Restorative Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training

This Restorative Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training is a 100-hour, Yoga Alliance certified program held over fourteen days at PachaMama Eco Village & Retreat Center in Nicoya, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. It is led by Veda Ela and is open to yoga teachers, practitioners and anyone drawn to restorative yoga, meditation and mindful living. No teaching experience is required. The training also carries YACEP continuing-education credit, and the first three days can be taken on their own as a workshop.

What to Expect

The training blends restorative yoga, yin-inspired floor poses, breathwork, mindfulness, meditation and self-inquiry. Theory is paired with hands-on practice, so you learn by doing and by receiving feedback, not only by studying. Along the way you explore stillness, conscious movement and deep relaxation, look at limiting patterns, and gather tools for stress and nervous system regulation.

The curriculum covers four areas:

- Restorative Yoga Foundations: an introduction to restorative yoga, yin-inspired poses, use of props and breathwork.
- Teaching Skills: sequencing, observation, adjustments, feedback, teaching practice and use of music.
- Anatomy & Wellbeing: anatomy, nervous system regulation, lifestyle practices and stress management.
- Meditation & Self-Inquiry: meditation techniques, mindfulness, reflection and silence.

A sample day runs like this:

- 7:30 to 8:30 am: breakfast
- 9:00 am to 12:30 pm: morning session on restorative principles, nervous system regulation, meditation and relaxation techniques
- 12:30 to 1:30 pm: lunch
- 2:30 to 5:15 pm: afternoon practicum with prop setup, pose modifications, partner work and supervised teaching practice
- 6:30 to 7:15 pm: silent sitting
- 7:15 to 8:00 pm: buffet-style dinner

The three-day workshop covers the opening of the training. It is a gentler introduction to restorative yoga as conscious rest, with somatic practices, conscious movement, meditation and the foundational principles. It suits anyone who wants to pause and reconnect, or who is weighing the full training.

About Veda Ela

Veda Ela is passionate about sharing the yogic lifestyle and has decades of experience helping people connect with their body-mind system. Participants know her as Ela. Past students describe her teaching as clear, grounded, funny and generous, with particular praise for her feedback and her way of explaining alignment and the nervous system. Several say they felt ready to teach restorative yoga or combine it with their existing classes afterward.

The Setting

PachaMama is a nature-based eco-village and retreat center in a lush jungle setting on the Nicoya Peninsula. Daily life is simple and slow, with a rhythm of meditation, movement, silence and community. Fiber-optic internet is available throughout the village.

Accommodation is private and booked separately. Options include:

- Casita: an open-air, three-sided wooden cabin of about 13 square meters with a double bed, mosquito net, shelf and sitting area. Some have a cold outdoor shower, and hot showers are in the village center.
- AC Room: about 20 square meters with a queen bed, air conditioning, balcony sitting area, small refrigerator and private bathroom with hot shower, about five minutes' walk from the village center.
- Cabinas: an open-plan house of about 40 square meters with a queen bed, sofa bed, kitchenette, air conditioning, hot-shower bathroom and balcony. It sleeps two adults and one child.

Meals are vegetarian buffets, with dietary-friendly options.

Before You Go

At least one year of yoga practice is recommended. Restorative postures are gentle by design, but the grounds involve walking on uneven, hilly terrain.

Tuition includes the training manual, yoga mats, props (bolster, straps, blocks, pillows, blanket and eye mask), Yoga Alliance certification and access to PachaMama facilities. Accommodation, meals, flights and airport transfers are not included. If you choose a casita, bring your own lock and towel.