Yoga for Canadians

Even if you’re NOT from Canada, you can still enjoy this practice! It’s fun, a little silly, heating and meant to put a smile on your face. Have you ever done a class called “The Great Canadian Yoga Practice” before? We didn’t think so. 

The Great Canadian Yoga Practice

Yoga for Canadians

It  doesn’t have to be all serious, all the time! With Canadian Thanksgiving coming up, I thought it would be fun to do a “Canadian theme” yoga practice. Take off your cabin socks, roll out your mat and get ready because this is a super fun, heating yoga practice for all the Canadians out there (and friends of Canadians) 

xox

Lauren

Even if you’re NOT from Canada, you can still enjoy this practice! It’s fun, a little silly, heating and meant to put a smile on your face. Have you ever done a class called “The Great Canadian Yoga Practice” before? We didn’t think so. 

We deliver quality yoga education from a heartfelt place

Our goal is to change the way yogis are educated. We aim to lead by example and deliver quality yoga education from a heartfelt place. We believe in spending time in nature in order to feel enriched from the soul outward. We share everything we know with our students and offer the best tools we have to enrich their lives. We help our students discover their passions, live authentically and become the happiest they have ever been. For us, yoga is not just an exercise, a philosophy or a fashion choice. It is our lifestyle. 

We aim to bring mindfulness, conscious communication and joy to everything we do. Click here to learn our story. 

Upcoming Yoga Teacher Trainings:

Tropical 200hr yoga
teacher training

in Playa Maderas
This is our home base location. Join us in at our private 100 acre retreat center overlooking the ocean at playa maderas. this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect setting  for a yoga training in paradise! 

Luxury 200hr yoga
teacher training

in Amorgos, Greece
Join us on the spectacular Greek island of Amorgos.The same teachers and same curriculum as our famous 200hr ytt in Nicaragua, only Greekier this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Luxury Yin yoga teacher training

in Marrakech, Morocco
THIS 60HR PROGRAM IS A COMPLETE TRAINING ON ITS OWN. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TRAINING YOU WILL BE A CERTIFIED YIN YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLETE PART OF YOUR 300HR YTT.

Acro Yoga 
teacher training

in Playa Maderas
Join Nicholas Coolridge aka Modern Tarzan for our most playful training! Get Acro Yoga certified! This course is also a module of our ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TRAINING YOU WILL BE A CERTIFIED Acro YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLETE PART OF YOUR 300HR YTT.

CAN'T MAKE A TRAINING? 
PRACTICE WITH US ONLINE!

GET THE YOGA ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE LIVE IN YOUR OWN HOME!

JOIN OUR MORNING FLOWS RIGHT FROM OUR GORGEOUS TEACHER TRAINING LOCATIONS, PRACTICE WITH OUR EXPERT TEACHERS AND TAKE CLASSES WITH OUR OUTSTANDING GRADUATES. 

Upcoming Live Classes:

Thursday November, 8 2020

7:45am 

60 mins

Morning flow

with Lauren Rudick

Here’s the class description in a few sentences! Yay! We love yoga! It’s the best ever. 

We offer classes in multiple styles and many languages! 

Take just 1 class, purchase a pack of 10 or an annual unlimited membership.

Missed your LIVE class? Don’t worry! The class will be e-mailed to you when it’s over and you will have access to it for 24hrs. 

Pre-Recorded classes available for rent

These are a combination of live and professionally recorded yoga classes.
You will have access to your class rental for 7 days after purchase. 

For beginners:

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

The training that happened while the world was stopped

…As a group we decided to press on with the training. We had all come a long way to make this training and some of us were unaware of what to do next. So we agreed that in class time we would continue our journey in to mindfulness. In classes we went on as per usual. On breaks, we organized and arranged next steps. It feels now like that training was a lifetime ago. It feels like we maintained a tiny haven of paradise in a far away place where the rest of the world’s problems simply did not exist.

The training that continued while the world was stopping...

If you’ve been following along on our journey, you’ll know that we were in the midst of a Chakra-Vinyasa yoga teacher training while the world was wrapping it’s head around a global pandemic. It was just a few days after the training started that travel bans started to come in to effect, business closed, government regulations were put in to place, and the world seemed to halt while we were all in Nicaragua. 

The situation was uncertain to say the least. On our breaks our eyes were peeled to news sources, texting and calling friends and family back home and just trying to get updates on what was going on. It felt like we were in a far far away dreamland, away from all the chaos. 

As a group we decided to press on with the training. We had all come a long way to make this training and some of us were unaware of what to do next. So we agreed that in class time we would continue our journey in to mindfulness. In classes we went on as per usual. On breaks, we organized and arranged next steps. It feels now like that training was a lifetime ago. It feels like we maintained a tiny haven of paradise in a far away place where the rest of the world’s problems simply did not exist. 

Hopefully we will be able to return soon to our beloved Yoga Teacher Trainings in paradise. In the meanwhile, here’s a recap of the Chakra-Vinyasa experience. 

 

We are still committed to offering you the highest possible standard in yoga education.

Take this time to advance your home practice with us.

