150hr Yin Yoga & Chinese Medicine Teacher Training

Our Five Elements methodology has been developed and refined through many years of teaching, practice, observation and experience.

It grew from a desire to explore the Five Elements in Yin Yoga in a way that goes beyond simply learning which meridians relate to which postures. Rather than treating the Elements as another layer of information to add to a Yin practice, we work with the deeper qualities, relationships and dynamics of the Five Elements as a framework for understanding and creating practice.

This means learning to see the Elements as a living system — and to work with their subtleties, patterns and relationships rather than following a fixed formula.

The result is a more intuitive and responsive way of working with Yin Yoga, where your understanding of the Elements can inform how you shape a practice, teach a class and respond to the person or moment in front of you.

Chinese Medicine and Five Element wisdom are taught by Tobias, a practicing Chinese Medicine practitioner and acupuncturist with more than 25 years of clinical experience.

Yin Yoga and teaching methodology are taught by Marcela, with more than 15 years of international teaching experience and more than 40 teacher trainings behind her.

You are learning directly from practitioners who have spent decades studying, practising and teaching their respective fields — bringing depth of experience rather than simply adding another subject to the curriculum.

Each training is also enriched by experienced guest teachers who bring their own areas of expertise, perspectives and lived experience. They contribute their particular “zone of genius” to the programme, adding depth, diversity and fresh perspectives to the learning experience.

Chinese Face Reading is another distinctive part of the training.

Through the face, you learn to observe qualities and patterns associated with the Five Elements, developing greater interpersonal intelligence and a deeper understanding of yourself and others.

It offers a fascinating way to recognise signs of strength and weakness and explore how the Five Elements can express themselves through our facial characteristics, tendencies and ways of relating.

Our teaching comes from Lillian Pearl Bridges (1956–2021), regarded as a leading authority in the field. Tobias is one of a small number of Master Face Readers to have trained with her in person. We continue these teachings in gratitude for what she passed on.

We intentionally keep our groups relatively small, usually around 15–20 students.

Three weeks at The Sanctuary — a remote, natural setting, nestled in a stunningly beautiful small bay on Koh Phangan, Thailand — gives you the opportunity to step away from everyday routines and fully immerse yourself in the practice.

Living and learning together creates space for personal attention, meaningful connection and a strong sense of community. The environment becomes part of the experience, giving you time to slow down, disconnect from the outside world and truly be present with what you are learning.