BECOME A TEACHER OR JUST DEEPEN YOUR PRACTICE
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Recess Yoga
A transformative, real-world teacher training for modern seekers
Led by Recess Yoga Founder Tom Sowders
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 · 9 weekends · Carrboro and Durham, NC
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US
Honoring the Roots of Yoga
Yoga philosophy and deities, like Ganesha, pictured here, can help us live our lives. But before we go any further, we acknowledge that yoga is not a product of the West—it is a sacred tradition that comes to us from South Asia, particularly from India and surrounding regions. The physical, mental, and spiritual benefits we experience through this practice are made possible by the wisdom, resilience, and generosity of South Asian people, teachers, and lineages—many of whom have been marginalized or erased in the global spread of modern yoga.
At Recess, we are committed to honoring these roots by teaching with humility, curiosity, and respect. We aim to hold space for meaningful study, embodied practice, and cultural awareness as we take part in the ongoing evolution of yoga in a modern world.
You Weren’t Made to Fit Into a Registry
This deep dive into the eight limbs of yoga is all about showing up fully—in your body, in your breath, in your life—and learning how to lead others from that place. It’s about inquiry, practice, reflection, play, challenge, joy, sweat, stillness, and the kind of presence that changes rooms.
You’ll leave with a strong foundation in yoga philosophy, movement, and advanced teaching skills. But more than that, you’ll leave with a new relationship to your voice, your practice, and your purpose.
We’ve chosen not to affiliate with Yoga Alliance. This is not because we don’t believe in high standards--we do. It's because we believe in real standards. We’re interested in yoga’s heart not its corporate arm. Mentorship, community, critical thinking, and embodied experience are our curriculum—not bureaucracy.
That doesn’t limit you. Many respected 300-hour programs, like Asheville Yoga Center’s, accept graduates from non-YA trainings like ours. Because real learning speaks for itself.
What You’ll Learn
- Functional anatomy and safe alignment for real bodies
- Sequencing and theming classes that land
- The roots of yoga philosophy
- Meditation, breathwork, and the nervous system
- Trauma-aware, inclusive teaching strategies
- How to find your voice and teach from presence
- How to responsibly assist with voice and touch
- Real-world prep: business of yoga, ethics, power dynamics
- And real world teaching experience
What You’ll Get
You’ll graduate with a 200-hour certificate from Recess Yoga and the confidence to teach in your own voice—whether in studios, gyms, online, or your own community.
Unlimited yoga for the duration of the training. ($700 value!)
Graduation celebration and a free integration field trip to Sauna House Durham!
Access to our studios during open studio hours for the cohort.
Who It’s For
- Aspiring yoga teachers
- Students seeking to deepen their practice and relationship with yoga
- Community leaders, bodyworkers, and wellness professionals
- Anyone craving a spiritually grounded, radically supportive deep dive into yoga
Format & Schedule
9 weekends over approximately 5.5 months
Saturdays: 9am–5:00pm
Sundays: 9am–4:30pm
(1-hour break each day)
If you can't make one weekend, we will offer make up activities.
Schedule
Oct 17–18, 2026
Nov 7–8, 2026
Dec 5–6, 2026
Jan 9–10, 2027
Jan 30–31, 2027
Feb 20–21, 2027
Mar 13–14, 2027
Apr 10–11, 2027
May 1–2, 2027
Guest Teachers
- Tessa Joseph-Nicholas – Ashtanga Yoga foundations
- Katie Brownfield – Refining poses
- Jill Simon - Inclusivity
- AND MORE TBA!