Go deeper into themes and practices you’ve always wanter to.

Prepare yourself for next steps in your yoga career once we return to our regular lives.

Learn from our internationally renown teachers right from the comfort of your own…quarantine. 

online yoga courses

Ashtanga Yoga for newbies

Join internationally renown Tantric Yoga Teacher Nancy Goodfellow as she introduces you to this amazing practice! This course is challenging, uplifting, insightful and deep. It is perfect for a yogi ready to learn more, go deeper- mind, body and spirit and gain more understanding of the ancient traditions of yoga. Nancy guides safe and structured Tantric practices that include explanations of.why Tantra is practiced in this way, mudras, mantra, meditation and so much more. Contains over 3 hours of guided asana practice and more than 10 hours of video content!

Turn your life upside down

Turn Your Life Upside Down is a 4-week 4-module course designed to get you knowing what your passions are, what makes you come alive and then take the steps toward living that dream! Lauren Rudick takes you on a journey into yourself. This course contains 5 guided yoga practices, 7 guided meditations, a fully illustrated e-book and journaling exercises.
Join Lauren in living a lifestyle of passion. Turn Your Life Upside Down!

The Tantra Course

Join internationally renown Tantric Yoga Teacher Nancy Goodfellow as she introduces you to this amazing practice! This course is challenging, uplifting, insightful and deep. It is perfect for a yogi ready to learn more, go deeper- mind, body and spirit and gain more understanding of the ancient traditions of yoga. Nancy guides safe and structured Tantric practices that include explanations of.why Tantra is practiced in this way, mudras, mantra, meditation and so much more. Contains over 3 hours of guided asana practice and more than 10 hours of video content!

Uplift your Yoga Career

Uplift your yoga career is everything a yogi needs to know to elevate a great career in yoga, raise your income and create an awesome yoga following. The full course includes guides on getting jobs, marketing, social media, creating workshops and growing a loyal following in yoga.

Like netflix, but yoga.

We are still continuing to offer membership to our online yoga studio at significantly reduced rates. 

Our online studio and online courses are NOT the same. The studio is streamable online content with various teachers. The courses are an opportunity to go WAY deeper into a particular discipline or style. 

During stressful times like these that we need wellness and mindfulness practices the most.We are giving you almost free access to our entire online studio library. It’s like Netflix, but yoga for Just $1 per month.

We want to invite you to practice with us from the comfort of your home.

FULL ACCESS to our online studio for only $12 for the entire year. Use code yoga12 to sign up today.

If you are already subscribed, feel free to share page with others who need heart opening meditations, yoga practices to keep them physically fit and well and yin yoga to reduce stress and stiffness.

We have classes in English, French and Norwegian and have just added almost a dozen new practices.

 
Hundreds of practices available – unlimited yoga for all levels – beginners to super advanced – continuing education for yoga teachers

Whether you are brand new to yoga, super advanced or on your yoga teaching journey, we have practices and classes for you. Our online instructors have been handpicked for their teaching style, commitment to practice and specialty in their individual yoga discipline. We have classes ranging from 2 – 90 minutes waiting for you!

Membership is just $98 per year!

[register_form id=2]

But what about our 
yoga trainings abroad?

We are keeping a close watch on how the situation is changing day by day. At this point in time it is highly likely that our YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING  at the end of April will be postponed for 1 year. We will continue to watch the COVID-19 situation closely and make a final decision by April 1, 2020. Good news- you now have time to sign up at save up for it! This luxury training is amazing and we can extend a payment plan to you over 12 months. This means for less than $200/month you can get to this INCREDIBLE luxury experience.

We are still saying optimistic that our 200hr YOGA TEACHER TRAINING this July will run as scheduled. We are hopeful and keeping faith that we will be able to stop the spread of this virus shortly and continue to create magical experiences in paradise. 

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

200hr yoga
teacher training

in playa maderas
Taking place on the spectacular cliffs of Maderas Beach, this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Ashtanga Yoga intensive

in Lembongnan, Bali
THIS is an amazing course with KPJAY Authorized level 2 teacher Tina Bock! Tina has spent years studying in Mysore, India under Sharath Jois and takes a very traditional but fun approach to Ashtanga Yoga. This program is an ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION.

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

update: COVID-19 & Yoga Academy International

Covid-19 & Yoga Academy International

Current status, upcoming plans & What you can do right now: 

It is with honesty and transparency that Lauren shares with you exactly where we are at right now with Yoga Academy International, what precautions we are taking where we are right now and our plans for the future. 

We are hopeful that we can continue to connect with you, our beloved community, and that soon enough you’ll be back here with us at our epic yoga teacher trainings! 

We are still committed to offering you the highest possible standard in yoga education.

Take this time to advance your home practice with us.

Go deeper into themes and practices you’ve always wanter to.

Prepare yourself for next steps in your yoga career once we return to our regular lives.

