Core courses
BIO 265 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
This is the first course of a two-course series exploring the terminology, structure, function, and interdependence of the human body systems, as well as introducing relevant medical terminology. This course provides an understanding of how the body’s structure and function maintain balance and a healthy state. Topics include: homeostasis, feedback control, skeletal muscular system, blood, cardiovascular system, immune system, and digestive system. Relevant current scientific research results are discussed, as appropriate. Students will get an opportunity to explore how human physiology is a replica of natural law as expressed in the ancient Vedic Literature discovered by Tony Nader, MD, PhD. (4 credits)
BIO 266 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
This is the second course of the two-course series of Human Anatomy and Physiology. The focus will be on the endocrine system and divisions of the nervous system, and how they control other organ systems of the body and maintain homeostasis. Topics include: respiratory system, endocrine system, reproductive system, nervous system, and excretory system. Relevant current scientific research results are discussed, as appropriate. Students will get an opportunity to explore how human physiology is a replica of natural law as expressed in the ancient Vedic Literature discovered by Tony Nader, MD, PhD. Prerequisite: BIO 265 (4 credits)
PH 101 Physiology is Consciousness
The course will explore the new paradigm in science that the “Physiology is Consciousness.” Current concepts of mind and body will be understood in terms of this new paradigm. This course will present our facts of brain structure and function in light of Maharishi Vedic Science and the discovery of Veda and the Vedic Literature in human physiology done by Tony Nader, MD, PhD. We will examine how our brain constructs reality at every moment and how the experience of unboundedness – the Self of every individual – can transform our physiology and awaken the total creative potential of the brain in enlightenment, which is the birthright of every human being. Includes public speaking presentations on course topics. Materials fee: $10 Prerequisite: STC 108 (4 credits)
PH 260 Maharishi AyurVeda Course on Self-Pulse Reading for Good Health
Self-Pulse Reading is the most ancient and most natural means of determining the level of balance or imbalance in the mind and body. Feeling the pulse enlivens the connection between mind and body, consciousness and matter. Furthermore, the procedure of feeling the pulse produces a balancing effect on the mind and body. This course presents Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s revival of this ancient technology. In this course, students learn how to read their pulse and detect imbalances early, before they manifest as symptoms of a disease, and how to determine where imbalances are, and how to restore balance. This course includes public speaking exercises. Materials fee: $6. Prerequisite for online students: PH 259. (4 credits)
PH 262 Diet, Digestion, and Nutrition
Diet, digestion, and nutrition are fundamental to health. How we metabolize food and drink directly affects the strength, vitality, immunity, and longevity of physiology. This course provides very practical knowledge of what to eat, when to eat, and how to eat to maintain or restore the perfect balance of the three doshas – the three principal governing qualities of intelligence in the body. Topics include: influence of consciousness on the process of digestion and nutrition, effects of different foods on physiology, categories of food according to their influence on the three doshas, and basic principles of Dravya Guna (Materia Medica) – Vedic herbology. This course includes public speaking exercises, as well as two field trips: one to local organic and natural food stores, and one to a local organic dairy production farm. Based on availability, ayurvedic cooking demonstrations are included. Field trip fee: $20; Materials fee: $20. Prerequisite: PH 260 (4 credits)
Ayurveda Wellness track
PH 230 Maharishi AyurVeda Science-Based Aromatherapy
This course presents the history and basic principles of aromatherapy, and its application in Maharishi AyurVeda. Topics include: the chemistry and therapeutic properties of aromatic molecules; detailed descriptions of the chemical structure and properties of essential oils and hydrosols, their therapeutic effects on physiological and emotional states, and their effect on the three doshas; and indications for common ailments. In this course, students will learn how to select appropriate essential oils and hydrosols for well-being in accord with the principles of Maharishi AyurVeda Aromatherapy. Includes public speaking presentations and labs. Lab fee: $25; Materials fee: $15. Prerequisite: PH 260 or PH 352 (4 credits)
PH 263 Maharishi Yoga Asanas
