Yoga By Ashley 200-Hour Teacher Training

The depth of what yoga actually is — beginning with its roots: the Vedas, the Upaniṣads, the evolution of Haṭha Yoga, and what it means to practice within a living lineage. You will study the teachers who shaped Jivamukti: Pattabhi Jois, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, Shri Swami Nirmalananda, and understand why lineage matters.

The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali — studied in depth, beginning with Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ and moving through all four pādas. You will learn the Eightfold Path not as a list of rules, but as a living map of transformation. You will sit with the Kleśas, the roots of suffering, and understand why yoga offers something no amount of asana can achieve alone.

Sanskrit as a vibrational language — because sound is not decoration in this lineage. It is creation itself. You will learn the IAST pronunciation system, explore mantra and japa meditation, chant the Lokāḥ Samastāḥ prayer with full understanding of what every word means and why it matters, and begin to understand how syllables shape your nervous system.

Sacred Sound & OM — including the four components of OM, the energetics of Nāda Yoga, and how to use music, chanting, and silence as intentional teaching tools.

The Subtle Body — nāḍīs, cakras, guṇas, prāṇa, and bandhas taught not as abstract theory, but as maps for reading your own experience. You will understand why you feel calmer after certain practices, why certain postures hold emotion, and why steadiness and ease in the body are the prerequisites for breathwork and meditation — not the other way around.

Anatomy & Physiology — from the skeletal and muscular systems to the nervous system, respiratory mechanics, and the biomechanics of safe movement. You will understand why the body responds the way it does, and how to teach from that understanding.

Āsana — steeped in Jivamukti/Ashtanga intelligence — vigorous, breath-linked sequencing built on the foundation of the Ashtanga vinyāsa system, enriched with the creative expression of Rocket and the deep surrender of Yin. You will learn the 5 Elements of Skillful Sequencing, how to build a class with a clear arc, how to cue with precision and warmth, and how to assist with both technical skill and genuine care.

Breathwork (Prāṇāyāma) — five core techniques including Ujjāyī, Nāḍī Śodhana, Kapālabhāti, Śītalī, and Bhrāmarī. You will learn the four parts of the breath, the difference between sattvik and rajasic breath practices, and how to teach breathwork safely, skillfully, and ethically.

Meditation — five foundational methods, including Jivamukti-style seated meditation, japa/mantra meditation, Trāṭaka, witness awareness, and guided body awareness. You will also explore mala bead practice and the traditional reverence that surrounds it.

The Sacred Stories — the Bhagavad Gītā, Rāmāyaṇa, Hanumān, and Virabhadra. Because the best dharma is not information, it is invitation. You will learn to bring these living stories into your teaching, and more importantly, into your life.

Dharma Talk & Teaching Voice — how to find your bhāva, construct a themed class, choose a playlist as an act of Nāda Yoga, and deliver philosophy in a way that lands in the body, not just the mind.

Teaching Responsibly — creating a genuinely safe container: consent, touch, trauma-informed practice, professional boundaries, inclusive language, and knowing the limits of your scope. This section is taught with the same seriousness as āsana. It is not an afterthought.