Learn from our internationally renown teachers right from the comfort of your own…quarantine. 

online yoga courses

Ashtanga Yoga for newbies

Join internationally renown Tantric Yoga Teacher Nancy Goodfellow as she introduces you to this amazing practice! This course is challenging, uplifting, insightful and deep. It is perfect for a yogi ready to learn more, go deeper- mind, body and spirit and gain more understanding of the ancient traditions of yoga. Nancy guides safe and structured Tantric practices that include explanations of.why Tantra is practiced in this way, mudras, mantra, meditation and so much more. Contains over 3 hours of guided asana practice and more than 10 hours of video content!

Turn your life upside down

Turn Your Life Upside Down is a 4-week 4-module course designed to get you knowing what your passions are, what makes you come alive and then take the steps toward living that dream! Lauren Rudick takes you on a journey into yourself. This course contains 5 guided yoga practices, 7 guided meditations, a fully illustrated e-book and journaling exercises.
Join Lauren in living a lifestyle of passion. Turn Your Life Upside Down!

The Tantra Course

Join internationally renown Tantric Yoga Teacher Nancy Goodfellow as she introduces you to this amazing practice! This course is challenging, uplifting, insightful and deep. It is perfect for a yogi ready to learn more, go deeper- mind, body and spirit and gain more understanding of the ancient traditions of yoga. Nancy guides safe and structured Tantric practices that include explanations of.why Tantra is practiced in this way, mudras, mantra, meditation and so much more. Contains over 3 hours of guided asana practice and more than 10 hours of video content!

Uplift your Yoga Career

Uplift your yoga career is everything a yogi needs to know to elevate a great career in yoga, raise your income and create an awesome yoga following. The full course includes guides on getting jobs, marketing, social media, creating workshops and growing a loyal following in yoga.

Like netflix, but yoga.

We are still continuing to offer membership to our online yoga studio at significantly reduced rates. 

Our online studio and online courses are NOT the same. The studio is streamable online content with various teachers. The courses are an opportunity to go WAY deeper into a particular discipline or style. 

During stressful times like these that we need wellness and mindfulness practices the most.We are giving you almost free access to our entire online studio library. It’s like Netflix, but yoga for Just $1 per month.

We want to invite you to practice with us from the comfort of your home.

FULL ACCESS to our online studio for only $12 for the entire year. Use code yoga12 to sign up today.

If you are already subscribed, feel free to share page with others who need heart opening meditations, yoga practices to keep them physically fit and well and yin yoga to reduce stress and stiffness.

We have classes in English, French and Norwegian and have just added almost a dozen new practices.

 
Hundreds of practices available – unlimited yoga for all levels – beginners to super advanced – continuing education for yoga teachers

Whether you are brand new to yoga, super advanced or on your yoga teaching journey, we have practices and classes for you. Our online instructors have been handpicked for their teaching style, commitment to practice and specialty in their individual yoga discipline. We have classes ranging from 2 – 90 minutes waiting for you!

Membership is just $98 per year!

[register_form id=2]

But what about our 
yoga trainings abroad?

We are keeping a close watch on how the situation is changing day by day. At this point in time it is highly likely that our YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING  at the end of April will be postponed for 1 year. We will continue to watch the COVID-19 situation closely and make a final decision by April 1, 2020. Good news- you now have time to sign up at save up for it! This luxury training is amazing and we can extend a payment plan to you over 12 months. This means for less than $200/month you can get to this INCREDIBLE luxury experience.

We are still saying optimistic that our 200hr YOGA TEACHER TRAINING this July will run as scheduled. We are hopeful and keeping faith that we will be able to stop the spread of this virus shortly and continue to create magical experiences in paradise. 

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

200hr yoga
teacher training

in playa maderas
Taking place on the spectacular cliffs of Maderas Beach, this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Ashtanga Yoga intensive

in Lembongnan, Bali
THIS is an amazing course with KPJAY Authorized level 2 teacher Tina Bock! Tina has spent years studying in Mysore, India under Sharath Jois and takes a very traditional but fun approach to Ashtanga Yoga. This program is an ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION.

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

What we are doing about COVID-19 at Yoga Academy International

It is during stressful times like these that we need wellness and mindfulness practices the most. We are keeping a close watch on how the situation is changing day by day and currently do not plan to cancel any of our yoga teacher trainings abroad…

What we are doing about COVID-19 
at Yoga Academy International

Stay mindful, healthy and choose love over fear

yin yoga Childs pose

Hi Yogis!!

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many people are avoiding gathering in large groups, including at yoga studios.

At YAI, we believe that it is during stressful times like these that we need wellness and mindfulness practices the most.

As such, we want to give you almost free access to our entire online studio library. It’s like Netflix, but yoga.

In transparency- the way our online platform has been coded, you need to enter a credit card number in order to make an account, so we are giving it away, almost free.

Just $1 per month.

We want to invite you to practice with us from the comfort of your home.

As such, we are offering FULL ACCESS to our online studio for only $12 for the entire year.

Use code yoga12 to sign up today.

If you are already subscribed, feel free to share page with others who need heart opening meditations, yoga practices to keep them physically fit and well and yin yoga to reduce stress and stiffness.

We have classes in English, French and Norwegian and have just added almost a dozen new practices.

