Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, January 2018
“Union is when the mind goes into the heart…. This has been powerful medicine for me, I remember when I attended my first cacao ceremony and the life changing heart expanding effects it had on me at the Center SF last year. I remember the feeling of singing and dancing in community after we sat in ceremony, expressing ourselves from a space of unconditional love and freedom from fear, dropping into the heart and getting out of our heads, which is a feeling I had only really felt before from Yoga. I was battling severe depression at the time from quitting ADHD medication, and seeking to have that natural energy and zest for life and love, that didn’t come from my mind or medication..I was lucky enough to do a training with SYI in Guatemala that brought me back into connection with spirit, love, and the sacredness of all the cycles. So grateful for my teachers Sri Mati, and Maha Devi, and Keri for helping me through so much of the process of getting there.” Zoe Seher.
Sacha Munay, Sacred Valley Peru, December 2017
“SYI was professional, prepared and offered the best accommodations and meals throughout the training. The teaching staff was experienced, friendly and lead by example. The administration was beyond helpful and prompt with their communication before and after the training. I would highly recommend them to others. Thank you SYI Team!” Rhonda Grace.
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, April 2018
“I spent over a year looking for Yoga Teacher Trainings. I looked in India, Mexico, Argentina and other destinations. There were amazing options with highly qualified teachers, but always felt something was missing. I haver been practicing for over 5 years, and love Yoga, and with this TT I was looking for a deep spiritual practice. I wasn’t looking for the perfect teacher with the perfect pose, I wanted to practice and feel that every single asana or pranayama, meant something beyond our body. I wanted to connect with Yoga and myself in a deeper level. And that’s what I found in School Yoga Institute. I found them on Google and since I saw their website and their content something clicked in me. I kept looking for a couple months but nothing made me feel the way SYI did. So I decided to write them. Since day 1, my experience was excellent. Not only the teachers are amazing, the people who work there are very special human beings, they always make you feel welcome and loved. I am completely happy with this decisión. I went to Mystical Yoga Farm in Guatemala, and let me tell you this. Guatemala is a Country you will never forget, the people, the towns, Lake Atitlan, the Mystical Yoga Farm, everything is beautiful.
SYI is an amazing school, that I will totally recomend; with well prepared teachers, but most importantly, teachers and people with huge hearts (and my classmates were amazing as well). I’m really looking forward to meet their other locations. One day I’ll hope Bali or Fiji will be my next destinations” Juan Carlos Aguilera.
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, April 2018
“Wrapped up my YTT at the Mystical Yoga farm about a month ago, and it’s safe to say that my training didn’t just open a door, it blew open a couple windows. I’ll be teaching at 2 different studios starting next week, and I’m thrilled, and awe-struck at how fast this journey has progressed. I started looking into YTT’s about 6 months ago, and all of SYI’s locations, and general philosophy really appealed to me. I picked Lake Atitlan because of the natural beauty and sacredness of the space. I was excited to experience the physical practice of yoga, but also the spiritual elements as well. The different ceremonies, and spiritual lessons we had helped cement my self-confidence, and faith in my journey to become a teacher. My instructors, Inka and Jed helped create a safe and positive space, and because of that, my group really bonded and felt comfortable teaching each other. I’m so excited to take my learning and share it with others, while continuing to grow on my own journey.” — Katie Roseman
Costa Rica, March 2018
“The journey with SYI in Costa Rica was nothing but magical! I was a professional dancer in LA for 6 years and getting exhausted of the entertainment industry. I knew I wanted something more for myself and yoga has always been my saving grace. One of my friends did her training with SYI in Guatemala and said that it changed her life. I wanted to do this training to get out of LA and learn more about yoga. However, I ended up getting so much more! Not only did I deepen my practice. I dived deeper into my spiritual practice and into myself than ever before. I met so many incredible humans that have inspired and empowered me! I’m now teaching yoga and mindfulness to teenage dancers. I want to help with injury prevention and mindful self care. I’m also creating an event company with live music and yoga! They helped me realize that I can create a life for myself doing the things that I love the most! Check out my journey on instagram and FB @kellycatania. Love my SYI tribe :)” — Kelly Catania
