MĀ Wellness
Join Our 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program Overview: What You’ll Learn
Experience Transformation with our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Victoria BC
Dive into the transformative experience of becoming a certified yoga instructor with MA Wellness and Yoga’s accredited 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program. Located in the heart of Victoria, BC, our comprehensive course is designed to guide you through the depths of yoga philosophy, anatomy, and teaching methodologies. Whether you’re aspiring to teach or deepen your personal practice, our program offers a nurturing and supportive environment to explore the ancient practice of yoga.
Our curriculum covers everything from the foundational asanas and alignment techniques to the principles of Ayurveda, ensuring a holistic approach to your training. Led by experienced yoga practitioners, you’ll gain hands-on experience in leading classes and developing your unique teaching style, all while fostering a deeper connection to your yoga practice. With MA Wellness and Yoga, you’re not just joining a program; you’re becoming part of a community that supports your growth and journey towards becoming a skilled yoga instructor.
Upcoming 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Trainings
March 15th-June 1st, 2025
Extended Training
(perfect for 9-5 job schedules)
Schedule:
Tuesday and Thursday:
6-8 am
Saturday and Sunday:
9:30 am – 5:00 pm
March 15-16
March 22-23
March 29-30
April 5-6
April 12-13
April 26-27
May 03-04
May 10-May 11
May 17-18
May 24-25
May 31-June 1
$3000 CAD
July 7th – August 8th, 2025
5 Week Intensive Training
Schedule:
July 7th – August 8th
9 am-5 pm Monday-Friday
$3000 CAD
200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Immersive Program in India
November 17th, 2025 – December 12th, 2025
4 Week Intensive Training
Schedule:
November 17th, 2025 – December 12th, 2025
Shared $4,600 CAD, Private $6,030 CAD
Shared $3,200 USD, Private $4,200 USD
Includes: Includes all meals (Vegetarian), 3 Sattvic Meals Daily, well appointed A/C rooms, all programming, manuals, and all instruction.
Local Excursions Included – Temple, Mt Arunachala Caves, Ramana Ashram, Markets, Shopping
Day Trips Included – Vellore & the Golden Temple and Pondicherry
Onsite Activities Included – Puja Fire Ceremony on final night
Included Airport Transfers Group Transfers between Chennai
Sign up for Yoga Teacher Training
Investment: $3000+GST
*Payment plans available
Email katyanna@mawellnessandyoga.ca for more info on deposits and payment plans.
Yoga Teacher Training
MĀ Wellness and Yoga’s 200 hour yoga teacher training education system brings the theory and practices together beautifully. We’ve brought together the most inspiring group of educators that have a passion for the practices of yoga and how they can present them authentically for our 200 hour yoga teacher training.
Students of all ages, interest levels, and abilities find their home here with our expert faculty. We offer you different styles and perspectives while nurturing your individual expression. We’ve spent over ten years developing our 200 hour yoga teacher training curriculum to deliver you the highest standard in yoga education.
Learn to be a certified yoga teacher
- Various schedules and study options that fit your needs
- Leading experts in the field of yoga education and global master teachers
- Internationally recognized certification with Yoga Alliance
- An opportunity to explore your personal power and refine your skills
- Ongoing support both during training and after graduation
- Free pass to our studio while enrolled in our 200-hour program.
As leaders in the field of yoga education, we have graduated hundreds of students in our 200 hour yoga teacher training over the last decade.
How to find the best yoga teacher training program for you!
Embarking on a yoga teacher training journey is a pivotal step in deepening your practice and stepping into the role of an instructor. In one of our yoga teacher training blogs, we feature a thoughtful guide titled, “How to Find the Best Yoga Teacher Training Program for You.” This comprehensive article is designed to assist you in navigating the myriad of choices available in the yoga teacher training world. It provides 14 key questions to consider when selecting a program, covering aspects from the curriculum and training structure to post-graduation opportunities and personal alignment with the program’s ethos. Whether you’re seeking to transform your practice or aspire to guide others, this guide offers valuable insights to help you make an informed and heart-aligned decision. Delve deeper into this enriching guide and begin your journey towards finding a yoga teacher training program that resonates with you.
200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Curriculum
Yoga Techniques
75 Hours – Core Yoga Practices
If you appreciate the unique offerings at MĀ Wellness and Yoga, our 200-hour program delves deep into what we are passionate about. This includes Vinyasa yoga, passive practices (yin and restorative) combined with sacred sound, meditation, chanting, and a trauma-informed approach.
Daily Sadhana: Embracing Ritual and Practice
This is where we focus the majority of the curriculum. Daily Sadhana (ritual) provides an opportunity for profound personal impact through the practices. It is a journey of staying with oneself through varied experiences of clarity, focus, and facing more challenging aspects of the self. Students explore these experiences through movement, breath, sound, and stillness.
MĀ Yoga Vinyasa Series: Your Teaching Template
Early morning classes incorporate the MĀ Yoga Vinyasa series, forming your first template into the teaching experience. These sessions always include meditation and mantra chanting as integral parts of the morning practices.
Sacred Sound Integration in Yin and Restorative Yoga
Unique to MĀ Yoga is our sacred sound work, involving crystal bowls, gongs, vocal toning, and other instruments. These are taught within yin and restorative practices as a specialty. This module offers an introduction to these delicate instruments and practices, enabling our graduates to carry forward our unique approach in their teaching careers.
MĀ Wellness and Yoga Teaching Method
30 Hours – Personal Development
In our 200-hour yoga teacher training program, we emphasize the importance of authenticity and personal growth. Each individual brings a unique presence to the world, and our training is designed to help you tap into your authentic self.
Embracing Individuality and Creativity
The structure of our program encourages you to engage in strong yoga practices while exploring your own creative nature. We believe that the most vital aspect you bring to the program is your unique self. Our teaching methods are crafted to cater to a diverse range of learning styles, allowing students to fully immerse in their individual experiences.
Interactive Learning: Philosophy, Anatomy, and Physiology
Our approach to theory involves lively philosophical discussions and hands-on anatomy and physiology classes. These interactive sessions ensure a comprehensive understanding of yoga beyond the physical practice.
Building Confidence through Teaching Practice
With multiple teaching opportunities and regular check-ins, our program is designed to build your confidence as an instructor. You’ll have the chance to share and grow in a supportive environment, developing an authentic voice in your teaching.
Honoring Yoga’s Cultural Roots
While finding your unique teaching style, we also emphasize honoring the cultural richness of the South Indian traditions where yoga originated. Our staff is dedicated to supporting you in this journey, ensuring a deep respect and understanding of yoga’s roots.
Applied Anatomy & Biomechanics
25 Hours – Anatomy and Hands-On Assists
Our Anatomy and Physiology classes in the 200-hour yoga teacher training are expertly guided by Dr. Carrie Watkins ND. These classes offer an immersive experience that goes beyond the basic understanding of muscles and bones.
Innovative Approach to Anatomy and Physiology
Dr. Watkins’ teaching approach extends to functional body movements and creative posture cueing to effectively engage the body. This comprehensive understanding is vital for yoga teachers to assist their students in safe and effective practice.
Understanding the Nervous System and Student Safety
The course also explores the intricacies of the nervous system and the importance of safety in a student’s overall yoga experience. These insights are crucial in creating a secure and nurturing environment for students.
Empowering through Cueing and Class Structure
Learn innovative cueing techniques and class structuring to empower students in their yoga journey. These skills are essential for teachers to guide their students effectively and foster a supportive learning environment.
Mastering Hands-On Adjustments
Our training emphasizes the art of hands-on adjustments, ensuring they are respectful, safe, and beneficial for students. This module equips you with the skills to provide physical guidance that enhances the yoga experience.
Yoga Philosophy & Ethics
30 Hours – Raja Yoga, Tantra, & History
In the MĀ Wellness and Yoga 200-hour yoga teacher training program, we delve into the rich philosophy of yoga through the lenses of mythology, story, and historical context.
Exploring Yoga through Mythology and History
Our journey includes an exploration of significant works and teachings from India that have shaped the path of yoga. We study the context and emergence of pivotal texts like The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, The Vedas, The Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and the Vijnana Bhairava.
Understanding Cultural Context and Evolution
By reflecting on these teachings, we gain insights into the historical periods they emerged from. This understanding helps us appreciate the cultural shifts and the relevance of these ideas in their time.
Integration of Teachings into Personal Experience
Through homework, group discussions, and weekly journal exercises, students are encouraged to discover how these ancient teachings resonate in their own lives. These reflective practices bring the philosophies to life, making them relevant and applicable to modern-day living.
Practicum
20 Hours – Practice Teaching, Feedback, One on One Support
Our 200-hour yoga teacher training program embraces a gradual approach to teaching. We dedicate more hours than the standard requirement to meticulously refine your teaching skills.
Step-by-Step Teaching Progression
The teaching journey begins in a small group setting, gradually transitioning to larger groups. This culminates in the final practicum where you will lead a complete class and meditation session. Trusting this process is key to your development.
Embracing Challenges Beyond Comfort Zones
We recognize that stepping out of your comfort zone is a part of the learning process. This challenge is an opportunity for profound personal growth and learning.
Supportive Learning Environment
You will be supported every step of the way by our staff, interns, and your peers, who will become like family during your training. This nurturing environment is conducive to both personal and professional growth, regardless of whether you plan to teach after the program.
Personal Growth through Teaching
Even for those who do not intend to teach professionally, we encourage embracing the challenge of teaching. Learning to coexist with nerves and uncertainty leads to significant personal expansion and growth.
Trauma Informed Teaching
15 Hours – Stress Physiology & The Human Trauma Response
In this crucial module of our 200-hour yoga teacher training, we delve into the complex relationship between yoga, stress physiology, and trauma response. As future yoga teachers, understanding these aspects is essential for creating a safe and supportive environment.
Understanding Trauma in Body Work
Yoga is a form of body work that often brings unexpected responses. This training component equips students with knowledge about the physiological, mental, and emotional aspects of trauma and its profound effects on individual well-being.
Role of Body-Based Therapies in Resilience
We explore how body-based therapies, such as yoga, can foster resilience and empower individuals. This understanding is key in guiding students through their yoga journey with sensitivity and awareness.
Expert Insights from Dr. Carrie Watkins (ND)
Dr. Carrie Watkins (ND) shares her extensive experience and knowledge on somatic practice and trauma-informed care. Her contributions offer deep insights into this specialized area, enhancing the learning experience for our trainees.
Broader Perspectives on Trauma and Society
This course goes beyond the yoga mat, providing a broader understanding of how trauma impacts mood and behavior. Such knowledge enriches your perspective on the world and the diverse experiences of individuals within it.
Inclusive Approaches: Gender Diversity
Included in our training is a course on gender diversity, ensuring our teachers are equipped to create inclusive and respectful spaces for all practitioners, regardless of their gender identity.
Ayurvedic Techniques
10 Hours – Holistic Lifestyle Development
Our 200-hour yoga teacher training transcends traditional teaching, focusing on each student’s unique journey towards holistic lifestyle development. We emphasize deep personal transformation that aligns with your innermost self, influencing every aspect of life.
Personal Transformation and Growth
Recognizing the uniqueness of each individual, our course is designed to foster personal growth and self-awareness. This transformative journey is at the heart of our teaching philosophy, aiming to sculpt the essence of who you are at your core.
Ayurveda: A Path to Personalized Well-Being
Guided by Sarada Pranav Jagannath, who brings expertise from her ongoing training as an Ayurvedic doctor and a background in psychology and social work, the course delves into Ayurvedic practices. These teachings provide transformative insights into nutrition, daily routines, and adapting to seasonal changes, offering a personalized approach to health and well-being.
Empowerment through Ayurvedic Knowledge
Learn to make informed choices for your health, emphasizing balance and holistic well-being. The program includes practical elements like cooking demonstrations, where you’ll learn to prepare Ayurvedic staples, integrating these health principles into your daily life.
Building a Balanced and Healthy Lifestyle
This module goes beyond the yoga mat, encouraging you to build a lifestyle that reflects your most balanced and vital self. It’s about understanding preferences, adapting to changes, and making choices that enhance your overall health and well-being.
Why do a Yoga Teacher Training Program?
Blending the sacred traditional teachings of yoga and the perspective of the modern practitioner, students are able to see that the questions that were being asked about the nature of existence are truly timeless. Why am I here? Where did I come from? What am I meant to do? What is my body saying “yes” to and what is it resisting? These are important reflections as we navigate our lives.
We are not here to provide answers in all cases, but we can introduce you to the philosophical framework that invites you to explore yourself, your body, your being, the world, and the nature of experience. Expect to question your notions about what yoga means and to engage with your peers in respectful discussions about the teachings.
In this accelerated learning environment, you are not only a student, but alive in the teachings. You will learn to discover what is true for you each day in your body and that your perspective is something that is trusted and respected within the teachings of the school.
Learn to Teach Yoga
We offer a Spring and Fall 14 week 200 hour yoga teacher training program that includes morning and weekends as well as a summer 5 week intensive. Working with small groups we’ve been able to create a hands on curriculum, offering valuable classroom teaching experience and mentoring.
MĀ Wellness and Yoga Teacher Training
Welcome to MĀ Wellness and Yoga, your journey towards becoming a certified yoga teacher starts here. Our 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program in Victoria BC is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to teach yoga to others while deepening your own practice.
What You’ll Learn
We’ve designed our curriculum to provide a strong foundation in the art of teaching Yoga. You’ll delve deep into Yoga philosophy, study human anatomy relevant to Yoga, master traditional Asanas, and learn effective teaching strategies. By the end of the program, you’ll be well-equipped to confidently lead your own Yoga classes.