 
Hundreds of practices available – unlimited yoga for all levels – beginners to super advanced – continuing education for yoga teachers

Whether you are brand new to yoga, super advanced or on your yoga teaching journey, we have practices and classes for you. Our online instructors have been handpicked for their teaching style, commitment to practice and specialty in their individual yoga discipline. We have classes ranging from 2 – 90 minutes waiting for you!

Membership is just $98 per year!

[register_form id=2]

Here's a sneak peak at some of our classes...

But what about our yoga trainings abroad?

We are keeping a close watch on how the situation is changing day by day and currently do not plan to cancel any of our yoga teacher trainings abroad.

We are confident that by the time our YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING rolls around at the end of April and our 200hr YOGA TEACHER TRAINING in July, this situation will be contained and past us.

We will of course be in contact with you if that changes.

Stay healthy, stay informed, stay safe.

We love you!!

xoxoxo
Lauren & Team Yoga Academy International

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

immersive 200hr yoga teacher training

in playa maderas
Taking place on the spectacular cliffs of Maderas Beach, this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Luxury Yin yoga teacher training

in Marrakech, Morocco
THIS 60HR PROGRAM IS A COMPLETE TRAINING ON ITS OWN. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TRAINING YOU WILL BE A CERTIFIED YIN YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLETE PART OF YOUR 300HR YTT.

Ashtanga Yoga intensive

in Lembongnan, Bali
THIS is an amazing course with KPJAY Authorized level 2 teacher Tina Bock! Tina has spent years studying in Mysore, India under Sharath Jois and takes a very traditional but fun approach to Ashtanga Yoga. This program is an ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION.

The story of Goddess Lakshmi

Lakshmi was born from the stirring of the primordial milky ocean by the gods and demons.

The name Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksya, which means aim or destination.

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity of all forms, material and spiritual.

Who is Goddess Lakshmi?

Do you know the origin story of Goddess Lakshmi? 

Lakshmi was born from the stirring of the primordial milky ocean by the gods and demons.

The name Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksya, which means aim or destination.

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity of all forms, material and spiritual.

Like most Hindu mythology, Lakshmi’s origin story has many different versions and is always embellished with many surreal, magical or even unbelievable elements. Lakshmi’s story begins with a meeting between Sage Durvasa and Lord Indra. 

Sage Durvasa, with a lot of respect, offers Indra a garland of flowers. Lord Indra takes the flowers and rather than humbly placing them around his own neck, he puts the garland on the forehead of his elephant Airvata. The elephant takes the garland and throws it down on the earth- after all, he is an elephant. He didn’t know better! 

Durvasa gets angry at this disrespectful treatment of his gift and he says to Indra, “you have an inflated ego and in your arrogance, you have disrespected me!” Durvasa curses Lord Indra, stating that his kingdom will be ruined just as he ruined the garland by throwing it onto the ground in his excessive pride.

Durvasa walks away and Indra returns to his home. The changes in Indra’s city start to take place following Durvasa’s curse. The gods & people lose their vigour and energy, all the vegetable products and plants start dying, men stop doing charity, minds become corrupted, and everyone’s desires become uncontrollable.

With the Gods getting weak in Indra’s home town, the demons invade the realm of the Gods and defeat them. Everything became chaotic.

This is the reason that both Gods (light) and Demons (darkness) reside in us and are representative of the good and evil within us.

After being defeated, the Gods went to Lord Vishnu (the preserver of the universe) who suggested they churn the ocean to restore the power back to the Gods. The work of churning this primordial ocean will bring back the elixir of immortal life to the gods.

The churning is symbolized by a literal tug of war between the Gods and Demons in the story.  Being a vast body, it would take all of the gods and all of the demons to churn the ocean. So the gods took a snake and wrapped it around Mount Madura. They then sunk the whole mountain into the milky sea. With the gods at the tail end and the demons at head, they both pulled, uncoiling the snake, causing the mountain to spin and the primeval sea to swirl. 

From this churning many things rise up out of the ocean, including Lakshmi AND the elixir of immortal life.  Goddess Lakshmi rises out of the waves, fully grown, gorgeous and on a lotus flower. Eventually through some tricky slight-of-hand the elixir of immortal life also is returned to the gods and order in the universe is restored. 

One of the lessons in this story is that when we get arrogant or angry, it leads to an inability to perform good work. We will lack mental peace, willpower and have a meaningless life. It also shows us that we sometimes have to work with our adversaries, finding compromise and collaboration in order to restore order for a greater good.

Online yoga teacher trainings:

Recently, we had a fun pool party where our yogis channeled their inner lakshmi and celebrated feelings of abundance and prosperity in the midst of yoga teacher training. 

Mantras for proSperity

Using mantra

You can use Lakshmi mantras or even English affirmations to help cultivate abundance and prosperity in your life. Reminding yourself that the universe has everything you need to succeed and thrive helps cultivate feelings of abundance. Chanting to Lakshmi, saying her name in song and even using English affirmation can help you be affirmed that you deserve wealth and prosperity in all forms. 

In our lives we deserve to feel wealthy with friends, love, prosperous in our professional and personal lives and that there is financial abundance available to us at al times.

