Lopa | Peru 200hr YTT Testimonial
Deep in the Peruvian Andes, in a small village called ‘Arin’ within the Sacred Valley, I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) with School Yoga Institute (SYI) in June 2025. It was a one-in-a-lifetime, enriching and unforgettable journey and an experience that was more influential than the sum of its parts. It was here, at Munay Sonqo – the yoga and retreat centre where the SYI training was based, that the journey of rushing around airports and being mildly violated by low cost airlines ended, and the journey of immense spiritual and inner work began. Arin itself was a charming village – whilst it hosted 3-4 yoga centres including Munay Sonqo, it still felt authentically Peruvian. Beyond the idyllically beautiful physical surroundings, the Sacred Valley made you feel calm and at ease – possessing an unspoken quality that quietly tells you that you have arrived in a mystically significant location. Munay Sonqo itself resonated with this beauty, full of vibrant exotic flowers and earthy naturalistic living quarters. The food was a real highlight – fresh, healthy and cooked from scratch with love, as well as catering to all dietary requirements. We later learnt that almost all ingredients were grown within Munay Sonqo or locally – I think this made me feel extra appreciative of the food. Prior to the teacher training, I felt somewhat intimidated by the thought of doing 21 days without the things that normally make daily life seemingly bearable – coffees at the start of the day, scrolling through Instagram when bored, that relaxing glass of wine in the evening… But doing the YTT made me realise that I did not ‘need’ any of these elements that had become so unintentionally ingrained in daily life. I discovered a new baseline for myself and found a power in routine, early mornings, daily movement, pranayama and meditation – and not immediately reaching for my phone first thing in the morning! Whilst those initial few days felt a bit strange, the YTT felt a bit like a ‘detox’ or a ‘reset’ as I feel much less dependent on caffeine and alcohol to manage tiredness, anxiety and the other stressors of daily life. As I write this reflection 1 week after coming back from Peru, I have reintroduced small amounts of caffeine and alcohol into my life, but it feels much more mindful and appreciated. I was inspired to complete the 200hr YTT with SYI in Peru because I felt that it would be an opportunity to learn about spirituality from both the ancient Indian and ancient Andean philosophical perspectives. As someone who grew up in an Indian family and Hindu beliefs, some may argue that the natural choice would have been to complete my yoga teacher training in India. However, I grew up in the UK and felt a need to experience these teachings from both a Western and Eastern perspective, as I too had experienced life from both the Western and Eastern sides of the coin, and felt a deep calling to Peru in particular. Peru and the Andean area has been a spiritually special area for many peoples across many hundreds of years, and it was a privilege to tread this same path. The course itself was extremely comprehensive as we learnt a blend of anatomy, philosophy, and psychology, as well as a deep dive into the yoga asanas themselves. Beyond the required texts, talks and hours practising yoga, we were very much encouraged to look within and perform a deep inquiry into ourselves – something that we seldom have the chance to do in such an immersive and thorough way in regular life. This was punctuated by unique experiences such as a temescal ceremony in a sweat lodge, a cacao ceremony, and a despacho ceremony with Andean shamans (who made a 14hour round trip to be with us that day!). Such levels of introspection are phenomenal for your mental health. Yoga teacher trainings can vary hugely in their quality and slant; but the SYI 200hr YTT was truly holistic. Although it was so empowering to finally learn how to perform a headstand safely, it was even more valuable learning to trust and love myself fully. We were very much encouraged to learn as deeply and widely as possible, both about the yoga and ourselves. Even when it came to the final days of assessments, in which we had to teach other the yoga sequences, credit was given to newly fledged teachers who were able to provide their own flavour and creativity to the lessons delivered and individuality was truly celebrated. One of the most enriching parts of the 200hr YTT in Peru was the marvellous group of facilitators we learnt from and the incredible other students I was lucky enough to share the experience with. Our teachers were true masters of their craft and had an incredible depth of knowledge and experience across multiple aspects of yoga including ancient Indian philosophy, Sanskrit, ancient Andean philosophy/Incan mythology, the yoga asanas/postures, and anatomy. We were not only taught how to teach, but how to teach well. We were taught these principles so respectfully and to revere the ancient wisdom we were so lucky to learn and to now be able to bestow onto others. The alignment cues were fantastically useful as I had not realised that many of backbends were coming from lower rather than mid back and I was hyperextending my neck unnecessarily – a habit I am sure my body will thank me for in years to come! However, some of the most important lessons I learnt that month were from actually fellow students, as the sense of community was profoundly empowering. We had all come on our separate journeys but coalesced into a group of all ages, cultures, countries, and perspectives. It would have been privilege enough to have had philosophical lessons in isolation (e.g. ‘who am I?’ and ‘what is consciousness?’) but to have this in the form of facilitated discussions with other pupils of every race and major religion made the experience truly special. It was enriching to be able to teach our peers and work with a range of bodies and different communication/learning styles. Moreover, it was incredibly valuable being able to practice teaching with each other from the very first day, as we practiced daily and built confidence throughout the weeks. It is not unreasonable to predict that one may leave a 200hr yoga teacher training with a shiny certificate, a manual with notes on how to perform the perfect downward facing dog, and perhaps a garish fridge magnet adorned with an alpaca. Not only did I leave with these, but also the rewards that only come from 3 weeks of hard work, routine, community and intensive inner work. I came to Peru straight from the hamster wheel of daily life and with a quiet desire to teach others yoga. I left with multiple transferable skills; increased self-confidence; friends from all over the world and knowing myself deeply on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. The most thrilling part is that 200 hours only scratches the surface of the wonderful world of yoga, and I hope I will continue to learn and grow, both as a student and now as a teacher.
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🕓 Last updated: May 15, 2026