Yoga is one of the 40 aspects of the Veda and Vedic Literature representing the unifying quality of consciousness. According to Maharishi, Yoga provides technologies to unfold the experience of the unified level of consciousness or Transcendental Consciousness. The theoretical part of this unique course presents the knowledge of Yoga as unity and provides an understanding of the specific effects of Yoga Asanas on the mind and body, physiology, and consciousness. Proper practice of Yoga Asanas – another aspect of this course – provides students with the experience of deep relaxation, stress release, and expansion in the direction of unbounded pure consciousness. This course includes public speaking exercises on the effects of Yoga Asanas on specific mental and physical health conditions, and the readings of Maharishi’s commentaries to the Bhagavad-Gita as the essence of Vedic knowledge and the discipline of Yoga. Materials fee: $10 (4 credits)
PH 320 Healthy, Happy Mother and Baby
The comprehensive time-tested knowledge of Maharishi AyurVeda provides the basis to give every family the best start. Topics include: preconception guidelines to maximize fertility and fetal health, month-by-month guidelines for pregnancy, strategies to facilitate labor and provide the ideal environment at delivery, and postpartum care guidelines for both parents and newborns to ensure the fullest recuperation for mothers and a healthy beginning for every family. Materials fee: $30. Prerequisites: PH 262 and PH 263. (4 credits)
PH 412 Maharishi AyurVeda Herbology
Herbs are a major component of Maharishi AyurVeda used to enliven the inner intelligence of the body and restore balance. After assessing a client, an ayurvedic consultant recommends a variety of healing modalities, including compound or single-form herbal preparations. This course provides the necessary knowledge of ayurvedic herbs and herbal compounds, their qualities, and actions in human physiology, as well as their effects in various health conditions. It also familiarizes students with the methods used to prepare herbal compounds. Topics include: an introduction to ayurvedic herbs, their properties, modes of action, and uses; compound ayurvedic formulations, their indications, and contra-indications; quality control and good manufacturing practices on a small scale. This course includes labs, public speaking presentations, and literature review. Lab fee: $50; Material fee: $25; Prerequisites: PH 262 or PH 252; Strongly recommended: PH 430 (4 credits)
PH 430 Maharishi AyurVeda Wellness Consultant Training
This course prepares students to consult with clients, family, and friends, helping them achieve higher levels of health and wellness through Maharishi AyurVeda. Students will understand and apply the knowledge of mind-body types, and the dietary and lifestyle origins of imbalance. Topics include: Ayurvedic anatomy and physiology; the role of consciousness at the basis of physiology; the use of Ayurvedic pulse reading to detect the level and the root cause of imbalance; the means to restore balance with the use of herbs, diet, aromatherapy, Maharishi Yoga Asanas, and other modalities of Maharishi AyurVeda; protocols for common imbalances; and how to obtain and retain clients in the wellness consultant practice. Includes case workshops and public speaking presentations. Materials fee: $65. Prerequisites: PH 262 and BiO 266 (8 credits)
PH 431 Maharishi AyurVeda Wellness Consultant Practicum
During this course, students get practical experience of the knowledge gained in all the previous courses in Maharishi AyurVeda and build confidence in consulting with clients, family, and friends to guide them to higher levels of health and wellness. In the clinical setting, students take turns leading consultations and participate in discussions of case studies under the supervision of experts in Maharishi AyurVeda and modern medicine. By the end of this course, on-campus students are required to complete their major senior project, consisting of a reflection paper and a portfolio of case studies based on at least 50 clinical encounters, including observation, student/client encounters with direct supervision, and one-on-one cases. (8 credits
Prerequisite: PH 430
The course is designed to provide practice on how to advise others in developing a personalized approach to health and wellness based on the principles of Maharishi AyurVeda. Regulations regarding health care practice and professional licensure standards vary by state and country. Course participants should be familiar with the laws of the jurisdiction in which they intend to be active to ensure that the scope of their activities does not violate regulations regarding health care practice. Becoming a Maharishi AyurVeda Wellness Consultant does not confer professional licensing status, and Maharishi International University makes no representations regarding its economic or other value.
