Hawaii Yoga Institute's 200-HR Yoga Teacher Training
“Why?” can be a evolutionary question.
Adrienne Maree Brown, Emergent Strategy
Our Why?
“Now we begin the teaching of yoga.”
Yoga Sūtra 1.1
Yoga History, Philosophy, & Practices
Deep study of yogic history, culture, philosophy, and ancestral sciences (studied practices).
Led by subject experts, both studied and inhereted. The level of subject knowledge is of an advanced training.
Honoring Hawai'i and Hawaiian History
Hawaiian culture, history, and practices to honor the place HYI is from and the place where we are learning.
Social Justice and Trauma-Informed Yoga
Social Justice as it impacts Kānaka Maoli and marginalized people across the world.
Trauma-informed, resilience-centered yoga and meditation to support collective liberation.
Yoga is an ancestral science that provides us with a guidebook to a path of ease, joy and collective liberation.
As a team of leaders and facilitators, with marginalized identities, Yoga is a way to remember our personal ancestral sciences and connect with our 'ike kūpuna (ancestral wisdom). Yoga is a way to remember who we are, in our perfect, divine forms. Yoga is a way to harness the prana (energetic force) of the lāhui (collective) that will lead us to collective liberation and the remembering of our interconnectedness.
We do Yoga to ready ourselves for the revolutionary work of today as we prepare for the ancestors we are becoming.
What to expect when training with HYI
This is not a vacation.
This is a place to learn.
This is a rigorous training program. We will cover topics that will help you teach classes post-training and more advanced topics that are typically covered in a 300-hour program and beyond to ensure we are honoring the people and culture of both Hawai’i and Yoga. We want to be transparent with all potential students before embarking on this journey, it is a commitment and a lot of work will go into our time together.
This is not a safe space.
This is a brave space.
This will not be a safe space. This is a brave space. Only you can determine what is safe for you. And you will be encouraged to hold space for yourself and for others.
This is not a transformative teacher training. You are already a whole person. This training is here to teach you skills and advance your knowledge.
This is not a pedagogical training. You will learn as much from your fellow trainees as you will from faculty. More over, our faculty are just as excited to learn from you!
Learn with expert faculty.
You'll hear different perspectives from our lead faculty who have 30+ years of teaching experience and come from BIPOC and QTIA2smāhū+ backgrounds.
This team of faculty is one of a kind, you are not only learning a team of lived-experience practitioners, but you are also getting access to them on a personal and individual level.
Choose your own learning format.
We provide weekends, week day, and immersion programs to accommodate your life schedule.
Have flexible payment options.
Our trainings are GI Bill® eligible and MyCAA approved. We offer scholarships and payment plans.
Training Schedule &
Course Details
You are required to be present for 100% percent of the training to qualify for certification. Any missed classes, excused and unexcused, but be made up at the student's expense.
Fall 2025
O'ahu | 6 Week Training
Dates: September 15 - October 24, 2025
Monday: 9 - 5 PM (1-hour lunch)
Tuesday: 9 - 5 PM (1-hour lunch)
Wednesday: 9 - 4 PM (1-hour lunch)
Thursday: 9 - 5 PM (1-hour lunch)
Friday: 9 - 5 PM (1-hour lunch)
** Last Friday is 9 - 12 PM
Winter 2025
O'ahu | 4 Month Training
Dates: November 8 - February 14, 2026
Sunday: 1 - 6 PM (1-hour lunch)
Monday: 5 - 7 PM
Thursday: 5 - 7 PM
Saturday: 9 - 5 PM (1-hour lunch)
** Last Friday is 9 - 12 PM
Curriculum Details
Our teacher training curriculum will include traditional Yoga history and texts, Hawaiian culture and history, an introduction to trauma-informed Yoga practices, and social justice issues around Yoga teaching (e.g., decolonial spaces). This training program includes periodic quizzes, a final 'ike (test), multiple practice teaching times, a capstone project, and more - this is an experiential training, we apply what we learn!
Courses:
Yoga History (incuding the history of colonization in India), Sanskrit, Ayurveda, Honoring the Roots of Yoga, Hawaiian History, Decolonialism, Yoga Philosophy in Today's World, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Meditation, and more!
