Mission 200-Hour Yoga and Movement Training
25th August 2024 – 9th March 2025
£3,350
A 200-hour yoga and movement training offering an immersive experience for anyone who wants to engage with the traditional practices of yoga and the modern disciplines of movement in an entirely new way.
To offer an immersive experience for anyone who wants to engage with the traditional practices of yoga and the modern disciplines of movement in an entirely new way. This experience creates a brand-new approach to 200-hour trainings, disrupting the status quo and creating a new model for those who want to teach, or those who wish to take their practice to a new, more in-depth level.
Teacher trainings haven’t changed in 25 years. They have been taught by one or two lead teachers, with a focus on one specific style within yoga. But yoga is an iceberg of practices that cannot be taught by a jack-of-all trades in a modern world where new discoveries about movement are made all the time.
Mission’s 200-hour training takes a very different approach. We offer what amounts to a baccalaureate degree where students research and practise a wide variety of subjects and disciplines that are taught by multiple teachers, each a leading expert in their field — Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Meditation, Restorative Yoga, 4-Beat, Somatics, Hand Balancing and Anatomy/Physiology and Indian Philosophy.
We recognise that not everyone wants to be a movement teacher, but still they wish to learn in-depth. And so we have tailored this programme with two tracks — a curriculum for those who wish to teach, and a clear path for the who don’t.
Mission sits at the epicentre of modern conversations about yoga and movement, and so this training will address head-on hot button issues like intersectionality, inclusivity, and respectful engagement with indigenous traditions.
Personal development goes hand-in-hand with critical thinking and exposure to a variety of of ideas and approaches. We don’t think personal development is possible without an ability to think critically, and this is why we will expose you to many different ideas with no particular emphasis on one. You’ll be given space to build your own toolbox and form a practice/teaching style that is unique to you.
But there are commonalities throughout; pillars upon which this learning experience is built.
Everyone will learn:
Those who wish to teach will learn:
Trainees who show promise and demonstrate the requisite skills and abilities can teach in the Mission Graduate class, and participate in the assistants’ program, giving them opportunities to observe, assist and continue their learning with London’s best teachers. This is the first rung on the ladder toward becoming a Mission teacher.
With Seth Powell
Online
In this 20-hour online course with Yogic Studies, an online university-level educational experience in Yoga and Indological Studies, you will study the multifaced history and philosophy of yoga. Through video lectures, slides, PDF handouts, quizzes and optional readings, you will delve into yoga’s shrouded origins as an ascetic tradition in Ancient India all the way to the emergence of postural yoga around the world. Ideally the course is completed before the start of Module 1.
Yogic Studies was founded by Seth Powell in 2018 to provide continued educational services for the broader yoga community and public. The aim is to bridge the gap between the general public and the academy—seeking to make accessible the highest quality and most cutting-edge research and teaching in the fields Yoga Studies, Indology, and South Asian Studies.
With Helen Russell-Clark
August 25 – 31, 2024
Lake Laguno, Italy
In this module, we introduce some of the fundamentals of Vinyasa yoga. Firstly, the anatomy of breathing, how it relates to pranayama, and how it applies to the asana practice. Secondly, we will look at the postures themselves. You’ll examine the essence and purpose of postures before learning how to translate physical and energetic qualities to varying bodies and needs. We will discuss when and how to offer modifications, variations, and adjustments. We will look at class structure and how to effectively, and safely sequence a class.
Becoming a teacher comes with great responsibility, and in this module, you will also be introduced to the concept of what it means to facilitate learning. Students who wish to do so will begin to teach, using the knowledge they have accumulated to learn how to communicate and present it effectively to others.
