Yoga Den Mandarin Studio

I recently completed a Kundalini Yoga continued education workshop with Humberto Castillero at Yoga Den, and it was a truly transformative experience. The course deepened my connection to the breath, meditation, and the subtle releasing of consciousness, opening a greater sense of awareness and inner stillness. I originally completed my Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Den, and it was the perfect studio to return to for continuing education. The community, support, and quality of instruction make it an ideal place to grow both personally and professionally. Humberto’s guidance was both grounding and expansive—he created a safe, supportive space that allowed me to explore practices more deeply and experience their profound effects firsthand. His wisdom and presence helped me not only understand the techniques on an intellectual level but also embody them in a way that felt powerful and accessible. I left the workshop feeling renewed, inspired, and more connected to myself and my practice. I highly recommend Yoga Den and this training to anyone seeking to expand their understanding of Kundalini Yoga and deepen their spiritual journey.

I picked this place for my YTT (yoga teacher training) because of my yoga teacher recommendation. It was very thoughtful and informative. I learned so much and was able to deepen my practice. Shortly after graduation, I started teaching yoga and I was able to apply everything I’ve learned during the YTT to my classes. If you think about becoming a yoga teacher or just want to deepen your own practice, Yoga Den teacher training is a great place to invest your time in.

I graduated from this studio’s 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2024. At the time, I thought it was great, made friends, etc but I didn’t fully realize how incomplete the program was until after completing another 200-hour YTT elsewhere, I came to understand that I had learned very little here in comparison. I’ve been practicing yoga since I was a child and have always understood the spiritual depth and complexity yoga brings. Yoga is not simply all about “feeling good” — it can bring up deep discomfort, stagnant emotions, and even traumas stored in the body. A good proper training should prepare teachers to hold space for this, but that element was entirely missing. When I gained international yoga experience, I realized how far this program was from traditional yoga. While the studio does carry the same philosophy that’s repeated often — “listen to your body” — the broader, authentic foundations of yoga were absent. Key areas that were missing or very minimal: • Yoga philosophy and history: Only a few pages were provided (about 7 total), with little to no discussion of the roots and traditions of yoga. • Meditation & breathwork: There was almost no exploration of meditation practices or proper guidance on breathwork, including contradictions to be aware of. • Hands-on adjustments & teaching skills: Very little training was given on safe assists or supporting students in poses. Per the instructors words “hands on assist died in Covid, we don’t do that anymore” • Training materials: The manual was outdated and incomplete. In fact, the photos included were over a decade ago (per the owner’s own words), which highlighted a lack of effort to update or improve the materials. Overall, what was emphasized felt more like boutique fitness than yoga as a holistic, spiritual practice, a way of living. If someone is looking for the physical workout side, this program may appeal. But if you’re looking for a true immersion in yoga — philosophy, spirituality, and solid teaching foundations — I would recommend looking elsewhere.