Course Breakdown
Course Breakdown:
- 200 hours IN-PERSON teaching
- In addition to the training hours, you are expected to complete: 2 classes a week, mentor touch bases, and supplemental virtual training modules.
- To qualify for the teacher training certification you will need to pass an ‘ike comprehensive test, teach a complete class along with 4-5 shorter pieces, complete a karma Yoga project, and complete a jñana capstone project.
Application Process
Please note the interview, and registration process:
1. If you are interested in this training, please submit an application.
2. Following a review of your application, we may contact you for an interview.
3. You will receive registration instructions if you are approved to register following the interview.
Tuition:
Training registration is $4,000
Early Bird tuition is $400 off when payment is made in full 30 days before the training start date.
Once you are approved to register, you may save your spot with a $800 deposit that will count toward the full tuition. (Deposits are non-refundable but can be applied to another training with Hawai'i Yoga Institute.)
5-month payment plans are available and must begin no later than May 1, 2025 (Fall Cohort) and July 1, 2025 (Winter Cohort). A $100 charge will be added for any payment plans.
Financial scholarship applications will be available for approved applicants when available
Our methodology:
We're challenging the old way.
Many 200-HR programs ask you to read a text, apply that information on your own, and use static approaches. We provide an interactive learning environment so that you can discuss Yoga philosophy, challenge presonal limitations in thinking, and formulate your own voice as a teacher.
Our faculty members cover curriculum to meet teaching objectives while adapting to the student group and centering social awareness.
HYI prioritizes you gaining teaching experience so that you are confident to teach inclusive classes that create a sense of belonging for your students. Nearly a quarter of our classroom time is dedicated to you actually teaching.
Faculty & Community:
Diversity is crucial.
We LOVE that our students and faculty don't fit the yoga stereotype. Our lead faculty are all BIPOC women from different cultural backgrounds. Our students come from incredibly different backgrounds, and you get to learn from and with them. You will learn just as much from your peers as you will from your faculty.
Nobody should have to change themselves to be "good" at yoga. Everyone should get to feel at home in their practice and their teaching, and our community and classroom supports this.
Our Curriculum:
Have professional readiness at your fingertips.
We meet all requirements of Yoga Alliance, and we take it further. With all topics (alignment, anatomy, philosophy, etc.), you will understand the WHY behind the WHAT so that you can make informed decisions to best suit your students' needs.
We hold converstations around the intersection of yoga, accessibility, and social justice because these are the challenges that confront us daily. They can be hard to talk about, and we want the first time you encounter these things to be in the classroom—not when you're caught off guard and about to teach a class.
See our full curriculum in the FAQ section below.
Financial support options:
Our programs are GI Bill® eligible and MyCAA approved.
HYI is a VA-approved facility, meaning that our 200-HR teacher trainings are GI Bill® eligible and MyCAA approved.
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we also provide scholarships and work-trade options when funding is available.
Payment plans are always available. We accept PayPal Pay Later, so that you can pay in 4 interest-free payments. Or, you can opt for the flexibility of 6, 12, or 24 payments.
See what our graduates say.
FAQ
We encourage you to take at least 2 yoga classes a week for 2 months prior to the training (a total of 16 classes minimum). If this is not possible in your situation, please let us know during your enrollment process so that we can discuss your personal yoga history. We welcome beginner and seasoned students.
TECHNIQUES, TRAINING AND PRACTICE, 75 HOURS
Asana
● Historical context
● Posture alignment
● Complete and safe sequencing
● Anatomical/alignment principles and contraindications
Pranayama & Subtle Body
● Historical context
● Effects of pranayama on body
● Sequencing with alternatives and adaptations
● Ujjayi, Nadi Shodhana, Kapalabhati, others
● Koshas, kleshas, chakras, nadis, prana vayus
Meditation
● Key meditation terms
● Methods
● Ability to practice meditation
● Chanting, mantras, and mudras
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, 30 HOURS
Anatomy and Physiology
● Skeletal system, muscular system
● Nervous system (stress response, mind-body connection)
● Bodily systems as they relate to yoga practice
● Respiratory system involvement
Biomechanics
● Types of joint movement
● Movement for balancing, stretching, awareness, and
physical limitations
● Contraindications, adaptations
YOGA HUMANITIES, 40 HOURS
History
● Definition of yoga
● Lineage, key ideas, and dates of Vedas, Vedanta, Hatha, Colonial, Modern
Philosophy
● Relationship of asana, pranayama, meditation
● Major yogic texts
● How philosophy relates to the practice
Ethics
● Yoga Sutras ethical precepts
● Yoga Alliance ethical scope of practice
● Increasing equity in yoga
● Accountability measures
● How yoga ethics relate to practice and teaching
PROFESSIONAL ESSENTIALS, 55 HOURS
Teaching Methodology
● Sequencing, pace, cueing (verbal, visual, physical)
● Environment, class management
Professional Development
● YA credentialing process, continuing education
● Ethical commitment, liability, insurance, waivers
● Continuing education
● Professionalism, marketing, and promotion
Practicum
● Practice teaching exercises in small groups
● Giving/receiving feedback, mentoring, self-evaluations
● Design & teach a full yoga class in personal style
● Yoga research or specialized applications
● Practicum is completed within the training with classmates and lead teacher
Electives
● Ayurveda
Your yoga certification will be in multi-style yoga. We feel it is valuable in modern times to have a well-rounded yoga education. We pride ourselves on giving you a unique educational experience with an introduction to many yoga styles and traditions so that you may develop your own individual teaching voice from what you've learned.
Absolutely! Yoga is for everyone and every body. There are lots of ways to practice, teach, and engage in the training without doing every single posture. Your experience will serve as a teacher to others. Plus, we spend lots, if not more, time on philosophy, ethics, and the non-physical parts of this discipline.
Yes! After you complete the full 200-HR yoga teacher training, you will have the tools to organize and teach classes. You will also be able to register as a nationally recognized yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance (YA). While many studios do not require you to be registered with YA, they may request to see a graduation certificate from the yoga school you studied with.
We require all students to have English-language competency, go through a 15-minute phone interveiw, have experience practicing with a yoga teacher or therapist, and demonstrate physical/mental health and readiness to fully participate in the demands of this program. You can read through all of the pre-enrollment information HERE.
• 100% attendance
• Participation in daily classroom discussion and teaching-practicum
• Prepare and teach a 20-minute yoga class
• Prepare and teach two 60-minute yoga classes
• Complete and demonstrate comprehension of the final written exam
All of these items will explained in-depth at the beginning of training and completed throughout the duration of the training. You will be well prepared to accomplish these items.
We recognize that 200 hours is a big commitment, and that there are some unavoidable time conflicts. However, we do have an attendance policy that we ask ALL students to agree to before enrolling. Missed hours require private make-up sessions and a make-up fee. If you'd like more information on this, please reach out, and let's chat about your needs.
Scholarships are given on an individual basis. Here is the application. We do offer an early-bird discount for the 200-HR and 300-HR programs. We also accept MyCAA and GI Bill payments.
HYI's 200HR in-person program is approved for students with VA benefits. Please click here to check your eligibility for the GI Bill® or call the GI Bill® Student Help Line at (888) 442-4551. We look forward to helping you complete your 200-HR YTT with this special tuition assistance option.
If you are a spouse of someone who is active in the military, you may be eligible for the federal MyCAA tuition assistance program. Please click here to learn more about the MyCAA program. We look forward to helping you complete your 200-HR YTT with this special 100-percent tuition assistance option.
Yes! If you have specific questions about payment or certification, please reach out.
For the extended weekends program, we do NOT offer housing. However we are happy to make some recommendations and connect you with any other students who are also looking for housing.
For the 3-week immersion program, YES, we do offer housing. More information is here. Space is limited.
We can't wait to learn with you.
2024© Hawaii Yoga Institute is a 501(c)(3) corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill | Yoga Alliance®
info@hawaiiyogaintitute.com
(808) 262 - YOGA