23-Day Ashtanga & Yin Yoga Teacher Training in Goa, India

This is not a typical vacation yoga retreat. It's a 200-hour teacher training, and it's structured with serious study time built in. The program is built around the balance of opposites: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, the fiery, masculine, dynamic Yang practice, and Yin Yoga, the gentle, slow, feminine, and yielding Yin practice. The idea is that by training in both, you learn to hold both energies in yourself and to teach a more complete range of students.

Each day starts with a led or Mysore-style Ashtanga practice from 6:30 to 8:30 AM. After breakfast, you get into the meat of the training: asana labs and alignment, teaching methodology, yoga anatomy and physiology, philosophy, pranayama, bandhas, and mudras. The afternoons are for meditation or Yin Yoga. Saturdays are half days, and Sundays are completely off, so you have time to explore the beaches or just rest.

The lead trainer is Sukhvinder Singh (Chaitanya), founder of the institute, who holds ERYT-500 and YACEP credentials and has over 20,000 hours of teaching experience. He has taught in India, Russia, Lebanon, Taiwan, and Thailand. You'll also learn from Seema Bedi, a Canadian writer and mindfulness teacher, Vivek Mohindra, an Ayurvedic doctor, and Rana Pratap Singh, an Ashtanga teacher with a master's in yogic sciences.

The location is a big part of the experience. The school sits on a hill in Keri, surrounded by greenery and with a waterfall view from the yoga shala. Querim, Arambol, Mandrem, Ashvem, and Morjim beaches are all close by. It's a peaceful, non-touristy spot, and the resort is simple and clean, with an on-site vegetarian restaurant.

What's included

- 22 nights accommodation - 3 daily meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) plus Saturday breakfast - Water, tea, coffee throughout the day - Teacher training course and certification - Course manual - Yoga mats, blocks, straps, bolsters - Registration with Yoga Alliance - Pre and post retreat support - Free Ayurvedic massage (1) - Free Ayurvedic doctor consultation (1) - Pack of Ayurvedic & herbal wellness teas - Evening activities (kirtan, movie night) - Wi-Fi connection

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Additional treatments - Airport transfers (available for a fee) - Activities not included in the itinerary