SWIHA Blog

If you’re considering yoga teacher training, you may be wondering what actually happens during a 200-hour program. What do you learn? Do you practice teaching? Is the curriculum focused only on physical yoga postures, or is there more to becoming a yoga teacher?

At Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), 200-hour yoga teacher training is designed to go beyond learning how to lead a yoga class. Students explore the foundations of yoga, develop practical teaching skills, deepen their personal practice, and gain hands-on experience teaching others.

As the wellness industry continues to evolve, students are seeking more than just movement-based yoga classes. Many people are looking for practices that help them slow down, regulate stress, improve sleep, support emotional well-being, and reconnect with themselves on a deeper level. That’s where Yoga Nidra comes in.

For yoga teachers, adding Yoga Nidra to your existing skillset can be a powerful way to expand your offerings, deepen your impact, and support students in entirely new ways.

AtSouthwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), Yoga Nidra training gives yoga teachers the opportunity to learn how to guide transformative states of deep relaxation and inner awareness while growing both personally and professionally.

For years, success was often defined by a traditional career path: earn a degree, get a stable job, climb the ladder, and stay there for decades. Today, more people are beginning to question whether that path truly fulfills them. Across the country, there’s a growing movement toward careers that feel more meaningful, flexible, and aligned with personal values — and holistic wellness careers are leading the way.

There comes a moment for many people when their current path no longer feels aligned.

Maybe it’s the stress of a fast-paced job.
Maybe it’s the desire for something more meaningful.
Or maybe it’s a quiet inner voice asking for a deeper connection—to yourself, your purpose, and your impact on others.

For those ready to answer that call, Yoga Teacher Training isn’t just a program—it’s a turning point.

At the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA), the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) is where that transformation begins.

Gratitude has always been familiar to me; I’ve been a happy-go-lucky person for most of my life. I’m an optimist by nature! As a longtime student of A Course in Miracles, I consciously choose to be “miracle ready,” which means staying in a state of gratitude and readiness as a daily practice.

It wasn’t until I traveled to India that I understood gratitude on a deep, visceral level. Imagine traveling for more than 30 hours with little sleep, only to arrive at a modest ashram in Mulvu, India. We were assigned to a camp-style dorm room equipped with low metal cots and packed-down futon mattresses. The “shower” was a simple pipe emerging from the wall about two feet off the floor, with a blue plastic bucket beneath a rusty faucet. A dipper cup hung from the bucket’s rim. And yes—there was a small plastic stool on which to crouch while using what was affectionately known as “the bath bucket.” It was clear that warm—let alone hot—showers were not among the amenities.

September is National Yoga Month, a time to celebrate the power of yoga to bring balance, peace, and healing into our lives. It’s also a time to deepen our practice by exploring the “why” behind the movements and traditions we often take for granted. One of those small yet significant traditions is the way yoga teachers cue us to roll onto our right side after savasana. Have you ever wondered why? I did too!

When I think about why I’ve always cued students to roll to the right after savasana — that sacred final relaxation pose — my reasoning was rooted in symbolism. For me, the right side represented the East, where the sun rises each morning. Rolling right felt like an invitation to step into a new day, a new beginning. At the close of practice, my hope is to prepare yogis for renewal, carrying the peace of their practice into the rest of their day.

However, after teaching yoga for more than 14 years, I decided to dive deeper into the wisdom behind this cue. Here’s what I discovered:

In 2004, Becca Schmidt made a decision that would change the entire course of her life. After years of working in the high-stress worlds of marketing, public relations, event planning, and volunteer management, she knew she needed something different. With marriage and motherhood on the horizon, she longed for a career that offered balance, creativity, and flexibility—without sacrificing her passion for connection and communication.

That’s when she found Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) and enrolled in the Yoga Teacher Training program. Looking back, she calls it one of the most pivotal choices she’s ever made.

When most people think of yoga, they picture downward dogs, warrior poses, and peaceful savasanas. However, those physical movements, known as asanas, are just one small part of what yoga truly is. In fact, they’re only one limb of the 8-limbed path laid out in the ancient yogic texts. The real gift of yoga lies in its ability to awaken the inner world… offering a path to presence, connection, and liberation. Yoga is not just a workout; it is a way of life.

When people think of yoga, they often picture peaceful poses and deep, mindful breaths. However, beyond the physical practice, yoga is a gateway to a fulfilling and financially rewarding career. Whether you're dreaming of teaching in a studio, leading retreats in stunning locations, creating digital content, or building a loyal online community, yoga teacher training (YTT) offers a path to meaningful work that aligns with your passion for wellness.

In today’s fast-paced world, many people are seeking more than just physical rest—they’re craving deep emotional, mental, and spiritual restoration. Enter Yoga Nidra, a powerful practice of conscious relaxation that guides the body into deep rest while keeping the mind aware and receptive. Often called “yogic sleep,” Yoga Nidra is far more than a nap—it’s a doorway to healing, insight, and expanded awareness.