22 Day 200-Hour Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training in Solola, Guatemala
Immersive Yoga Teacher Training Guatemala
All yoga teachers need trauma-informed training because every yoga class holds a room full of histories. Trauma doesn’t announce itself obviously. It sometimes shows up in a tight hip, a held breath, or a student who can’t close their eyes. The Bigger Life YTT prepares you to meet all of it: with skill, with steadiness, and with a practice that goes far deeper than posture cues. You’ll complete training with a deeper understanding of your own practice. Our goal is to prepare aspiring yoga teachers to be of service to the many needs of this world, wherever they end up teaching.
Meet the instructors
Read more
Highlights
- Eligible to register with Yoga Alliance upon completion
- Daily trauma-informed yoga classes
- Trauma-informed yoga methodology
- Cleansing sauna evenings
- Special ceremonies
- Group and individual mentorship and integration support
- 21 nights accommodation
- Daily plant-based meals
Skill level
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Yoga styles
21 days with instruction in English
Average daily hours of activity: 8
Accommodation
Mystical Yoga Farm: An Off-Grid Sanctuary
Mystical Yoga Farm is a 100% off-grid, zero-waste, sustainable eco-retreat center on the shores of Lake Atitlán. Trainees are welcomed into a truly yogic, intentional community for 21 nights, immersed in conscious, simple living. The farm uses composting toilets, solar power, permaculture practices, and limited Wi-Fi by design — the absence of distraction is part of the experience.
Room options
- Shared dorm bed in a 4-bed or 6-bed dorm, same-gender roommates, shared composting bathrooms, and hot showers — a vibrant communal living experience
- Private single room with a single bed, shared composting bathroom, and hot shower — ideal for personal space, deeper rest, and integration
- Private double room for couples with a double bed, shared composting bathroom, and hot shower — share your growth journey with your partner
Quiet hours after 21:00 are observed by all trainees to ensure adequate rest during this transformational immersion. Early bird sign-ups receive first choice of room type. A possible upgrade to a fancier accommodation with a private bathroom may be available on request, subject to availability and additional cost.
Full use of facilities
- Multiple yoga shalas with mountain and lake views
- Sound healing dome and ceremonial fire circle
- Tree net hangout and lakeside dock with swimming platform
- Paddle boards, kayaks, yoga props, and sound healing instruments
- Three nourishing plant-based meals daily, prepared by local chefs using home-grown organic ingredients
- Filtered drinking water and tea are always available
Honoring place and people
Mystical Yoga Farm proudly supports the local Tz'utujil Mayan community, respecting ancestral wisdom and caring for the land in everything they do. Choosing this venue means investing in a model of regenerative, community-centered tourism rooted in the ethics of yoga.
Program
Certification
Students who complete the training are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®).
Overview
This 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher training is grounded in a trauma-informed approach to teaching, learning, and embodiment. Over 21 days at Mystical Yoga Farm on the shores of Lake Atitlán, you will study the foundations of yoga as a path of liberation while learning to teach with sensitivity, skill, and ethical awareness.
What you will study
- Asana methodology, alignment, and intelligent sequencing
- Anatomy and physiology relevant to safe and accessible teaching
- Pranayama, meditation, and contemplative practices
- Yoga philosophy, including the eight limbs and the Yamas and Niyamas
- The history of yoga and its ethical foundations
- Trauma-informed teaching principles and language
- Teaching practicum with personalized feedback
- The business of teaching yoga with integrity
Sample daily schedule
- 06:30 Silent coffee or tea on the deck
- 07:00 Meditation and pranayama
- 08:00 Morning asana practice
- 09:30 Breakfast
- 10:30 Lecture or workshop
- 13:00 Lunch and integration time
- 15:00 Lecture, anatomy, or teaching practicum
- 17:00 Restorative or active asana practice
- 19:00 Dinner
- 20:00 Evening satsang, kirtan, or quiet rest
Free time and integration
One full day each week is reserved for rest and personal exploration. You may choose to swim in the lake, hike to nearby villages, receive a massage, or simply rest. Integration is essential to the trauma-informed approach.
The commitment
Bigger Life Adventures honors the lineages from which yoga comes, and they teach with humility, recognizing that this practice was developed over thousands of years in India. They weave the ethics of yoga into every aspect of the training, from how they treat one another to how they relate to the land, the lake, and the local communities that host them.
Instructors
Carrie Hoffman
Carrie has been practicing yoga for 12 years, teaching for six, and can personally attest to the transformational power of the practice. She loves enabling students to explore yoga beyond the mat and discover a mind-body-spirit practice that works for them. In 2018, she obtained her Yoga Alliance RYT 200 from Quantum Yoga School under teacher Lara Baumann, and in 2021, her RYT 500 from Lakshmi Rising School of Yoga and Wellness under Dr. Liz Lindh. She’s additionally trained in trauma-informed yoga, yoga for recovery, teaching yoga to teens, and yoga for mental health.
Retreat location
Lake Atitlán: A Sacred Mayan Wonder
Nestled on the shores of Lake Atitlán in the highlands of Guatemala, Mystical Yoga Farm sits in one of the most beautiful and spiritually significant places on Earth. Surrounded by three majestic volcanoes — San Pedro, Tolimán, and Atitlán — this lake is considered sacred by the Tz'utujil Mayan people and is often called "the place where the rainbow gets its colors."
