Yoga Teacher Training
Hatha-Raja Level 1
September 4 - December 6, 2026
Study yoga as a living tradition and learn to teach from the inside out.
THE COMPLETE PRACTICE: Hatha-Raja Yoga Level 1 Teacher Training
September 4 – December 6, 2026
In person at Yoga Commons | Fairfax, VA
Applications open to all starting April 1st. Spaces are intentionally limited.
JOIN US FOR A FREE ONLINE INFORMATION SESSION ON SUNDAY, JULY 19TH AT 4PM
Want to learn more?
Join us for a live, online information session on Sunday, July 19th at 4:00pm to learn more about the structure, expectations, and application process. Bring your questions and determine whether this training is right for you.
Join us via Zoom or contact us with any questions you may have at info@yoga-commons.com.
Why this training.
Our Hatha–Raja Level 1 training is rooted in the two lineages at the heart of Yoga Commons: Ashtanga Vinyasa and Dharma Yoga. You will study both the outward and inward dimensions of yoga: the postures, the breath, meditation, and ethical living. None of it stands alone.
You’ll begin to see how physical discipline clarifies the mind. How philosophy becomes meaningful when you apply it. How breath reshapes the way you move through your day.
You will establish a consistent personal practice within these lineages. You will deepen your understanding of why you practice the way you do. And if you choose to teach, you will share from lived experience.
Nothing is rushed.
Nothing is superficial.
This training is designed so that you experience the depth first. And then, if called, learn how to guide others into it.
This Training is for you if...
You’ve been practicing for a while and feel ready for something deeper.
You want to understand yoga beyond the poses.
You want to connect to the roots of the tradition, not just replicate what you’ve read or seen.
You want to build a practice that will support you for the rest of your life.
You may feel called to teach. Or you may simply want to study seriously and refine your understanding of yoga.
You’re not looking for a quick certification. You’re ready for real study.
This is not casual. This is immersive, disciplined, lineage-rooted training for practitioners who want to live their yoga, not just perform it.
What you will learn and practice.
Our curriculum is structured across twelve immersive weekends. Each module builds on the last and immediately informs your personal practice.
You will study the roots of yoga and the evolution of Hatha and Raja traditions, with specific emphasis on Ashtanga Vinyasa and Dharma Yoga. You’ll understand not just where these practices came from, but why you practice them the way you do.
History of Yoga and Lineage
You will refine your personal asana practice while learning how to teach clearly, safely, and confidently. You’ll practice intelligent sequencing, hands-on assists, verbal cueing, and adapting postures for different bodies. You’ll learn how to lead a room with steadiness and clarity.
Asana Practice and Teaching
You’ll gain a functional understanding of how the body moves and adapts in practice. You’ll be able to make practical, responsible teaching decisions in real time based on the needs of the students in front of you.
Anatomy and Biomechanics
You will develop a steady personal pranayama and meditation practice. You’ll study the subtle body, including chakras and energetic principles, not as abstract theory but as lived experience.
Pranayama, Meditation, and Subtle body
You’ll study the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita. You won’t memorize concepts. You’ll discuss, reflect, question, and integrate. You’ll begin to see how philosophy directly shapes the way you live.
Yoga Philosophy and Texts
You will be introduced to Ayurveda as the sister science of yoga and explore how it supports sustainable practice and lifestyle.
Ayurveda
You’ll learn how to navigate the business of yoga in an authentic and ethical way. This includes understanding scope, responsibility, professionalism, and how to teach without compromising your integrity.
Professional Readiness
How you will learn and grow.
This training is structured to support steady growth. You will practice, study, reflect, and teach in a way that builds clarity over time, with clear expectations and consistent guidance.
Every module combines guided practice, lecture, discussion, reflection, and teaching labs. You learn by doing, not just listening. Concepts are applied immediately so your understanding becomes embodied, not theoretical.
Experiential Learning
You will read the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita in full, engage key philosophical concepts in guided discussion, and complete written reflections that connect study to your own life and practice. This is structured study with clear expectations, meaningful dialogue, and space to think critically and integrate what you learn.
