Yoga TEACHER Training

Shanti Yoga Center 200-hour Yoga Study + Teacher Training

What You'll Learn

We could spend 100 lifetimes studying yoga and still not know it all! Shanti’s program is designed to capture the heart of yoga, and provide a solid understanding of the key philosophies and practices, as well as getting to know the vehicle we have for exploring yoga: our body, mind, heart, breath, and spirit; and how to confidently, skillfully share yoga with others.

The Shanti 200-hour yoga study and teacher training hits all the benchmarks and then some, with a robust and well-rounded curriculum taught by faculty with deep knowledge and a high degree of expertise in the field.

  • We have no doubt you will come away from the training in complete awe of how amazing we are! You’ll learn all about how we are built, how we move, and how yoga can be a powerful tool to support optimal functioning.

    Anatomy (structures of the body: muscles and bones)

    Yogic Anatomy (koshas)

    Physiology (systems and functions of the body: how it works)

    Biomechanics (how the body moves)

    Breath work and Pranayama (moving life force energy)

    Energetic Anatomy (subtle body, chakras, energy channels)

    Application (how yoga poses and practices affect the physical and subtle body)

  • One of the first things you’ll learn is that yoga is about so much more than poses we might do in a yoga class. It is a whole-being practice that recognizes and cares for our minds and hearts. We’ll explore:

    Meditation

    Mindfulness

    The causes of suffering (Kleshas)

    Nervous system resilience

    Mind-heart connection and coherence

  • When we become a student of yoga, we become apprentices of a remarkable template for living well. Shanti’s program will explore aspects of yoga’s tools for living a vibrant, authentic life:

    Yoga’s principles for living (Yamas + Niyamas)

    Yogic Philosophy (Yoga Sutras)

    Ayurveda (nutrition and self-care)

    Mantra, mudra and other yogic practices beyond physical poses

    Creating a personal practice

    Cultivating a yogic lifestyle

  • Learn the best practices and techniques to design, lead, and promote your classes. Because we know that learning is one thing and teaching is another, you’ll gain teaching experience throughout training so you are prepared to step confidently and competently into teaching when you complete the program. We’ll explore:

    Creative and intelligent Sequencing and Class Theming

    Various styles of yoga (Yin, Restorative, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Nidra, Power)

    Observing and guiding bodies and minds

    Trauma-Informed teaching principles and practice

    Creating a welcoming space and community

    Practice teaching with real-time feedback

    Q&As with a variety of yoga teachers from different styles and backgrounds

    How to share these ancient practices with cultural appreciation and respect

    Sharing your authentic voice and unique light

    Marketing your classes and offerings

    Choosing “what’s next” on your journey

This Could Change Your Life. Really.  

Shanti Yoga Center, located in Saint Cloud, MN boasts a well-rounded 200-hour program. The program explores how yoga is so much more than the physical postures –it’s a roadmap and toolkit for living your life to the fullest, and stepping into your most vibrant authentic self. The program is designed to build a deeper connection not only with yoga, but yourself. We can’t wait to be a part of your body-mind-heart-spirit transformation journey!

Our 2024-2025 program is currently full but please apply and reach out for more information on the 2025-2026 program.

How You’ll Learn

Just as important as what you’ll learn is how.  Shanti values a dynamic and engaging learning process that includes large group and small group discussion, exploring the concepts in your own body, personal reflection, personal practice, observation, and sharing what you learn.

This Training is for You

This training is for you if any of these statements describe you:

  • You are interested in personal development and transformation

  • You are looking to learn new (tried and true) tools and practices that support your physical health and mental wellbeing

  • You sense there is something “more” to yoga than the poses and are curious to learn about that “more”

  • You aspire to teach yoga confidently and competently

  • You are a yoga teacher and want an in-depth, in-person experience to deepen your understanding and build up your teaching skills

  • You are a human :-)

Meet the Shanti Faculty & Guest Teachers

Learn from the Best

Shanti’s yoga study + teacher training is led by the most experienced yoga teachers in the area. Each and every faculty member has at least a decade of teaching; most have been studying, teaching and living yoga for more than 20 years! Every faculty member has at least 500 hours of training, as well as other advanced certifications in everything from restorative to mantra, to somatics and trauma-informed yoga. You’ll also learn from subject matter experts and guest teachers from Shanti and across Minnesota. 

