Lakshmi Rising 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Syllabus

A Transformational, Experiential, Yoga Alliance-Certified Journey

At Lakshmi Rising Yoga & Wellness, our 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training is a soul-nourishing immersion into yoga as a living, embodied practice.

We go far beyond poses—combining asana, pranayama, meditation, Ayurveda, plant-based living, philosophy, anatomy, and ritual—to awaken your potential as a teacher and human being.

This program meets and exceeds Yoga Alliance RYS-200 standards, blending ancient wisdom with modern embodiment and self-inquiry.

Program Overview

Format: 200 Hours (In-Person Immersion or Hybrid
Locations: Portugal • Italy
Certification: Yoga Alliance RYT-200 Eligible

You’ll learn through experience, practice, reflection, and community—the way yoga was always meant to be transmitted. Each day includes guided practice, group discussion, teaching labs, philosophy, and Ayurvedic lifestyle integration.

Asana & Embodied Movement (40 Hours)

Experience movement as meditation. Learn how to teach with confidence, grace, and anatomical intelligence. Daily asana and movement practices build physical intelligence, coordination, and somatic awareness.

  • Daily Morning Vinyasa Class Built on Lakshmi Rising Sequencing Methodology
  • Conscious Dance & Free Movement 
  • Afternoon Mobility & Embodiment Routines 
  • Shape-Shifting Photo Project 
  • Introduction to Mudra

Teaching Methodology & Practice (35 Hours)

Develop a confident teaching voice and refine your understanding of alignment, anatomy, and intelligent sequencing.

  • Teaching Postures & Short Sequences
  • Teaching & Modifying Sun Salutations (A, Classical,  & creative variations)
  • Hands-On Adjustments (optional, consent-based)
  • Lakshmi Rising Vinyasa Sequencing Method for Injury Prevention
  • Verbal vs. Non-Verbal Cueing
  • Modifications for Accessibility & Injury Prevention
  • Hands-On Assists (theory and consent)
  • Music, Language & Energy in the Classroom
  • Sequencing with Purpose
  • Inclusivity & Trauma-Informed Foundations
  • Ethics & Scope of Practice: understanding teacher responsibility, consent, and student safety

Meditation & Self-Inquiry (45 Hours)

Discover the inner dimensions of yoga through daily meditation, self-reflection, and silent practice.

  • Daily meditation practices: Metta (Loving-Kindness), Japa & Japa Mala, Yoga Nidra, Nyāsa (body awareness), Body Scan, 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
  • Mauna (silence immersion) for introspection and renewal
  • Contemplative writing, creative journaling, and group sharing for self-study (Svādhyāya) and integration

Breathwork & Prāṇāyāma (15 Hours)

Master foundational yogic breathing practices and learn to teach them safely and effectively.

  • Daily Techniques Include: Ujjāyī, Nadi Shodhana, Kapālabhāti, Bhastrikā, Sītalī, Bhrāmarī, Diaphragmatic and Box Breathing, Sun Breath, and Breath of Joy
  • Teaching Prāṇāyāma: Learn five classical techniques with cueing, benefits, and contraindications
  • Applied Breathwork: Linking movement and pranayama to regulate the nervous system

Applied Anatomy, Physiology, & Energetics (15 Hours)

Learn how the body moves, breathes, and restores balance through yoga. 

  • The Spine, Hips, Shoulders & SI Joint
  • The Autonomic Nervous System: Stress, Resilience & Regulation
  • Respiratory & Muscular Systems in Practice
  • Assessing Students’ Alignment & Functional Movement
  • Hands & Feet: Foundations of Balance
  • Chakras & Energy Psychology
  • Bandhas & Core Stabilization
  • Nāḍīs & Marma Points

Yoga History, Lineage & Philosophy (15 Hours)

Root your practice in authentic lineage while honoring yoga’s evolution.

  • What Is Yoga? Origins and Evolution
  • Cultural Appropriation & Modern Context
  • The Legacy of Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar
  • Patañjali & the Yoga Sūtras
  • The Eight-Limb Path (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga)
  • Theory of Yoga Nidra
  • Understanding Lineage, Transmission & Integrity

Ceremony, Ritual & Living Yoga (25 Hours)

Integrate the sacred into daily life and teaching.

  • Intro to Living Yoga: A Non-Compartmentalized Approach
  • The Power of Intention
  • Mantra & Chanting Immersion
  • Cacao Ceremony: Journey to the Heart
  • Mālā Creation: Prayer Beads of Intention
  • Introduction to Ayurveda & the Yoga Lifestyle 
  • Optional Ayurveda Workshops
  • Karma Yogi Sacred Space Holder Service – community altar creation and lunch blessing
  • Plant-Based, Device-Free Group Meals — mindful eating, sustainability, Ayurvedic nourishment

Professional Development (10 Hours)

Develop the skills needed for a fulfilling career teaching yoga

  • Listening & Communication
  • Life Design: Co-Creating a Purposeful Existence
  • Ideas & Possibilities for Yoga Teachers 
  • Mission Statement Writing
  • Ethics, Scope of Practice & Professional Boundaries
  • Understanding Yoga Alliance Registration
  • Continuing Education Pathways & Mentorship: how graduates can sustain growth through community support and further study.

Assessments & Creative Projects (10 Hours)

  • Two Quizzes (anatomy & philosophy)
  • Dynamic Cueing Project
  • Group Sequencing Project
  • Ayurvedic Self-Assessment
  • 30-Minute Final Teaching Practicum

Certification & Yoga Alliance Eligibility

To graduate, participants must:

  • Attend all sessions (minimum 180 contact hours)
  • Complete teaching practicum and written assessments
  • Demonstrate integration of philosophy, practice, and teaching methodology

Graduates receive the Lakshmi Rising 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificate, qualifying them to register with Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200.