Study, Reading, and Reflection
You will maintain a steady Mysore-style practice in both Ashtanga Vinyasa and Dharma Yoga, attend required led classes in asana, pranayama, and meditation, and continue refining your personal practice throughout the training. Your own consistency is the foundation of everything else.
Self-Practice
You will teach within the training cohort and lead a community class at Yoga Commons, receiving structured feedback and guidance along the way. Small-group learning ensures personalized feedback, real-time support, and meaningful connection as you grow — both as a practitioner and, if you choose, as a teacher. You won’t be left figuring it out alone.
Community and Mentorship
Our Faculty
Our Hatha–Raja Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training is led by Yoga Commons co-founders Jen Armistead and Michelle Nguyen. Together, they bring complementary depth in Dharma Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, shaped by years of disciplined practice, ongoing study, and community leadership. Our aim is not simply to train teachers, but to support practitioners ready to step more fully into the tradition.
You’ll be guided by teachers who are actively practicing, studying, and refining the same work you are stepping into. Throughout the training, we are joined by carefully selected adjunct faculty whose dedicated practice and specialized expertise help ensure a complete and well-rounded yoga education.
JEN ARMISTEAD
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Jen is a scientist, humanitarian, yoga practitioner and teacher. Jen approaches yoga much like an experiment, and encourages everyone to investigate the potential of their mind-body-spirit connection. She values autonomy over authority and strives to empower individuals to develop a compassionate, intuitive and exploratory yoga practice. She is a co-founder of Yoga Commons in Fairfax, VA. Jen is a student above all else and is grateful for her teachers and mentors, namely Sri Dharma Mittra, David Kyle, and Nathania Stambouli, as well as all those of the Ashtanga and Dharma Yoga lineages, past and present. She has completed over 1500 hours of training and is a certified Dharma Yoga and Rocket Yoga Teacher.
MICHELLE NGUYEN
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Michelle is a residential architect, an ashtangi & rocket student, and a yoga teacher. Michelle came to yoga as a way to reintroduce exercise back into her life after suffering a concussion in 2013. Along with regaining strength and balance, what Michelle didn’t expect to find was the connection between the mind, body, and breath and how the practice permeates into all facets of her life even off the yoga mat.
Michelle is a RYT-500 through Yoga Alliance and is certified to teach the Rocket through David Kyle, as well as Yin Yoga through Yael Flusberg. She received her RYT-300 at Miami Life Center, which focused on the Ashtanga Yoga system. Michelle is a regular, Ashtanga Mysore practitioner and is grateful for her teachers; Maggie Lively, Jarrick Browner, and Tim Feldmann. In the yoga room, she’s all about creating a safe space, building a supportive community, including all types of bodies, while honoring individuality.
Off mat, Michelle enjoys traveling around the world with her husband of many lifetimes, hanging around with their adorable pups, and designing the house of your dreams.
DEREK COOK
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Derek is a teacher, an experienced movement / manual therapist, and internet ordainer reverend preaching the gospel of the human form. His study has led him deep down the path of not only asana and movement, but of the physical mechanics and philosophical intricacies of the human experience. As an anatomy teacher and bodyworker Derek has honed his understanding of the form and function of the human body, both in the laboratory setting alongside world renowned fascia expert and anatomical explorer Dr. Gil Hedly, and through working with countless moving bodies of all sorts. Derek has developed a passion for sharing the beauty of the physical form and helping others to see how through understanding we have the power to heal within our grasp.
PAM JONES
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Pam was born and raised in London. Having been trained as a dancer in her early years, she loved the physicality of yoga but soon realized there was so much more. On a fortuitous day in 2007 she walked into a small studio in New York City and found her Guru Sri Dharma Mittra. A few months later she moved to NYC to study with him and has never looked back.
She is a certified 1000hr Dharma Yoga Teacher and serves as a mentor for the Life of a Yogi Dharma Yoga Teacher Trainings in NYC. She is also a certified Ayurvedic coach and completed her Ayurvedic Nutrition and Culinary training with Divya Alter. She has taught numerous Yoga Trainings, Retreats, Immersions, Ayurveda and food workshops across the globe. Pam hopes to inspire people - wherever they may find themselves on their yoga journey. She believes that all can practice yoga to achieve radiant health, inner peace and the ultimate goal, Self realization.