With Corrie Ananda
September 13 – 15, 2024
Mission, London
We will begin with a brief history of the Ashtanga Yoga practice, how it began, and how it has evolved. We will discuss themes such as the guru, hierarchy, dogma versus container, privilege, intersectionality and consent. Ashtanga yoga is a concentrative practice and so in this module, you’ll learn the inner and outer points of concentration, and explore their foundations in classical yoga, before learning how to apply them within the ashtanga yoga sequence. You’ll understand how the points of concentration, combined with asana, influence the gross and subtle bodies, creating a holistic practice. We will break down the technique of the postures to find accessible entry points and how to assist with minimum intrusion to the practitioner. You’ll learn the principles of the Sanskrit counting method and have the chance to practise it. By the end of this module, you’ll be equipped to teach a generic Ashtanga yoga class (up to Janu Sirsasana A, and including some closing postures) and provide support to students of all levels.
With Leslie Kaminoff
October 4-6, 2024
Mission, London
Through five sessions of interactive lecture, practice and inquiry, Leslie will draw on his five decades of teaching experience to guide students through the essentials of the human body’s structure and function, as viewed through the unique lens of yoga practice and philosophy.
You will learn:
With Marcus Veda
November 1 – 3, 2024
Mission, London
4-Beat is a dynamic vinyasa flow style of yoga born out of the Rocket yoga system. The core of the practice is the alignment of the breath and movement to the slow, regular beat of the music. Moving this way enhances concentration, facilitates the mental flow state, deepens meditation and furthers personal inquiry.
The asana method is derived from Ashtanga, Iyengar yoga and functional movement practices. We will break down individual poses, investigate their actions, their directionality and see how they then work together to both stimulate and regulate the nervous system. We will look at how the practice can be for everyone. Contrary to popular belief, the advanced poses are not necessarily the extreme looking inversions, but the quieter, more introspective postures. The intention of the physical practice focuses on rebutting the idea that deeper, harder, further is the goal of asana, and instead returning to the idea of steadiness and stability as the objective in every pose.
With Sammy Dinneen
December 6 – 8, 2024
Mission, London
Learning how to handstand has exploded in popularity in the past couple of years, and this module will focus on the fundamentals of going upside down. You’ll learn how to seamlessly incorporate handstands into your movement practice, how to safely fall out of them, and how to spot and help others in them. You’ll learn key preparatory, warm-up exercises, as well as more sophisticated drills to strengthen the body and improve balance and proprioception. You’ll learn how to kick-up using the wall, and explore other handstands skills like straddle and pike press. Handstands give you better awareness and understanding of your body, and above all teach you how to work with fear.
With Anna Ashby
January 10 – 12, 2025
Mission, London
This weekend leans into the essential practice of inquiry as a foundation for practice and teaching. Featuring journaling and contemplative practices that draw forth creativity and distill intention, the sessions weave in yoga wisdom and modern insight as frames for enlivening and exploring ways of knowing and being. Practices will amplify stillness and space as wellsprings for insight and expression.
You’ll learn the art of contemplative practice through essential techniques that begin with asking the right question. The weekend then presents an introduction to the ethos and art of Restorative Yoga. Through immersive practice and spotlighting key postures, this session highlights Restorative as a vital pathway for addressing imbalance and processing unresolved experience. Meditation will also be featured as one of the essential stillness practices that investigates the nature of self and being at the heart of yoga. The weekend culminates with crafting sequences/movements that embody the power of inquiry. It offers time to work with a sūtra or teaching to inspire a creative and purposeful sequence.
With Sally Connor & Baris Yazar
February 7 – 9, 2025
Mission, London
Feb 7 – 8: Teaching All Bodies with Sally Connor
One of Mission’s founding principles is to open yoga and movement up to communities who have in the past been not served and not seen. In this module, you’ll learn how to empower yourself to practice and teach in inclusive and accessible ways regardless of shape, size, age or ability. You’ll learn how to see and feel seen, how to support and be supported, and how to empower yourself and others on the mat. Sally will teach you how to use the right language to create judgment-free spaces, and how to modify any pose for any body.