The quality of Shanti’s faculty guarantees a valuable learning experience that is worth your investment. 

Jessie Sandoval

Lead Faculty

  • How long have you been practicing & teaching Yoga?
    Over 25 years

    Training and certifications:
    200-hr yoga teacher training in Houston, Texas

    300-hr SomaYoga/Yoga Therapy Level I yoga teaching certificate; Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute

    Unnata® Aerial Yoga Level 1 and Level 2

    Trauma Informed Yoga, Firefly Yoga International

    21-hr Yin Yoga teacher training; Meghan Foley Yoga Therapy

    30-hr Trauma-Informed, Resilience Yoga; Mollee Sheehan Center for Brilliance

    Challenge to Change Yoga and Mindfulness for K-12 education (currently studying)

    Pilates Mat Certifications, Houston, Texas

    Group Exercise

    Why do you teach yoga?
    Sharing my love for yoga and teaching it to others fills my heart with such happiness and appreciation. I can't picture my life without the touch of yoga in it. It influences everything from how I find my own calm and balance, to the way I engage with my loved ones and community. I truly believe that my yoga practice has made me a better person. Each time I lead a session with our community, I discover something new about myself, and that's the genuine spirit I aim to radiate to my students.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    I love helping students explore both movement and stillness in their practice, sparking their curiosity and awareness of different sensations. I feel most comfortable teaching a power or strength-based flow with a variety of options and poses suitable for all levels. My speciality is creating sequences that gently coax students to step outside their comfort zone and try new postures and movements, nurturing a sense of adventure and personal growth. Lately, I've been weaving in somatics and functional-based sequences, drawing from my own learning and practice.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    I love intentional sequencing and exploring the 'why' or the intention behind a sequence of poses and themes for a class. Cultivating a steady, easeful practice with the incorporation of breath is something I am particularly drawn to. Specifically, I am inspired by Yoga Sutra 2.46 which states, 'Sthira Sukham Asanam: The posture for yoga meditation should be steady, stable, and comfortable.'

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:
    A lifelong student, I often spend my free time immersed in continuing education workshops, courses, or books—all of which I eagerly bring back to the mat to share with my fellow teachers and students. In addition to yoga, I enjoy indoor cycling, hiking, biking, and staying active with my husband, three kids, and our energetic goldendoodle, Diego.

Mollee Sheehan

Lead Faculty

  • How long have you been practicing & teaching Yoga?
    20+ years

    Training and certifications:
    B.A. Psychology: Neuropsychology and Journalism

    220-hr Yoga teaching certificate; Yoga Center Minneapolis

    300-hr SomaYoga/Yoga Therapy Level I yoga teaching certificate; Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute

    Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist certificate; Himalayan Institute

    Four year trauma-focused yoga apprenticeship with Lucinda Pepper and Tracy Williams LICSW, The Emily Program

    30-hr Trauma-Informed Yoga for Youth certificate; Street Yoga Seattle

    50-hr Level I and II Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy certificate; Sundara Yoga Therapy

    30-hr Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Level I, Level II & Level III; Dr. Arielle Schwartz and Dr. Steven Porgess

    Somatic Abolitionism certificate; Education For Racial Equity; Resmaa Menakem MSW SEP

    25-hr Myofascial Release + Yin Training certificate; Heather Beier – Muddy Waters Yoga

    9-hr Mantras Unlocked, Indu Arora

    Instinctive Meditation; Radiance Sutras School of Meditation

    Yoga for Seniors; YogaFit

    Trauma-Informed Yoga Clinical Facilitator; Sundara Yoga Therapy - in progress

    Several workshops and courses with reputable international teachers (Chakras, Yoga Nidra, Kundalini, Ayurveda and the Nervous System, more!)