Sacha Munay, Sacred Valley Peru, April 2018
School Yoga Institute provided a very through, high quality and interesting 200hr Shamanic Yoga Teacher Program. I am confident that I am very well prepared to excel in the industry. — Shannelle Boulay
Sacha Munay, Sacred Valley Peru, February 2018
“I attended the 200hr training in the Sacred Valley of Peru in Feb. 2018. My experience at Sach’a Munay was deeply stirring and transformative. SYI has done an excellent job generating a curriculum and schedule that offers students what they need to share the gift of yoga with others (alignment, biomechanics, creative sequencing, etc). At the training, I encountered a powerful spiritual journey through which I deepened my personal practice, made lasting connections, and came to know myself on a deeper level. My facilitators (Janani & Zach) were remarkably knowledgeable, caring, and unique. The shamanic aspect of the training in conjunction with the sacred location proved very important and meaningful for me. I have been teaching classes since the training, and intend to continue doing so, but consider teaching to be merely an aspect of what I gained from my time with SYI. I am thoroughly grateful from the bottom of my soul for this experience. ” — Davis Cowles
Sacha Munay, Sacred Valley Peru, February 2018
“Being a part of School Yoga Institute space to become a yoga teacher is a blessing from the sky. Walking through the Sacred Valley, surrounded by mountains and water falls, smelling the flowers, watching the fruits on the trees and touching healing plants was a part of my daily yoga teacher training. Being surrounded by healers and angels everyday of this training felt loving and empowering. Being thought by caring and knowledgeable teachers gave me confidence and a desire to become a yoga teacher. Experiencing traditional and shamanic ceremonies reconnected me to my roots, spirits, and universal connectedness. A kitchen filled by loving staff making yummy vegetarian food ready three times a day was a pure delight. I am set on my yogi journey and getting ready to do the following 300 hrs training. I encourage all healing spirits and yoga lovers to take part of this magical training made possible for you by the School Yoga Institute. .” — Poupak Mohebbi
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, November 2017
“There are not enough words in any language to explain my metamorphic experience in Guatemala on the Mystical Yoga Farm. Through School Yoga Institute I was able to experience life on an entirely new level, through shamanic journeys, temezcal sweats, blessed meals, and magical people. This life changing journey left me with lasting memories, friendships, knowledge, and certificate to share what I learned and love! I highly recommend this to anyone willing to live the yogi way and have an experience of a lifetime.” — Hannah Christina
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, November 2017
“Lifetimes can be lived in a 21 day experience with School Yoga Institute. My experience at the Mystical Yoga Farm in Guatemala has transformed me from the inside out. The setting truly allowed for me to feel safe, held, loved, and OK to work through my own personal journey while studying the art of teaching. The healing I embarked on personally is what fueled my passion for learning. All of what I learned and experienced carries with me every day! Not only in the classes that I now feel more than confident to lead, but into unique endeavors and projects surrounding yoga and healing that I learned to express through my own self-study. Click to read more...
Each day, I looked forward to waking up to a beautiful sunrise that accompanied our morning meditation. With this practice, my intuitive nature displayed itself in incredible ways. The structure of each day also allowed for self-discipline within the fun and passion of learning. The amount of practicum time we experienced helped me focus my words, my hands, and my presence as a teacher. Surrounding this, the spiritual lessons, Sutras, anatomy, and SO MUCH MORE weaved its way into my teaching and creates such a solid platform for my guidance to be spontaneous, yet informed. With all of the knowledge and practice, the ritual or ceremony that ended each day helped me integrate it all into my being, taking everything and shining it inward.
The lifestyle on the farm was heaven! Having two wonderful vegan-adapted cooks in the kitchen who also handpicked most of the food was a magical experience. My body felt the love, spirit, and nutritious value to the MAX! Along with the vegan lifestyle, eliminating coffee, alcohol, sugar, and any other stimulating component allowed me to feel through my emotions and presence entirely and mindfully.
