Witness YOGA, Tapovan, Rishikesh, India
Yoga Alliance Certified · RYS 200 · Tapovan, Rishikesh, India
Be the Witness.
Become the Teacher.
Yoga as it was always meant to be.
A 25-day residential 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh — rooted in the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, alive with ancient wisdom, and designed for the modern human being ready to step into their deepest calling.
Tapovan, Rishikesh · Training begins the 1st of every month · Yoga Alliance RYS 200
In Rishikesh and just want to practice? Daily yoga, meditation & pranayama classes — drop-in from ₹500. See today’s class schedule →
This Is Not Just a Certification. This Is a Transformation.
Most yoga teacher training courses teach you how to move the body. At Witness Yoga, we teach you how to see — clearly, deeply, and honestly. We teach the yoga that Patanjali codified over two thousand years ago — not as an exercise system, but as a complete science of the human being: the body, the breath, the mind, and the self.
Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah
"Yoga is the settling of the fluctuations of the mind."
Patanjali Yoga Sutras, 1.2What Does It Mean to Be the Witness?
In the classical yogic tradition, the witness is called Sakshi — “one who sees.” It is the steady, unchanging awareness behind every thought, sensation, and emotion. Patanjali calls it Drashtu, the Seer — and makes it the very heart of yoga. Modern life trains the mind to produce more thought — more planning, comparing, scrolling, worry. Anxiety, burnout, and disconnection are not personal failures; they are the predictable result of a mind never taught to observe itself.
The Witness Method teaches exactly that. In every asana class, pranayama session, and meditation sit, you learn to observe your body, breath, and mind with clarity and without judgment — to feel everything, without being imprisoned by what you feel. It is the thread that runs through our 200-hour teacher training, our yoga and meditation retreats, and every daily class we hold in Rishikesh.
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh
25 Days · Fully Residential · Yoga Alliance RYS 200 · Begins the 1st of Every Month
The Body — 70 hrs
Asana, alignment & sequencing — 100+ classical postures, biomechanics, adjustments, intelligent class building.
The Breath — 25 hrs
Pranayama, energy & the nervous system — Nadi Shodhana, Kapalbhati, Bhramari, Ujjayi, and the physiology of breath.
The Mind — 25 hrs
Meditation, Yoga Nidra & inner science — classical techniques, consciousness, and how to guide others.
The Philosophy — 30 hrs
All four padas of the Yoga Sutras, the Eight Limbs, ethics, and how to make ancient wisdom usable.
The Human Body — 20 hrs
Anatomy, physiology & energetic anatomy — nervous system, safe teaching, Chakras, Nadis, Pancha Kosha.
The Teacher — 20 hrs
Methodology, practicum & career — voice, presence, supervised teaching, the business of yoga.
The Life — Yoga Lifestyle, Ayurveda & Integration (10 hrs) · Total: 200 Contact Hours
| Option | Price (USD) | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Private Room — All Inclusive | $2,100 | Tuition + private accommodation + all meals + certification |
| Shared Room — All Inclusive | $1,800 | Tuition + shared accommodation + all meals + certification |
| Tuition Only | $1,200 | Tuition + certification only (no accommodation or meals) |
All-inclusive covers tuition, accommodation, three daily sattvic meals, course materials, and Yoga Alliance certification. Deposit $300 · balance due 14 days before start · instalments available · INR pricing on request.
A Day in the Training
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 5:45 AM | Wake & personal morning silence |
| 6:15 AM | Morning meditation & pranayama (75 min) |
| 7:30 AM | Classical asana practice (90 min) |
| 9:30 AM | Sattvic breakfast |
| 10:30 AM | Theory — philosophy, anatomy or methodology |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch & rest |
| 3:00 PM | Theory — philosophy, anatomy or methodology |
| 4:00 PM | Pranayama, teaching practicum or workshop |
| 6:00 PM | Evening meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound healing or breathwork |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner |
| 8:30 PM | Silence & rest |
Monday–Saturday. Sundays partially free for integration and Rishikesh excursions.
Daily Yoga, Meditation & Pranayama Classes in Rishikesh
Witness Yoga is a living yoga community in Tapovan — open to drop-in visitors, travellers, and Rishikesh locals every single day. The same classical depth as our teacher training, in a single 60 or 75-minute class.
| Time | Class | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM & 9:00 AM | Morning Yoga — Classical Asana | 75 min |
| 11:00 AM | Meditation — Morning Sit | 60 min |
| 4:00 PM | Pranayama — The Science of Breath | 60 min |
| 7:00 PM | Meditation — Evening Sit | 60 min |
Every day at Fitness Yoga Studio, Tapovan · Drop-in ₹500 · 5-class package ₹1,500 · Mats and props provided
Yoga & Meditation Retreats in Rishikesh
Immersive all-inclusive residential retreats — daily yoga, pranayama, meditation, sound healing, breathwork, philosophy, and sacred Ganga walks. Every retreat begins on the 1st of the month.
| Retreat | Duration | Shared Room | Private Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekend Immersion — The Reset | 3 Days | $240 | $290 |
| Week of Stillness — The Restore | 5 Days | $380 | $450 |
| Deep Dive — The Transformation | 7 Days | $500 | $600 |
| Full Immersion | 15 Days | $950 | $1,150 |
All-inclusive. Breathwork from 5 days; excursions and Himalayan sunrise from 7 days.
Why Rishikesh — and Why Tapovan
Known as the yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh is where the Ganges leaves the Himalayas — cold, ancient, and alive — and where seekers have practiced for thousands of years. Witness Yoga sits in Tapovan, the quietest, most sacred corner of Rishikesh — above the river, surrounded by the lower Himalayas, in the heart of the international yoga community.
Getting here is simple: fly into Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun (DED), 45 minutes away — or by train via Haridwar Junction, or direct bus from Delhi. We arrange airport pickup on request.
Your Teacher — Shiva Shankra
Founder — Witness Yoga & Divine Circle · Rishikesh, India
Shiva Shankra has spent 16 years walking the path of yoga — not as a career, but as a calling. Trained at Sivananda Ashram in Kerala, Kevalaya Dhamma in Lonavala, in the Osho tradition, and through a nine-month postgraduate diploma in Yogic Science — he holds 200, 300, and 500-hour certifications, a complete study of all four padas of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, and QCI instructor certification affiliated with India’s AYUSH Ministry. He developed the Witness Yoga method to make Patanjali’s classical yoga genuinely practical for modern human beings — without diluting a single drop of its depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The training is open to dedicated practitioners of all backgrounds. A sincere personal practice and a genuine desire to teach are all that is required.
Yes. Witness Yoga is a Yoga Alliance Registered School (RYS 200). Graduates are eligible to register as RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance International — recognised in over 100 countries.
A new batch begins on the 1st of every month and runs for 25 days. Places fill in advance, particularly October through March.
Tuition, accommodation, three daily sattvic meals, all course materials, and the Yoga Alliance certification fee. No hidden costs.
Yes. Daily classes (drop-in ₹500) and monthly retreats are open to all levels.
Yes — Tapovan is one of the safest, most welcoming destinations in India for solo international travellers. We support you from airport pickup to local orientation.
Fitness Yoga Studio, Tapovan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand — 45 minutes from Dehradun Airport (DED).
Your Journey Begins Here.
The path of the yoga teacher is not a career choice. It is an inner calling — a deepening of your relationship with your own awareness, your own body, and your own truth.
If something in you is ready — Witness Yoga is waiting.