    Why do you teach yoga?
    Pretty much every yoga philosophy and practice is like a flashing neon arrow pointing at our True identity, the inextinguishable light and infinite brilliance of our own being. Practicing living yoga has helped me navigate life’s darkest days, to truly delight in the sunny ones, and to be present for it all, rain or shine. I feel a moral responsibility to share these life-changing, life-supportive practices with others.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    Facilitating yoga teacher trainings. The format allows time and space to really explore the teachings and practices together. Given the time and attention, no student comes away from yoga training the same as when they arrived. They are more easeful, more connected to their essential self. It is an honor and delight to be a part of others’ transformation journeys.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    A practice my heart enjoys is bringing our intentions and voices together to chant as a group “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”, which is essentially a heart-wish that all beings be happy and free.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:
    I like literally hugging trees; exploring this remarkable living earth, hiking through forests, hills, desserts and mountains; dancing like nobody's watching; singing like nobody’s listening; doodling like nobody’s judging; developing and sharing plant-based recipes that nourish the senses and the body; and lively conversations with people I love, admire, learn from, and/or enjoy.

Betsy Johnson

Faculty

  • What students say about Betsy:
    “Betsy is a remarkable teacher. She carefully guides us through the physical poses, encourages when it might feel difficult, and offers options when needed. But, it is her attention to the emotional and spiritual experience that transforms a yoga class into a practice.” - Kim

    How long have you been practicing & teaching Yoga?
    Over 25 years

    Training and certifications:
    Yoga Loft in Wilmar (Ashtanga based)

    200 Hour

    500 Hour

    MFA in poetry

    MA in theology

    Currently an English Professor at College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University

    Why do you teach yoga?
    The first time I practiced yoga, goodness flooded every single cell of my being. It would be years before I did my teacher training, but I decided to get certified so I could help others experience that same feeling.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    Vinyasa Flow--I love the creative flow of it, how we can go from being an eagle to a warrior to a dog to a tortoise. It helps us practice handling change and challenge. I also love the way it gets me out of my head and into the body.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    One of the deep things that calls to me with yoga is the idea of practice--and how we meet what is (whatever it may be) with as much steadiness (sthira) and ease (sukha) as we can. That, to me, is one of the most balanced and centered ways to live.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:
    I write and record meditations on the Insight Timer app. I have over 6000 followers from around the world.

Kristin Olson

Faculty

  • What students say about Kristin:

    “Kristen has an amazing ability to make the philosophy and teachings of yoga practice easy to understand and apply to real life. Her calming presence and sense of joy combine to make her classes both fun and relaxing while also challenging me mentally and physically.” - Janell

    “I have practiced for 15 years with a plethora of teachers, and Kristin ranks up there with the best of the best. She ties together traditional teachings, asana, pranayama, and meditation in perfect balance to create a beautiful experience in every single class. I leave her classes uplifted with a fresh new outlook.” - Kelly

    How long have you been practicing/teaching yoga?

    Over 20 years

    Please list all of your training and certifications.

    200 hour teacher training

    300 hour teacher training

    Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist Training

    Chair Yoga Training

    Restorative Yoga Teacher Training

    iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation training - levels 1 & 2 and certification process

    Various workshops with nationally known yoga teachers

    What inspired you to become a yoga teacher?

    It was the feeling that sustained after the practice. How I was able to move through life off the mat with more grace and ease in my words and actions. I wanted to explore where that feeling was arising from, so began my studies of yoga.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?

    My favorite class styles to teach are hatha yoga classes where during asana I weave in pranayama practices, chanting, mudras, shat kriyas, and other yogic practices to create a specific energy. It’s fun to see students able to feel into the energy shift and have light bulbs go off.

    Another favorite of mine to teach is RESTorative yoga. I love being able to give someone the time and space to rest, surrender, and just Be.

    iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation is a favorite as well. I enjoy seeing people come home to their Truest Nature through this practice.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?

    The Prana Vayus are a teaching in yoga that helped me to understand the energetic feeling of a yoga practice and how to intentionally use different practices to shift energy and cultivate a feeling

    Also the Yamas and Niyamas - simple to read, but complex in their practice.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:

    I am a dog mom to Mabel and Walter who are always showing me how to be a better human. I enjoy digging in my gardens, dancing in the forests, finding solace by the rivers and lakes, feeling the power of the Pacific Ocean, and the strength and magnitude of a huge a** mountain. It is in nature where I feel most connected to myself and the world.

Paula Keck

Faculty

  • What students say about Paula:
    “Paula’s warm energy makes you feel comfortable and cared for. She challenges you and gives you confidence to try new things.” - Leah

    How long have you been practicing/teaching yoga?
    24 years

    Please list all of your training and certifications.
    E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP®

    Certified Reiki Practitioner

    Specializing in SomaYoga, Myofascial Release and Sound Baths

    Certified in SomaYoga, Restorative Yoga, Sound Bath and Crystal Singing Bowl Therapy

    *currently enrolled in a Pelvic Floor specialization and enrolled in Roll Model Method Myofascial Release Training/Certification in Sept. 2024.

