A 25-day residential 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India — rooted in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras. This is not just a certificate programme. It is a complete inner and outer transformation — of how you practice, how you see, and how you teach. By the time you leave Rishikesh, yoga will not be something you do. It will be something you are.
Apply for the Next Training Ask a Question on WhatsAppThe 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Witness Yoga is not for everyone. It is for those who are ready.
| This training is for you if — |
|---|
| You have a sincere personal practice and feel the call to share it with others |
| You want a globally recognised, Yoga Alliance certified qualification |
| You want to understand yoga as a complete science of the self — not just movement |
| You are ready to study philosophy, anatomy, breath, and meditation alongside asana |
| You are a practitioner, therapist, coach, or wellness professional deepening your foundation |
| You want to train in Rishikesh — the birthplace and spiritual home of yoga |
| You are ready to know yourself more honestly — and to teach from that knowing |
No prior teaching experience is required. A sincere personal practice and a genuine desire to teach are enough.
Rishikesh has hundreds of yoga schools. So why choose this one?
Learn to observe body, breath, and mind with clarity and without judgment. This is the foundation of Patanjali’s entire system — and what separates a transformative teacher from one who calls out poses.
Built entirely on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, taught in language immediately applicable to modern life. You leave with living wisdom you cannot put down — not theory you cannot use.
Shiva Shankra — 16 years across Sivananda, Osho, Kevalaya Dhamma, the AYUSH Ministry’s QCI framework, and a nine-month postgraduate diploma in Yogic Science. He teaches from experience, not books.
Deliberately small groups. Real attention, honest feedback, space to genuinely grow. This is not a factory — it is a community.
The Ganges, the Himalayas, centuries of accumulated practice. Tapovan holds something a city studio cannot replicate — and it deepens the training daily.
Graduate as a Yoga Alliance RYT 200 — recognised in studios, retreat centres, and wellness spaces in over 100 countries worldwide.
Every module is rooted in the classical tradition of Patanjali and taught as living, applicable practice — not an academic exercise.
100+ classical asanas with alignment, variations, modifications and contraindications; the biomechanics of safe and effective movement; hands-on adjustments and assists — when, how, and when not to; intelligent sequencing with intention and integrity; teaching methodology for different bodies, levels, and contexts; the relationship between asana and the deeper limbs of yoga.
Classical pranayama — Nadi Shodhana, Kapalbhati, Bhramari, Ujjayi, Sitali, Bhastrika, Kumbhaka; the physiology of breathing and how breath directly regulates the nervous system; the Pancha Kosha model — the five layers of being; Prana, Apana, and the Vayu system; how to safely teach pranayama to beginners and experienced practitioners; the bridge from breath into meditation.
Classical meditation techniques — breath awareness, mantra, trataka, open awareness, body scan; Yoga Nidra for deep nervous-system restoration and guided healing; Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi — the three inner limbs; the nature of consciousness — Chitta, Ahamkara, Manas, and Buddhi; how to guide meditation — holding space, sequencing, spoken guidance, and silence.
The Patanjali Yoga Sutras — all four padas studied systematically: Samadhi Pada on consciousness and practice, Sadhana Pada on the eight limbs, Vibhuti Pada on the fruits of practice, and Kaivalya Pada on liberation; the Eight Limbs of Yoga in depth; ethics of teaching — conduct, boundaries, integrity; the history and evolution of yoga; how to teach philosophy accessibly. The module most students call the most life-changing.
Key skeletal and muscular systems for practice and teaching; the nervous system — sympathetic, parasympathetic, and the vagus nerve; common injuries and how to teach safely around them; energetic anatomy — the Chakra system, Nadis, and Pancha Kosha; contraindications and modifications for common health conditions.
The art of teaching — voice, language, presence, pacing, and holding space; class planning from a single session to a full programme; demonstration, verbal cueing, and hands-on adjustment; supervised practicum teaching with real feedback; the business of yoga teaching — setting up, marketing, and sustaining a practice; Yoga Alliance registration after graduation.
The Sattvic lifestyle — food, sleep, daily rhythms; introduction to Ayurveda — the sister science of yoga; the three Gunas — Tamas, Rajas, Sattva; designing your own daily sadhana as a teacher; the inner transition from student to teacher; living the Yamas and Niyamas as practice, not theory.
| 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 partially free · Practicums from week 2 · Advanced workshops in week 3 · Graduation ceremony and integration circle in the final days.
Special experiences woven in: sound healing · healing breathwork journey · sacred Ganga walks · temple visits & Ganga Aarti ceremony · optional Himalayan sunrise · personal sadhana design session with Shiva Shankra.
Clean, comfortable, and simply beautiful — designed to support rest, study, and inner quiet. Private and shared rooms with attached bathrooms and hot water, a study area, and personal storage. Wifi is available but intentionally limited, to support immersion. The residence sits within the peaceful, sacred environment of Tapovan, Rishikesh.
Three freshly prepared sattvic meals daily — plant-based, lovingly cooked, chosen to support clarity of mind, lightness of body, and sustained energy. In yoga philosophy, food is medicine: what you eat during a 25-day training shapes how deeply you can practice. Special dietary requirements accommodated on request.
A deposit of $300 USD secures your place · balance due 14 days before the training · instalments available · payment in USD or INR · INR pricing for Indian students on request · lifetime access to the graduate community included.
A Yoga Alliance RYT 200 certification recognised in more than 100 countries. A deeply established personal practice — asana, pranayama, and meditation that is truly yours. A living understanding of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras — philosophy you can teach and live. Real teaching confidence, built through supervised practicum and honest feedback. A personalised daily sadhana designed with Shiva for your life at home. A global community of graduates across 40+ countries.
And yourself — more clearly than before. That, ultimately, is the whole point.
No. Many of our most impactful graduates arrived with no teaching experience whatsoever. A sincere personal practice and a genuine desire to teach are all that is required.
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.
Yes — Witness Yoga is a Yoga Alliance Registered School (RYS 200). Graduates are eligible to register as RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance International.
All sessions are conducted in English.
Absolutely — we warmly welcome Indian students. INR pricing is available on request.
If you miss a session due to illness or genuine emergency, we will work with you to ensure your learning is complete. Full attendance is strongly encouraged and required for certification.
We deliberately keep groups small so every student receives genuine individual attention. Please enquire about current batch availability.
Airport transfers from Dehradun Airport (DED) can be arranged on request — please mention this when you apply.
Yes — many students extend their stay in Rishikesh before or after the training. Tell us your plans and we will help wherever we can.
The $300 deposit is non-refundable. Cancellations more than 45 days before the start date receive a full balance refund; 21–45 days, 50%; under 21 days, no balance refund. If Witness Yoga must cancel or postpone, all payments transfer to the next date or are refunded in full. Full terms on our Legal page.
You have been practicing. You have been deepening. Something in you knows it is time to step forward — to share what the practice has given you. In the sacred mountains of Rishikesh, in a small group of genuine seekers, under a teacher who has walked this path for 16 years — this is where yoga teachers are made. Not just certified. Made.
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