The permaculture practice that also exists on the farm is incredible! The community sustainably recharges the land and processes that happen on the land so fluidly, which not only helps upkeep, but truly connects the community to one another. Volunteers who helped run the farm taught the incoming yogis, including myself, how to participate in this buzzing hive of honeybees and it quickly caught on. I brought home many of the practices I learned there to help my community slowly transform that way, as well.
The family I have found with SYI is my soul family. I know they will always hold space for me as I will for them while cheering each other on, spreading the pollen that we so carefully collected in our time together. Although I am back home, my heart is rooted at the Mystical Yoga Farm. What I learned there has infinite value and will be shared for lifetimes. I can’t wait to go back and hold space for other yogis to learn. 300-hour, here I come!” — Krystal Vaughn
Kura Kura, Bali, October 2017
“What an awesome experience it was to be a part of the SYI 200 hr YTT in Bali. Thank you for providing such a memorable and life-changing experience which was way beyond the yoga! The facilitators and staff created a warm family environment where we all felt 100% able to be our fully expressed selves. The course materials were all very well curated and presented. The love that was shared among the group was authentic and unconditional. I am so grateful for SYI and the outstanding staff and facilitators!” — Lauren Griewski
Kura Kura, Bali, October 2017
“The 200 hour YTT with SYI has been a truly inspiring experience for me. It is amazing how our teachers managed to create this wonderfully loving, heartwarming and spiritual atmosphere, which was the ideal foundation to learn and embrace the beauty of yoga deeply. In meditation, I still like to picture myself back in this calm, peaceful atmosphere of our yoga shala at Kura Kura sometimes. I am very grateful for these serene memories!” — Melanie Hoffman
Kura Kura, Bali, October 2017
“To attend the yoga teacher training at Kura Kura Resort in October 2017 in Bali was one of the best decisions of my life. Before the training my mind was busy with a lot of things of my daily life and my past. This year has been really exhausting and it took a lot out of me. At the 200 hrs yoga teacher training I met amazing people sharing their stories and listening to mine. Click to read more..
Dragonfly Village, Bali, September 2017
“I’ve always been in touch with the power of connection. Not necessarily consciously, but that awareness has developed more particularly over the last 5 years. When I realised that it was time for me to undertake my yoga teacher training, I understood it as the need to connect to myself deeper. No other opportunity that i’ve had in my life to date has given me the complete freedom and safe space to do this on such a profound level. Click to read more..
The 21 days of the course were truly magical. Connection came immediately within the group who had gathered for this experience. No wasting time with polite, fluffy chat, instead we dove deep into discussion from the beginning. By recognizing and respecting we were all there for our own reasons, on our own journey of discovery, but doing it alongside each other, well that made for some pretty epic friendships formed, and moments shared.
Surprisingly to many who know me, some of my favorite moments of personal connection came through the dedicated silent times. Being consciously silent and turning within isn’t something that comes easily in my busy go-go-go life. Meditation may be a silent practice, but in complete contrast being silent whilst going about everyday life – getting ready for the day, eating breakfast, interacting with people, is an experience that focused me in on the nonverbal aspects of the world around me. How I communicate through body language. Observing the sounds of nature, which permeate the space when it isn’t being filled with voice. How beautiful all this can be. Silence in the sense of not speaking doesn’t necessarily mean that inner chatter ceases. The monologue running around and around in my mind, all day everyday, has such a way of influencing and controlling me that more often than I care to admit it’s a subconscious force. Through the prolonged, controlled times of silence I found I was able to reign back that control of my inner dialogue. To observe it and be kind with it and capture it in my journal. By giving my thoughts this intense interested attention I become acutely aware that every experience is 100% dependent on how I interpret the world. I get to choose this. Every moment of every day. Tune in. Be aware. And oh how I did enjoy this!
