curriculum highlights
Please note: This teacher training program is approved with Yoga Alliance (Y.A.) and graduates are eligible to register with Y.A. as a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200-hour level (RYT-200). The therapeutic perspective & curricular components of this program are based on the instructors' registration as a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT) and not derived from their status as an E-RYT 500 with the Y.A. Registry as the Y.A. Registry does not certify therapists, solely yoga teachers.
Certification as a RYT-200 with Yoga Alliance
A solid foundation in classical Hatha Yoga – including alignment based vinyasa flow and restorative yoga within a therapeutic framework.
An anatomy and biomechanically informed alignment system that helps to address common misalignments and keeps your students safe
Modifications and adaptations for all bodies, including special populations such as seniors, pregnancy, and those with injuries.
Gain insights into your (true) nature through the wisdom of Yoga and its philosophy
Explore breath work, mantra and meditation as tools to create vibrant health and wellbeing in your life
Learn the art of sequencing yoga classes that honors your authentic voice and meets the needs of your student population
Business of Yoga & How to Build Your Yoga Community
Learn to share the practices with others in a safe and powerful way
Build self-confidence and tap into your amazing potential in a supportive, nurturing environment
Train with highly experienced, knowledgeable and passionate yoga teachers and yoga therapists
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Peggy Profant, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, E-RYT 500, and Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher, is a playful, passionate and adventurous spirit who is on a lifelong path of Yoga. Her approach blends the ancient wisdom of yoga with biomechanically sound alignment to help her students become more firmly anchored in their true, radiant self. She first discovered Kripalu yoga and changed the course of her life in her formative teen years in 1980.
meet your instructors
Peggy Profant
more about PEGGY
E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist
more about Serena
Serena's yogi uncle in India once told her, “We don’t STUDY yoga, we ARE yoga.” And so began her life-long journey embodying the wisdom of yoga. As a certified Yoga Therapist, Ayurvedic Health Practitioner, and yogapreneur for over 22 years, Serena brings a unique depth of knowledge, rich experience, intuitive leadership, and insightful passion to her offerings.
Serena Arora
December 1-18, 2022
E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist
meet your instructors
Jess Trudeau, E-RYT 500 carries 900 hours of advanced certifications from Yogaworks, Laughing Lotus, Blissology Bali, and Heartwood Institute. A nomad at heart, she has led teacher trainings, retreats, workshops and classes worldwide for 15 years since her first class to a group of women in Mongolia while living in the Peace Corps.
Jess Trudeau
more about Jess
E-RYT 500
Liz Heffernan, E-RYT 500, is a recognized international yoga teacher with over two decades of personal practice and 25 years of teaching. She trained extensively in the Hatha systems of Kripalu, Ashtanga and Anusara and works as an Integrative Yoga Therapist.
Liz Heffernan
more about Liz
E-RYT 500, C-IAYT
January 5 – 22, 2023
at Zen Spirit, Costa Rica
"This experience was the most epic journey I have had in my life. My experience has transformed me. It was so much more than just practicing yoga. I was able to connect to my true self, truly understand and adapt valuable practices to apply to my daily life and make genuine friendships. I am so grateful for the safe and loving space that Alison and Liz cultivated to help us grow into authentic yoga teachers. I feel so confident to take all of the knowledge I have learned and integrate it into my personal practice and teachings. Thank you for everything. 100% I recommend Soma! See you for the Advanced YTT in Greece!"
- Tracy
The Peace Retreat in Playa Negra, Costa Rica is a perfect location for our deep immersion into Yoga.
Peace retreat is a wellness centre designed to enhance the experience of nature that surrounds us by using an increased proportion of open-air common areas with simple and well appointed accommodation options. Their aim is to support their guests to comfortably immerse within the vast open space and stunning scenery; to explore and connect with nature in a tropical setting; to achieve the right balance of peace and rejuvenation.
Playa Negra is a small beach and surf community that's off the beaten track, you will find yourself surrounded by unspoiled nature, next to the most beautiful beaches of Guanacaste on the North Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is just a 20 minute minute walk from Peace Retreat to Playa Negra beach through a jungle path. The beach is large and lovely, the ocean is warm and the sunsets are magical. The beach has a surf wave and an area where you can swim safely.
On your off time or for day off adventures you can enjoy swimming in warm Pacific Ocean, world-class surfing, kayaking, bird watching, horseback riding and hiking to waterfalls, star gazing into the dark sky and much more. In short, it is a nature lovers paradise.
Our Costa Rica PEACE RETREAT Location
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the details
At the Peace Retreat - Costa Rica the cuisine is delicious, healthy, locally sourced and organic when possible. Food is primarily vegan with fish options. Food is mindfully prepared by local chefs. Students who have special dietary requirements are encouraged to let us know in advance as we will do our best to accommodate them. healthy, local, and organic fruit and vegetables.
meals
A $500 USD deposit will reserve your space and will be applied to the full tuition price listed above. Deposits, tuition, and housing payments minus a 10% processing fee, are refundable up to 30 days prior to retreat start date. The 10% processing fee will apply to all refunds and this fee covers credit card charges and administrative processing fees.
