200 Hour Level 1: Yoga Teaching Training Program
Yoga Alliance Registered

Join South Africa’s very first Yoga Alliance RYS 200 certified Yoga teacher training course. Learn from an internationally recognised teacher, Jim Harrington – whose practice and teaching of yoga spans three decades. This is the foundation level deep dive into all aspects of Yoga. It will equip a student with prior experience of yoga practice with a solid base to work from and the skills to get started teaching. The program happens as an Intensive Immersion or as a Part time over a series of weekends.

NEXT 200HR Program – Integrated Part Time

March 15th 2025 to September 7th

SCHEDULE

One full weekend per month

Included BONUS: 2 morning YogaSynergy Elements Course:

Monday & Wednesday morning’s
6:15am – 8am

BOOK
OVERVIEW
REQUIREMENTS

PART TIME March to September 2025

2026 Part Time Dates Coming soon – Please email to be the first to know


2025 INVESTMENT
Winter Discount – ZAR 24780.00.00



Past graduates of Jim Harrington Teacher Training Courses receive a discount of 50% to repeat the course: ZAR 17 280

Payment Plans? Available by arrangement.

I’m thrilled to introduce my latest Yoga Teacher Training program. After some time in the making, this offering has evolved into something truly exciting. The inspiration behind it hails from a concept I shared during an interview a few years ago:

“Good teaching comes from good practicing.”

Embarking on a yoga teacher training isn’t just about earning a certification. Unlike other professional qualifications, the certificate holds little weight compared to the wisdom that is cultivated and embodied through dedicated practice.

Your yoga practice has a ripple effect, that extends far beyond yourself.

Even if you never plan to teach, your practice alone will influence those around you. You will become a living example of balance, presence, and clarity—qualities that resonate within your home, workplace, and every aspect of your life. It’s not simply about teaching others; it’s about teaching ourselves to embody yoga’s principles in our day-to-day existence. The ability to share these teachings naturally follows.

For those of you still with me, let’s take a moment to explore the evolution of yoga in the West.

I began my journey in yoga long before the Yoga Alliance or the 200-hour teacher training became standard. My relationship with yoga started in India in 1987. In fact, my first formal teaching training was a two-year apprenticeship in 1997 in Sydney. At the time, no certificate was offered, because we recognized that the certificate was secondary to the practice itself. Yoga, unlike any academic pursuit, is about internalizing and sharing these practices in their truest form. The foundation of this learning is intensive practice.

Those truly committed to yoga, driven by curiosity and dedication, continue on their path of study and practice, evolving into the next generation of genuine yogis. This is why I also offer a 300-hour training and mentorship program for those who, like me, remain lifelong students of the practice.

The journey to Yoga—union, or as I like to call it, Re-Union with the authentic self—is both profound and personal. In our program, we’ll cultivate a deep personal practice while preparing you to share these practices in a way that is safe, effective, and authentic to your unique self.

The 200-hour program unfolds as a journey that moves from the external to the internal, from the tangible to the subtle realms of awareness. Here’s an outline of the part-time weekend training schedule:

Weekend Training Schedule (7 am to 5 pm):

  • March 15 & 16 – Foundation Practices
    Evolution of movement, stable standing asanas, Yoga history 1, Sanskrit pronunciation 1, Anatomy 1 (Tensegrity), Meditation & Pranayama 1
  • April 12 & 13 – Taking Flight
    Contraction, expansion, anti-gravity, alignment redefined, Yoga philosophy foundations (Patanjali Sutras), Anatomy 2, Sanskrit 2, Meditation &
  • Pranayama 2
  • May 10 & 11 – Freedom through Restraint
    Baddha, Bandha, and Mudra, Sage asanas, Meditation & Pranayama 3, Concepts of the Gita, Anatomy 3, Props for alignment and restoration
  • June 14–16 (Long weekend) – Beauty of Balance
    Inversions as still points in a turning world, partner support, adjustments & assisting, neuroplasticity and nervous system, Ayurvedic Gunas, polyvagal theory, career development 1, Meditation & Pranayama 4
  • July 12 & 13 – Effortless Backbending
    Entering the unknown field, sequencing science, postural assessment & adaptation, Meditation & Pranayama 5, Ayurvedic Dosha model, Pregnancy yoga, teaching methodology
  • August 9 & 10 – Breathing & Mind: Meeting with Prana
    Advanced pranayama, sequencing science 2, voice work and teaching, career development 2, myofascial release
  • September 6 & 7 – Self-Sufficiency in Practice
    Teaching practice (adjustments & assists), Prana-Vidya practices, closing ceremonies and celebrations

This structured progression reflects the journey of both self-inquiry and outward expression. Paradoxically, as we deepen our introspective practice, we simultaneously evolve in our external lives. It requires commitment, but the rewards are transformative.

