A historic first. A new lineage begins.

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The Sankofa 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training is a year-long, mentorship-based leadership training for experienced yoga teachers ready to deepen their practice and step into greater responsibility. More than an advanced certification, this program prepares teachers to practice, teach, and lead yoga within real communities. Rooted in the Vinyasa tradition and informed by Power, Yin, Restorative, and Traditional Hatha Yoga, the training offers an in-depth exploration of the eight limbs of yoga, including extended study in asana, meditation, sound healing, dharma talks, and embodied teaching. Learning unfolds over monthly training weekends, supported by daily personal practice, reflective assignments, and consistent participation in Sankofa Yoga classes.

Led by Dr. Tamisha J. Ponder, this program is grounded in mentorship, discernment, and applied leadership. Teachers move through the training within a Fellowship model, where learning is relational, slow, and experiential rather than purely instructional. Fellows are supported in refining their teaching voice, strengthening leadership skills, and clarifying how they carry yoga beyond the mat. Midway through the program, each Fellow steps into a Stewardship Focus—actively designing, piloting, and leading an offering within the Sankofa Yoga & Wellness Center community, with guidance and accountability built into the training structure.

This program is designed for teachers who sense that yoga is more than technique and who are ready to align their practice with service, integrity, and community impact. Graduates emerge not only as skilled instructors, but as teacher-leaders with lived experience in program development, mentorship, and stewardship. Expanded information is provided throughout the course materials, but participants can expect a rigorous yet supportive structure that values consistency, accountability, and real-world application. If you are ready to deepen your practice, clarify your leadership, and take responsibility for how yoga shows up in the world, the Sankofa 300-Hour Training was created for you.

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Our program has been designed to exceed the 300-hour Teacher Training program standards for registration with Yoga Alliance. Upon completion of this course, students will be eligible to apply for registration with Yoga Alliance to become a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT).