When I signed up for my first 200hr hour yoga teacher training at 18 years old, I had no idea I wanted to teach yoga. I was a freshman at UT Austin, and I was lucky enough to find the practice of yoga when I was just 16 years old, so I had a couple years of practice under my belt. One of my main teachers at the time, Joel, had invited me to explore a 200hr teacher training after seeing how dedicated I was to my practice, and little did I know this would be the start of my journey of self-discovery and stepping into my purpose.

I did not enroll because I saw myself leading classes. In fact, I grew up with a severe speech impediment that I finally overcame when I was 9 years old, but it left me being very shy and incredibly fearful of public speaking. So teaching was never in the cards for me (so I thought). I enrolled because I wanted to understand what was happening to me on the mat.

At the time, yoga had already begun to change me. I was starting to understand my emotions more clearly. I was beginning to see my patterns. I felt more connected to my deeper dreams and desires. I was asking bigger questions about my life. Who am I? What am I here to do? What actually matters?

Yoga gave me a container to explore those questions.

In our training manuals, we reference a simple idea from Eddie Stern’s book One Simple Thing: yoga is a method. It is a system designed to help us refine perception and come into clearer relationship with reality. It is not a belief system. It is not performance. It is practice.

For me, yoga is a practice of coming home to who we truly are in each moment, and at the same time, it's a path to becoming who we are meant to be. It allows us to BE and BECOME all at the same time.

A 200hr training gives you the time and structure to engage that practice more intentionally.

You begin to study conceptual frameworks like the Eight Limbed Path of yoga. You explore the yamas and niyamas and start asking how these ethical principles apply to your own life. What does non-harming look like in your relationships? What does discipline actually mean? How do you practice truthfulness even when it is uncomfortable?

You study anatomy and physiology to understand why certain postures affect you the way they do. Why do deep twists feel cleansing? How do backbends influence the nervous system and emotional state? What happens physiologically when you bind, invert, or regulate your breath?

You begin to see that asana is not just movement. It is a laboratory for awareness.

You practice teaching, even if you never plan to lead a class. You learn how to articulate what you are experiencing. You develop a clearer voice. You gain confidence in your capacity to guide others and, more importantly, yourself.

Above all else, a 200hr training is a journey of self-discovery (who am I?) and self-actualization (who am I here to become?). It is not just about learning to teach yoga. It is about becoming more integrated, more honest, and more you.

Yoga provides us a mirror for looking at our lives. Through consistent practice and inquiry, we begin to notice where we are out of alignment with who we truly are. We also begin to sense what feels right. Yoga does not hand us a life plan, but it does give us the sensitivity to listen...to quiet the thinking mind enough that we can hear the more subtle whispers of our heart. It helps us answer the question, "What should I do next?" by teaching us how to hear our inner guidance in each moment.

At Present Practice, we offer 200hr teacher trainings in two formats, and both are truly transformational whether you have any desire to teach or not.

For those who want to fully step away from their daily routines, we host immersive trainings abroad in extraordinary places. There is something powerful about disconnecting from your normal environment and immersing yourself in study, practice, and community somewhere beautiful. The container becomes your entire world for that period of time. In 2026, we offer these intensive trainings in Costa Rica, Thailand, and Bali, so you really can't go wrong!

For those who want to integrate what they are learning into their everyday lives, we offer in-studio teacher trainings in Austin at our flagship studio, with Austin's most senior and dedicated teachers. You study on the weekends, practice during the week, and watch the teachings unfold in real time in your relationships, your work, and your habits.

Both are transformative. The difference is the rhythm.

You may enroll thinking you want to teach, and you may have no desire to do so (we often see this desire shift once you step into training and experience the power of finding your voice!). Either way, the training will meet you where you are, and will shape you and your life from the inside out.

Yoga is not something we can ever master; rather, we learn to master ourselves through the practice. What better power can be had than power over our changing mental states? Yoga connects us to what is real and what is true, even when the outside world gets crazy. We can find our center no matter what is happening outside of us.

A 200hr teacher training is simply a deeper commitment to living in alignment with who you are here to be. It's a commitment to yoga as a way of being, and we'd be honored to guide you on your journey of self-discovery.

Love,

Morgan

Book a call now to speak with a member of our team and receive $200 off your tuition

Why Do a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training?

Inside Our Thailand 200hr Yoga Teacher Training

Finding Flow in Siargao