Yoga School and Foundations Teacher Training
May 2022 - November 2022

We imagine you’re here because yoga and embodiment practices have had a positive, and maybe even transformational, impact on your life. Perhaps, they’re part of your ancestral lineages. 

Frequently asked questions

If your question isn't answered here, please reach out!

Entering this program is a huge commitment and investment - we encourage you to ask questions, meet with faculty, and get to know our Center as you make this decision.

What are the program pre-requisites?​

We require students to have been practicing yoga for at least one year OR at least weekly for 6+ months. Yoga in this context is not limited to yoga asana (the postural form of yoga) - your yoga practice could be meditation, yoga asana, and/or pranayama. If you don't have this experience and still feel called to apply, please reach out to us directly to explain why you feel an exception should be made. We also require that all applicants have thoroughly reviewed the program information here on our website, are able to attend ALL online and in-person classes, and  have lived experience of and/or study or critical engagement with critical race theory and dynamics of power and oppression.

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How much does the program cost?​

$3,500 is the true cost of the program. The sustainer rate is $3,750 - this supports us to provide access to our programming for folks who can't afford it. Please pay the sustainer rate if you're able!

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Do you have program scholarships?​

Yes. We have limited scholarships prioritized for Black and brown students. Please reach out to inquire about equity pricing! We also have payment plans available.

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Will I earn a certificate at the end of the program?​

Yes! So long as you meet our attendance requirements and the program is paid in full. Additionally, you must demonstrate competence in the material through homework assignments, class engagement, and a final project and practicum, you will earn a certificate of completion. This certificate will state that you've completed our 300-hr yoga school and teacher training and are able to guide foundational yoga classes according to our standards. 

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Is it okay if I have to miss some of the training?

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You are expected to attend the entire training. If you know you will be unable to attend any of the scheduled classes, please indicate that on your application so we can determine if you are still eligible for the program. We have a strict attendance policy which allows for limited absences if due to emergency or serious illness. Some sessions, especially the weekend immersions, cannot be made up until the following year (if offered again) and in some cases these can be made up through paid one-on-ones with our staff.

Is this training physically vigorous?

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Not compared to many of the trainings out there. We value slowing down and practicing mindful movement with lots of adaptations and use of props. With that said, this immersive program will require that you practice a lot and it will be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. By the nature of the program you will learn what a sustainable daily practice looks like for you and learn from your fellow trainees about how that might look differently for others. If you have specific access requests or needs, please reach out!

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I'm new to yoga and LOVE it! Can I take your program?

We're so happy that you are inspired and want to learn more! We suggest practicing for a year before applying to yoga school. If you're newer to yoga and have been practicing consistently for at least 6 months (1 time or more per week), then you are welcome to apply and we can help assess if this is a good time to start the program or if you would be better served by waiting until next year.

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I identify as Black, brown, Indigenous, Native, and/or POC - how will this training center and provide support to people from BIPOC communities in a mixed space?

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As much of our teaching team identifies with one or more of these identities, we have lived and personal experience with asking ourselves and our teaching programs' these questions. We will use our own experiences and relationships with each other to shape the content so that acknowledgement of power dynamics is built into the fabric of the program. That said, we know that in any group dynamic, harm will likely occur. We will pay special attention to harm and repair within our group and will also provide optional affinity space for students from BIPOC communities, held by teachers who hold these identities. 

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I'm confused - doesn't yoga teach that "we're all one" - why so much emphasis on identity (ie, race, sexuality, gender, and so on....). Isn't that anti-yoga? 

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It's an all too common tendency to appropriate soundbites from yoga philosophy in order to ignore and collude with systematic oppression. This is called spiritual bypassing... in other words, using spirituality to evade engaging with real world problems and power dynamics. On a related point, spiritual bypassing is also used to evade our own personal struggles, needs and boundaries. Yoga at its very core is about liberation, so we embrace it full heartedly as an invitation and a resource to engage with the personal and collective conditions that cause suffering and to resist and dismantle systems of supremacy. 

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I have access needs - will you be able to accommodate?

Our center is ADA accessible with doorways large enough to accommodate most wheelchairs. With that said, many of our in-person classes will be held outdoors in natural settings - most likely in fields, forests, and parks. Terrain may be rough and uneven with narrow pathways. Once we reserve our outdoor education locations we can share more details. We will do our best to arrange for sound amplification when outdoors If you have specific access needs related to physical space, please let us know as soon as possible so we can try to accommodate. Much of the learning will be online so this is something to consider if you are sensitive to screens. If you have access requests not referenced here, please reach out! 

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When will I know if I'm accepted to the program?

All applicants will be notified of their status by early April. Early applicants may be accepted sooner so apply early!

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Is your program registered with Yoga Alliance?

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Former owner and BYMC founder, Lisa Mae Osborne, made the decision to divest from the Yoga Alliance (YA) entirely after a decade of being registered with them. We align with her decision and this is why: YA was created primarily by white people in the West who are self appointed leaders at YA and claim to be authorities in yoga. Historically, the standards they’ve set for yoga teacher trainings have clearly aligned with a cherry-picked and white-washed version of yoga. YA then uses these faulty standards to make money off of teachers and schools by suggesting that they are not qualified unless they pay for a YA certification. Disgustingly, this includes South Asian teachers and schools in South Asia. This is an example of neocolonialsm, capitalism, and metaregulation at work.

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After much critique and divestment by many yoga schools and yoga teachers, YA has displayed an effort to critically examine their practices and have worked with some high integrity people through the process. While things seem to be improving in some regards, many of the underlying issues are not resolved. Until we feel that involving ourselves with YA  is ethical, we will continue to work outside of their system, while providing education that not only meets, but surpasses their standards.

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How does divestment from YA impact me?

Many yoga studios in the West want to know that you have a 200-hr teacher training certificate, which you will - actually, it will be a 300-hr certificate, once you complete our program. However, you will not be a Yoga Alliance certified teacher. We are happy to provide information about how our program meets Yoga Alliance standards if you attempt to work at a studio that requests YA certification. Know that there are plenty of ways to share these practices with your communities - one-on-one private lessons, at your place of work, in schools, at organizations, businesses, and other establishments, and in studios and yoga centers - without a YA certification. Having a YA certification has no bearing on the legality of your ability to teach or your ability to get liability insurance, for example, or anything else. 

Application Process

Spaces are limited - accepting applications on a rolling bases.

1. Review this webpage thoroughly to determine if this training is right for you 

2. Submit your application and $25 application fee. 

3. You may be invited for a follow-up conversation.

Program pre-requisites

• You've been practicing yoga* for at least one year OR at least weekly for 6+ months

*this could include yoga asana, meditation, and/or pranayama 
*if you have been practicing yoga for less time and still feel called to apply, please reach out to us directly to explain why you feel an exception should be made

• You've thoroughly reviewed the program information and FAQs on our website

• You're able to attend ALL online and in-person classes 

• You have lived experience of and/or study or critical engagement with critical race theory and dynamics of power and oppression

If you have access needs for this application, please reach out to us: connect@thebymc.com