Retreat costs (housing and food) are due three months prior to the start date of the program or within two weeks of registering and your final tuition payment is due no later than one month prior to the program start date. If you would like to discuss alternate arrangements or a payment plan, please feel free to contact us directly and we would be happy to work something out.
Fee-free transfers for documented health/emergency situations: If cancellation is necessary prior to the first day of the program due to documented health or emergency situations, a student’s deposit and tuition will be fully transferable to a future program with Soma Yoga Institute. In all other circumstances, due to the logistics involved in planning residential programs in retreat settings, we regret that we are unable to issue deposit/tuition/housing refunds 30 days or less prior to program start date. No refunds are issued on or after the program start date for any reason.
Meditation, pranayama, and gentle movement
Breakfast *Included in Price
Yoga asana practice plus techniques or teaching methodology
Lunch *Included in Price
Restorative, gentle, therapeutic practice, or Yoga Nidra. Yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and ethics, anatomy, and physiology, practice teaching
Afternoon break to rest, swim or take in the amazing sunsets of Costa Rica
Dinner *Included in Price
Evening session
06:00
07:30
08:30
12:30
13:30
15:30
18:00
19:00
Choose Your Dates
Daily Schedule
Program Deposit & Tuition Payment Schedule
RETREAT FEES & Tuition
Tuition price includes housing, food, yoga teacher training tuition, a comprehensive 200 page Yoga Teacher Training Manual, six month access to our 200 Hour Online Yoga Teacher Training content, an essential resource to support you as you move out into the world teaching yoga, as needed mentoring after the program ends (prices vary base on housing preference):
Casa Verde (Single Bed in a Private Quartered Dorm with Shared Bath) $3997 (1 SPACE LEFT)
Double Jungle Cabina (Single Bed in Double Cabina with Shared Bath) $3997 (1 SPACE LEFT)
Double or Triple Casa Room (Single Bed with Private Bath) $4569 (SOLD OUT)
Single Occupancy Jungle Cabina (Single Bed with Shared Bath) $5092 (1 SPACE LEFT)
Single Occupancy Casa Room (Private Room with Private Bathroom) $5647 (SOLD OUT)
December 1-18, 2022
13:30
transportation
Please book your flight to arrive at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) or Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO). Transfer from and to the airport on the group shuttle is provided for a
reduced fee (specified times only).
From Liberia International Airport:
Arrange to fly into the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport (LIR) in Costa Rica. The group shuttle departs from the airport at 3:30 p.m. on arrival day (Dec 1/Jan 5) and returns to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) for flights departing after 12:30 p.m. on departure day (Dec 18/Jan 22). Shuttle from Liberia to Peace Retreat takes approximately 1.5 hours. The group shuttle charge is 50 USD per person each way.
From San Jose International Airport:
Arrange to fly into the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Costa Rica. The group shuttle departs from the Adventure Inn (15 minutes from the airport) in San Jose at 10:00 a.m. on arrival day and returns departing Peace Retreat at 8:00 a.m. on departure day for flights leaving after 3:00pm. Shuttle from San Jose to Peace Retreat takes approximately 4 hours. Group shuttle charge is $100 per person each way. The Adventure Inn in San Jose is a great place for the first night with free airport shuttles if you are a guest and a large breakfast included in the price. You may book a room directly with them here: https://www.adventure-inn.com/. The shuttle will depart directly from this hotel and on the return take you directly to the SJO airport.
We make it EASY & SAFE for You!
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This teacher training offers students in-depth skills to explore Yoga as a vehicle for vibrant health, self transformation,
and personal empowerment. Our curriculum includes a unique blend of alignment-based vinyasa
flow, a solid foundation in Hatha Yoga and 200 hours of instruction offered within a therapeutic framework.
The instruction will cover a wide range of Yoga techniques including Yoga postures, anatomy, relaxation, breath
awareness, pranayama, meditations to calm the mind, contemplations to transform limiting tendencies into life affirming
thought patterns, and the application of clear, anatomy-informed principles of alignment to create safety,
balance, and freedom in Yoga poses. Students explore concepts from Ayurveda, the Upanishads, Patanjali and the
Chakra System as frameworks for the application of Yoga as a journey towards radiant health and wellbeing.
The asana emphasis includes both level one/two alignment-based vinyasa flow sequencing as well as gentler and
restorative variations. Expect to practice asana from all category of poses including standing poses, hip openers,
forward bends, backward bends, twists, inversions, balancing, supine, seated and prone. Modifications for all levels of
practitioners are provided and all levels of abilities are welcome to attend.
Rather than offer standard sequencing or rigid methodologies, students are exposed to frameworks that inspire each
yoga teacher to adopt the practices, awaken their creativity and find their own authentic voice as a teacher.
Graduates of this program feel empowered to teach a variety of Yoga class types, including all levels vinyasa Yoga,
alignment-based classes, Yoga foundations, senior, gentle, and restorative.
What You'll Learn In Your 200 Hour Teacher Training
quick view
Yoga Style: Hatha/Vinyasa/Restorative with a Therapeutic View
Skill Level: All Levels
Class Demographics: Ages 17 – 70, diversity welcome. Our class sizes are typically between 18 - 25 students.
Certification: Soma Yoga Institute 200 Certification, Yoga Alliance RYT-200 Upon Successful Completion
Instructors: Train with C-IAYT Certified Yoga Therapists & E-RYT 500 Master Teachers with 20 + years experience
JUST WOW! My understanding of yoga has changed from a more dominant physical practice to a more balanced mind-body spirituality. I loved the alignment study. This was a true learning experience and Peggy, our instructor, is a star, focusing on the placements and foundations from the ground up and the bones out was truly eye opening. So much material was covered in these 17 days I'm truly impressed. I never felt it was overwhelming but the content and how it was delivered was truly professional and enjoyable. Our instructors Alison and Peggy immediately made us feel at home, with their warm nature and compassion. Yes, I would absolutely do another training with Soma and highly recommend this yoga teacher training to others.
– Allison O’Callaghan, Peace Retreat, Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training
I really enjoyed everything about this yoga teacher training program – the asana practice, history, Ayurveda, chakras, Yoga sutras, chanting, and especially the instructors. Peggy and Alison are amazing!! Keep them as long as you can.
-Jon Sirney, Peace Retreat, Costa Rica 200 YTT
I truly enjoyed the balance between physical activity, spiritual/philosophical learning and the more technical topics. I loved (and needed) the alignment classes! Instead of thinking about an alignment for each pose I am taking away an alignment framework that works with any posture. Alison and Peggy are fantastic teachers and each of them brings their own touch to the yoga classes. I recommend this yoga teacher training to any Yogi looking to learn to teach others in a safe way.
-Aïda El Malti EL, Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this great and unforgettable experience. This yoga teacher training deepened my ability to be more mindful to myself, others and everything. It opened up a dimension of spirituality and inspiration to take care of myself more, to honor myself more. Alison’s yoga classes gave me a deep understanding of self-love, appreciation and love for this planet and they were also very calming and grounding. I truly valued Peggy’s huge knowledge of alignment and assists in asana. My body feels so much better now compared to when I arrived. I've also learned so much and I'm surprised that I can already sequence a yoga lesson! I enjoyed absolutely everything about this yoga teacher training program, especially the perfect mix of our instructors Peggy and Allison!
-Annette Frueh, 200 hour YTT, Peace Retreat, Costa Rica
I had high expectations for this yoga teacher training and all were surpassed! Peggy and Alison are incredible educators, yogis and inspirations. They complemented each other so beautifully and they are so talented, compassionate, and modeled so well the kind of yoga teacher I would like to be. The content and instruction was attentive to making yoga safe, accessible and trauma informed and was exactly what I wanted. This experience has been profound for me guiding me to some important internal changing of patterns. The course also deepened my knowledge and understanding of the background of yoga and how it is used therapeutically. The routine of the course inspired me to dedicate myself more fully to practice. I am so moved by how loving the instructors were and how they supported all of us and made themselves completely available to us as we made our way through the training. Such a big thank you to Soma for conducting an incredible experience.
-Peggy Leggat, Peace Retreat, 200 Hour YTT Costa Rica
"I came for the purpose of learning how to safely get back into yoga after living in chronic pain for over 2 years. I am leaving with no pain in my mind, body, and heart. I was given the space to rest, recover, and to love myself.
The love and care of the instructors was amazing. Sam’s soul oozes with love and gratitude and that spills over to her students. Her zest and love for what she does makes you feel safe, loved, and excited to delve into self-study. She taught me how to calm my mind, open my heart, and know that it will be OK. Peggy gave me confidence and space to feel like I could physically practice again. Her love, patience, and direct approach is amazing. She made me feel safe on my mat and retrained me on proper alignment that has forever changed my practice. The entire experience was so magical."
-Marlo Drago, Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training
"There are so many things I enjoyed about this training! The welcoming, non-judgmental atmosphere, the course structure, routine, delicious meals and the kindness of everyone here are things it can be hard to come by these days. I did not expect to become so in touch with myself and others during this training, but we were continuously encouraged to love ourselves and each other. I have “found myself” and have become comfortable teaching. I am now able to accept that I am enough, that it’s ok to slow down, and that everything I really need to be happy is what I already have! I loved my instructor Sam’s consistent message of looking inward and healing the self. I loved our other instructor Peggy’s asana sequences because they provided a great workout. Both Peggy and Sam teach safe, proper alignment and engagement and because of this I would hesitate to train with any school other than Soma Yoga. "
-Dena Hirliman, Costa Rica Yoga Teacher Training
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