Below are some of our favourite mantras to help you cultivate abundance and prosperity, drawing on the image of Lakshmi and the lessons of her story. 

OM NAMO LAKSHMAYE NAMAHA

 

ABUNDANCE IS MY BIRTHRIGHT

 

I DESERVE PROSPERITY

Want to come and play? Join one of our yoga teacher trainings!! 

 

Immersive Chakra Yoga Teacher Training

Chakra Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training. A 60hr immersive training for teachers. Beach front. Stay & meal included.

Go on a soulful journey into the chakra system...

Our chakra-Vinyasa yoga teacher training is an immersive, retreat style experience for yoga teachers. this 1-week training includes your stay and meals. Enjoy our oceanfront retreat centre, jungle and ocean view yoga spaces, meditation platforms, virtually private beaches and miles and miles of unspoiled paradise.

This is a full and complete course on its own. It is also a module of our Yoga Alliance registered 300hr YTT. 

Chakra-Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training

Sample daily schedule:

 

  • 7:00 – 8:30am morning chakra-themed yoga flow
  • 8:30 – 9am beach meditation and mindfulness exercises
  • 9 – 10:30am Breakfast break
  • 10:30am – 1pm Chakra Vinyasa Yoga Theory
  • 1pm – 3:30pm Lunch Break
  • 3:30pm – 6:00pm Workshops, discussion, practice teaching, mindful communication skills
  • 6pm – 7:00pm Sunset & Dinner break
  • 7pm – 8:30pm evening satsang (Q&A, philosophy chats, dance parties)

Curriculum

This Chakra-Vinyasa yoga teacher training will touch on:

  • History and origins of the chakra system
  • How to understand chakras from a Western perspective
  • Where Chakras meet science
  • How the chakras can help us better understand ourselves- mind, body and spirit
  • Mantras to awaken each chakra
  • Hindu deities and their stories as they relate to the theme of each of the seven chakras
  • Yoga Asana that calm, balance and stimulate each chakra
  • How to sequence yoga asana classes for the chakras
  • Rituals and practices to get in touch with your system, chakra by chakra

Location

This teacher training includes your stay + 3 meals per day at our retreat center at Maderas Beach, Nicaragua. Located just outside of the lively beach town of San Juan Del Sur, Maderas beach is a safe and quiet haven.  Our oceanfront private villa is the perfect setting for a month spent in paradise! You’ll get sunset views every evening from our dipping pool and our yoga shala boasts a 180 degree view of the ocean and the surf break! We also have a jungle yoga deck and 82 acres of hiking trails on this private property to explore.

Every morning you can meditate on the cliffs of this dramatic coastline that gives way to perfect beaches for walking and some world-class waves for surfing. This place is serene and stunning.

GETTING HERE: Maderas beach is located just 2-houra from Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR) airport and 2-hours from Managua Airport (MGA). Flying in to either airport. We can have our partners at the retreat center organize your transfers to us at Maderas Beach.

Accreditation & Tuition

Yoga Academy International is a recognized and registered yoga school with Yoga Alliance. When you graduate our course you will be a certified chakra-vinyasa yoga teacher. This course also counts as 60hrs toward Yoga Academy International’s 500hr YTT. On completion of 3 elective modules + our core module, you can register as RYT-500. 

Tuition for this program is $1765USD. Your chakra-vinyasa yoga teacher training includes:

  • 9 nights at our private, oceanfront retreat center
  • 3 locally sourced healthy meals daily
  • Daily Asana and Meditation practice
  • An opportunity to live your yoga, lifestyle and ethics
  • Campfires, singing, dancing, stargazing
  • A safe, sacred space for you to grow in to the most authentic and happy version of yourself
  • Mentorship and personalized guidance

* please note, there is 1 day off mid-way through this training. Meals will not be included on the day off. This is your opportunity to support local restaurants and visit the area!

There are no extras or hidden fees associated with our program. We invite you to come as you are and we will provide you with everything you need. Payment plans are available.