Connecting with the wonderful world of Bali was another element of the training that I so thoroughly enjoyed. Just simply being present at Dragonfly Village – our lovely home for the course duration – brought a sense of closeness to nature. Being set amongst the rice fields, out of the hustle and bustle of downtown Ubud, the calmness and peace washed over me and certainly made it feel like living in a big beautiful bubble. Digitally detoxing was also a wonderful way to ensure that the connection remained present. Without the constant distraction of social media, email, family and friends, I was able to remain conscious and hold space within the container we created for the group, in our little piece of paradise. Some people did struggle in this regard. I personally found that I turned more to journalling as my way of output to share and release all that was swirling around inside of me. An exercise that I am consciously bringing into my life post the training as a way to help me feel connected, with myself, everyday.
Through all of these beautiful connections – to myself, others and the world around me – the awakening of my inner self and kinship with our universe has occurred. How deeply grateful I am for this journey and this time. The time to be with myself. To be vulnerable. To be challenged. To be loved and accepted for who I am and what I have to offer. The time to be present and open to uncovering my next steps, the road I must now follow, as I move away from the fork I was stuck at. At the completion of the time together receiving my certification as a yoga teacher was a moment of true elation, and my inner knowing whispered to me “it’s only the beginning.” How excited, eager, and ready I now feel to begin this next part of the journey. Bring it on I say!! — Kelsey Corey
Dragonfly Village, Ubud, Bali, September 2017
“My 200 hour mystical vinyasa and hatha flow yoga teacher training with School Yoga Institute in Bali, Indonesia was completely transformational and exceeded any imaginable expectations. We were tucked away in Dragonfly Village in Ubud, Bali, a magical space for our 21 day long journey. We began each morning with meditation and asanas in our yoga shala that looked over the beautiful Bali rice fields. Click to read more..
Our facilitators, Maha and Janani were beyond incredible. They guided us through a journey of physical, emotional and spiritual growth. They both had endless knowledge about each topic that we covered and were always willing to engage deeply with our curiosities. I was so grateful that the training focused heavily on self growth, exploration and embracing my own unique gifts. Maha and Janani created a safe space for vulnerability and deep reflection. They went above and beyond to ensure that the journey was exactly what each of us individually wanted and needed it to be. The 200 hour training with SYI is MUCH more than a certification. It is a life changing journey and a gift. My fellow yogis in training and I became one big Yoginination, a newfound family. We embraced our shadows, shedded our skins and spread our wings to take flight into our new selves.” — Brooke Alexander
Dragonfly Village, Ubud, Bali, September 2017
“It was the most amazing time, so many things to discover about yourself, about yoga and people. The schedule and content of the classes are perfect, a good balance of theory and practical input, so many interesting and helpful topics are covered. The daily yoga and meditation practice is great. The location is perfect, tucked away in the rice fields but only 15 minutes walking distance to Ubud Center. The accommodation was great, lovely rooms and the most amazing food. The teachers cared a lot and made the experience very very special.” — Henrike Schneider
200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Sacha Munay, Peru, July 2017
“My experience with SYI in three words: deep, opening, transformational. I am forever grateful for the facilitators who held such a safe container and guided each of us along our journey. I would recommend this school to the person looking for deeper understanding, unafraid to plunge into the depths of ones being, and anyone ready to step wholly into their highest truth. AHO!” — Shadia Nilforoush
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, July 2017
“The Mystical Yoga Farm is a space of magic. It is a space which inhabits so much life: fresh raspberries, tall banana trees, gentle humming birds, budding flowers, a lively kitchen, dogs with personality, humans blossoming to their full potential. It is a space of reflection, where you can look down into the water of powerful Lake Atitlan and see things clearly, for perhaps the first time. Completing a yoga teacher training there equipped me with more lessons than I could ever convey in words, yet I will try. Click to read more...
My decision to go to the farm was not a particularly well thought out one. Rather, it was based on a force pulling at me, begging me to take a risk. I have found that in my life, such inclinations are rare and often easier to avoid than fulfill. Fulfilling this inclination – going to the farm – was perhaps one of the greater decisions of my life.
