Workshops
Asheville Yoga Center is one of the most popular yoga schools in the Southeast. Our foundational programs are designed to enhance your personal knowledge, deepen your practice and provide you with the confidence and skills necessary to safely experience or teach yoga.
AYC offers single-day yoga events, weekly series, and multi-day workshops and intensives to help you deepen your personal practice or continue your education as a yoga instructor. Our world-renowned instructors provide the expertise in their respective fields to help you grow and fully engage with life through the practice of yoga.
◼Events ◼300 Hour/Workshops ◼200 Hour ◼150 Hour ◼50 Hour
Cultivating Compassion: 6 Week Series (In-person)
Stephanie Howarth
March 23 – April 27, 2023 | 10-11:15am
Cultivating Compassion (6 Week Series)
Thursdays, March 23 – April 27, 2023
10-11:15am EST
Cost: $80 for entire series
Join Stephanie for a 6-week series to cultivate compassion through meditation and somatic mindfulness practices. Breath, gentle movement, and body-centered meditation will provide the anchors of support for a multi-faceted approach to developing compassion.
Practices will draw from the teachings of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism as well as contemporary leaders in the fields of contemplative psychology and neuroscience. Optional home practice and resources will be offered. All levels are welcome.
About Stephanie
Stephanie Howarth offers a depth of perspective informed by decades of immersion into the Indo-Tibetan traditions of Buddhism & Yoga, somatic arts and movement, and the progressive fields of neuroscience and somatic psychology.
She teaches with an emphasis on weaving the timeless wisdom of ancient spiritual traditions into the concerns and context of everyday life. In addition to her meditation and movement offerings, she is also a somatic psychotherapist in private practice. She lives in Asheville, NC with her greatest teachers: her son, Matthew, her husband and partner, Michael, and their four-legged friend, Blue.
More info: www.spaciousunfolding.com
Restorative Yoga, Sound Bath & Reiki (In-person)
Miranda Peterson Harton & Valerie Blohm
March 23, 2023 | 7:15-8:30PM
*Occurs monthly
Restorative Yoga, Sound Bath, & Reiki
Thursday March 23, 2023
7:15-8:30pm EST
Cost: $35
Experience deep relaxation and energetic cleansing during this restorative yoga, sound healing & reiki experience with Miranda Peterson Harton, RYT500 Yoga Teacher and Valerie Blohm, RYT200 & Intuitive Energy Healing Teacher.
Restorative yoga is a gentle practice that helps you relieve tension from both your body and mind as you rest in a few poses with supportive props and (optional) hands on assists. Reiki (optional) is a Japanese healing technique that promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and assists in balancing our energy. Close your eyes at the end and melt into your sacred space with healing vibrations from singing bowls, gong, drums, chimes and more.
2023 Schedule: March 23, April 20, May 25, June 22, July 20, August 17, September 21, October 19, November 16, December 21
Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self (In-person)
Andy Smith
March 25, 2023 | 1:00-5:00PM | All Levels Welcome
Saturday, March 25, 2023
1:00-5:00PM
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $35
This four hour intensive is based on the profound teachings of Anodea Judith in her book Eastern Body, Western Mind where western psychology and eastern spirituality are beautifully blended within the container of the chakra system. We connect deeply to each chakra through yoga and pranayama, as well as learn to direct our energetic flow by working with the bandhas to support the healing of each unique energy center beginning with the root chakra and extending to the crown.
This workshop is designed to bring awareness to the common deficiencies and excesses that can develop in the energy centers of the body beginning in the womb and extending throughout one’s lifetime. We will learn how to reclaim the temple of the body, mind and spirit by unfolding the petals of each chakra while bringing harmony and balance to our entire energy field. It is vital to take the journey through the many dimensions of the Self and integrate these teachings into our daily lives. We can truly begin to help heal
humanity and our planet by first bringing our own inner landscape into a place of harmony and balance.
In this workshop we will:
- Spend much of our time in a circle, a beautiful representation of wholeness and oneness that will give each student the space to share and be heard.
- Explore deeply each of the seven chakras as well as the seven rights associated with each chakra including the right to be here, the right to feel, the right to act, to love, to speak, to see and to know
- Support the healing of each chakra through carefully chosen yoga practices which blend asanas, mudras, bandhas and pranayama in support of each unique energy center
- Create community and connection through time spent in small groups exploring and sharing some of the common demons of each chakra and how to heal them so we can begin the return to a state of wholeness
- Delve into some of the greatest minds in the field of psychology to better understand how our physical, emotional, archetypal and creative character structure was born and how we might begin to heal long held patterns in both the body and the mind
- Honor the need for stillness and quiet reflection through recommended at home meditation and yin yoga practices designed to calm the mind following time spent in the classroom as well as reinforce the powerful teachings contained within the book
Berklee Indian Ensemble
at AyurPrana Listening Room
March 29, 2023 | 7:30PM | All Are Welcome!
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
7:30-9:30PM
At AyurPrana Listening Room
312 Haywood Rd, Asheville NC 28806
Cost: $30 Advance | $35 At Door
Enjoy an evening with Grammy® Nominated Berklee Indian Ensemble bringing their genre-bending musical experience to Asheville!
Fresh off the release of their Grammy nominated debut album, Shuruaat, the Berklee Indian Ensemble is on the road with a slate of originals, new arrangements, songs from the album, and, of course, audience favorite classics. This year’s 8-piece touring band features some of the Ensemble’s most recognizable faces from over 10 years of making music. Join the Ensemble for an evening of joy, celebration, laughs, and of course, incredible music.
Grammy® Nominated Berklee Indian Ensemble is one of the hippest new acts to emerge from Boston. A global viral sensation with over 300 million streams, the Ensemble brings to fore a new Indian sound that melds classical, folk, Sufi, and contemporary Indian music, with influences ranging from progressive rock and jazz to Middle Eastern and African flavors.
Teacher Training Webinar (VIRTUAL)
with AYC Teacher Training Staff
March 30, 2023 | 6:30-7:15pm
*Occurs every 2 Weeks
FREE Webinar
Thursday, March 30, 2023
6:30-7:15pm
Please join us for a virtual open house regarding our New AYC Teacher Training Programs for 2023!
We will provide information on our unique “First 50 Yoga Retreat” and how this program can start your path to becoming a teacher. We’ll also discuss the evolved 200 and 300 hour trainings and our new hybrid format which allows students to attend either virtually or in-person at the studio.
We’ll cover info on what to expect from our programs and the amazing talent of the AYC Teachers who have created a new unique sequence of asana, breathing techniques, meditations, and so much more! Then we will discuss how AYC is integrating with our partners, The Ayurvedic Institute and The AyurPrana Listening Room which brings even more opportunities to work with some incredible guest teachers, musicians, and Kīrtan wallahs!
You’ll get all of your yoga teacher training questions answered during a live Q&A session with one of our faculty members, Andrew Jones!
Longevity Yoga: The Art of Wasting Time (HYBRID)
March 31 – April 3, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
March 31-April 3, 2023
300-Hour YA Credit Available
All Levels Welcome
Save $75 if you sign up by March 17, 2023
$575 with Early Bird Discount!
