – but not yet held – may be refunded.

Students who have registered for a course, but who failed to pass the sash exam which serves as a prerequisite for that course, will have their registration fees refunded.

 Fees for courses, workshops, and retreats may not be taken on any credit or debit note system. All fees must be paid in full by the close of registration.

No fees from one course, workshop, or retreat may be applied as credit toward another course, workshop, or retreat.

Agama Yoga School does not turn away the financially destitute who are dedicated to spiritual evolution. The Foundation may grant free or discounted admission to any course, workshop, or retreat after written application followed by a personal interview. Email applications with the exact reasons for the scholarship to the secretary of the foundation are permissible.

Agama Yoga School retreats and Yoga Course Levels 1 through 14 are free for those who have a Thai national ID card or passport as long as free space is available. Free admission for Thai citizens after Level 14 is only possible with permission of the administration.

An Agama Yoga teacher is considered to have “active status” if he or she is currently teaching a minimum of two classes per week average (at the Agama Koh Phangan Center only). The only exception occurs in a grace period of one course cycle following four consecutive course levels of teaching, during which an active teacher remains active and enjoys the benefits of active status.  

All activities held on AYS property must have prior approval by the General Manager.

Any person participating in any event, class, course, workshop, or retreat held on Agama Yoga School property or the property of its agents or affiliates must fill out a Student Profile and Liability Release Form (see Addendum A). Agama Yoga takes no responsibility for property loss, accidents, bodily injury up to and including death, or damage to person or property that occur on AYS premises.

We do recommend that students who are traveling internationally purchase travel insurance for their own protection in cases of accidents, injuries or other medical scenarios. Numerous options are available both online (for immediate enrollment) and in your home countries.

Agama Yoga School additionally wishes to note to our students that we take no responsibility for any student-to-student event held on AYS premises by contracted agreement. Each student-to-student event sponsor is responsible for maintaining a safe atmosphere for students and caring for the well being of event participants to all reasonable limits. We also take no responsibility for the conditions or outcome of informal gatherings without permission on AYS property.

Any currently enrolled Agama Yoga School student who has completed at least the First Level Intensive Course and who wishes to hold an event in a Yoga hall or elsewhere on AYS property must first submit a written proposal to the General Manager for approval. Proposals may be submitted by email.

Proposals must include

1. name and contact information of the person sponsoring the event

2. name of the event

3. purpose of the event and what it intends to promote

4. fees requested from participants

5. preferred date, timing, and location of the event

6. whether single or multiple sessions are requested and, if multiple, how many and how often (a student may only hold an event once per week maximum)

Proposals must be submitted to the General Manager at least 14 days prior to the event. 

If approved, the person sponsoring the event will be required to sign a statement agreeing to appropriate rules of behavior such as no nudity or sexual contact in the Yoga halls, no physically dangerous activities, and considerate closing times. Sponsors must agree to clean up after their activities and to care for AYS property while hosting their events.

In addition, a contract must be signed by both the sponsor and the Agamayoga administration detailing a mutual understanding of an agreed upon date, time, and place for the event, as well as the stated rental fee. The fee must be paid in advance at the time of the signing of the contract. No changes to venue or fee may be made by AYS once the contract is signed, and once signed, no refund will be granted to the sponsor of the event should they reconsider their proposal. 

See Addendum C – Extracurricular Event Agreement.

For scheduling, the Internal Operations Manager must be contacted at least 10 days prior to the requested date for the event, and the contract must be signed at least seven days in advance of the event to allow for posting. Priority will be given in the order received. 

Sponsors are responsible for posting notices of their events at least seven days in advance

The fee for Yoga hall rental for each extracurricular event is 500 Baht per 2 hours if only donations are collected by the sponsors. If the sponsor decides on a fee for the event, the hall rental fee must be discussed with the General Manager.