Training at a Glance
Dates
September 4 – December 6, 2026
Twelve in-person weekend modules at Yoga Commons.
Weekends Off
October 10–11, 2026 (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
November 28–29, 2026 (Thanksgiving Holiday)
Opening Ceremony
Friday, September 4, 2026
Closing Ceremony + Graduation
Friday, April 2, 2027
Typical Weekend Schedule
Saturdays
8:00–9:30 AM — Led Primary Practice
11:30 AM–6:00 PM — Training Module
Sundays
8:00–10:30 AM — Pranayama, Meditation & Led Dharma Practice
12:30–5:00 PM — Training Module
Select modules may extend slightly beyond listed times.
All sessions are in person. Your consistent presence matters.
Requirements to complete this training.
To receive your Hatha–Raja Level 1 Yoga Teacher certificate, accredited through the American Yoga Council, you must complete all requirements by March 31, 2027:
Full attendance at all twelve weekend modules
Complete 20 Mysore-style practices (10 Ashtanga and 10 Dharma Yoga)
Attend10 Led Primary (Saturdays) and 10 Dharma Yoga Classes (Sundays)
Attend 10 Pranayama and Meditation Classes (Sundays)
Observe 10 Classes at Yoga Commons and submit written summaries
Complete required reading (Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, The Science of Yoga)
Write three personal reflections on assigned texts/topics
Submit one written class sequence
Teach one 60-minute peer practicum and one 75-minute community class
Pass final oral assessment
Complete 10 hours of karma yoga (community service/volunteering)
Maintain a vegan or vegetarian diet for the duration of the training
Full attendance is expected. If you anticipate missing any weekend sessions, please raise this before applying. Depending on the content missed, make-up work may or may not be possible.
To support accessibility while preserving the integrity of in-person training, each trainee may complete up to five required Mysore classes and up to four required led classes (Saturday Led Primary and/or Sunday Dharma Yoga) online.
Tuition and Enrollment
Tuition
Early Bird Rate through April 30th: $2,599
With Payment Plan: $2,799
Regular Rate after April 30th: $2,999
With Payment Plan: $3,199 (available through August 31st)
Enrollment
Enrollment opens first to Yoga Commons members for one month before opening to the public.
Spaces are intentionally limited to preserve depth of mentorship and community learning.
Application Process
Step 1 – Apply
Submit your written application and $200 application fee (applied toward tuition if accepted).
Step 2 – Acceptance & Registration
If accepted, you’ll receive enrollment materials and payment options. Once payment is made, your spot will be confirmed.
Step 3 – Preparation
You’ll receive a welcome packet with reading guidance, expectations, and schedule details.
Applications are reviewed thoughtfully to ensure readiness and alignment.
Prerequisites
This training is designed for committed practitioners. You should have:
A consistent and established yoga practice (minimum six months strongly recommended)
Familiarity with foundational asana and breath awareness
A genuine desire to study deeply and grow
A willingness to engage discipline and responsibility
This is not a retreat. It is immersive, demanding, and transformative when you engage it fully.
If you’ve been practicing for a while and feel something stirring, a desire to go deeper, to understand more, to build a practice that truly supports your life, then this is your moment.
This training is immersive. It is disciplined. It is rooted in living tradition. It is simple in structure. Clear in expectation. And designed to support you every step of the way.
You will study seriously.
You will practice consistently.
You will grow in steadiness and clarity.
And if you choose to teach, you will do so from experience.
If that excites you, we invite you to apply. Spots are limited. Applications are reviewed thoughtfully.
We would be honored to practice and study alongside you.
Are you ready to step in?
Join us for a live online information session on Sunday, July 19th at 4:00pm to learn more about the structure, expectations, and application process. Bring your questions and determine whether this training is right for you.
Join us via Zoom or contact us with any questions you may have at info@yoga-commons.com.