($650 after March 17, 2023)
Schedule:
Friday-Monday: 8am-12pm & 1pm-5pm (EST)
Contact Hours: 32
Non-Contact Hours: 4
After studying numerous styles of yoga over the last 15 years, always with a leaning towards sustainable practices, Tucker now focuses on teaching the Kaiut Yoga Method. This method is focused on longevity and long-term mobility rather than quick fixes, and along with Tucker’s other studies serves as the inspiration for the content of this training.
This module presents twenty sequences for students to take away for home practice. It is complementary to other Longevity Yoga modules, but previous modules are not required in order to attend this one.
Designed as a practice intensive, this training will include 4+ hours of practice per day along with lectures and discussions that explore theory and technique.
What You Will Learn:
Principles of the Kaiut method
Unlearning Yoga to learn Longevity Yoga
Reframe the art of teaching, examine your approach to guiding students, and explore ways to improve
Study philosophy of Yoga and how it relates to this method
Please note: Kaiut teacher training can only be offered by the founder of the method. Therefore, this 300hr module is designed to be an introduction to Kaiut for teachers of other yoga modalities, and it will present information that is outside of but complementary to the Kaiut Method. This is the perfect place to start for those who are curious about the method. For those who practice Kaiut this is also an excellent way to dive deeper.
Required Reading:
Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley
Celestial Sound Immersion with LARAAJI
at AyurPrana Listening Room
April 1, 2023 | 8-9:30PM
Saturday, April 1, 2023 | 8-9:30PM
Location: 312 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
Tickets: $35
Join legendary experimental composer/musician LARAAJI & sound healer collaborator Arji OceAnanda for an uplifting and bliss filled evening!
This will be a deeply immersive and beautiful sound channeling with electric zither/harp, kalimba, voice, iPad, nature sounds, gentle percussion textures. Don’t miss this evening of ecstatic healing sound alchemy.
Photo credit: Drew Dennis
Laughter Meditation Playshop with LARAAJI
at AyurPrana Listening Room
April 2, 2023 | 3-4:30PM
Sunday, April 2, 2023 | 3-4:30PM
Location: 312 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
Tickets: $35
New Age and ambient music pioneer and icon LARAAJI along with healing sounds collaborator Arji OceAnanda will lead a laughter and sound release playshop through guided call and response chanting, internal ‘laughtercises’ and playful interaction soundtracked by music. It will include gentle body movement, relaxation and periods of intuitive wisdom and deep stillness. This is an educational, interactive, invigorating, uplifting, and meditative avenue for joy and self-exploration. •Bring an eye cover, yoga mat, meditation cushion, and water.
Photo credit: Drew Dennis
Intro to Ayurveda: Leaning Into Spring (In-person & Online)
Nishita Shah
April 10, 2023 | 6-7:30pm
Intro to Ayurveda: Leaning Into Spring
Monday, April 10, 2023
6-7:30pm EST
Cost: $25
Available both in-person and livestream
First 50: Yoga Training Two-Weekend April 2023
AYC Teacher Training Staff
April 14-16, 2023 & April 28-30, 2023
Build a Foundation for Your Practice & Teaching
Asheville Yoga Center has been training yoga teachers for over 25 years and we are now looking forward to expanding our teacher training schedule!
Our program is built to nurture every student or teacher at any level – from deepening your personal practice to becoming a certified instructor. Our philosophy is that there are “Many Paths that lead to One Truth” We provide the core essentials and encourage you to follow your destiny through different paths of yoga. In yoga, we are always students who are looking to learn more and we are here to serve you.
Our 50-hour program is ideal for students who are interested in taking the next step in their yoga practice, and would like to build a foundation before diving into 200-hour teacher training.
Our 2-weekend program is an accessible option for students who have commitments during the week and would like to split up their training into two weekend sessions.
This course will include a new posture sequence that will grow and expand as you continue on your training journey with Asheville Yoga Center. You’ll also learn basic philosophy, asana, and breathing techniques that will help you create a personal practice to enhance your everyday life. This training will also feature a unique crossover with Yoga’s sister science, Ayurveda.
This is a unique offering that will build your confidence as a practitioner and is suitable for all levels.
What’s Included?
- 50 Yoga Alliance hours that can later be applied to your 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification
- A Unique AYC Class Sequence with an array of ways to evolve it for different body types
- Partnership with the Ayurvedic Institute
- Guest teachers and Kirtan performers
Moon Path: Sacred & Subtle Anatomy of Women (In-person & Online)
Sierra Hollister
April 14-16, 2023 | YA Credit Available
Moon Path is a weekend long immersion into the sacred and subtle anatomy of Women over the arc of a lifetime. Life stages are covered from perspectives of both eastern and western anatomy.
This course is eligible for 300 hour Yoga Alliance credit and also open to any woman interested in better understanding herself and how yoga can support a life rich in health and happiness.
This course will cover:
- Woman as a lunar being
- Woman from early childhood to wise elder and how our yoga practice evolves and adapts
- The specific needs for practice modifications during Menstruation, Pregnancy, Menopause as well as fertility and sexuality considerations
- Relationships, Family life and diet through the lens of yoga and ayurveda
- Sun, Moon, Earth and Soul as primary relationship for wellness
- Asana, meditation, anatomy, & physiology
Prerequisites:
200 RYT is required to be eligible for 300 hour credit but not required to take the course. In lieu of 200 RYT, 3-5 years of yoga practice minimum.
Recommended Reading:
- Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful by Gurmukh
- Moon Path by Sierra Hollister
Details:
April 14-16, 2023
Friday: 9:00am-12:30pm & 2:00-5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am-12:30pm & 2:00-5:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am-12:30pm
Cost:
Save $25 with Early Bird
$275 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after March 14, 2023)
For 300HR Credit:
16.5 Contact Hours
Stay Open: How to Have More Energy 6 Week Series (In-person & Online)
Joe Taft
April 18-May 23, 2023 | 6 Week Series | All Levels Welcome
Tuesdays, April 18 – May 23, 2023
6-7:30PM | In-person & Online
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $80 for entire series
In yoga class or workshops, you may hear terms like “Open Your Heart”, “Stay Open”, or “Surrender”.
This six-weeks series is dedicated to understanding the teaching of being open to the experience of life.
When you have a posture of openness, you have increased energy, feel more creative, and experience life more abundantly. If yoga is about staying open, how do we do it? Taking a six-week class dedicated to staying open helps us practice this discipline in our yoga. If you like having more energy, (and we all do), you may consider taking this series to learn some techniques and tricks centered on the power of being open.
This class is for all levels and includes breathing, meditation, and movement.
Community Kīrtan (In-person)
Michael Johnson
March 15 2023 | 7-8:30PM
*Occurs on the 3rd Wednesday of each month
April 19, 2023
7-8:30PM
Donation-Based
Join us for an evening of inspiring Kīrtan and community with Michael Johnson and friends!
Open your heart with Bhakti devotion to enjoy the presence of community and celebrate the divine energy within. With music and devotion, we will create a space for sangha (community) with one another.
Everyone is welcome, no previous experience required.