Feb 9: Moving Freely with Baris Yazar
Movement sits at the crossroads of the internal and the external worlds – the bridge between the subjective and the objective. In this module, we will develop “moveability” through play and exploration while intimately getting in touch with movement as a relationship inherently connected to our perception and behaviour. You’ll be invited to explore and examine the self, the other, and the environment through various movement activities, games and tasks that encourage interaction, coordination, and an ability to sense feedback. You’ll learn how to move freely with fluidity, grace and ease to prepare you for any physical activity.
With Helen Russell-Clark & Genny Wilkinson
March 7 – 9, 2025
Mission, London
As we approach the conclusion of the immersion, it’s important to honour the experiences that we have been through and consolidate the information we have been given. This will be done through an examination process. For those wishing to teach, they will be observed teaching a class. For those wanting to express their knowledge in another way, they will be able to do a presentation or submit a written document.
Endings are important; they form a sense of closure and signal the completion of our journey together. The second part of this weekend module will be used to tie up loose ends, ask any unanswered questions, and reflect on what has transpired over the last six months. It is only from an ending that we are able to make room for new beginnings. By this stage in the training, we would have accumulated a significant amount of knowledge, so it’s important to understand how we can apply it moving forward. This module also acts as a transition process, where we consider how to integrate what we have learned into our daily lives and what our transformations mean to ourselves as well as those around us. We will examine how this information translates into the yoga space, exploring the ethics of sharing this ancient practice, the responsibilities of being a teacher, class etiquette, and potential challenging situations we may come across within studio environments and how to deal with them.
You will also learn about the “business” of yoga — how to approach yoga studios you wish to teach at, how to successfully navigate an audition, and how to move from cover teacher to regularly scheduled teacher. You’ll learn about the economics of running a yoga and movement studio, and how to make decisions that are financially sound AND steeped in yogic principles.
Helen Russell-Clark
Helen has been teaching yoga for more than 10 years, and as well as qualifications in Vinyasa, Rocket, Yin and Pranayama, she also holds an M.A. in Psychoanalysis from the Tavistock and Portman Trust NHS. Helen’s intention as a teacher is centred on creating a nurturing environment that facilitates the emotional and energetic experience of her students’ practice in a safe and inclusive manner.
Corrie Ananda
Corrie is Mission’s Ashtanga Self Practice teacher. She has been practising yoga since 1999 and in 2014 was Authorised Level 2 by Sharath Jois to teach Ashtanga Yoga. She holds an MA from SOAS in the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation, as is also a Functional Range and Mobility specialist. Corrie is a registered Psychotherapist and Counsellor (MBACP), and trainee doctorate in Existential Psychotherapy (DProf). Corrie’s approach to teaching is mindful, inclusive, and from the heart.
Leslie Kaminoff
Leslie is one of the best-known and most-respected teachers of contemporary yoga with a direct lineage to the grandfather of modern yoga himself, Sri Krishnamacharya. Leslie is the leading authority on yoga anatomy, having co-written the cult classic book “Yoga Anatomy,” which sold more than one million copies in 24 languages. He is an internationally recognized specialist with four decades’ experience in the fields of yoga and anatomy. Leslie leads workshops for many of the leading yoga associations, schools and training programs in the world.
Marcus Veda
Marcus is the founder of 4-Beat Yoga, a practice rooted in Rocket Yoga that is modernised by integrating music and then linking it breath and movement. He teaches London’s most popular yoga class, incorporating different movement modalities into the traditional yoga format, including Jiujitsu, Capoeira and FRC (functional range conditioning.) The overarching intention is always to find meditation in the moment by tuning the breath to the beat.
Sammy Dinneen
Sammy is a professional handstand artist and international circus performer. He is one of the best technical hand balancers in the UK, having trained at The National Centre for Circus Arts (the UK’s national circus school) and in Ukraine where he worked with some of the world’s top hand balancers perfecting the art. He teaches sold-out classes and courses at Mission, as trains young circus performers athletes the NCCA.