NOT JUST AN AVERAGE YOGA TRAINING; IT WAS AN ENRICHING LIFE EXPERIENCE. I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE MANY ASPECTS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION. AS WELL AS MORE ABOUT MYSELF. I RECEIVED THE TOOLS TO LEAD A MORE EMPOWERED AND CONSCIOUS LIFE. THE GENUINE LOVE, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FROM THE SKILLED INSTRUCTORS AND MY FELLOW STUDENTS WAS APPARENT ON A DAILY BASIS AND SO APPRECIATED. I ENJOYED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS COMPREHENSIVE AND WELL-PLANNED PROGRAM. GREAT VARIETY OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND LASTING FRIENDSHIPS. I’M FOREVER GRATEFUL.
MS
Sweden
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE! THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHING AND EDUCATION WAS TRULY FANTASTIC. THE STAFF ALONG WITH ALL OF THE EXPERT GUEST SPEAKERS WERE SUPER SUPPORTIVE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE. I FEEL WELL EQUIPPED AND EXCITED TO GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND SHARE WHAT I HAVE LEARNED. I ESPECIALLY LOVED THAT WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO EMBRACE OUR OWN STYLE OF TEACHING. THE STUNNING AND MAGICAL LOCATION WAS THE CHERRY ON TOP!
Sonya H
Australia
I feel very lucky to have stumbled on to the gift of this practice, and I love that now I get to introduce it to others. I get to encourage the uncovering and discovering that inevitably comes along with it, not only during the asanas, but during those unexpected quiet moments of stillness…those golden moments where you find yourself going inward, and you find yourself. I’m SO excited to continue being a student of yoga…to continue being a teacher of yoga…to keep moving on this path
JulieAnn Delude
USA
PLEASE NOTE: A NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE IN THE PROGRAM. A 50% BALANCE OF PAYMENT IS DUE 30-DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THE TRAINING. THE REMAINING BALANCE IS DUE 10-DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THE YOGA TEACHER TRAINING. A FULL REFUND, MINUS THE DEPOSIT FEE WILL BE OFFERED FOR CANCELLATIONS MADE MORE THAN 60-DAYS PRIOR TO THE START DATE OF THE TRAINING. CANCELLATIONS OF LESS THAN 60-DAYS ADVANCED NOTICE WILL BE REFUNDED 50% OF THE TEACHER TRAINING PRICE. REFUNDS WILL NOT BE OFFERED ON CANCELLATIONS MADE LESS THAN 30-DAYS IN ADVANCE. REFUNDS WILL NOT BE OFFERED ON DISCOUNTED RATES.

Standing Bow: May this pose be ever in your favor…

Standing Bow Pose: How to up your (Hunger) game! May this posture be ever in your favor….

standing bow pose, side view, woman

 

You’ve seen it.  It’s the quintessential yoga pose.  On every mountaintop, beach, and natural wonder of the world, someone has now done a #stopdropyoga and you can bet your bottom dollar that this is one of the most popular choices in the modern yogi’s repertoire.  And who can blame them? From beginner yogi to decorated veteran yogi, nobody can deny the beauty and grace exuded in a posture that creates the shape of a bow and arrow -equal parts strength and grace.  But how useful is a bow and arrow that isn’t aimed straight or even one that isn’t pulled tight? Don’t know what i’m talking about then ask Katniss Everdeen (from the blockbuster movie The Hunger Games).  It wasn’t her beauty or grace that helped her survive the Hunger Games, but rather her bulldog determination to precision, accuracy, and focus, that gave her the upper hand in the biggest fight for her life.  Now that sounds pretty dramatic, but this posture was meant to exemplify the intense focus of this primitive sport.  And, and as beautiful as this posture may be, if you practice humility and honesty in your daily practice this posture tends to serve up a large helping of “humble pie”.  If you go beyond the impressive shape of this posture, it not only takes dedication to alignment but also learning which intricate muscles to relax and which to contract to hit the bullseye of the mental and physical benefits.

The secrets to this posture are found in this precision based sport, so let’s go there for our cues.  I will explain this posture on the right side for sanity’s sake so that I can explain using “right” and “left” cues, but this posture can obviously be done on both sides.

  1. Stance and set up: Stand up straight.  Keeping the right elbow touching your waist and bend your arm 90 degrees keeping your palm facing up.  Keeping the knees together begin to bend your right knee drawing your heel toward your Gluteus muscle.  Still keeping the knees together, reach and grab for the right ankle at the inside of the ankle (right where the knobby bone of the ankle protrudes).  Extend the left hand up drawing the left Bicep by the left ear.  Left palm should be facing forward.  Begin to inhale, and you reach your left hand higher as if you are going to touch the ceiling, shoulder coming out of the body.  The whole body should feel extended and pulled tight.
  2. Grip: Keep all 5 fingers of the right hand together (including the thumb).  Grip should be strong but no break in the wrist.  Although the grip is tight (white knuckled), make sure that as you begin to kick back that you do not begin to pull with the strength of the right arm, the bow is drawn with the kick.
  3. Place the arrow on the bow: In this posture, the arrow is formed with the two arms.  The bow is formed with the kicking leg.  Thus, it is important that the force comes with the kick (kicking is hard and continuous).  As you begin to kick back and away from the body, you form the bow and you are also placing the arrow on the bow simultaneously.  As you begin to kick back, the arms begin to be pulled into one line, from the left fingertips all the way to the right hand grip.  You are working on getting the arms in one line so the shoulders will also be pulled in to one line through the force of the kick.  Eventually, the chin will be touching the left shoulder because you have never changed the position of the head but because the shoulders are pulled in one line (from the reaching and kicking actions), then the left shoulder will keep moving to align with the chin (the midline of the body) -not the other way around.  In other words, you are reaching so much with the left fingertips that the left shoulder eventually meets the chin, not the chin reaching  for the shoulder.
  4. Finger position: Just as all 5 fingers of the right hand are together and touching, same goes for the fingers of the left hand.  They are together and the palm is facing forward and rotates down as the body comes down.  Also, when looking in the mirror in front of you, the fingertips of the left hand should appear as if they are touching the iris of the left eye; the hand position is much higher than many realize.  This helps you keep as arch in the spine and initiates the backbend.
  5. Draw:  As I mentioned earlier, the kick is continuous.  You need to draw a bow tight in order to shoot an arrow, right?  Imagine what would happen if you released the tension in a bow and arrow and then tried to shoot an arrow… the arrow would flop to the ground no matter how good you may be.  Same goes for this posture.  Keep kicking!  Only when you feel that your kick is maximized and you can’t kick any harder, do you even think about rotating the body at all.  I often see people begin to let the belly rotate down when there is still some slack in the bow and this is a recipe for misalignment and a wobbly bow and arrow.
  6. Aim:  In this posture, everything will eventually line up in one straight line in the front mirror.  Look at the picture (below).  You will see two feet in one line.  Not only that, but you will also, see my chin, left fingertips, gaze, everything in one line as if I am standing between two panes of glass.  The only thing that should not be in one line from the front are the hips.  The hips should be square to the ground, so there also needs to be a continuous effort to pull the right hip down.  This creates a twist in the spine.  See how everything is in one line in the picture, below? Except, my hips look like the are next to each other on either side of my body?  That is the correct alignment.  I often see people opening their right hip to achieve an kick that appears higher, but are really just trading alignment for pseudo-depth.  As you rotate your body down, you should rotate as if you are on an axis and there should be no side to side motion.  Keep coming down until the belly button is facing the ground (while never letting up on the kick).  Hold steady, breathe normally, and keep your eyes focused on your left fingertips touching your left eye in the mirror.
  7. Release:  When you are ready to come out, use your inhale to lift yourself back up the same axis from which you rotated down -reversing out the exact same way you came down.  Never let your left fingertips come away from touching your left eye win the front mirror.  End in the same position you began your set up.