In addition to these weekends, the training includes :

5 One to one sessions will be scheduled for personal guidance.

2 short courses in Yoga Synergy Elements are available—online or in person—for added continuity of practice. These sessions run Monday and Wednesday mornings from 6:15 to 8:00 am, in May (5th-28th) and August (4th-27th).

.15-20 hours for homework assignments You’ll also need to make time for this.

5-10 hours for practical teaching exercises in the second half of the program.

This program is ideal for anyone looking to deepen their yoga practice and understanding—whether you aspire to teach or simply wish to cultivate a lifelong, personal practice. Regardless of your intent, this experience will transform how you perceive and engage with yoga.

Yoga has always been a path for those seeking to see beyond the illusion of the material world—those striving to be “seers” while engaging with the world around them. This theme runs deep. How does one live as a true yogi in the modern world? This has been my work for over 30 years, and I offer this course as an invitation for those who feel the calling to live yoga in a deeper, more authentic way.

Our approach blends ancient traditions with modern practices tailored for the contemporary yogi. The physical practices are rooted in a deep understanding of biomechanics, applied anatomy, and physiology, developed over 35 years of study. The more subtle arts of meditation and pranayama are drawn from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition—a legitimate lineage with which I’ve been aligned since 2014.

Students benefit from a dedicated “teaching team” of seasoned and inspiring yoga professionals, each bringing specialized expertise to create a world-class learning experience.

Most of the training will be held at Valley Shala, a serene, expansive property in Hout Bay—perfect for this immersive experience.

REVIEWS

“Doing the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training course with Jim Harrington was a wonderful experience. The course was a highly integrated mixture of theory and practice, which took us deep into many elements of yoga – including meditation, breathwork and postures, as well as exploring the history and philosophy, understanding the Sanskrit names of poses, and learning the anatomy and physiology of the human body.

Our group of fellow trainees bonded really well over the three months of the course, spending time in the beautiful leafy garden and studio, and sharing our experiences, emotions, challenges and achievements. Jim was a fountain of wisdom and knowledge, and we learnt so much from him, the other trainers, and each other.

The process took us step by step through the building blocks needed to teach effectively, and helped us develop our confidence, challenge ourselves, and get to know ourselves better – sometime with surprising results!

I recommend this course to anyone who is considering any kind of yoga teaching, or just wants to deepen their own practice.

Caro Petersen”

Caroline

OVERVIEW

This 200hr training comes with a 220-page manual which has been evolving since the first YTT in 2005. TOPICS of this Manual INCLUDE

– Teaching methodologies and yoga techniques

  • Guided practice of Vinyasa-style Yoga using specially designed sequences for Teacher Training which includes the best lessons, adjustments, modifications and step-ups to develop from a novice to an experienced adept in asana.
  • Guided practice of meditation and pranayama in detail.
  • The art of teaching, including verbal instruction, demonstration and how to “workshop” techniques.
  • The art of assisting and hands-on adjustments.
  • Precise pronunciation of Sanskrit names of postures taught by a University Language Lecturer and Ashtanga Yoga teacher Eva Raal.
  • Key Principles of alignment in common basic postures,
  • How to use bandha and transitional flow
  • Using your voice and developing confidence in the teaching role
  • Using Props and equipment in yoga practice
  • “Nuad Thai” Thai Yoga massage techniques

– Injury management and special conditions

  • Prenatal yoga
  • Remedial yoga therapy base principles for common physical problems

– Ethics of teaching yoga

– Anatomy and physiology

  • Applied anatomy for yoga practice means understanding “alignment’ from the inside out
  • Basic joint structure and function
  • Physiology of the nervous system as the basis of yoga practice.
  • Myofascial Release techniques to understand the musculoskeletal / fascia systems.
  • Functional Movement patterns
  • An examination and a short research project.

– The business of yoga

  • Advancement in your career: How to progress from novice to expert
  • Giving and receiving: what and how does a yoga teacher transact
  • Defining your business objectives and drawing up your action plan

– Yoga philosophy

  • History of Yoga
  • Selected lessons from the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita
  • Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and the 8 Limbs of Yoga
  • The Roots of Contemporary Yoga –Krishnamacharya’s Legacy
  • Chakra System (including the energetic anatomy: koshas, gunas, nadis)
  • Practical introspection and self-inquiry
  • Chanting

REQUIREMENTS

This is not a course for beginners. Applicants must have been practicing yoga consistently for a minimum of two years.

Application Process: