Yoga Teacher Training

200 Hour Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training

This 200-hour Teacher Training combines traditional Ashtanga Yoga with the wisdom of Buddhist meditation, delivered over four intensive weekends by experienced instructors Cory Bryant and Heather Sullivan. This program is registered with Yoga Alliance, and graduates are eligible to apply for their RYT-200 credential upon completion.

Whether you’re looking to deepen your personal practice and understanding of yoga or preparing to step into teaching, this program offers comprehensive training for both paths. Limited to 15 students to ensure personalized attention.

Rooted in the Ashtanga Primary Series, this program provides a comprehensive foundation for confident teaching. You’ll study the complete Primary Series with Sanskrit names and traditional count, learn effective hands-on adjustments, and develop your authentic teaching voice through extensive practicum—including peer teaching in pairs and leading the full group.

What sets our training apart is the integration of meditation instruction from the Tergar tradition of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, with weekly Zoom sessions giving you ongoing practice in holding space for contemplative work. Our anatomy component features renowned teacher David Keil’s self-paced online program (included at no extra cost), ensuring you understand the body mechanics behind safe, effective teaching. The curriculum also dives deep into yoga’s philosophical roots and professional ethics, preparing you to teach with both skill and integrity.

Training Goals

By the end of this 200-hour teacher training, you will:

Learn the Ashtanga Primary Series – Study the complete sequence with Sanskrit names, vinyasa count, proper alignment, and traditional methodology
Develop confident teaching skills – Build your authentic teaching voice through extensive practicum, including peer teaching in pairs and leading the full group
Learn effective hands-on adjustments – Gain proficiency in non-invasive, supportive adjustments for the Primary Series
Understand functional anatomy – Complete David Keil’s comprehensive online anatomy program, giving you the knowledge to teach safely and address common alignment issues
Integrate meditation into your teaching – Receive training in the Tergar tradition of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and develop skills to confidently hold space for meditation practice through weekly practice sessions
Explore yoga philosophy and ethics – Study yoga’s history, classical texts, and ethical foundations while developing your understanding of teacher responsibilities, boundaries, and professional conduct
Master accessible pranayama – Learn breathwork techniques you can teach clearly and confidently, without confusion or overwhelm
Build a strong foundation for diverse teaching – Develop the skills and understanding to teach across multiple yoga styles, rooted in traditional Ashtanga methodology
Meet rigorous training standards – Complete all requirements for a comprehensive 200-hour certification program.

Investment

$2,500 pay in full
$2,700 payment plan (4 installments)
$200 non-refundable deposit required with registration (included in tuition amount shown above)

Refund Policy: The $200 deposit is non-refundable. Tuition (excluding deposit) is refundable if you cancel before September 14, 2026. Full Payment due by Sept 14, 2026. No refunds after this date.

Prerequisites

This training is open to students with a regular yoga practice. You should be familiar with Ashtanga yoga and excited about it being the foundation of your training. We’re looking for students who are curious, committed, and ready to deepen their understanding—whether or not you plan to teach.

Format

Four in-person intensives plus weekly online meditation sessions with Cory, monthly Mysore practice, and monthly check-ins with Heather via Zoom. Our opening intensive is five days (October 14–18), followed by three long weekends in November, January, and February. Additionally, approximately 40 hours of self-paced virtual learning and self study.

Dates

October 14 – 18, 2026
November 13 – 15, 2026
January 15 – 17, 2027
February 12 – 14, 2027

Daily Schedule

7:30 – 10:30 AM | Meditation, Sutras, Asana
10:30 – 11:00 AM | Break
11:00 AM – 2:30 PM | Session 1
2:30 – 3:30 PM | Break
3:30 – 6:00 PM | Session 2

Session content varies by weekend and includes teaching methodology, hands-on adjustments, pranayama, philosophy, professional development, and teaching practicum.

Apply Now

Submit your application below. We’ll review it and send you a registration link upon approval.