Anna Ashby
Anna is one of the UK’s leading yoga teachers having studied and practised yoga for more than 30 years and teaching for 25. Anna’s interpretation of yoga has been influenced by her study of dance, training within modern yoga styles focusing on precision and alignment, and immersion in yoga practice and teachings while living in an ashram for 12 years in upstate New York during the 1990’s. Her book, Restorative Yoga: Power Presence Practice for Teachers and Trainees, released in 2022, has become the ‘go to’ book for teachers and practitioners serving as an in depth guide for those interested in the Restorative arts.
Sally Connor
Sally specialises in seeing the unseen in a yoga class, and is passionate about making yoga accessible for all bodies and abilities. She has numerous qualifications to teach Dynamic Vinyasa, Forrest Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra and Breathwork.
Baris Yazar
Baris is the founder of Bambu Bodies, a conscious movement practice that develops strength and flexibility through the integration of different movement practices. For more than two decades he has been performing and teaching Capoeira (an afro-Brazilian art form) and has performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena, and taught at events and festivals around the world. His mission is to empower people to connect to self, other and environment through movement.
Seth Powell
Seth is a scholar of Indian religions, Sanskrit, and yoga traditions, who earned his PhD in South Asian Religions at Harvard University. His dissertation comprised a critical edition, translation, and detailed study of a 15th-century Sanskrit yoga text from south India known as the Śivayogapradīpikā—which uniquely combines yoga, ritual, and devotion. He also works on the visual and material culture of yoga in premodern India.
Genny Wilkinson
Genny is the co-founder and CEO of Mission, Europe’s biggest movement centre that she helped build from scratch. She has managed yoga studios for nearly 10 years, creating class schedules, writing content for workshops, setting up teacher trainings, and managing teachers both in London and internationally. She has been a Mysore student for 25 years and a teacher for 15, and has written in magazines and newspapers on yoga topics including the #metoo movement, cultural appropriation and eating disorders.
Trainees must have two years’ regular practice in any discipline.
Once you have enrolled on the training we will contact you to:
Practice Requirements
Over the course of the six months, trainees must attend Mission classes with the teachers on this course at least five times in each style (Vinyasa, 4Beat, Ashtanga, Bambu Bodies, Handstands.)
Students can practice with faculty teachers free of charge twice a week during the course of the training (classes cannot be rolled over). If they wish to practice at Mission with teachers not on the training, the charge is £5 per class.
Students must also attend 2 workshops of their choice (at a 20 pct discount.)
Trainees must attend a monthly supervision circle with Helen Russell-Clark – this 90-minute personal development workshop taught online is a chance to connect with your fellow trainees, ask questions, share experiences, and engage in lively debate.
A course manual will be provided, and this will be included in the cost of the course.
Course Requirements
– Standing postures
– Seated postures
– Twists
– Backbends
– Inversions
– Arm Balances
– Sun salutations
Mission ensures a high quality, safe, inclusive, accessible and equitable yoga and movement training. Our standards spread across every lineage, style and methodology featured on this immersive experience. This Mission 200-hour training encompasses the following core competencies:
For 25 years, accrediting bodies in the UK and the US have kept a stranglehold on studios and teachers who have felt they have had no choice but to register their trainings with these bodies. Distant, uninvolved and self-appointed organisations are not the sole determinants of the quality of a training.
Mission and the teachers of this training are the best at what we do in our respective disciplines and uphold the highest standards in teaching and practice. We do not see the sense in paying for a stamp from an outside organisation that holds no more authority and knowledge than we do.
Upon graduation, any studio you seek to teach in will recognise the gold standard that is Mission’s 200-hour training. When a studio looks at a potential teacher’s resume, they look at where you trained and with whom you trained. They do not look at accreditation stamps on a certificate. Insurance companies will insure you to teach with our 200-hour training.
You will receive the Mission accreditation upon successful completion of this training.
