People often write to us unsure whether they want a retreat or a teacher training. Both mean living at the school, practising every day and eating sattvic food beside the river in Uttarkashi. The difference is what you leave with, and how much of your life you can set aside.
The short answer
| Yoga retreat | 200 hour teacher training | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 5, 7 or 10 days | 22 days, six days a week |
| Level | All levels, beginners welcome | Beginners welcome; long, full days |
| Focus | Practice, rest and reflection | Practice, study and learning to teach |
| Study | Light: some philosophy and anatomy | Full syllabus: philosophy, anatomy, teaching methodology, practicum |
| Assessment | None | Written and practical assessment |
| Certificate | Certificate of completion | 200 hour certificate; you can register with Yoga Alliance as an RYT 200 |
Choose a retreat if
- You want a real break: a week to rest, practise and slow down.
- You have one or two weeks, not a month.
- You want to deepen your own practice without exams.
- You want to try life at the school before a longer course.
We run a 7 Day Himalayan Yoga & Meditation Retreat, a 5 Day Wellness & Detox Yoga Retreat and a 10 Day Ashtanga Yoga Immersion.
Choose a teacher training if
- You want to teach yoga, now or one day.
- You want to understand the practice properly: the texts, the anatomy, the reasons behind each pose and breath.
- You can set aside around three weeks.
- You want a structured, demanding month that changes your practice for good.
Our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training is open to beginners and limited to 20 students. See what a day in the course looks like.
The mistake people make
The most common mistake is booking a teacher training when what you need is rest. A 200 hour course starts at 6 am and runs into the evening; it is rewarding, but it is not a holiday. The opposite also happens: people take retreat after retreat when what they really want is to understand yoga deeply, and only a structured course gives them that.
Ask yourself one question: at the end, do I want to feel rested, or do I want to know more? Rest points to a retreat. Knowing more points to a teacher training.
Not sure yet?
Read your first yoga retreat: a beginner's guide and can beginners join a teacher training, or write to us about your practice and time, and we will tell you honestly which suits you.