All Donations will benefit the Asheville Yoga Center Teacher Training Scholarship Fund
*Donations will be accepted in-person at Asheville Yoga Center. Please bring cash or card with you!
2023 Dates: 4/19 | 5/17 | 6/21 | 7/19 | 8/16 | 9/20 | 10/18 | 11/15 | 12/20
An Evening Of Mantra Music
with Seán Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band
at AyurPrana Listening Room
April 21, 2023 | 7:30-10:30PM
Friday, April 21, 2023 | 7:30-10:30PM
Location: 312 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
Tickets: $30 advance | $35 at the door
Join us for this inspiring and ecstatic evening of kirtan and mantra music in Asheville, NC at the AyurPrana Listening Room!
We are pleased to welcome back Seán Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band for a night of interactive, soul-stirring ancient mantras, giving new voice through dynamic songs that merge conscious lyrics and New Orleans roots, rock, gospel, and world grooves. The band’s acclaimed latest album ‘Mystery,’ was named one of the best albums of the year in Louisiana music by Offbeat Magazine. Their previous album Unity, dedicated to celebrating the threads between the world’s spiritual traditions, debuted #1 on the iTunes World Music Chart and #3 on Billboard. They are a featured artist on Putumayo World Music, and are the first mantra-based band to ever play the New Orleans Jazz Festival. The band includes Seán (vocals and harmonium); Alvin Young (6 string fretless bass & guitar); Gwendolyn Colman (percussion & vocals); Narada Wise (drums) and multi-instrumentalist Chris Rosser.
Ages 10+ Welcome. Doors open at 6:30PM.
Bhagavadgītā and Yoga Philosophy (In-person & Online)
Michael Johnson & Special Guest Dr. Shyam Ranganathan
April 21-23, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
April 21-23, 2023
300-hour YA Credit
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 with Early Bird
$250 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after March 21, 2023)
SCHEDULE:
Friday: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
For YA Credit:
Contact Hours: 14
Non Contact Hours: 2
The Bhagavadgītā is a 700 verse poem that presents Yoga Philosophy within the context of the 200,000 verse epic called the Mahābhārata. Although the Gītā is required reading in nearly every Yoga teacher training, it is often out of context and confused with virtue ethics, consequentialism or deontology. In this weekend workshop we will integrate the context from the Mahābhārata and discern how Yoga is its own basic ethical theory from South Asia, so that you can discern it clearly from outcome driven theories like virtue ethics, consequentialism and teach it with competence and confidence. We will also explore how trauma can impact our nervous system and how Yoga Philosophy can be uniquely helpful with recovery.
SPECIAL GUEST
Dr. Shyam Ranganathan (MA South Asian Studies, MA and PhD Philosophy) is a field-changing researcher, scholar, author, and teacher of philosophy, and an expert in the neglected traditions of Indian moral philosophy, which covers practical questions of how to live, what to aim for, and what we should value—including Yoga. Dr. Ranganathan is a trained scholar and researcher of philosophy and is author, editor and translator of over 50 peer reviewed, scholarly works (including Ethics and the History of Indian Philosophy MLBD 2008 and 2017; the Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Ethics 2017; and Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation, Routledge 2018). A specialist in translation, having written his PhD dissertation on the topic of how we can understand texts without projecting our beliefs onto them, Dr. Ranganathan translated Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra (Penguin 2008). After over 20000 teaching hours and 3000 students, in 2019 , Dr. Ranganathan founded Yoga Philosophy (YACEP and CYA-RYSGOLD), a scholar practitioner initiative, to bring anti-colonial, anti-Eurocentric, research based knowledge about Yoga and Philosophy to practitioners. Shyam is a E-RYT-500 and CYA-RYT Gold. He is a member of the Department of Philosophy, and York Center for Asian Research, York University, Toronto.
In this training you will learn:
- 4 Basic Ethical Theories
- Polyvagal Theory and Yoga
- Neuroscience of Decision Making
- 9 Kinds of Bhakti
- Discussion Techniques
- Tools for Navigating Moral Dilemmas
Earth Day Bhakti Soul Journey with Seán Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band (In-person)
Seán Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band
April 22, 2023 | 5-8:00PM
Earth Day Bhakti Soul Journey with Seán Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band
Saturday, April 22nd
Time: 5-8:00pm
Cost: $60
Revel like a child in playful storytelling. Mend your heart through song. Deepen your sense of devotion through ritual. Feel asana as a poetic dance of the heart. Float into mellifluous lullaby. All supported by the enchanting sounds of The Wild Lotus Band.
Bhakti is a Sanskrit word that points to the universal human experience of connecting to the mystery of life through the depths of the heart. Many of bhakti’s practices are devotional folk arts like singing, dancing, storytelling, poetry, and ritual that are meant to be accessible for all.
In this special 3 hour workshop guided by Seán, and accompanied by The Wild Lotus Band, we’ll experience the depths of bhakti through enchanting storytelling, live music, heartful kirtan chanting, and an imaginative vinyasa yoga practice that weaves all these elements together. All levels — some experience with asana is recommended.
About Seán Johnson
In addition to being a musician, Seán Johnson is also a respected yoga teacher and teacher trainer who teaches at conferences and retreat centers internationally. He is the founder of Wild Lotus Yoga in his beloved hometown dubbed “New Orleans’ Home for Heart-Centered Yoga,” and Soul School, an interdisciplinary yoga teacher training program that focuses on teaching yoga with skill, heart, and imagination. He has a Master’s degree from The Naropa Institute-Oakland with focus on teaching chant as spiritual practice, apprenticing there with south Indian musician and teacher Russill Paul, author of The Yoga Of Sound. He is the co-curator and coordinator of Putumayo World Music’s yoga music series, and a co-founder of The Auricle Collective – a global community of chant and spiritual musicians. Seán is passionate about his Irish roots and ancestry, a pillar of his spirituality. He co-leads online Celtic Spirituality gatherings and retreats in Ireland each year with his friend, Ireland native Mary Meighan, founder of Celtic Journeys.
In all these roles, Seán relishes creating a playful, tender, brave space for people to open their hearts and voices, and embrace their innate creativity.
Yoga & Live Music with Noelle Whittington & Michael Johnson (In-person)
Noelle Whittington & Michael Johnson
April 28, 2023 | 7-8:30PM
Noelle Whittington (Narāyānī): ERYT500, YACEP, wants to help you find your power, stay inspired, and to be yourself unapologetically. Noelle is a full-time traveler with a base in her hometown of Wilmington, NC. You can catch her leading Yoga classes, teacher training and workshops, Live music events, concerts and Kīrtan, Yoga and Music Festivals, and International Yoga retreats. A lifetime of dance training led Noelle to become a full-time Yoga instructor in 2006 upon graduation from Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica with Don and Amba Stapleton, She went on to study with her primary teachers Ashley Ludman in Anusara/Alignment-based Yoga, Kristin Cooper-Gulak in Kunga Yoga, Thomas Ashley-Farrand in Mantra and Sanskrit Studies, and Bill Mahony and Douglas Brooks in Yogic Philosophy. Noelle served as the Co-Director of Wilmington Yoga Center 2013-2105. As the Senior Kunga Trainer for the Kunga Yoga School since 2012, Noelle has trained students and mentored staff in Yoga Studios in North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina. Noelle’s service-based Kunga Yoga School has raised over $100,000 for charities like Homes of Hope Orphanages in India , the Farm Sanctuary, and Yoga Village nonprofits.
