The origin story of Yogi Institute—and why affordable education and personal support remain at its heart.
In January 2022, three brave students joined me for Yogi Institute’s first 200-hour yoga teacher training.
We were in a small Texas town of fewer than 10,000 people, about 45 minutes outside the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. There wasn’t another intigrative yoga teacher training school in town or the nearby communities.
I didn’t know exactly how the school would grow. I knew there were people who wanted to learn, and I wanted to make that education available to them.
Those three students were the beginning of work that would eventually reach beyond that town, beyond Texas, and beyond the United States.
The first ever Yogi Institute graduating class March 2022.
Starting Small and Staying Committed
I registered Yogi Institute LLC in Texas in July 2021. That December, the school received approval as a Registered Yoga School at the 200-hour level through Yoga Alliance.
Our first training brought together in-person and online learning. During 2022, I offered four Yoga 200 trainings and celebrated seven graduates.
The groups were small, and I got to know each student closely. We had time for questions, conversations, teaching practice, and feedback. I learned about their goals and watched their confidence develop.
It never mattered to me how many students were enrolled. What mattered was that they wanted to learn and share yoga with others.
I knew building a school would take persistence. I also knew how valuable it could be for people in our community to have access to this kind of education close to home.
Teaching Yoga Where It Was Unfamiliar
Our town was predominantly Christian and conservative, and yoga was relatively new to many people.
Over the years, I encountered judgment about being a yoga teacher. I was even called a “devil worshipper.”
That was painful, but it also helped clarify how I wanted to teach. I wanted people to feel comfortable exploring yoga without feeling that their beliefs were being challenged or that they needed to adopt mine.
In the studio, I focused on physical movement, breath, and awareness of how the body connects with thoughts and emotions. Students could experience the practice and decide what it meant to them.
I watched people discover strength, confidence, and greater awareness through showing up consistently. Their experiences reinforced my trust in the physical practice and the space it can create for personal change.
That remains central to Yogi Institute today. My approach is spiritually rooted and welcomes all religions and belief systems, including those who follow none. We can practice together, learn from one another, and feel connected while holding different beliefs.
Watching Students Build Their Own Communities
In 2023, I registered Yogi Institute at the RYS 300 level and celebrated our first three advanced training graduates.
That year, I also made Yoga 200 available entirely online while continuing to offer annual in-person and hybrid trainings. By 2024, the Yoga 300 curriculum was fully available online too.
At the time, much of my attention was still on our local community. The online programs gave students another way to participate and allowed the school to reach farther.
Between 2022 and 2025, 21 students graduated locally from Yoga 200. Two went on to open studios in neighboring small towns. Others began teaching and sharing yoga throughout the community.
From 2023 through 2025, 10 students completed Yoga 300, with others continuing their studies.
I know the people behind those numbers. I remember their questions, their teaching evaluations, and the moments when something began to make sense. Watching them create opportunities for others to practice has been one of the most meaningful parts of this work.
The education was reaching beyond our training sessions and into other rooms, towns, and lives.
Leaving Texas and Beginning Again
In December 2025, immigration instability forced me to leave the United States and return to my home country of Canada. Leaving the community I had worked to build was difficult. I missed the relationships and everyday connection of teaching locally.
I also had to consider what came next for Yogi Institute.
The online programs gave me a way to keep teaching and supporting students through that transition. I decided to focus on developing the online school and growing it internationally.
In 2026, 15 students from four countries enrolled in Yoga 200 or Yoga 300, with additional students joining continuing education programs. I’ve loved getting to know students in different places—their experiences, their questions, and the communities they hope to serve. Supporting them has brought new meaning to the school’s work.
I still miss having a local community to pour into, and I’m exploring local studio opportunities. Alongside that, I remain committed to making Yogi Institute’s education available to students wherever they live.
Why Affordability and Personal Support Matter to Me
Yogi Institute grew through small groups and close relationships. That experience continues to shape how I run the school. I want meaningful yoga education to be financially accessible. I also want students to have someone they can turn to as they learn.
Students often tell me they’re surprised by how much they receive for the price they pay. I’m glad they notice the care behind their training: practical instruction, individual feedback, and opportunities to talk through what they’re learning. When you study with Yogi Institute, you study with me.
I answer your emails, observe your teaching evaluations, and grade your written exams. You can bring questions to 15-minute one-to-one Tea Times, weekly group office hours, and monthly cohort sessions.
Tea Times and office hours remain available after graduation, with no time limit. As your teaching develops and new questions arise, you’re welcome to return.
That connection matters to me because learning continues when you begin applying your skills.
The Teachers I Hope to Help Develop
My specialties are connection, accessibility, functional anatomy, alignment, and practical teaching formulas. I want students to understand movement, make thoughtful choices, and adapt their instruction for different bodies. I want them to know why they’re using a posture or sequence and feel comfortable asking questions when they’re unsure.
Alongside that knowledge, I hope they develop confidence in their own teaching voice and kindness toward the people they teach. Every graduate brings a different perspective and will serve a different community. My role is to help them build the understanding and judgment to do that work with care.
Yogi Institute began with three students in a small Texas town. It has grown through persistence, unexpected change, and the people who have chosen to learn with me.
This has become my life’s work. It’s why I care deeply about the education I offer, why I make time for my students, and why their welcome continues beyond graduation.
Come Learn With Me
Whether you’re preparing for your first teacher training or looking to deepen your expertise, I’d love to hear what brought you here.
With warmth,
Jill Enticknap
Founder & Lead Educator, Yogi Institute