Experience Yoga in Victoria BC
Our yoga studio is nestled in the heart of Victoria BC, a city known for its vibrant culture and stunning natural beauty. Training here means you can enjoy a peaceful environment that’s conducive to deep learning and inner transformation. The local yoga community is warm and welcoming, providing plenty of opportunities for connection and growth.
Meet Our Expert Instructors
We have a team of expert instructors brings a wealth of knowledge and years of teaching experience to the program. Passionate and dedicated, they are committed to guiding you on your path to becoming a skilled yoga teacher.
Start Your Journey with MĀ Wellness and Yoga in Victoria BC
Embrace the opportunity to transform your life and the lives of others. Enroll in our 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program in Victoria BC. For enrollment details and further inquiries, email: info@mawellnessandyoga.ca.
We look forward to welcoming you to our community.
Students will explore various topics including:
- Certification in Vinyasa Yoga (flow)
- Sound healing
- Yoga history
- Chanting and Mantra
- Pranayama Techniques (breath)
- Meditation techniques
- Yoga lifestyle
- Personal development
- Ayurvedic principles
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Trauma-Informed Teachings
- Trans Inclusivity
- Cultural Awareness in Yoga
Yoga Teacher Training Scholarship
MĀ Wellness and Yoga is actively engaging in the conversations around inclusivity within the field of yoga. We have allotted two spaces per training for our 200-hour program and intensive 500-hour program, and one space per 500-hour module for a 50% reduction in cost.
If you are South Asian, a member of the BIPOC community, or trans, you are eligible for a scholarship.
Our Teachers
KATYANNA RYAN (SHE/HER)
My story with yoga began unexpectedly in the basement of a worn down church when I was a teenager. The building was partially abandoned and surely condemned.
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I was driven there 10% out of curiosity and 90% to make my devout Christian mother uncomfortable.
Ten minutes later I found myself surrounded by people dressed in white, feeling light headed as the room panted, chanted, and rolled around like animals writhing in pain. My delicate adolescent psyche could barely withstand the “uncoolness” of it all. I began to ask myself if the pale look of terror I would receive from my mother when I told her I had joined a religious cult was worth it.
Two hours later I’m speedwalking to my vehicle trying to put distance between myself and what I had just encountered. I felt loopy, famished, and had just mustered all the dignity I had left “recreating” my own birth. The level of bizarre activity was something I had no intention of speaking of again and needless to say, I would not be returning.
The next day, however, I awoke with a lightness in my body and a freedom of movement through my spine that, at that point in my life, was an unparalleled sensation. To my surprise, I did go the following week, and the week after that. Before I knew it, these practices became a regular thing for me. I continued to explore other practices and I was struck by how different I continued to feel. Yoga became an invaluable companion to me through my early teens and twenties that drastically altered my life.
I became interested in teaching and apprenticed my first teacher in 2006 studying hatha yoga. I moved to India shortly after and began intense study in Ashtanga Yoga and philosophy, Chanting/Sound Yoga, and traditional Hatha with Lalit Kumar and Vinay Kumar as well as study in Ayurvedic Practices.
Inspired by Ayurveda, wellness, and movement I began to lead Ayurvedic retreats in Nicaragua for part of the year and took a position as a senior yoga instructor for the Himalaya Yoga Valley Teacher Training School in Goa and Dharamsala, India for the other part.
In 2011 I moved back to Victoria, BC to embark on the study of Chinese Medicine at Pacific Rim College and my perspective on yoga became rocked with the influence of Taoism.
In 2012 I established the Brahmanda School of Yoga. Since then, my fellow teachers and I have graduated hundreds of professionals in the practices of Yoga. The teacher training program has taught me so much about how to show up everyday, no matter what is happening, and how to hold space for people who are working hard to show up for themselves.
Opening the MĀ Institute has been a culmination of inspirations that have taken place on and off the mat. I am inspired by our ability to change forms in unpredictable ways and the grace that practicing yoga can give us in transitions. I am passionate about providing education that empowers the student and gets them to the place where they are asking the big questions about themselves. I believe in “straight talk” when it comes to learning about yoga and want to bring the teachers that are embodying the practices.
Ultimately, the fruit of the practices show up in our authenticity: in who we are, our clarity in how we approach our world, how we communicate who we are, and in our ability to love. I am struck every day by what a tremendous blessing it was to have walked through the doors of that rented church years ago with no intention at all of altering my world views. I guess you never know when a small act will veer you into a new course, and it’s exciting to now hold a space that could have similar implications for someone else.
