August 2026 - September 2027
200-HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING
The journey in the 200 hr. Yoga Teacher Training begins with a focus on you and your personal practice as a means for understanding and living yoga. From that foundation, you will learn and practice the most important skills for teaching so that you can facilitate yoga for individuals and groups.
Our Mission: This is an entry level yoga teacher training in the Viniyoga lineage to prepare students to deepen their own personal practice, study a comprehensive approach to yoga, and to learn to teach general wellness yoga to diverse individuals and groups of students in a variety of settings.
Schedule for 2026-27 group:
Applications due by August 1, 2026
Tuition payment or payment plan starts by August 5, 2026
Program Start Date: August 12, 2026, Online Welcome Session from 6 – 7 pm
In-Person Sessions at 5 Koshas Yoga & Wellness, Wausau, WI
Saturday, October 10, 2026 from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday, November 14, 2026 from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday, February 27, 2027 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Saturday, May 15, 2027 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday, September 11, 2027 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Program End Date: September 11, 2027
Monthly Mentoring Meetings
1st Wed of Month, 6:00 – 7:00 pm, October 2026 – June 2027
Self-Study
Plan for 3 – 4 hours per week for self-paced lectures, practices, or homework assignments.
Individual Mentoring Meetings
Individual mentoring meetings are scheduled when key assignments are turned in and to mentor on a final project.
Credentials Earned: Students who complete the course are eligible to apply for RYT-200 with Yoga Alliance, the national credentialing organization for yoga teachers.
Pre-Requisites: A sincere desire to learn more about yoga. Immersing in personal practice or taking Viniyoga classes, workshops or retreats is very helpful but not required.
Faculty: The lead teacher and school director, Mary Hilliker, has studied with her teacher, Gary Kraftsow, for the last 20 years. Mary has been training yoga teachers in the Midwest since 2009. She has assembled a group of talented teachers trained in the Viniyoga lineage to assist in the training. Mary Kluz, RYT-500, of 5 Koshas Yoga and Wellness will join Mary Hilliker to co-lead the 2026-27 cohort.
To Apply: Complete the electronic application form and submit to mary@5koshasyoga.com by August 1, 2026.
Fill out the electronic student agreement by August 1, 2026.
Pay the $100 application fee, non-refundable by August 1, 2026. Pay Application Fee.
Two Options for Tuition:
$3400 early-bird tuition by August 5, 2026. Pay Early-Bird Tuition.
Pay As You Go $270/month for 12 months, starts by August 5, 2026. Start Payment Plan.
Training Catalog | Information Packet
Contact Mary Hilliker at mary@5koshasyoga.com for a copy of the training catalog and curriculum.
Free Information Consultation
Contact Mary at mary@5koshasyoga.com or call/text 715.218.7120 to request an individual appointment scheduled at your convenience to discuss the program.
Students who complete this program are welcome to continue with our 300 -hour advanced teacher training.
FACILITATOR
Mary Hilliker
Mary’s intention is to meet you where you are in your journey in yoga and help you move and change from that starting point. She has had a long study in the Viniyoga lineage with her teacher, Gary Kraftsow. She has been training yoga teachers for 14 years. The River Flow Yoga Teacher Training has a 4.98/5 star rating and a NPS score of 10/10 with Yoga Alliance.
Mary has been a yoga practitioner for 35 years and a teacher for 27 years. She holds certifications as a 200 hr. level Hatha yoga teacher, 500 hr. Viniyoga teacher, and Viniyoga Therapist. She is a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists and past Curriculum Coordinator and Faculty with the American Viniyoga Institute’s Yoga Therapist Training.
Her 30 year career as a registered dietitian/nutritionist and health educator in public health, nutrition, and chronic disease prevention, inform her yoga teaching and individualized Yoga Therapy.
Learn more about people have said about the 200 hour River Flow Yoga Teacher Training here: https://www.5koshasyoga.com/teacher-training/
Andrew Beaumont
Dr. Beaumont is a neurosurgeon specializing in diseases of the spine, with a research background in Physiology. On a personal level he has a deep interest in Yoga, Ayurveda, and other traditional medicine systems. He has academic interest in understanding the modern physiology and science behind ancient wellness and healing modalities, including breathing, sound, and meditation. Dr. Beaumont is a registered yoga teacher at the 500 hour level and is a Yoga Therapist Certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Dr. Beaumont is an encouraging mentor to yoga teachers in training. He helps students bridge between modern medicine and science and the ancient wisdom of yoga.
Jay Coldwell
Jay Coldwell, RYT-500, a graduate of River Flow Yoga Teacher Training School, with Mary Hilliker. He is an iRest Level 2 Teacher, having studied with Richard Miller and Stephanie Lopez. He currently studies Yoga Nidra with Indu Aurora. Jay has studied Vedic Chant with Sonia Nelson and Linda Spackman at the Vedic Chant Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, continues to study Yoga Sutra and Vedic Chant with Linda. Jay is also studying classical Non-dual Shaiva Tantra with Kathleen Knipp.
Jay brings a deep level of experience in Vedic chant to his chanting tutorials and yoga sutra lectures and practices. He is a supportive mentor to yoga teachers in training.
Mary Kluz
“My aim is to meet students where they are and lead an exploration of the many benefits of yoga. Focusing on breath and movement with awareness opens a door for practitioners to reconnect with their inner wisdom and cultivate practice self-care.”
Mary Kluz has been practicing yoga consistently since 2004. Her initial exposure to yoga was as a teen; her recent practice has led her to appreciate the benefits of yoga beyond the physical. She incorporates yoga techniques into her professional life as an educator, teaching organizational development, leadership skills and conflict management. She provides training and consultation in personal and organizational development. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level and an Associate Professor Emerita with the University of Wisconsin- Madison, Division of Extension. Mary’s yoga classes at 5 Koshas Yoga & Wellness focus on stress reduction and centering. She has a BS and MS degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mary is a wise, supportive, and perceptive mentor to yoga teachers in training. She is able to translate the teachings for many different learning and teaching styles.
Sally Konkol
Sally has evolved her teaching with a strong focus on functional movement. Being able to do what we need to do at work, around the house, and in the yard informs how she thinks about and develops her classes. Sally is an encouraging mentor of aspiring yoga teachers, providing clear advice in developing confidence and teaching skills.
Sally provide a gentle and supportive environment in which students feel comfortable learning yoga. She has a solid knowledge of all aspects of yoga with a strong focus on foundational postures that can be adapted to the individual, along with learning the benefits gained from the practice. Her attitude in her teaching is one of no judgment, no competition. She is a nurse of 40+ years who has a caring and kind persona. She is particularly interested in helping people to explore how yoga can make a difference in their lives.
Kerry MacDonald
Kerry is a gifted and experienced teacher who is dedicated to helping aspiring yoga students and teachers. Kerry is encouraging and an excellent mentor. Here is what one of her yoga students has to say about her teaching style.
“Kerry’s teaching style is clear and easy to follow. Her Strength & Balance series emphasized poses to build you up for success with a core pose and then help bring you back down. I very much like Kerry’s teaching style. She is consistent in her explanation of the pose. You can tell she is well prepared for class each week. I like a teacher where I’m able to just listen to the instructions during the class and let the flow of their voice guide me. Kerry is that type of teacher for me.” Carol K.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact Mary Hilliker at mary@5koshasyoga.com