The farm is located in a remote, off-grid setting accessible only by boat, near the town of Santiago Atitlán on the lake's south shore. This positioning offers genuine immersion in Mayan culture and the natural rhythms of the lake, away from the busier tourist hubs.
What you'll find nearby
- Boat trips to lakeside villages, including Santiago Atitlán, San Pedro La Laguna, San Marcos La Laguna, and San Juan La Laguna
- Hiking and exploring the three volcanoes that ring the lake
- Living Tz'utujil Mayan culture, ceremonies, and artisan markets in Santiago Atitlán
- Swimming, paddle boarding, and kayaking directly from the farm's dock
- Sacred Mayan sites and traditional weaving cooperatives
- Cacao ceremonies and traditional temazcal (sauna) experiences
Why Guatemala
Lake Atitlán has drawn seekers, healers, and yogis for decades, and for good reason. The land itself becomes part of the curriculum. There is a stillness here that is hard to manufacture anywhere else, paired with an aliveness that keeps you fully present in a way a city studio simply cannot. Guatemala is also genuinely accessible — more affordable to reach than Bali, less traveled than Costa Rica, and far less commercialized than most yoga destinations. Your cohort gets the lake magic without the tourist noise.
This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly
Click to see more vegetarian-friendly Yoga Retreats
Food
Three nourishing plant-based meals are served daily at the farm, prepared by local chefs using organic ingredients home-grown on the property whenever possible. The menu honors the yogic principle of ahimsa (non-harming) with seasonal, whole-food cuisine that supports your practice and the land.
Daily meals
- Breakfast: fresh fruit, grains, and warm beverages to start the morning gently after meditation and asana
- Lunch: the main meal of the day, featuring locally sourced vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
- Dinner: lighter fare designed for easy digestion before evening practice and rest
Drinks
- Filtered drinking water available throughout the day
- A selection of herbal teas
- A silent coffee break is built into the daily schedule
Dietary needs
Bigger Life Adventures is happy to accommodate gluten-free, nut-free, and other dietary needs with advance notice. Please share any allergies or restrictions on your application so the kitchen team can plan accordingly.
A note on the community
Mystical Yoga Farm is an alcohol-free space throughout the training. This supports the contemplative environment and the integrity of the work they are doing together.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Lacto-ovo Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Organic
- Whole food
- Yogic
Things to do (optional)
Activities and services available at an additional cost:
- Therapeutic massage at the farm
- Sound healing sessions
- Cacao ceremony
- Guided hike to nearby Mayan villages (Santiago Atitlán, San Pedro)
- Volcano hike (San Pedro Volcano)
- Kayaking or paddleboarding on Lake Atitlán
- Spanish language lessons
- Private boat tours of Lake Atitlán
- Visits to local artisan cooperatives
- Astrology or natal chart readings
- Extra nights of accommodation pre- or post-training
- Airport transfers from Guatemala City
Spa treatments
Mystical Yoga Farm offers a range of healing bodywork and spa treatments to support your immersion. These services are not included in the training price and can be booked on-site (cash or card) at your discretion.
Available treatments
- Therapeutic massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Thai-style bodywork
- Reflexology
- Reiki and energy healing
- Sound healing sessions
Booking
Treatments are available throughout your stay, subject to practitioner availability. It is recommended to book early on-site to reserve preferred time slots, particularly during the longer practice days.
What's included
- Eligibility to register with Yoga Alliance upon completion of the course
- All yoga classes, meditation sessions, and workshops
- 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified curriculum and training manual
- Daily morning and evening yoga practices
- Lectures on yoga philosophy, anatomy, and trauma-informed teaching
- Teaching practicum with personalized feedback
- One full rest day per week for integration
- Group boat transfer from Panajachel to Mystical Yoga Farm on arrival day
- Group boat transfer back to Panajachel on departure day
- 21 nights of accommodation at Mystical Yoga Farm
- 3 plant-based meals daily, prepared with organic ingredients
- Filtered drinking water, herbal teas, and a daily silent coffee break
- Access to the lake, meditation gardens, and farm grounds
What's not included
- International and domestic flights
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
- Airport transfers (available as an add-on)
- Visa fees, if applicable
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Gratuities for staff and teachers (appreciated, not required)
- Optional excursions and spa treatments
- Additional yoga props (mats and blankets provided)
- Laundry services
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Transfer available for additional US$ 75 per person
La Aurora International Airport
75 km away from your destination
Arrival by airplane
Trainees fly into Guatemala City — La Aurora International Airport (GUA). From there, Bigger Life Adventures will help coordinate group shuttle transportation to Lake Atitlán, connecting students with one another to share rides and travel together once you're registered.
The journey from GUA to Mystical Yoga Farm typically involves a shuttle from Guatemala City to Panajachel (approximately 2.5 to 3 hours by road), followed by a short boat ride across the lake to MYF, which is only accessible by boat from the lakeshore.
We strongly recommend arriving at least one day before the training begins to allow for safe daytime lake travel and to rest from your journey. Antigua is a beautiful place to spend a night or two before heading to the lake.
Please note that airfare and travel expenses to Atitlán are not included in the YTT package. Once registered, the team will share detailed arrival logistics, recommended shuttle providers, and connect you with your fellow trainees to coordinate.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
Reviews
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookYogaRetreats.com. All major credit cards supported.