DR. CARRIE WATKINS (SHE/HER) ND
Carrie Watkins works with yoga to encourage students to cultivate a deeper awareness of possibility through building strength and balance.
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She loves working with vinyasa flow sequences to deepen connection with the present moment through focus and breath. Carrie has completed several yoga teacher training programs including Sivanada Teacher Training in Kerala India and Ashtanga Vinyasa training with the Yoga Sanctuary in Toronto.
Carrie holds faculty positions at the Pacific Rim College where she teaches anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology as well as nutrition courses with the Holistic Nutrition program. In addition to working with yoga, Dr Carrie is an experienced and licensed Naturopathic Physician.
PILAR MUÑOZ (SHE/HER)
Pilar Munoz is inspired by the deep connections we humans can have with the world. Not just the physical of what our eyes see, but also what lives on an energetic plane, on this earth and beyond.
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Pilar practices and teaches with sound vibrations to connect to that energetic plane of life. She believes that what we desire the most is to see our wholeness and to connect intimately with one another in this world – to see each other fully. She believes it begins first with yourself.
Pilar teaches from a place of curiosity and humour. You are encouraged and challenged physically, mentally and emotionally to showing up fully! Pilar’s gentle and mindful guidance through postures creates safety for each and every student to intimately connect with their breath. This is the ultimate experience of life. She encourages students not to miss out on any part of their lives: the light and the dark and all the spaces in between.
She is joined on this journey by her two beautiful children who are both her teachers and allies.
Pilar’s trainings include: Modo Level 1 (2011), Yin Yoga (2014), Vinyasa Flow (2014) and Sound Healing Training (2018 and 2019.)
SARADA PRANAV (SHE/HER)
Sarada Pranav Jagannath is a yoga teacher, an Ayurvedic Wellness practitioner and holds a Master’s degree in counselling psychology and social work.
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Sarada is currently completing her training as an Ayurvedic doctor. She was raised in the Ayurvedic tradition and educated by her grandfather, an Ayurvedic doctor who taught her yogic and Ayurvedic practices, and influenced her life’s path with his wisdom, philosophy and teaching.
She went on to study extensively at the Sivanada Yoga and Vedanta Ashram, Kerala, India and at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana in Bangalore, India and has since taught in India, the USA and Canada. She has been offering Ayurvedic Workshops for the past 8 years in India, USA and now in Canada.
Sarada also offers private Ayurvedic Consultations, teaches Ayurvedic cooking classes,workshops and Marma Kriya.
Sarada is a co-owner of MĀ Yoga and Wellness and can be found teaching yoga and various workshops as well as in the clinic as an Ayurvedic practitioner.
CARLEY DE GOEDE (SHE/HER)
I found a Yoga practice during a time in my life where I felt lost. Yoga helped guide me back to myself. My yoga mat was my safe space to feel into my body and emotions in a way I couldn’t anywhere else.
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My practice profoundly shifted my perception of my physical body and helped guide me to my first stages of Eating Disorder recovery. This shift of perception expanded beyond the freedom to live in my body, I learned to approach myself without expectation or judgement and how to let myself just be. That just being how ever you are is enough.
I gained so much healing from the teachers I practiced with and my doing my Teacher Training peeled back many new layers of self-acceptance, bravery and confidence that I didn’t know were there. I found my voice. Upon completion of my YTT I knew I wanted to give back and offer the healing I had received from yoga. I consider myself a lifelong student of yoga and will forever be looking to deepen my knowledge of this beautiful tradition.
My teaching takes inspiration from all the teachers I have learned from and lineages I have been lucky enough to study which include Ashtanga, Iyengar, Traditional Hatha, Trauma Sensitive, Yin and Restorative yoga. Off the mat I am a Facial Reflexologist and Chinese Medicine Face Reader, I have studied the Lymphatic System and how to build Immunity through touch and movement, these things often flow into my yoga teaching.
ADELE WOROBEY
Adele was first introduced to yoga as a young girl and the physical and spiritual practice has woven through her life since.
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She has studied many different styles with many teachers. The richness that yoga brought to her life inspired her to share with others, leading her to complete her 200 hour teacher training in 2005. In 2024 she completed her 300 hour training in India with Dr. Yogrishi Vishvketu of Akhanda Yoga.
She has been on the faculty of Yoga Teacher Training Programs since 2008.
Adele’s training and 30 year career as a Counsellor and Therapist with expensive experience working with trauma, depression, and anxiety, bring depth, compassion and warmth to her teaching. Her classes blend mindfulness, relaxation, body awareness and detailed alignment to find strength and space students may otherwise not of know was available to them, while maintaining safety and comfort for people of all abilities and backgrounds.