    Why do you teach yoga?
    In my 20+ years of teaching, I have had the opportunity to reach a great variety of students—from preschoolers, to seniors and everyone in between. Yoga is the only practice that meets every one of those students right where they are. It is the great equalizer. And an amazing tool for self-awareness. In my personal practice, yoga has been there for me through physical and emotional highs and lows. My mat is always my soft spot to land. And that is the greatest gift I can share.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    It's hard to pick one favorite, but the ultimate combo class would combine SomaYoga and Myofascial Release followed by a sound bath. These practices provide a path to release those "issues in the tissues", in a most compassionate manner, allowing us to find our way back to center--our true selves.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    To study yoga is an endless journey. I find learning about how our bodies work--physically, neurologically and spiritually--is fascinating.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:

    In addition to my teaching and practice, I own two small businesses--PK Yoga MN and Soul Sisters Sound Baths. I also make and sell yoga-related products including essential oil sprays, eye pillows and yoga mat holders. I live in Albany, MN, with my Golden Doodle Sully, and my Siamese, Minx. My "day job" is remote Project Manager for a digital marketing company out of New York. And I'm mom to four (and grandma to one) amazing humans.

Diane Calabria

Faculty

  • What students say about Diane:
    “Diane's knowledge of yoga goes far beyond the poses. She is a wonderful storyteller who engages classes with the ancient stories connected to yoga. Her kind and gentle nature make you want to keep coming back and learning more from her.” - Shelly

    How long have you been practicing & teaching Yoga?
    I have practiced yoga all of my adult life. I started teaching in 2005.

    Please list all of your training and certifications.
    Certified Level 1 Ananda Yoga Teacher, Certified Level 2 Ananda Meditation Teacher, Certified Trauma Informed, Resilience Focused Teacher. Trainings: Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training, Advanced Yoga Intensive, Yoga to Awaken the Chakras, Meditation Teacher Training Level 1, Posture Adjusting and Advanced Postures, Advanced Pranayama, Understanding the Chakras, Essence of the Bhagavad Gita, Assistantship, Essence of the Yoga Sutras, Spiritual Counseling, Meditation Solutions, Sanskrit for Yogis, Hatha Pradipika, Trauma Informed Resilience Focused Yoga.

    What inspired you to become a yoga teacher?
    As a young adult I was very reserved and quiet, painfully aware that my interest in yoga was not shared or endorsed by most of the people around me. Maybe it was plain old rebellion that inspired me to defy social expectations and forge ahead anyway! I find yoga to be very freeing and want to share that with others.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    My favorite classes are those in which students are willing to try new things, consider new and unfamiliar perspectives, and engage in discussion. Style or format is less important. When students are willing to engage, everyone enjoys the class more.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and Byasa's Bhagavad Gita are dear to my heart.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:
    I take care of a small orchard which is just like yoga practice....if you take care of an orchard (or your yoga practice) with love and attention, consistently, for a long time, it will yield wonderful results.

Ande Adcock

Guest Teacher

  • How long have you been practicing/teaching yoga?
    Practicing since I was a young teen, and teaching for 4 years

    Please list all of your training and certifications.
    200hr, 20hr yin yoga

    Why do you teach yoga?
    I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my practice. It’s important to share what worked for me with others.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    Yin Yoga! It’s an honor to give people the space and permission to slow down. It’s also an experience that allows us to feel deeply, while not letting much brush past our awareness. Yin yoga gives me an avenue to be generous and nurturing, which I think is one of my strong suits.

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    Anything Lao Tzu, specifically the power of softness overcoming hardness.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:
    I enjoy painting, especially mandalas which I learned from a fellow teacher, Paula!

Mary Swank

Guest Teacher

  • How long have you been practicing/teaching yoga?
    20 years

    Please list all of your training and certifications.
    200 Hour Yoga Alliance certification from Return Yoga, St. Cloud, under mentorship of Karin Burke Carlson, 2017

    Why do you teach yoga?
    Being a piano teacher for years, I felt how much I would love to teach a yoga class after my devotion to the practice emerged. Not all of my piano students necessarily wanted to be there or be taught by me! I hoped that adults choosing to learn from me would be a better experience. I also knew from experience that my students would teach me too, through their needs and interests.

