My transformational 200-hour Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(Yes, I’m a mom, a teacher, and still found time to find my breath… and maybe lose it once or twice.)

Why I traded summer break for Savasana in the mountains

Being a mother, wife, and high school teacher means multitasking is my unofficial superpower.

So when the summer holidays rolled around, I decided to finally pursue a long-time dream: becoming a certified yoga teacher. But not just anywhere. I flew to Rishikesh, India, the spiritual heartbeat of yoga.

Because obviously, if I’m going to have a mid-life awakening, I want cows, chai, and mountain mist involved.

Why AYM Yoga School Caught My Eye (and Kept My Hamstrings Sore)

After far too many late-night rabbit holes Googling “best yoga school India,” I landed on The Association for Yoga and Meditation (AYM). It’s nestled up a peaceful hill at the edge of town, surrounded by mountains that seem to whisper, “Let go of your deadlines, Susan.”

AYM has:

3 yoga halls with giant windows and even gianter vibes
Basic but clean rooms with hot showers and optional A/C (you’ll want it. trust me)
3 daily Ayurvedic vegetarian meals that made my insides dance… after a few digestive negotiations

Also, the only noises were birds and cows, not honking scooters or my kids asking for more WiFi. Bliss.

A day in the life: downward dogs and delicious Dal

Here’s how a typical day unfolded (or uncurled, like my spine):

6:00 AM: Meditation (a.k.a. trying not to fall asleep on my cushion)
7:00 AM: Ashtanga Vinyasa. Aka morning yoga bootcamp
9:00 AM: Breakfast with fellow yogis. Most of us were too blissed out to speak, which was a refreshing change from faculty meetings
11:00 AM: Theory, anatomy, pranayama, kriyas (also: learning how to Neti pot without looking like you’ve sprung a leak)
1:00 PM: Lunch. Lentils again? No problem. I was eating enlightenment
3:00 PM: Hatha Yoga with Yogi Chetan Mahesh, AYM’s director and part-time wizard of alignment
6:00 PM: Dinner and rooftop sunset therapy

The “plank incident”

One day, while sweating buckets in Plank Pose, I whispered (ok, muttered) to myself: “Why am I paying to do this to myself?” Manesha, our lovely teacher, caught my eye, smiled, and said, “Because transformation doesn’t come gift-wrapped.”

Touché, Manesha. T.ouché.

Also, my arms are now mildly terrifying. In a good way.

A Quick bite between classes (yes, Vegan)

If you sneak out between sessions, check out The Sitting Elephant, a rooftop vegan-friendly café with the best view of the Ganges, plus smoothies that taste like forgiveness.

Try the Ayurvedic Buddha Bowl and thank me later. Or better yet, thank your digestive tract.

A view to Om: scenic stop in Rishikesh

After class one day, a few of us hiked to the Neer Garh Waterfall Viewpoint. It’s not just a pretty sight.

It’s where I finally nailed Crow Pose for 0.8 seconds before gracefully falling into a bush.

Honestly? Worth it.

What I learned beyond the mat

This course didn’t just teach me how to sequence a class or chant Om without sounding like a sleepy walrus. It taught me:

Patience (especially with myself)
That I don’t need to do yoga to be yoga
That Indian cows truly do not care about personal space

Yogi Mahesh showed us the roots of yoga. Far beyond stretchy pants and Instagram hashtags. His teaching was full of depth, humor, and a calmness I now aim to pass on (or at least pretend I have during parent-teacher conferences).

Also Read>>> Vinyasa Yogashala 200-hour online yoga teacher training review

Want to do your own YTT in Rishikesh?

If you’re even thinking about it: go. Here’s what I’d say to my past self:

Bring flip-flops, not fancy shoes. You’ll only wear them once
Carry snacks. Enlightenment burns calories
Don’t overpack books. You’ll be busy reading your body and your breath

And don’t forget a small journal. Because between the poses, the philosophy, the silence, and the tears (yes, there were tears), you’ll want to remember the version of you that shows up in India.

Final thoughts

I came home stronger, softer, and probably a little smellier (laundry day was… sparse). But I came home ready. Ready to teach, to share, and to parent with a little more presence and a lot more pigeon pose.

Do it. Go. Yoga will meet you where you are, even if you arrive late, jetlagged, and a little terrified.

And hey, if I can do it with kids, grading, and a mild caffeine dependency… you’re gonna be just fine.

Namaste, kind of.
Let’s call it… Namas-try