The beautiful context of the farm was complemented by the tremendous talent and wisdom of two guiding forces: our kind, patient, and highly knowledgable teachers. Their implementation of the SYI curriculum was highly informative, and allowed me to not only progress physically, but spiritually and mentally as well. I walked away from the farm filled with information not just about yoga, but many connected principles and philosophies: Ayurvedic healing, traditional Mayan medicine, shamanic rituals, and more.
My experience with SYI at the Mystical Yoga Farm will forever be a part of me.” — Maytal Y Eyal
Sacha Munay, Peru, June 2017
“My experience at Sacha Munay in Peru with SYI was a deep heartfelt experience. I found that they were well integrated with the local community and honor the ancient land they practice on. The medicine wheel layout of the training is well balanced and I found it helpful in structuring the deeper processing of going thru a teacher training. Click to read more..
As far as yoga goes, my teachers Adrianna and Mindi were great. Very knowledgeable and dedicated to their practice. Both had their unique way of looking at yoga and I feel prepared to step into the teacher role as a result. If you’re considering a training, just do it!” — Justin Moore
Sacha Munay, Peru, June 2017
“It has been an inspiring and magical journey! I cherish every single moment I spent here, and every moment is so unique and magical! I have to say that this program is for anyone who has a dream to explore and challenge life physically, mentally and spiritually. Click to read more..
Bali, September 2017
“The training was truly amazing, it was exactly what I was looking for and was sooooo much more than just a yoga certification. I am so unbelievably grateful to you, Maha, Janani and everyone else at SYI for making such a transformational journey possible.”
Peru, June 2017
Would you recommend us to others?
“Yes I would! Mystical Yoga and School Yoga Institute goes deep with lasting transformation. It’s the truth, and anyone looking for deep spiritual learning would love SYI’s programs.” — Kristen Psaki
Peru, 2016
“My experience at the Mystical Yoga Teacher Training 200 hours in Peru was very unique and special. The retreat center itself was beautiful and a perfect place to get away to reflect inwards, but also to come together with other like minded individuals to connect over something that was all calling to us for one reason or another. Click to read more..
Guatemala, 2016
“My experience at the Mystical Yoga Farm was truly magical. The facilitators were amazing, the curriculum was fascinating, and the farm itself served as a sanctuary for me to rest, heal, deepen my practice, and learn to love myself once more. I’ve returned to the States with a new appreciation for my mind, body, and spirit, and a positivity and lightness that I will continue to carry with me and expand upon. Gracias para todo, Aho!” — Hannah Donovan
Scholarship Applicant
“I’m excited about the scholarship program because it gives me the opportunity to create reflective content about my experience.” — Natalie Bankhead
SYI Alumni, Mystical Yoga Farm
“My experience at the Mystical Yoga Farm traversing through the medicine wheel was transformational indeed. It was humbling to be in a student role, I chanted in the temascal, refreshed in the lago, nourished my body with fresh food, and let go in order to connect. The curriculum and program provided a tangible and accessible format for me to go within and beyond myself and connect to love. I shine the light and continue to inspire others to do so as well. It is magic, it is possible, aho!” — Michelle
Peru
Sacred Valley Yoga by Helena
Peru, 2016
“The universe has really been listening to all of my prayers, making my life one with a meaningful purpose, I feel truly blessed to be walking in my shoes, and hope that the journey continues along the same path that I am on. Planting seeds of consciousness around the globe through yoga practice, meditation and energy healing. My thirst to keep learning is immense, and even more so is my desire to share what I learn with the world.
The School Yoga institute 21 day program I attended, really opened up a door inside of me that contained so much more beauty than I imagined! Grateful!” — Marzia Ferraris
Nicaragua and Bali
“When I found SYI online, I really resonated with the balance of physical and spiritual focus. As a certified Reiki master, I loved that energy healing, shamanism and the medicine wheel were included in the training. I knew right away this was the perfect fit for my new chapter.