Michael Johnson has been a full-time yoga instructor for over two decades and a teacher trainer since 2003. He has traveled to India and studied many with many teachers and traditions. He is a lead instructor for Asheville Yoga Center’s 200hr Teacher Training and 300hr Advanced Training Programs. He offers in-depth online courses on the foundations of Yoga, Meditation, Prāṇāyāma, Āsana, Vinyāsa, Mantra, Sanskrit, Philosophy, Anatomy, History and Alignment. He also offers a 195-day Challenge that begins January 1st.
visit clearlightyoga.com for more information.
www.narayanishakti.com and www.soulalchemycourse.com.
Image Source: http://narayanishakti.com/contact/
Soul Expression: Movement & Sound (In-person)
Noelle Whittington
April 29, 2023 | 12:30-2:30PM
Let’s come together to get free- to breathe, to listen, to move, to make sounds, to connect deeply to our Soul’s wisdom and embody our most authentic expression!
This workshop will begin with a breathing meditation to harness the power of our creative life force energy (Kundalini Shakti), which will lead us into the practice of Ecstatic Dance- a free-form, semi-guided safe place to explore how sound and music and rhythm want to express themselves through our embodied movement practice. Expect an epic playlist of music curated to stir your blood and get your heart pumping, so that you can feel free to express yourself in any way you desire. This life-affirming, endorphin-releasing experience will lead us into a chant practice, which will include enjoying sounds without meaning to attune our energy body to free our voices, and simple call-and response mantra. Noelle will lead the sound with her voice, her harmonium, and various other instruments to aid in the feeling of celebration. When a group of people breathes and sings together, their heart rates sync up.
This workshop is about connection with ourselves and each other, to access the unlimited power within and without- to tune into and remember who we really are and to fully step into our power. The workshop will end with a grounding meditation to integrate all these powerful modes of expression, to leave us feeling ready to confidently go out into the world.
Anatomy Bites: Psoas I was Saying… (In-person)
April 30, 2023 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Sunday, April 30, 2023 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Price: $35 OR Bundle & Save For Full Series: $180 for all 6 Sessions (You Save: $30)
Click Here to Purchase Full Series
Join us for session 1 of this 6 part series of bite-sized anatomy lessons for yoga teachers and practitioners. Feel free to join as many sessions as you’d like!
The psoas major is a special muscle that has a big influence in the body because it crosses so many joints. Its functions include supporting lumbo-sacral stability and hip flexion. It has a lot of reasons to be cranky in modern human bodies, and its crankiness is often involved with low back and hip pain. In this session, we’ll cover the nitty gritty about anatomy and function of the psoas major and then enjoy a practice to help us explore it and support its optimal functioning.
Creative Theming & Sequencing (HYBRID)
May 4-7, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
May 4 – May 7, 2023
300-hour YA credit
All Levels Welcome
*Hybrid Training: Attend Either Virtually or In-person!
Save $75 if you sign up by April 4, 2023
$575 with Early Bird Discount!
($650 after April 4, 2023)
Schedule:
Thursday – Sunday: 8:00 AM -12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Contact Hours: 32
Non-Contact Hours: 2
Learn to create authentic and creative vinyasa classes from the heart!
Find your voice, get clarity in your message. Join Ruth for this 4 day deep dive into two subjects that can enhance and deepen your teaching and practice.
Learn how to read bodies and see imbalances, review anatomy, alignment and therapeutics and how it relates to yoga.
In this course you will learn how to compose heartfelt, personal and meaningful themes into your classes. We will discover and play with self-inquiry and deeper understanding into your WHY as a teacher and yoga student.
Sequencing isn’t just memorizing different classes but working into deep inquiry about what you want to teach how to skillfully execute it. We will dive into how to innovate your teaching while honoring traditions how to combine creativity and function and learn ways to navigate burn out.
We will tackle identifying common obstacles in sequencing such as physical imbalances, to do set sequencing or random sequencing, identifying teacher burnout and common imbalances in modern vinyasa flow.
We will define our big picture and dive deep into how to develop your classes and set you up to teach workshop, series, training and yoga curriculum.
There is so much insight, so many tips, and so many techniques that I’m excited to share with you in this program. And, remember, in the spirit of inquiry, very, very little about sequencing is absolute. Sequencing is like writing, music, and art. It has subjective elements that are deep expressions of you and your interests.
Expect to walk away with a clear understanding of peak pose sequencing.
You will learn about sequencing beyond drop-in classes, sequencing for workshops, series, and how to develop a curriculum. Learn how to craft, write, and teach safe, well-rounded and balanced sequences for forward bends, twists, core focused sequences, arm balances and fundamentals.
Required Reading:
Yoga Sequencing by Mark Stephens
Teaching Yoga Beyond the Poses by Sage Roundtree and Alexandra Desiato
Theme Weaver by Michelle Berman Marchildon
Recommended Reading:
The Yoga Sutras of Pantajali Edwin Bryant
The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope
Meditations from The Mat by Rolf Gates
Kriya Yoga Immersion (HYBRID)
Ryan Kurczak
May 5-7, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
May 5 – May 7, 2023
300-hour YA credit
All Levels Welcome
*This Event will be hosted at The AyurPrana Listening Room (312 Haywood Rd, Asheville NC 28806)
*You can attend the first two days of this course virtually or in-person, the ceremony event on Sunday will not be livestream*
Fee: $275 for two-day participation on May 5 and 6. Additional, yet optional, donation accepted for participation on May 7. For those sincerely wishing to participate who need financial assistance, please inquire about options.
Schedule:
Friday & Saturday: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM EST
Sunday (optional): 8:30AM – 12:30PM EST
Contact Hours: 15 (additional 4 optional for Sunday Attendance)
Non-Contact Hours: 2
Join us for a weekend immersion in the practices of Kriya Yoga as taught through the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Sri Yukteswar, Paramahansa Yogananda and Roy Eugene Davis.
In this 3-day event, you will learn Kriya Yoga techniques which help to facilitate
superconscious meditation. Mr. Kurczak will hold satsangs to explore the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita, as they relate to effective practice of Kriya Meditation and serve as a supportive guide for yogic living. At the end of the weekend, it is our intention that participants have learned to bring forth a greater sense of spiritual awareness through the dedicated practice of Kriya Yoga philosophy and meditation practices.
Day one and two of this immersion weekend will focus on teaching and practicing prime Kriya Yoga meditation techniques and Kriya Yoga philosophy as lifelong support for encouraging greater spiritual awareness and superconscious meditation practice. Kriya Yoga, as a lineage, includes spiritual initiation for those who feel a connection to the tradition. Day three is an optional session for those who are prepared and are inspired to be formally initiated into Kriya Yoga practices and the Kriya Yoga lineage. During initiation, typically, a fruit, a flower and a monetary donation are accepted during the ceremony. Therefore, day three is on a donation basis.