Yoga & Ayurveda Wellness track (online)
CANM 251 Power of Social Media Marketing
In this course, students learn to harness the power of online marketing by using social media platforms — such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and other current favorites — for their current, future or imagined businesses. Students gain hands-on experience with visual marketing and modern content marketing. Topics of exploration include how to find and attract an audience to help solve their problems, organizing followers and friends to reach more people; the visual marketing creation process using, for example, large images, memes, and GIFs; e-commerce tools for social media; and developing a social media marketing strategy to successfully reach more people online. Prerequisite: basic computer skills (4 credits)
MGT 231 Creative Entrepreneur I
The goal of the course is for each participant to identify a business or product idea that they would like to develop into a viable product or company and then develop, write, and present a summary of the idea into a Concept Statement. Businesses thrive on creativity. In this course, you will learn how creative thoughts and ideas can be developed into life-supporting, sustainable products or services which fulfill needs and contribute to the expansion of happiness in society. (4 credits)
MGT 333 Organizing & Managing a Wellness Practice
This course is a survey of the primary considerations in creating and running a wellness practice. Students learn the principles behind the regulation of occupations in the healthcare industry and study the laws in their state that apply to a wellness practice. They use the essentials of marketing theory to design and publicize their services. Principles of accounting and record-keeping inform the tasks of preparing a business tax return and satisfying legal requirements. (2 credits)
MVS 302 Dharma: Insights from Maharishi’s Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita
What action in life is best for your personal development – your “Dharma”? How does this relate to family, social, and global responsibilities? How do we make the right decisions for ourselves and others, and act in a way that is enjoyable, not stressful and exhausting? This course studies timeless questions and dilemmas such as these, discussed in the Bhagavad-Gita — using as a guide Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s translation of and commentary on chapters one to six. (4 credits)
PH 263 Maharishi Yoga Asanas
Yoga is one of the 40 aspects of the Veda and Vedic Literature representing the unifying quality of consciousness. According to Maharishi, Yoga provides technologies to unfold the experience of the unified level of consciousness or Transcendental Consciousness. The theoretical part of this unique course presents the knowledge of Yoga as unity and provides an understanding of the specific effects of Yoga Asanas on the mind and body, physiology, and consciousness. Proper practice of Yoga Asanas – another aspect of this course – provides students with the experience of deep relaxation, stress release, and expansion in the direction of unbounded pure consciousness. This course includes public speaking exercises on the effects of Yoga Asanas on specific mental and physical health conditions, and the readings of Maharishi’s commentaries to the Bhagavad-Gita as the essence of Vedic knowledge and the discipline of Yoga. Materials fee: $10 (4 credits)
PH 421 Maharishi Yoga Asana Teacher Training Practicum I
In this online course, you will unearth the nature of Yoga – the unification of the body, mind & cosmic life integrated with Maharishi AyurVeda’s principles of cultivating intrinsic & extrinsic balance in life. This course includes coursework in embodied approaches to anatomy, ayurvedic approaches to anatomy, asana, and pranayama through public speaking, presentation exercises and reflective exercises that explore the benefits in practicing and presenting the Maharishi Yoga Asanas. Receiving Yoga Alliance compliance is in process. Prerequisites: PH 263 and BIO266. (4 credits)
PH 422 Maharishi Yoga Asana Teacher Training Practicum II
Continuing in the development of Yoga teacher training, this on-campus in-person instructor training will focus on the practice of Yoga postures (Asana), breathing exercises (Pranayama), two of the eight limbs of Yoga, that promote the integration of mind and body, supporting health by bringing life into harmony with Natural Law. Your hands-on experience will be taught in conjunction with honing your skills as a yoga teacher, teaching techniques, ethics & professionalism. Receiving Yoga Alliance compliance is in process. Prerequisite: PH 421 (2 credits)
PH 423 Maharishi Yoga Asana Teacher Training Practicum III
In-person development in the personal and professional practice of Yoga postures (Asana), breathing exercises (Pranayama), and personalized instruction that promotes the integration of mind and body & support health by bringing life into harmony with Natural Law. From refining cues, managing the classroom environment, hands-on assists, and lesson planning, you will learn the tools necessary to develop a well-rounded and beneficial class. This module provides everything needed to embark on a successful teaching career, not to mention leading integrative classes that students never forget. Receiving Yoga Alliance compliance is in process. Prerequisite: PH 422 (2 credits)