Agama Yoga reserves the right to waive hall rental fees for strictly nonprofit groups and events (for example, Kashmiri Shaivism study groups, purely educational initiatives, etc). Such nonprofit events must go through the same approvals process as all other extracurricular student-to-student events and the organizer must sign a hall use agreement as well. Student organizers of nonprofit-status events may not promote any products for sale, services for hire, businesses, or commercial opportunities during their events. More importantly, they may not solicit or accept donations.

Individuals may not vend, leaflet, or verbally promote products for sale, services for hire, or events inside the Yoga halls, unless such activities are part of an approved student-sponsored event for which hall rental fees were paid.

Students with products to sell may approach the Yogishop management – entirely separate from the Agama administration – which can provide details about vending arrangements.

Agama Yoga official sponsored parties allow food vending by interested and qualified students. A vendor may offer food or beverage products to partygoers from a staging area located outside of the Yoga halls only. The vendor must first apply for approval to the General Manager at least one week prior to the event. Upon approval – and prior to the event – the vendor must pay a 300 Baht per-event fee for food vending privileges, plus an additional 300 Baht deposit, to the Agama Events Coordinator. If the vendor adequately cleans up all cups, plates, garbage, supplies, and food-related items, etc. following the event, the deposit will be returned. Multiple vendors for the same event must share the duties and responsibilities required for the return of their deposits. If the Events Coordinator determines that cleaning was not adequate, no vendor will have their deposit returned.

Vending fees will be retained by the Events Team for use toward future Agama Yoga events.

The Agama Yoga Library is located at Srithanu Campus. A 500 baht deposit will be required annually in order to check out materials. The deposit is returned upon a student’s departure and return of all materials on loan. A new deposit is required as of 1 December each year.

If a student leaves the island without returning materials or requesting the return of the deposit, it will become a donation toward future new Library requisitions as of 30 November each year.

Only currently enrolled Agama Yoga School students and teachers may check out materials. See Agama notice boards for current hours of operation.

For more details, see Addendum D – Agama Yoga Library Guidelines (2011).

Only currently enrolled men and women in Course Levels 2 and up may participate in Vira Groups, Shakti Groups, and/or events sponsored by these groups. Exceptions may be granted by Foundation members only.

All activities on AYS property, particularly the playing of music, must be completed by 21:45 at all campuses. Agama Yoga parties or sponsored events may have extended hours in some cases.

Student-to-student events must end by 21:45.

When the red light on the exterior of the Yoga hall is turned on, no one is allowed to enter the hall. Department Managers may enter if absolutely necessary, but they are to use their best discretion.

No nudity or sexual activity is allowed on Agama Yoga School property.

No cigarettes, alcohol, or recreational drugs are allowed on Agama Yoga School property.

No food is allowed inside the Yoga halls.

Students are not allowed to occupy the steps of the bungalows at Ananda Resort.

Mobile phones must be switched off or on silent when inside the Yoga halls.

Agama Yoga School reserves the right to refuse entry or attendance of any person to classes, retreats, workshops, and other events.

Information regarding events and activities will be posted on the campus notice boards at least seven days in advance.

Barring exceptional circumstances, no event time or venue will be changed without at least seven days’ notice to the community by posting on the notice boards.

It is kindly requested that students do not contact teachers or administrational staff between the hours of 21:00 and 10:00. The Registration Office of course, being an exception during office hours.

No student shall be asked to divulge confidential medical information. Should a student elect to share private health information, the information will remain strictly confidential to relevant staff only and will not be shared with others in any way.

A medical liability waiver must be signed by all who attend classes, workshops, and retreats on Agama Yoga School property.

Health information – in particular, information regarding sexually transmitted infections – is available at the Agama Healing Center.

Student office hour appointments with Foundation members shall be scheduled by a Foundation member’s personal assistant. No more than one appointment may be scheduled within a two-month period. Additionally, students must choose one advisor per teaching season, which means that students may not make appointments with both Swami Vivekananda and Sahajananda during the same teaching season.