standing bow pose, woman, front view

So, go ahead now.  Channel your inner Katness, and may this pose be ever in your favor!

Namaste, Bendy Babes,

Xoxo,

Paloma

 

woman, standing, smiling, field

Paloma

Paloma is an avid yoga enthusiast, practitioner, and teacher in Louisville, Kentucky.  She created Her Bendy Life as a way to expand on her passion for all things yoga.  She has found that yoga is a very personal journey and she wanted a create a space to share some of the experiences, tips, and tricks from her dedication to her ever evolving practice.  She received a 200-RYT certified from Cindy Lunsford in Hot Vinyasa Yoga and also traveled to Cabo San Lucas to train with Tony Sanchez in the Ghosh Lineage. Paloma took her practice to new heights in 2016 when she placed 1st in the Yoga Federation’s Regional Competition in Chicago Illinois and 9th in the 2016 National Yoga Championship.

Paloma’s teaching emphasizes using the planes of the body to achieve proper alignment, allowing students to achieve the full therapeutic benefits of yoga.  She believes in adapting postures to each students ability (whether beginner or advanced) while maintaining physical alignment.  Paloma believes that yoga should never be dogmatic and that students should only go as far into a posture as what is comfortable for them.  She helps students find modifications that help them safely progress. Paloma lives with her husband George, her Labrador Retriever Belle, and her Pug Piper.

Instagram: @her_bendy_life

What you need to know about yoga teacher training

10 things you need to know about yoga teacher training

 

Have you been practicing yoga for a while and want to take it to the next level? Doing a yoga teacher training is an amazing way to deepen your own practice, learn new things about yourself and gain the practical skills to teach yoga to others.
If you’re not sure what to expect, let me share 10 things with you that are worth taking into account before embarking on your first course.

1. You don’t have to be “perfect” at yoga

Before signing up for my own yoga teacher training, there was a voice in my head saying: “You might not be good and flexible enough to do a yoga teacher training, let alone teach yoga to others.” I’m so glad I didn’t listen to that voice and proved it wrong! You don’t have to be the most advanced yogi in order to do a course. In fact, asana is only ONE part of yoga teacher training. Learning more about the roots of yoga, meditating, chanting and personal development are huge factors as well. If you’re a bit insecure, let me assure you that you will walk out of your training with a new sense of what your body and mind are capable of – and a big boost in confidence.

2. You will make lifelong friends

Practicing, studying, eating, talking, laughing and crying with a group of likeminded people leads to a deep way of connecting with them. There will be a few special souls you will form real friendships with that will last long after your course has come to an end. It’s not easy to part ways after such an intense time, but luckily distance doesn’t mean you can’t keep in touch and see each other again.

3. You will have to sit – a lot

I’m going to be honest – you will sit much more than you practice asana. Yes, friends. You will meditate for long hours. Chant mantras. Listen to your teachers and take notes. Learn about the history and philosophy of yoga. Read. Write. It’s all part of the process.

4. Your intention of doing a yoga teacher training might change over time

Maybe you’re doing the training purely for yourself. In order to deepen your practice, develop a spiritual connection, learn more about your body and mind. And that’s completely fine and amazing! But who knows – you might develop a love for teaching others during the course (it happens to a lot of students!). The opposite might happen as well: Maybe you’re sure that you want teach after your teacher training and suddenly that idea isn’t as appealing anymore. Just be open for changes. Go with the flow – no pun intended.