PH 424 Capstone for Becoming the Teacher
Remaining an active student is what makes a sound teacher. In the Maharishi Yoga Asana Capstone course, the focus is on continued practice, self-referral, and reflection exercises to allow for the integration and development of sattvic teacher attributes. The primary focus of this course will be to create a three-month Maharishi Yoga Asana Program based on your teaching niche, with lesson plans that build upon one another and create sustained Mind Body. (2 credits) Prerequisite: PH 423
Life & Wellness Coaching track (online)
MGT 231 Creative Entrepreneur I
The goal of the course is for each participant to identify a business or product idea that they would like to develop into a viable product or company and then develop, write, and present a summary of the idea into a Concept Statement. Businesses thrive on creativity. In this course, you will learn how creative thoughts and ideas can be developed into life-supporting, sustainable products or services which fulfill needs and contribute to the expansion of happiness in society. (4 credits)
PH 218 Foundation of Life and Wellness Coaching
This introductory course presents the foundational knowledge for Life and Wellness Coaching to bring balance to the body, mind, and spirit. This lays the foundation for a system of holistic health that can be embodied and shared with others. Students will learn a code of ethics, how to establish local connections to aid in professional growth, how to explore their vision and priorities and help others do the same, and how to connect with their own personal power. This course will offer students the chance to understand their own Self through journaling, class discussion, and self-reflective exercises. This gives the student the necessary tools to embark on a successful Life and Wellness Coaching career, not to mention building a foundation of trust and compassion with clients. (4 credits) (Online Only) Recommended: BIO 266
PH 219 Life and Wellness Coaching I
In this course, students will begin to learn common-sense Life and Wellness Coaching through a holistic approach which integrates the Maharishi AyurVeda principles of cultivating a life that is intrinsically and extrinsically balanced. This course provides coursework that will include putting care and focus into the core of everyday life. Students will learn what holistic healthcare means in terms of considering the physical well-being and health of individuals when working to address imbalances. This course puts knowledge into practice as each student begins to work towards a health goal of their own, reflecting on each step through journaling, class discussion, and class activities. Students will build a map that will help establish the health goal and will aid them in learning how to teach habit changing and goal planning to others. This course will provide the knowledge to be successful in goal setting by explaining the different variables that can impede success such as environment, lifestyle, and routine. The goal of this course is to develop Life and Wellness Coaches that lead by example, living a healthy lifestyle in every aspect such as lifestyle, routine, and environment. (4 credits) (Online Only) Prerequisite: PH 218
PH 263 Maharishi Yoga Asanas
Yoga is one of the 40 aspects of the Veda and Vedic Literature, representing the unifying quality of consciousness. According to Maharishi, Yoga provides technologies to unfold the experience of the unified level of consciousness or Transcendental Consciousness. The theoretical part of this unique course presents the knowledge of Yoga as unity and provides an understanding of the specific effects of Yoga Asanas on the mind and body — physiology and consciousness. Proper practice of Yoga Asanas — a major aspect of this course — provides students with the experience of deep relaxation, bliss, and expansion of awareness. This course includes public speaking exercises on the effects of Yoga Asanas on specific mental and physical health conditions and the readings of Maharishi’s commentary to the Bhagavad-Gita as the essence of Vedic knowledge and the discipline of Yoga. Materials fee: $5 (4 credits) (In-Person or Online) Recommended: BIO 266
PH 318 Life and Wellness Coaching II
This course looks at the mind and Self and their affects over how well a person can commit to change. Students will learn multiple evidence-based approaches to coaching that will promote the client’s will to change. Students will learn how to empower their client’s mind and Self in a holistic and consciousness-based approach. Some of the most important aspects of Life and Wellness Coaching is the coach’s ability to ask questions that enliven discussion, lends to credibility, and strengthens trust. Students will learn motivational enhancement techniques, cognitive behavioral coaching, acceptance and commitment coaching, and dialectical behavior coaching as evidence-based coaching tools. Each step will help to enrich the students understanding of how to coach the mind and Self to ensure maximum success for their clients. This online course will provide material for self-reflection exercises, telehealth coaching sessions, and written assignments to promote student understanding in both the classroom and real-world experiences. (4 credits) (Online Only) Prerequisite: PH 219
