A 25-day residential 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh — rooted in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, alive with ancient wisdom, and designed for the modern human being ready to step into their deepest calling.
Apply for the Next Training Explore the ProgrammeMost yoga teacher training courses teach you how to move the body. At Witness Yoga, we teach you how to see — clearly, deeply, and honestly. We teach the yoga that the sage Patanjali codified over two thousand years ago — not as an exercise system, but as a complete science of the human being: the body, the breath, the mind, and the self.
Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah
“Yoga is the settling of the fluctuations of the mind.”
Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 1.2This single sutra contains the entire teaching — and it is the foundation of everything we do at our school in Tapovan, Rishikesh. You will leave not only as a certified yoga teacher, but as someone who has truly met themselves — and is ready to guide others on the same journey.
In the classical yogic tradition, the witness is called Sakshi — from the Sanskrit root meaning “one who sees.” It is the steady, unchanging awareness behind every thought, every sensation, every emotion. Patanjali calls it Drashtu, the Seer — and he makes it the very heart of yoga: “Then the Seer rests in its own true nature” (Yoga Sutras 1.3).
Modern life trains the mind to do one thing: produce more thought. More planning, more comparing, more scrolling, more worry. Anxiety, burnout, and disconnection are not personal failures — they are the predictable result of a mind that has never been taught to observe itself.
The Witness Method teaches exactly that. In every asana class, every pranayama session, and every meditation sit, you learn to observe your body, your breath, and your mind with clarity and without judgment — to feel everything, without being imprisoned by what you feel.
This is what separates a truly transformative yoga teacher from one who simply calls out poses. It is the thread that runs through our 200-hour teacher training, our yoga and meditation retreats, and every daily class we hold in Rishikesh.
25 Days · Fully Residential · Yoga Alliance RYS 200 · Begins the 1st of Every Month
Our 200-hour yoga teacher training course is one of the most complete classical YTT programmes available in Rishikesh, India today. Every element of the curriculum is built on the foundation of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and delivered through seven deeply practical modules — asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, anatomy, teaching methodology, and yogic lifestyle.
Asana, alignment & sequencing — 100+ classical postures, biomechanics, hands-on adjustment, and intelligent class building.
Pranayama, energy & the nervous system — Nadi Shodhana, Kapalbhati, Bhramari, Ujjayi, and the physiology of breath.
Meditation, Yoga Nidra & inner science — classical techniques, the nature of consciousness, and how to guide others.
All four padas of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, the Eight Limbs of Yoga, ethics, and how to make ancient wisdom usable.
Anatomy, physiology & energetic anatomy — nervous system, safe teaching, Chakras, Nadis, and the Pancha Kosha model.
Methodology, practicum & career — voice, presence, supervised teaching with real feedback, and the business of yoga.
The Life — Yoga Lifestyle, Ayurveda & Integration (Module 7 · 10 hrs) · Total: 200 Contact Hours
| Option | Price (USD) | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Private Room — All Inclusive | $2,100 | Tuition + private accommodation + all meals + certification |
| Shared Room — All Inclusive | $1,800 | Tuition + shared accommodation + all meals + certification |
| Tuition Only | $1,200 | Tuition + certification only (no accommodation or meals) |
All-inclusive covers tuition, accommodation, three daily sattvic meals, course materials, and Yoga Alliance certification. Deposit $300 · balance due 14 days before start · instalments available · INR pricing on request.
Explore the Full Training Ask a QuestionLife at Witness Yoga begins before sunrise and ends in stillness. Every day of the 25-day residential immersion is designed for depth — not just learning, but genuine inner transformation.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 5:45 AM | Wake & personal morning silence |
| 6:15 AM | Morning meditation & pranayama (75 min) |
| 7:30 AM | Classical asana practice (90 min) |
| 9:30 AM | Sattvic breakfast |
| 10:30 AM | Theory — philosophy, anatomy or methodology |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch & rest |
| 3:00 PM | Theory — philosophy, anatomy or methodology |
| 4:00 PM | Pranayama, teaching practicum or workshop |
| 6:00 PM | Evening meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound healing or breathwork |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner |
| 8:30 PM | Silence & rest |
Monday–Saturday. Sundays are partially free for integration and Rishikesh excursions. Practicums begin in week two; the training closes with a graduation ceremony and integration circle.
Woven into the 25 days: sound healing sessions, a guided healing breathwork journey, sacred Ganga walks, temple visits and the Ganga Aarti ceremony, an optional Himalayan sunrise experience, and a personal sadhana design session with Shiva Shankra.