I could say that my experience was one of the most profound experiences in my life. As a huge turning point, it opened my eyes to a whole new way of living, being and healing. It provided tools, discipline and soul family to support me in my journey. The location was absolutely stunning and it was a perfect place to enter into the healing arts. It helped me detox from the fast paced and stress packed corporate life style and taught me that there is so much more to life.” — Devon Martin
Project Wander
Reflections on My Yoga Teacher Training by Karina Benloucif
Read Karina’s blog about her experiences
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, July 2015
“The Yoga Farm was a beautiful place to stay and practice Yoga. The peaceful and magical surroundings, the farm itself, the lake and the volcanoes are incredible.” — Nina Kohlback
Bali, May 2015
“A year ago I’d never in my life been able to reach my toes in a forward fold, closing my eyes in a room full of people was an impossibility, and anything that even remotely smacked of ‘esoteric’ to me made me highly uncomfortable. Having always been rooted in the world of intellectual pursuits and vigorous athleticism I had forever believed myself to be way too un-flexible and un-spiritual to even go near yoga. Yet here I am, a mere year later, a certified yoga teacher who even teaches in my current home base of Manila, Philippines…..What on earth happened?! – A 200 hr School Yoga Institute teacher training, that’s what!” — Katharina Weber-Lortsch
Hawaii, September 2015
“My first experience with SYI in Hawaii was a shock to the system!…to be perfectly honest. That’s what I loved most about the experience, I was forced to be fearless. I learned how to shed off the unnecessary layers to find the core of what makes me, me and you. My personal barriers and walls were broken down within minutes and there was nothing I could do but to just give into the whole experience. The experience was beauty, love, yoga and realness.” — Kayla Moon
Costa Rica January 2015
“I was called to Costa Rica to couple my advancement with a deep spiritual cleanse and ran with it, only to find one of the best experiences I could have imagined — far exceeding any expectation I set and more deeply purifying than I initially recognized I needed.” — Ramona Leigh
Yosemite, California, July 2015
“The fire circles at the start of our training immediately showed me that this school stood for more than just becoming a yoga teacher. I could feel the sacredness of this school and land when we started by creating a Talisman to burn, shedding our unwanted layers. We called to the winds of the North, South, East, West, Father Sky & Mother Earth to hear. The compassion and comfort of our teachers allowed us to all evolve in the ways that we naturally desired. I am so grateful to have met such inspiring friends and healers. Being a part of SYI is being a part of something much greater. Thank you SYI from the bottom of my heart! Jai! “— Jessica Corallo
Yosemite, California, July 2015
“School Yoga Institute yoga teacher training programs are for people who are seriously seeking personal growth and are ready for transformation. I had been searching for the “right” yoga teacher training course for over three years. When I finally found School Yoga Institute online I was drawn to the spiritual aspects of their training program. Upon signing up my expectations were high, but my experience blew away all expectations. Every aspect of the course and the training was carefully prepared. Attention to detail, passion and thoughtful preparation was evident in each part of the course.” — Ashley Heil
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, April 2015
“My YTTC at the Mystical Yoga Farm was a truly transformative experience for me. Never before have I had a structured chance to dive so deeply into self-reflection and spiritual lessons. I loved how the SchoolYoga course was designed to accommodate various skill levels, practitioners, and paths.” — Jon Lubeck
Mexico, October 2014
“The yoga teacher training in and of itself was the highest quality I can imagine, and so thorough that when I returned home, I had no trepidation to jump right in and start teaching. I was prepared and confident and ready to embrace myself as a yoga teacher.” — Ginger Calem
Costa Rica, August 2015
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity of an consciousness exchange. I do believe in AYNY, a quechua term for reciprocity, when you receive something and you know, you feel in the deepest of your soul you owe that energy you obtain to another source so it continue to multiply and benefit others. Thanks SYI for being open to live through AYNY, I am proud to be part of this family of abundance and generosity.” — Rosa Nurjamila
Mystical Yoga Farm, Guatemala, April 2015
“Yoga Teacher Training with the SchoolYoga Institute was a heart-honoring, heart-opening experience. The course, designed around the shamanic medicine wheel, consciously guided us through a transformational experience. It seems the land, the lake, the volcanoes and the community were all there to support and nourish that experience.” — Bethany Ponzi