[Link to Application]

Meet Your Teachers

Cory Bryant EYRT-500

Cory Bryant is the Founder/Director of The Spiritual Pilgrim offering yoga & meditation pilgrimages in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Tibet and the former Founder/Head Teacher of Yoga Shala Nashville in East Nashville, TN from 2019-2025.

His yoga journey took root at Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City just after 9/11 in 2001 and hasn’t stopped since. A practitioner of Ashtanga for fifteen years, he’s been teaching yoga for nearly twenty years and has studied intensively with David Life, Sharon Gannon, David Garrigues, Tim Miller and Tim Feldmann.

A PhD scientist and a student of Tibetan Buddhism, he draws from his understanding of the scientific method to explore the intersections between Buddhism and yoga to provide an integrative approach to practice and life. Cory has made eighteen trips to Nepal and ten trips to India since 2010 where he has taken up extensive study and practice. After a successful career in international food policy he and his husband relocated from DC to Nashville in 2019 and now resides on a lake in Western Kentucky with his beloved dog Puja. (click arrow above for training and experience)

200hour Certification from Flow Yoga Center, Washington, DC – Feb, 2008
350hour Certification from Jivamukti Yoga School, New York, NY – May 2008
Taught weekly classes at Flow Yoga Center from 2008 through 2019
100hour Ashtanga Second Series Training with Tim Miller, Encintas, CA – Aug 2016
5-day Weekend immersion Second Series Training with David Garrigues, Philadephia, PA – 2017
100hour Ashtanga Teacher Intensive with David Garrigues, Phoenix, AZ – Nov 2017
2 year Apprenticeship with David Garrigues, Philadelphia, PA & Kovalam, India – 2016-2019
200hour Ashtanga Practitioners Intensive with Kino MacGregor & Tim Feldmann – Summer 2020
8 week Mindful Leader Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course – 2021
10-day Goenka Vipassana Retreat – Jessup, GA – 2021
6 month Wakeful Body meditation course with Lama Willa Blythe Baker – 2022
8 week Buddhist Studies course, Rangyung Yeshe Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal – June/July 2022
Completed Tergar Joy of Living Level 1, 2 & 3
Tergar Meditation Teacher (12 month) Program – graduated Sept 2025
Currently in Tergar Path of Liberation Level training

Heather Sullivan EYRT-200

Heather has taught Ashtanga yoga for a decade, primarily in the Mysore room and in treatment centers working with people seeking recovery from eating disorders and substance use disorders. In 2025, she founded Ashtanga Yoga Birmingham after eight years as co-owner of Birmingham Yoga.

She completed her 200-hour training with Akasha Ellis and made regular trips to Encinitas over two years to study with Tim Miller, whose approach to teaching deeply shaped her own. She’s led retreats in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Mexico, and continues to study with teachers who challenge and expand her understanding of the practice.

Heather is drawn to the Mysore method because it puts each student at the center of their own learning. Her teaching honors the discipline of the practice while staying down-to-earth and approachable, valuing steady effort over perfection. (click arrow above for training and experience)

200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training + Apprenticeship, Akasha Ellis (2015-2017)
100-Hour Primary Series Teacher Training, Tim Miller, Encinitas, CA (2017)
Ashtanga and Addiction Forum, Columbus, OH (2017)
Three-year Ashtanga Yoga mentorship program, Columbus, OH (2020-2023)
Primary Yoga Instructor, Recovery Collaborator & Mindfulness Coach, A Center for Eating Disorders, Birmingham, AL (2018-2022)
Yoga Instructor, Impact Recovery Center, Birmingham, AL (2020-2022)
Pranayama Level 1 Teacher Training, Eddie Stern & Robert Moses (2023)
Practice Week, Sharath Jois, Miami, FL (2025)
Led yoga retreats in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Mexico (2017-present)

Questions?

We know committing to a teacher training is a big decision. If you’re curious about the program or want to discuss whether it’s right for you, we’re happy to talk. EMAIL us or call 205-547-0722.

Space is limited to 12 students. Early bird registration ends March 15, 2026.