Required Reading:
An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice by Ryan Kurczak
Recommended Reading:
The Eternal Way by Roy Eugene Davis
What will you need to attend this Kriya Yoga Immersion?
- A well-rested body
- An alert and conscious mind
- An interest in Kriya Yoga Meditation & Philosophy
No mats, straps or blocks are required. The practices taught are pranayama and mantra meditation techniques, as well as yogic philosophy. Classes are taught in chairs, without the need to be able to sit on the floor or in specific yogic postures. The only posture required is an upright alert sitting position. Stretching and movement breaks will be included in the program.
Your presenter, Ryan Kurczak, has been practicing Kriya Yoga for over two decades and teaching the transformative philosophy and practices of Kriya for over 15 years to students from all over the world. He was initiated and ordained to teach by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. Mr. Kurczak is the author of several books on Kriya Yoga and Vedic Astrology. He is the host of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, the Kriya Yoga Online YouTube Channel, and the director of the two-year Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program.
Intro to Ayurveda: Ayurveda & Agni (In-person & Online)
Nishita Shah
May 8, 2023 | 6-7:30pm
Intro to Ayurveda: Ayurveda & Agni
Monday, May 8, 2023
6-7:30pm EST
Cost: $25
Available both in-person and livestream
5-Day Bhakti Vinyāsa Flow (In-person & Online)
with Michael Johnson & Special Guests
Michael Johnson & Special Guests
May 15-19, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
With Special Guests: Sean Johnson, David Newman, Alvin Young, Luna Ray & Deirdre Smith Gilmer
300-hour YA Credit
Schedule:
M-F 9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm
Save $100 with Early Bird
$575 with Early Bird Discount
($675 after April 15, 2023)
Bhakti means devotion to living in harmony with our chosen ideals. Vinyāsa means to move skillfully without attachment to specific outcomes. Flow is a state of self-actualization, where we are fully immersed in the present rather than comparing ourselves to others, longing for the past or the future.
This Bhakti Vinyāsa Flow teacher training is for anyone interested in facilitating a safe and inspiring atmosphere for people of all kinds to practice Yoga. Teachers looking for more guidance, students looking to become teachers, students who are currently teachers with or without previous training, or students simply having the desire to deepen their practice, will find this course inspiring and practical.
Curriculum:
- How to design and teach dynamic sequences
- Teaching ujjāyī breathing in a steady flow Bandhas for optimal alignment
- Mantras for empowerment
- 9 Kinds of Bhakti
- Teaching prāṇāyāma & meditation
- Deepening your personal practice as you gain insight into your own creative flow
Requirements:
- A passion for Yoga
- A desire to deepen your own practice
- A daily yoga practice as of today!
Special Guests:
Seán Johnson is a respected yoga teacher and teacher trainer who teaches at conferences and retreat centers internationally including Yoga Journal, Kripalu, Bhakti Fest, and The German Yoga Conference. He is the founder of Seán Johnson & The WIld Lotus Band, who have been touring and recording together for the last 17 years, Wild Lotus Yoga in his beloved hometown dubbed “New Orleans’ Home for Heart-Centered Yoga,” and Soul School, an interdisciplinary yoga teacher training program that focuses on teaching yoga with skill, heart, and imagination. He has a Master’s degree from The Naropa Institute-Oakland with focus on teaching chant as spiritual practice, apprenticing there with south Indian musician and teacher Russill Paul, author of The Yoga Of Sound He is the co-curator and coordinator of Putumayo World Music’s yoga music series. In all these roles, Seán relishes creating a playful, tender, brave space for people to open their hearts and voices, and embrace their innate creativity. For more info, visit www.SeanJohnsonAndTheWildLotusBand
David Newman s a renowned sacred mantra artist, singer-songwriter, author, and inspirational teacher. David has released numerous acclaimed albums, including the #1 iTunes World Music bestseller Love is Awake. David is also the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller The Timebound Traveler. David travels the world spreading the joy of mantra and the healing power of sound, and sees his life mission simply as “spreading the love.”
Luna Ray is a PSEP (Somatic Experience Practitioner) , and is ERYT-200 Yoga Certified. For over two decades, Luna has been leading a variety of body-centered classes, sessions, workshops and retreats locally and internationally. She is a musician and international recording artist, has a BA in Community Studies, and is an activist for developing holistic and sustainable community collaboration. Luna works with the deep intention of inspiring and encouraging humans to cultivate an awareness of their inherent wisdom. Learn more about Luna here: kristinlunaray.com
New Orleans’ native Alvin Young spent years on the Crescent City music scene playing with Wynton and Branford Marsalis, local legends James Booker and James Black and many more. His voice on 6 string fretless bass and guitar weaves the jazz, rock, classical, and folk styles he’s been immersed in for the last 40 years. The hallmark of Alvin’s expression on the bass is a rare and deeply melodic quality that illuminates the band’s songs. Alvin is loved for his dedication, devotion, and knowledge of music as a deep craft, a spiritual path, and a form of service. Inspired by the richness of his life and education in music, he brings a treasure trove of musical gifts to each song that deeply define the band’s sound.
Deirdre Smith Gilmer Deirdre began practicing yoga in 1994 in NYC. From that moment began her 20 year love affair with the practices and teachings of yoga. Her passion is to create a sense of belonging in her classes by coupling her serious dedication with a light-hearted approach. In this way, you will find her classes are alive with questions, philosophy, and humor based on connecting real life situations to the physical practice.
David Newman and Band with Special Guests Aditi and Jay
May 20, 2023 | 7-10:00pm
Saturday, May 20, 2023 | 7-10:00PM
Location: 312 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
Tickets: $25 Advance | $30 At the Door
Join mantra artist and world musician David Newman for an ecstatic kirtan jam band experience with special guests Aditi and Jay.
Come share the love for this rockin’ evening of bhakti bliss with David Newman (Durga Das) and band, featuring Mira, Philippo Franchini, and Gershone Hendelberg. Jay and Aditi will begin the night with an opening set of contemplative music with roots. It promises to be a heart opening and uplifting evening of mantra music and sacred song.
Backbending for Joy (In-person)
May 20, 2023 | 1-3:00pm
Saturday, May 20, 2023 | 1-3:00PM
Join Ruth for this heart pumping, joyful back bending workshop. Backbends are fantastic shapes to shift our energy and mood- learn more and go deeper into your practice. If you want more instruction in your asanas come check it out. You’re sure to sweat, smile, work hard and hopefully laugh!
This will be a workshop focused on back bends moving toward peak postures of king pigeon, scorpion, wheel, and camel. Class will begin with a meditation, then there will be a lecture/dharma talk about the benefits of backbends for our emotional life. There will also be some helpful anatomy information during this time. Class will be lead through a warm up eventually progressing to the more challenging poses. The last 30 minutes will be question and answer and individual attention about the big back bends.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand anatomy in backbends
- Learn ways to protect your spine, engage your core and open up the whole front body
- Be connected to a heart affirming theme
- Walk away with more understanding of your own body and practice.
Details:
In-person
Sunday, May 20, 2023
1-3:00pm
Cost: $35
*Space is limited, so please be sure to register in advance!