You don’t need to join a training to practice with us. Witness Yoga is a living yoga community in Tapovan — open to drop-in visitors, travellers, and Rishikesh locals every single day. The same classical depth that runs through our teacher training is available in a single 60 or 75-minute class.
| Time | Class | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM | Morning Yoga — Classical Asana | 75 min |
| 11:00 AM | Meditation — Morning Sit | 60 min |
| 4:00 PM | Pranayama — The Science of Breath | 60 min |
| 7:00 PM | Meditation — Evening Sit | 60 min |
Every day at Fitness Yoga Studio, Tapovan, Rishikesh · Single drop-in ₹500 · 5-class package ₹1,500 (save ₹1,000) · Mats and all props provided
Class Schedule & Booking Book via WhatsAppImmersive, all-inclusive residential retreats for those carrying burnout, anxiety, or simply the call to pause — daily classical yoga, pranayama, meditation, sound healing, healing breathwork, applied yoga philosophy, and sacred walks along the Ganges. Every retreat begins on the 1st of the month, in two forms: the Yoga Retreat, centred on asana practice, and the Meditation Retreat, centred on sitting practice, Yoga Nidra, and structured silence.
| Retreat | Duration | Shared Room | Private Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend Immersion — The Reset | 3 Days | $240 | $290 |
| Week of Stillness — The Restore | 5 Days | $380 | $450 |
| Deep Dive — The Transformation | 7 Days | $500 | $600 |
| Full Immersion | 15 Days | $950 | $1,150 |
All-inclusive: accommodation, three daily sattvic meals, and every session. Breathwork from 5 days; excursions and Himalayan sunrise from 7 days.
Explore the Yoga Retreat Explore the Meditation RetreatThere is a reason every serious yoga practitioner eventually finds their way to Rishikesh. Known as the yoga capital of the world, this small city in the foothills of the Himalayas is where the Ganges leaves the mountains — cold, ancient, and alive — and where seekers have come to practice for thousands of years.
Witness Yoga sits in Tapovan, the quietest and most sacred corner of Rishikesh — above the river, away from the noise of the market, surrounded by the lower Himalayas. It is the heart of the international yoga community: a neighbourhood of ashrams, practice halls, and the accumulated energy of centuries of sincere practice.
This is not scenery. It is a field. When you sit in meditation here, you feel that thousands have sat before you in this same stillness — and the land holds that. The environment deepens the training in ways that are difficult to articulate and impossible to deny.
Getting here is simple: fly into Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED), 45 minutes away — or reach Rishikesh by train via Haridwar Junction or by direct bus from Delhi. We arrange airport pickup on request and guide every student through the journey.
Founder — Witness Yoga & Divine Circle · Rishikesh, India
Shiva Shankra has spent 16 years walking the path of yoga — not as a career, but as a calling. His journey began in 2010 with a deep personal meditation practice; by 2016 he was sharing yoga, meditation, and breathwork with students from around the world.
He trained across India’s most revered lineages and institutions — Sivananda Ashram in Kerala, Kevalaya Dhamma in Lonavala, the Osho tradition, and a nine-month postgraduate diploma in Yogic Science. He holds 200, 300, and 500-hour yoga certifications, has completed a full study of all four padas of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, and holds QCI instructor-level certification affiliated with India’s AYUSH Ministry.
He developed the Witness Yoga method for one reason: to make the timeless wisdom of Patanjali’s classical yoga genuinely practical for modern human beings — without diluting a single drop of its depth.
Meet Shiva & the TeamWe are gathering stories and video testimonials from our graduates now. Until then, we would rather show you nothing than show you something manufactured — that is the Witness way.
Want to hear from alumni directly? Message us on WhatsApp and we will connect you with a graduate from your part of the world.
No. The training is open to dedicated practitioners of all backgrounds. A sincere personal practice and a genuine desire to teach are all that is required. Many of our most impactful graduates arrived with no teaching experience whatsoever.
Yes. Witness Yoga is a Yoga Alliance Registered School (RYS 200). Upon successful completion you receive your certificate and become eligible to register as an RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance International — recognised in over 100 countries.
We recommend a minimum of one year of consistent personal practice. If you are unsure whether your level is suitable, contact us — we will have an honest conversation with you.
Tuition, accommodation, three daily sattvic meals, all course materials and manuals, and your Yoga Alliance certification fee. There are no hidden costs.
A new batch begins on the 1st of every month and runs for 25 days. Places are limited and fill in advance — particularly October through March.
Absolutely. We warmly welcome students from India and around the world. INR pricing is available on request, and Hindi guidance is available for local students in daily classes.
All sessions are conducted in English.
Yes. Our daily classes (drop-in from ₹500) and monthly yoga and meditation retreats are open to all levels and do not require enrolment in the teacher training.
Yes. Rishikesh — particularly Tapovan — is one of the safest and most welcoming destinations in India for solo international travellers. We provide full support from airport pickup guidance to local orientation.
At Fitness Yoga Studio in Tapovan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India — the heart of the international yoga community, above the banks of the Ganges in the foothills of the Himalayas, 45 minutes from Dehradun Airport (DED).
The path of the yoga teacher is not a career choice. It is an inner calling — a deepening of your relationship with your own awareness, your own body, and your own truth.
If something in you is ready — Witness Yoga is waiting.
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