    What is your favorite class style or format to teach and why?
    I have found the principled approach of Iyengar yoga to be the most worthwhile use of my yoga practice time; although I got there after practicing more typical flow/vinyasa classes for many years. There is always some jewel of intelligence waiting inside every pose to be discovered and enlisted to heart-mind consciousness. No amount of props is too few to find that armpit-chest lift or femoral turn metacarpal press, etc., etc. The idea is to explore within a pose, as opposed to simply "doing" the pose. I have logged hundreds of hours of practice with certified Iyengar teachers, which alone (a certification process which takes years to achieve) thanks to zoom (and I guess, the pandemic!).

    What is a yoga teaching/practice/ritual or philosophy that is close to your heart?
    Iyengar yoga includes a very firm foundation in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The Sutras are a guidebook to the human condition--good, bad and ugly--and what to do about it. These simple statements can be applied to daily life and/or to our asana practice as a way to practice for daily life. I like little better than to sit with an inquiring group of friends to suss out the meanings in Patanjali's ancient, yet still relevant as ever, scripture.

    Fun facts you want our sangha to know about you:
    I am a pianist, sometime piano teacher (retired), recorder player, Episcopalian. I raised seven children in North Carolina, Alabama and Minnesota--all very musical too. My oldest child, Anna, insisted I start yoga twenty years ago and became my mentor. Now she and I are both teachers. I'm kept busy with managing our household. Even though no offspring or twelve grandchildren live under its physical roof, keeping in contact through long phone calls and travel (even as far as Japan) is all the job I need. My husband and I enjoy listening to a variety of music, from the Berlin Philharmonic to classic rock, "Blind Faith" being a must on any road trip! I'm enjoying a return to reading Shakespeare after forty years! I find that every interest, fresh or mature, feeds into every other interest or concern. Life is good.

2024 program is full!

Shanti’s 200-hour program is full for 2024. Save your spot for 2025 below! Program runs Oct. to April.

We’ll meet the first weekend of each month in person at Shanti:

  • Friday 5pm - 9:30pm

  • Saturday 9:30am - 5pm  

  • Sunday 9:30am - 5pm  

Weekend immersive dates (current 2024 - 2024 dates):

  • Oct 4-6

  • Nov 1-3

  • Dec 6-8

  • Jan 3-5

  • Feb 7-9

  • March 7-9

  • April 4-6

  • Snow makeup: April 11-13

We will also meet an additional day each week online via Zoom, beginning Oct. 10 - April 3, 2025 (same date/time range for 2025-2026):

  • Thursday nights from 6 - 8pm 

PRICING OPTIONS

Pay In Full: $3100; A $500 deposit holds your spot. The remaining balance is due in full by the first day of the program.

Payment Plan: $3398; A $500 deposit holds your spot. The remaining balance is paid in installments of $414/month for 7 months (Sept. - March)

To inquire about work-trade and scholarship opportunities, contact Jessie at hello@shantiyoga.center.

Learn More

Meet Shanti faculty and learn more about the 200-hour yoga study + teacher training program.


2024-2025 program is full (16 students). Join the waiting list by contacting us at hello@shantiyoga.center.

Questions + Answers

  • The amount of yoga experience you have will not limit your ability to participate or to become a yoga teacher. In fact, this training is an excellent way to build a solid foundation for your yoga practice. You are welcome, exactly as you are.

  • Yoga is the study and practice of transformation. This program is perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of yoga beyond the poses, and experience this ancient life-changing wisdom.

  • You won’t be doing yoga the whole time! Each weekend will be a mix of learning concepts, having conversations with your teachers and peers; practicing yoga, and building your teaching skills. All of the physical practices are designed to meet each individual exactly where they are.

  • The training cohort becomes a community. Shanti values inclusivity and participation, so we cap the class size at 15 to make sure all yoga study students can participate fully, and receive sufficient attention and support from the lead faculty.

If you have questions about the program or need help deciding if this is a good fit for you, please reach out to Jessie Sandoval at: hello@shantiyoga.center or call 320.291.6285.