Wild Abundance: Kundalini Practices for Prosperity
(In-person & Online)
Sierra Hollister
May 21, 2023 | 2-5:00pm
Sunday, May 21, 2023 | 2:00-5:00PM
Yoga offers the journey to self-realization, oneness with spirit, while also recognizing that practitioners live and navigate a material world. The soul, as illuminated in the Vedas, has four distinct desires: dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Right way of living (dharma), material comfort and ease (artha), pleasure (kama) and liberation or dwelling in the true self (moksha).
This workshop is the technology of artha ~ the tools to apply in practice and life to attract prosperity and opportunity through mantra, kriya, meditation and vibration ~ to experience the wild abundance that the universe wishes for us when we open our hearts and allow.
Following the guidance and desires of our soul allows us to live in balance, beauty, clarity and inspiration.
Details:
In-person & Live Streamed
Sunday, May 21, 2023
2:00pm-5:00pm
Cost: $60
*Space is limited, so please be sure to register in advance!
Vegan Cheese Workshop (In-person)
with Pam Jones
May 27, 2023 | 2-4pm
Saturday, May 27, 2023 | 2-4PM
Cost: $30
Learn how to create your own delicious fresh cheeses using sprouted nuts and seeds. Watch the demos as we will make and sample a selection of cheeses from a soft cream cheese to a sliceable aged camembert.
By the end you will know how to create an exquisite cheese platter, paired with homemade crackers and fruit compotes. This workshop also includes learning how to make your own nut milk and crackers. Recipe book included. Come and join the community and have some fun!
Anatomy Bites: The Hippest Joint In Town (In-person)
May 28, 2023 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Sunday, May 28, 2023 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Price: $35 per session
Join us for session 3 of this 6 part series of bite-sized anatomy lessons for yoga teachers and practitioners. Feel free to join as many sessions as you’d like!
The hip joint is an inherently stable joint that connects the femur bone to the pelvis. It’s got a whole lot of muscles and ligaments supporting it, and how it works is intimately connected to the pelvis and lower back. In this session, we will learn all about the hip joint and some of the most common conditions affecting it, including osteoarthritis. We’ll discuss how to modify yoga practice in the case of a hip replacement, and then we’ll use our practice together to explore and support happy hips.
Full Moon Yoga (In-person)
June 3, 2023 | Donation Class | All Levels Welcome
Saturday, June 3, 2023
2:30-4:00PM | In-person & Online
All Levels Welcome
FREE Class
The Relationship Between the Pelvis & Rib Cage 6 Week Series (In-person & Online)
Joe Taft
June 6 – July 11, 2023 | 6 Week Series | All Levels Welcome
Tuesdays, June 6 – July 11, 2023
6-7:30PM | In-person & Online
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $80 for entire series
- How do the positioning and movement pattern of your rib cage affect your lower back and hips?
- How do your butt muscles impact the movement of your pelvis and ribcage?
- Why is your breathing healthier when your rib cage and pelvis are in communication?
- How does the respiratory diaphragm tend to work when it is in different positions?
Kids Yoga: Part 1 (HYBRID)
June 9-11, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
June 9-11, 2023
300-hour YA credit
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 if you sign up by May 9, 2023
$450 with Early Bird Discount!
($500 after May 9, 2023)
Schedule:
Friday-Sunday
8:00 AM -12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Contact Hours: 24
Non-Contact Hours: 4
This training specializes in teaching children ages toddler to 10.
Join Ruth for this fun weekend long training to prepare you to teach kids yoga. Not everyone can teach kids and if you have a love for children this is a great yoga niche. Prepare to have a fun weekend full of play, games, music and education.
Some surprise learnings you might find after taking this training is the ability to relate to anyone who walks into your yoga class, tapping into your inner child, remembering the importance of laughter and play (not just helpful for kids!)
What Will I Learn?
- How to plan a structured Kids Yoga class easily
- Behavior management techniques
- Yoga, meditation and mindfulness games and activities
- Deep relaxation for kids
- Yoga philosophy and pranayama
- Chanting
- Teaching in various environments
- Running your own Kids Yoga business
- How to promote healthy habits
- Yog-arts & crafts
- Music and games
- 80+ asana including Partner Yoga
- Tips for family, mommy and me, babies, teens and classroom yoga
- Age-appropriate activities for 2–10-year old’s
- Physical contraindications of poses
- Stress management for kids
Who is this training for?
This is perfect for anyone who is passionate about helping build healthy kids and families. Educators, counselors, therapists, parents and grandparents, coaches, babysitters, aunts, uncles, bonus parents, health care providers all are welcome!
Objectives:
- Learn the developmental stages of age groups and what that means when teaching yoga
- How to teach inclusivity and theme the 8 limbs of yoga in a kids context
- How to bring music into kids yoga classes
- How to create arts and crafts into yoga class
- You will receive a 50-page manual with poses, class sequences, games and playlists.
Required reading
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
What Happened to You? By Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene
Recommended reading:
Yoga Calm for Children by Lynea Gillen and Jim Gillen
Planting Seeds by Thich Nhat Hanh
Breath like a Bear by Kira Willey
Let’s Make Yoga Magic by Heather Leah
A Book of Meditations for Children by Maureen Garth
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Bryson
200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training: June 4 Week Immersion (In-person & Online)
AYC Teacher Training Staff
June 12 – July 7, 2023 | 200RYT Certification
Welcome to the Deepest Yoga Practice you will ever experience! Yoga teachers are constantly diving deeper into themselves to become better, more compassionate and wiser. If you think you have what it takes to inspire others with the art of teaching, then join in on this journey of Ultimate Transformation! You don’t have to aspire to teach though… this yoga immersion will deepen your own practice and transform your life!
Our 200-hour program is an intensive-study course for those wanting to deepen their understanding of Yoga, as well as prepare students to teach and practice safely, successfully, and compassionately. We will cover all the physical, philosophical and scientific aspects of Yoga, by introducing you to some of the best Yoga specialists here in the Southeast.
Please reach out to programs@youryoga.com if you have any questions!
SCHEDULE:
- Monday-Friday8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-5:00pm
Decoding the Yogasūtra (In-person & Online)
Michael Johnson & Dr. Shyam Ranganathan
June 16-18, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
300-hour YA Credit
Schedule:
Friday: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Save $50 with Early Bird
$250 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after May 16, 2023)
Join Michael for a playful weekend workshop with special guest Dr. Ranganathan, who translated Patañjali’s Yogasūtra for Penguin in 2008! Over the weekend we will explore all four chapters, the central arguments of the text, the controversy over authorship, the most influential commentaries, and techniques to skillfully teach Yoga Philosophy in your classes. Each of the five 3-hour sessions will include an āsana practice with prāṇāyāma and meditation.
2 Kirtans & HeartSong: Sunday Reset with Jahnavi Harrison
June 16, 17, & 18, 2023 | Multiple Events
June 16, 17 & 18 2023
Location: 312 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
Kirtan with Jahnavi Harrison and Friends: Friday and Saturday, June 16th & 17th, 7:30PM-9:30PM
Join Jahnavi Harrison for two evenings of life-giving kirtan and songs that will open your heart and amplify your unique voice! Kirtan is an ancient practice, just as relevant today as 5000 years ago! It’s easy, fun, builds deep bonds and lifts the heart like nothing else. We can’t wait to see you there!
