The art of teaching
begins with the
art of learning.

In te reo Māori, kaiako means teacher. But like so many words in te reo Māori, it carries more than one meaning. Kaiako is composed of two root words: kai, meaning food or sustenance, and ako, meaning to learn — or more fully, to create knowledge together. A kaiako is not merely someone who delivers information. They are someone who feeds and is fed by the learning.

At AWHI Yoga School, we hold this word close. We believe that learning is not preparation for a yogic life — it is the yogic life. And we believe that to be a good yoga teacher, you must never stop learning.

Our YTT programmes are rooted in Te Whare Tapa Whā, a Māori model of holistic health developed by Sir Mason Durie. The four walls of the wharenui — taha tinana (physical health), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional health), taha wairua (spiritual health), and taha whānau (relational and community health) — mirror the four limbs of a complete yoga practice. We teach, learn and practice with all four walls in mind.

We are not a school that produces certificates. We're a school that challenges teachers to keep learning, keep questioning, and to keep showing up for themselves and their communities.