PH 319 Life and Wellness Coaching III
This course is a culmination of all knowledge from previous courses and prerequisites. Here, students will be able to present the knowledge obtained in a professional, clear, and concise manner as well as apply it in real world scenarios. Choosing a client of their own, students will begin to work towards a faculty approved health goal. Each step of life coaching will be used as students navigate how to instill change in their client. Creating a habit map, offering support at every step, and integrating the knowledge from the previous courses, students will begin documenting their journey towards becoming a Life and Wellness Coach. The course will include one on one student coaching, written and spoken presentations, and case studies. Students will also begin working with a client of their choosing towards a health goal. This is intended to fully integrate the information learned into a format that can then be carried into professional development and business planning. (4 credits) (Online Only) Prerequisite: PH 318
PH 418 Life and Wellness Coaching Externship
This course will allow students to apply coaching knowledge and skills in a telehealth environment. Students will work 12 hours weekly with the Personal Support Services Life and Wellness Coaching program, helping other MIU students as they navigate academic and everyday life. Coaches will help these students to make plans regarding their personal and academic lives, create habits to become better students, and will help guide them towards balance personally, academically, physically, and emotionally. Coaches will document their interactions with each client, schedule meetings, and submit work that shows their clear understanding of the different approaches taken including the client’s mind-body constitution. This course will prepare students for working with multiple clients in an online setting. (2 credits) (Online Only) Prerequisite: PH 319
PH 419 Life and Wellness Coaching Capstone Project
Using a volunteer of their choosing, students will continue their work including documenting their ability to establish goals for the client’s personal development and assist the client to make progress towards those goals. Students will apply and integrate all knowledge they have learned to include proper record keeping, scheduling of sessions, active listening, motivational coaching, and forming a coach/client relationship that is built on trust, compassion, understanding, and professionalism. Students will write an essay to reflect on the experience, focusing on what they have learned and how they applied the techniques taught to them. The goal of this project is to instill confidence in students’ ability to successfully coach each client. (2 credits) (Online Only) Prerequisite: PH 319
RL S300 Thinking It Through
How can we understand large, multi-disciplinary problems like climate change, food insecurity, and income inequality? By applying interdisciplinary, systems-based, integrative thinking — or holistic thinking. This is the starting point of this course. Using familiar and simple, and then unfamiliar and more complex, systems we learn to see many of the interacting components that give rise to the behaviors we observe in our daily life. To “systems thinking” we then add Consciousness-Based principles and perspectives that help us see all the parts of a domain in their relation to whole and to consciousness. Both the systems perspective and the Consciousness-Based perspective enable us to see the whole picture and thereby choose effective strategies for solving problems. In 2023 the complex problem we will address is poverty at the national level, and the course concludes with each student thinking through what they can do to address this complex problem. Prerequisite: 40+ undergraduate credits.
“Ayurvedic medicine (also called Ayurveda) is one of the world’s oldest medical systems. It originated in India and has evolved there over thousands of years. In the United States, Ayurvedic medicine is considered a complementary health approach.”
“Ayurveda can have positive effects when used as a complementary therapy in combination with standard, conventional medical care.”
Students receive hands-on clinical training.
Receive in-depth training on how to conduct Ayurvedic consultations and learn how to use holistic modalities to assess, maintain, and restore balance on different levels of the mind-body system.
Yoga is more than just physical exercise. Complete Yoga is a state of unity, experienced as perfect harmony between mind, body, and nature.
At the heart of this one-of-a-kind program is the understanding that each person is a unique individual.
Your admissions counselor will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with program faculty when you have questions. International students may connect with their admissions counselor through our contact form.
Varsha Khatri, founder of popular London health practice Illuminated Health, utilizes Maharishi AyurVeda, yoga, nutrition and herbal medicine to help her clients achieve optimal health and wellness. She is currently working on a book that brings together Maharishi AyurVeda with modern nutrition for everyday living.