HeartSong – Sunday Reset with Jahnavi Harrison: Sunday, June 18th, 1:30PM to 4PM
Join Jahnavi Harrison for a HeartSong – Sunday Reset, through meditation, writing, songs and chants, we will create a healing, rejuvenating container from which to emerge with fresh perspective for the season ahead. Expect a warm and inclusive atmosphere, group sharing, collective singing and quiet reflection.
Select Event(s) at Checkout
•Kirtans: $30 Advance. $35 Day Of
•Sunday Reset: $40 Advance. $50 Day Of
•Doors Open One Hour Before Event
Jahnavi Harrison is a musician, writer and artist whose work is inspired by the tradition of bhakti yoga. Drawing on rich foundational years at Bhaktivedanta Manor in the UK, for over 15 years she has offered her voice and violin playing in the performance of sacred music and call-and-response mantra kirtan, in venues as diverse as corporates, schools, prisons, theaters, hospitals, yoga studios and temples. Her sound encompasses rich influences of East and West, and aims to offer an experience which truly nourishes the spirit. She records and releases original music, most recently a spiritual music EP with Willow Smith called ‘RISE’. Now living in the USA, she regularly leads live gatherings, concerts and retreats. She is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 2’s ‘Pause for Thought’ and has been a resident artist and affiliate of the Bhakti Center in Manhattan, NYC since 2018.
Anatomy Bites: Everything You Knee-d to Know (In-person)
June 25, 2023 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Sunday, June 25, 2023 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Price: $35 per session
Join us for session 4 of this 6 part series of bite-sized anatomy lessons for yoga teachers and practitioners. Feel free to join as many sessions as you’d like!
The knee is fascinating because not only does it consist of the “official” knee joint where the femur meets the tibia, but it also involves patella that actually lives inside your quadriceps tendon and slides back and forth within a groove in the femur bone. Beyond that, the knee is often an innocent bystander that gets caught in an argument between the hip and the ankle. In this session, we’ll get into some of these relationships to better understand the knee joint and the patellofemoral joint. Then we’ll use our practice to explore and support our knees.
Clearing The Way: A Y12SR Weekend Workshop (HYBRID)
June 30-July 2, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
June 30 – July 2, 2023
300-hour YA credit Available
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 if you sign up May 30, 2023
$325 with Early Bird Discount!
($375 after May 30, 2023)
Schedule:
Friday: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Clearing The Way looks at why the study of ethics, compassion, codependency and social justice is critical to anyone in a helping profession. Right relationship is the centerpiece of ethics. Yoga philosophy points to the most important relationship as the one we have with ourselves . While compassion is the heart of sustainable service, there is a very fine line between authentic compassion and codependency. When service, activism or teaching comes from codependence the impact of our work can quickly become unskillful and even damaging – despite a good intention.
Using wisdom from the Yoga Sutras, The Upanishads and more, Clearing The Way also examines the deep interconnection between personal/individual wellness and collective healing. Reminding us that our work is beyond personal liberation, it is collective liberation. Collective liberation recognizes that our struggles are intimately connected and that true freedom is only possible in a society that is equal, just, resourced and peace-filled for all.
Earth as Body, Breath as Prayer (In-person & Online)
Sierra Hollister
July 7-9, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
July 7-9, 2023
300-hour YA credit Available
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $340
Schedule:
Friday: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Universe or Cosmos? The word ‘universe’ refers to everything that exists: time, space, matter and the laws that govern them while inferring chaos. The word ‘cosmos’ also refers to everything that exists and is considered (by astronomers) to be bigger (universes within the cosmos) yet implies a system of harmony and order, fully governed by natural laws.
The timeless and sacred teachings of yoga, of tantra, of ayurveda affirm that indeed, we dwell in a cosmos of exquisite design and infinite intelligence and our health, happiness and ultimate expression of well-being is found through alignment with the natural world.
This 300 hour YTT module is a week-end long experiential immersion into the five great Tattvas (elements of nature) as manifest on earth and in our bodies and pranayama, not only as a means of controlling and working with our breath, but also as the voice of soul, of living prayer.
Learning Objectives:
- The 5 great Tattvas, or pancha bhutas as the basic building blocks of the cosmos
- How to work with the pancha bhutas as manifest in the body through asana, kriya and flow
- The wisdom of pranayama and the expression of soul, through breath
- Foundational pranayama techniques for healing, health and well-being
- How to apply these teachings in your practice and life
Yoga Sparśana: Hands On Assists (In-person & Online)
July 21-23, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
July 21-23, 2023
300-hour YA Credit
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 with Early Bird
$250 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after June 21, 2023)
SCHEDULE
Friday: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
The art and science of Hands-on Assists is called Yoga Sparshana. It is part of yoga history to have competent and effective knowledge of adjusting your students so that energy can be freed up. Please join Michael for this fun and informative weekend workshop to explore the art of Hands-on Assists. Exploring partner assists, alignment assists, as well as feel good assists, we will also play a bit with organic sequencing and theming. This isn’t just for teachers, but for serious students who want to immerse themselves totally with inspiring community and invigorating practices. Leave the weekend with practical resources to strengthen your confidence in alignment and technical skills, as well as being able to trust your intuition in “reading” body energy.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Consent (techniques like utilizing cards to indicate their current wishes)
- Assessment of their foundation and their unique concerns
- Stabilizing assists
- Breathing with them while holding the assist
- Alignment strategies that favor function over form
Contact Hours: 15
Non-Contact Hours: 2
Anatomy Bites: The Weight of the World [on your shoulders] (In-person)
July 23, 2023 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Sunday, July 23, 2023 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Price: $35 per session
Join us for session 5 of this 6 part series of bite-sized anatomy lessons for yoga teachers and practitioners. Feel free to join as many sessions as you’d like!
The Vayus 6 Week Series (In-person & Online)
Joe Taft
July 25 – August 29, 2023 | 6 Week Series | All Levels Welcome
Tuesdays, July 25 – August 29, 2023
6-7:30PM | In-person & Online
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $80 for entire series
Join us to learn some simple ways to feel better on all levels. This series of six classes will include movement, breathing, and some meditation, and there will be time for me to answer any additional questions you may have.
The Power of Now (In-person & Online)
Joe Taft
August 4-6, 2023 | 300-Hour YA Credit Available | All Levels Welcome
300-hour YA Credit
Save $50 with Early Bird
$250 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after July 4, 2023)
Friday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
In this training you will:
- Learn what the Power of Now is
- Deepen your understanding of present moment awareness
- Get clear on the similarities between The Power of Now and anciet yoga philosophy
- Learn how to bring present moment awareness into your practice and classes
Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
Anatomy Bites: What Happens in Vagus (In-person)
August 20, 2023 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Sunday, August 20, 2023 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Price: $35 per session
Join us for session 6 of this 6 part series of bite-sized anatomy lessons for yoga teachers and practitioners. Feel free to join as many sessions as you’d like!
