About Inner Mountain Institute

INTEGRATION:
Body
Mind
Soul

TOOLS:
Yoga
Meditation
Mantra

TRAINING:
Teacher Trainings
Personal Practice
Dharma Coaching

LINEAGE-BASED / TIME TESTED / AUTHENTIC TEACHINGS

Yoga does not require a studio or a mat, and the spiritual journey is not for a select few but must be accessible to anyone. Inner Mountain Institute is an antidote to the cookie-cutter modern American yoga and meditation, offering the authentic teachings for all who are interested, in a way that meets each individual where they are to best serve their needs. We are committed to working with all levels of students: the layperson who wants guidance in practice; the yogi who wants to challenge their understanding; and the advanced student who wants to teach yoga.

Yoga does require determination, self-discipline, and a sincere desire to better oneself through practice. By cultivating these qualities under the guidance of a skillful teacher, even the highest peaks of yogic achievement are attainable by anyone willing to make the trek. Along the way, through personal practice, one builds resiliency and strength of both body and mind, as well as joy and an increased capacity to live one’s life with ease.

Inner Mountain Institute is dedicated to offering these tools and techniques with passion and integrity. We support individuals in their personal journey, and we train teachers to do the same. We gratefully embrace the responsibility of living the very teachings that we offer so that what we share is not simply something we read in a book or learned in a training elsewhere, but it rises out of our own lived experience, committed practice, and continuous study.  This is the promise we make to you.

Photo Rosalind Newmark

E-RYT 500 

C-IAYT

VISHOKA MEDITATION CERTIFIED

MFA IN DANCE

THERAPEUTICS
Several amazing and influential teachers have shaped the Institute’s ability to utilize physical posture, breath, and consciousness in the healing process. Key among them are Donna Farhi, Judith Lasater, Elise Browning Miller, Jenny Otto (from whom she received her first yoga therapy certification), and Rod Stryker.

ALIGNMENT
Alignment is a key component of Inner Mountain Institute. Mary Johnston-Coursey, founder and teacher, has diligently studied the art of physical alignment for over 40 years, since starting on her own journey of yoga, and dance. Physical alignment is intimately linked to the deeper self; as she says, “ The body reveals the mind and heart”. Beyond physical alignment, Mary and the Institute seek alignment of thoughts to words and words to actions, to remain in integrity and alignment with one’s greater purpose in life. The nuances of clear alignment are shared through all the offerings at Inner Mountain Institute.

About Mary Johnston-Coursey, Founder and Teacher

Mary Johnston-Coursey is the founder and director of Inner Mountain Yoga Institute, sharing age-old and modern teachings with her community. 

Mary began meditating at 15 and discovered yoga at 20, jumping into daily Astanga practice in 1980 (before there were yoga mats!). She began teaching the following year. She has studied numerous styles with many inspired teachers since then. With deep gratitude, she has found her path in the study of Tantric Hatha Yoga and is honored to be a part of a Sri Vidya lineage of the Himalayan Masters. 

In 2004, Mary first experienced Tantric Hatha Yoga with Rod Stryker. She immediately knew that this work would change her life profoundly. She received her 500 hour certification through ParaYoga, became a Level III teacher, and joined the ParaYoga Faculty, guiding students towards certification. She now continues her journey studying under Pandit Rajmani Tigunait of the Himalayan Institute. 

In asana, Mary skillfully weaves together breath, alignment principles, and therapeutic practices. She views the physical practice as a way to honor the shrine of the body while preparing for the deeper practices of pranayama and meditation. Mary credits her meditation practice with the most profound changes in her life and is passionate about sharing the gift of meditation. Mary's goal is to meet students wherever they are at - physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually - and empower them on their unique journey towards greater capacity and joy.

In addition to her E-RYT 500 certification, Mary is certified as a Vishoka Meditation® teacher and a Yoga Therapist. She leads teacher trainings, workshops, mantra and meditation courses; she has worked extensively in guiding students to discover and live their dharma; she mentors budding yoga teachers; and she works extensively one-on-one, helping students shape their practice to find the greatest joy and purpose in their lives.

Mary is also an artist. With an MFA in modern dance, her dance career informed her understanding of the body as a vessel of energy, and the creative process as an expression of the sacred within the mundane. Mary has performed as a singer and storyteller; has taught movement, music, and art to children; and has worked in ceramic and stone. She sees the creative impulse, in all of its many forms, as a way to experience the joy and truth that lies behind and within all of creation.


Stonecircle music