“What Happens in Vagus…”
Anatomy Bites: All About Your Jelly Donuts (In-person)
April 2, 2023 | 10:00AM -12:00PM
Sunday, April 2, 2023 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Price: $35
Join us for session 1 of this 6 part series of bite-sized anatomy lessons for yoga teachers and practitioners. Feel free to join as many sessions as you’d like!
“All About Your Jelly Donuts”
There’s an intervertebral disc between each bone of your spinal column. The discs provide shock absorption and grant our spines some mobility. It turns out they’re a bit like jelly donuts, only made of incredibly strong stuff. In this session, we’ll learn all about the intervertebral discs and how they behave (and misbehave), and what’s considered “normal” to have change about our discs as we move through life. Then we’ll use our yoga practice to explore and nourish our jelly donuts.
The Yamas & Niyamas 6 Week Series (In-person & Online)
Joe Taft
September 12 – October 17, 2023 | 6 Week Series | All Levels Welcome
Tuesdays, September 12 – October 17, 2023
6-7:30PM | In-person & Online
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $80 for entire series
Yoga Therapeutics (In-person & Online)
Joe Taft
October 6-8, 2023 | All Levels Welcome
October 6-8, 2023
300-hour YA Credit
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 with Early Bird
$250 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after September 6, 2023)
SCHEDULE
Friday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
In this training, we explore principle-based therapeutics, meaning that one thing builds on the next. This set of principles or actions in the body will help a number of injuries and imbalances that students may have. Every session includes asana, anatomy, body mapping and how to balance the musculature through yoga postures and healthy movement patterns. You will learn techniques to help students in both classroom and in one-on-one private settings. We look at “inner alignment” or how students align attitudinally, because the outer form always reflects the inner state on some level. You will also learn how to empower your students, – so they can help themselves. Most importantly, together we’ll create a fun learning environment that allows our knowledge and body awareness to flourish.
In this training you will:
- Look at how the small injuries of the body connect to the energy body as a whole
- Increase our understanding of how one set of instructions can help an array of different injuries and imbalanced musculature
- Learn techniques to help students in a classroom setting and in a one-on-one private setting
- Learn how to help your students feel empowered, so they are more open to your help and feel they can help themselves
- Target injuries and imbalances that we see in a yoga environment, such as sciatica, sacral iliac subluxation, low back pain and hamstring tears
- Get a brief overview on how yoga can be helpful for mental health specific conditions.
Required reading:
The Psoas Book by Liz Koch
For YA Credit:
Contact Hours: 15
Non-Contact Hours: 2
Kundalini, Tantra & the Current of Sound (Online & In-person)
Sierra Hollister
October 15, 2023 | All Levels Welcome
Sunday, October 15, 2023
3-5:00PM | In-person & Online
All Levels Welcome
Cost: $40
The Art of Teaching Yoga (In-person & Online)
November 24-26, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
November 24-26 2023
300-hour YA Credit
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 with Early Bird
$250 with Early Bird Discount
($300 after October 24, 2023)
SCHEDULE:
Friday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
In this training we will learn how to refine our teaching language, sequencing, and imagination in order to a create theme-based class. This 5-day workshop will show you how to align your core beliefs with your teaching, providing you with the confidence to plan inspiring yoga classes with your own unique themes. We are often afraid to take ourselves out of our comfort zones and embrace challenges. However, the key to a successful yoga class is learning how to convey inspiring themes that not only uplift the students, but also allow the teacher to continue to grow. This understanding of how our belief in the outcome of our success directly affects our performance is what educators, teachers, and neurologists are now calling growth mindset. Join me to learn more about how to teach an inspiring, theme-based class and how to connect your theme to the actions and alignment principles of yoga.
We will explore how to achieve a growth mindset and apply these principles to your own lives inside and outside the classroom. We will cover techniques to improve your teaching, such as how verbal cuing directly connects to the overarching theme and the breath. We will explore the power of setting an intention or goal for your own practice, in your classes, and in your life. You will leave this training with many examples of how to create a theme-based yoga class, but also with the tools to approach every aspect of your life with a growth mindset.
In this training you will:
- Learn to bring a theme into your classes so what you offer is impactful
- Empower yourself so that you can empower your students.
- Explore what is truly important as a yoga teacher to you as that is the key to strengthening your teaching.
- Discover how to keep your teaching simple.
- Learn the “So What Mantra” — the mantra of the teacher.
- Deepen understanding of sequencing and how to do a successful demonstration for students.
Required reading:
Theme Weaver by Michelle Berman Marchildon
For YA Credit:
Contact Hours: 15
Non-Contact Hours: 2
Kids Yoga: Part 2 (HYBRID)
December 1-3, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
December 1-3, 2023
300-hour YA credit
All Levels Welcome
Save $50 if you sign up by Nov 1, 2023
$450 with Early Bird Discount!
($500 after Nov 1, 2023)
Schedule:
Friday-Sunday
8:00 AM -12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Contact Hours: 24
Non-Contact Hours: 4
This training specializes in teaching children ages 10 to teens.
Join Ruth for this fun weekend long training to prepare you to teach kids yoga. Not everyone can teach kids and if you have a love for children this is a great yoga niche. Prepare to have a fun weekend full of play, games, music and education.
Some surprise learnings you might find after taking this training is the ability to relate to anyone who walks into your yoga class, tapping into your inner child, remembering the importance of laughter and play (not just helpful for kids!)
What Will I Learn?
- How to plan a structured Kids Yoga class easily
- Behavior management techniques
- Yoga, meditation and mindfulness games and activities
- Deep relaxation for kids
- Yoga philosophy and pranayama
- chanting
- Teaching in various environments
- Running your own Kids Yoga business
- How to promote healthy habits
- Yog-arts & crafts
- Music and games
- 80+ asana including Partner Yoga
- Tips for family, mommy and me, babies, teens and classroom yoga
- Age-appropriate activities for 10–17-year old’s
- Physical contraindications of poses
- Stress management for kids
Who is this training for?
This is perfect for anyone who is passionate about helping build healthy kids and families. Educators, counselors, therapists, parents and grandparents, coaches, babysitters, aunts, uncles, bonus parents, health care providers all are welcome!
Objectives:
- Learn the developmental stages of age groups and what that means when teaching yoga
- How to teach inclusivity and theme the 8 limbs of yoga in a kids context
- How to bring music into kids yoga classes
- How to create arts and crafts into yoga class
- You will receive a 50-page manual with poses, class sequences, games and playlists.
Required reading
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
What Happened to You? By Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey
The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene
Recommended reading:
Yoga Calm for Children by Lynea Gillen and Jim Gillen
Planting Seeds by Thich Nhat Hanh
Breath like a Bear by Kira Willey
Let’s Make Yoga Magic by Heather Leah
A Book of Meditations for Children by Maureen Garth
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Bryson
Yoga, Meditation, and Neuroscience (In-person & Online)
Michael Johnson with Special Guest Dr. Will Hamilton
December 15-17, 2023 | 300-hour YA credit Available | All Levels Welcome
December 15-17, 2023
300-hour YA Credit
All Levels Welcome
Schedule
- 5 Foundational Meditation Techniques
- Anatomy of the Brain and Nervous System
- How each Technique Changes the Brain Over Time
- How Polyvagal Theory Applies to Meditation
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