5. You will be in pain

Be prepared to be sore. Sitting on the floor for long periods of time and practicing for several hours every day fatigues your muscles. I actually felt like I was getting stiffer each day. But what helped me was getting massages on the weekends, drinking lots of water and just accepting it – knowing that it is part of an intensive course and only makes your body and mind more resilient.

6. You will learn a lot about yourself

One of the best parts about yoga teacher training for me personally was that I got to learn so much more about myself. I thought I already did, but teacher training showed me even more facets about my mind and body. Committing to a yoga teacher training means you’re also committing to doing the work. And by work I not only mean studying and learning about yoga and teaching others, but also doing the work within yourself. You will learn about your limiting beliefs and what’s holding you back. About how to overcome those beliefs and gain more confidence in certain areas. You will learn more about your body and your weak and strong spots. About the tendencies of your mind, especially during meditation. And most importantly: You’ll learn that you’re capable of much more than you thought you were.

7. You will be very emotional

There will be a lot of crying during teacher training. And that’s completely normal. Tiredness, discomfort, new insights about yourself (negative or positive) and overwhelm can lead to unexpected emotions. One day you’re flying high, the next day you want to quit. But remember, you are on a journey of growth and in-depth studying. So don’t be too hard on yourself and see it as a part of it all. Which brings me to the next point…

8. You will have to take good care of yourself

In order to enjoy your yoga teacher training and stay strong and healthy despite physical discomfort, information overload and lots of emotions, make sure you’re taking good care of yourself. For me, that meant relaxing on the weekends, spending time with my loved ones, not talking about yoga, getting a spa treatment, having early nights and lots of sleep and nourishing my body with nutritious food.

9. You will have to confront different personalities

As much as we want to get along with everyone – especially as yogis and in a group of likeminded individuals – it’s very important to remember that our personalities are still very different. Everyone comes with their own baggage and sometimes other people’s egos can be hard to deal with – especially when we spend long hours with the same group of people. However,  this can also be great opportunity for us to practice tolerance and to dig deeper: Oftentimes, having difficulties with someone means that a person triggered something in us. By taking an honest look at ourselves, finding out what it is that we are dealing with and beginning to work on it, we can then show up as better versions of ourselves.

10. You will have to let go of expectations

Despite sharing a few things that I find important to know before embarking on your teacher training, you can’t really prepare for what lies ahead. Every journey is unique and no one can tell you what will happen or how you will feel. The most important advice I can give you is to let go of expectations, be open for everything and fully committed. And I promise you, your yoga teacher training will be an amazing and life changing experience.
Now it’s over to you: Are you thinking of doing a teacher training and do you have any questions? If you have gone through training, what would you like others to know before they start?

 

woman, smilingMiriam Younsi

Miriam is a Holistic Yoga and Kids Yoga teacher whose mission is to help people find optimal health and balance through personalised yoga, Ayurveda and health coaching. She offers online and private classes as well as Yoga and Life Coaching Retreats with her partner. Miriam is originally from Germany and currently lives between Bali, Morocco and Germany.

Instagram: @yogawithmiriam

Cultivating a Home Practice in 4 Easy Steps

 

Say the word “yoga” in conversation, and you tend to evoke imagery of lycra-clad (or barely-clad) stretch-fanatics, moving and flowing in a spacious, airy studio that smells distinctly of essential oils. The yoga industry caters to an ever-growing crowd of over 37 million North Americans, many of whom were introduced to yoga in a studio setting, or via group classes at a local fitness facility. Enrolling in group classes at a studio, gym, or communal facility is an amazing way to not only further delve into your practice, but also to integrate yourself within a pocket of your local community. Layer in the guidance and knowledge of an educated teacher, and an element of surprise and personal non-attachment when it comes to creating the sequence to guide classes, and you’ve got an ideal environment to grow your yoga practice. Eventually, however, you may find yourself noticing that some days, your body is calling out for something different than the sequence is built upon. And some days, the idea of being alone with your mat instead of surrounded by others, will resonate with you. As these “some days” meld into “many days,” you may find yourself contemplating alternatives to the seemingly traditional studio practice setting and begin your own home practice.

So…where to next?

Cassandra Cooper Home Practice

Getting back to yogic roots

Although we frequently associate yoga with group practice, look back on traditional texts (e.g. Hatha Pradipika, Chapter 1, Verse 12) and you will discover that Hatha yoga (the most commonly-practiced form of yoga in North America, which encompasses a variety of asana-based practice types) was originally meant to be practiced in solitude:

“The hatha yogi should live alone in a hermitage and practise in a place the length of a boy (one and a half metres), where there is no hazard from rocks, fire, or water, and which is in a well-administered and virtuous kingdom (nation or town) where good alms can be easily attained.”

Now, let’s bear in mind the fact that this text came to fruition during a time when a yogi’s life was divided into four stages, or ashrama, three of which were characterized by significant lack of social interaction and solitude.

As we’ve evolved, so has the setting and style of our personal practice. I’m not one to endorse only practicing in a confined space on a mud-ground with no views of the outside world (but hey, if that’s your jam, go for it!) Approach the development of your personal practice with yogic principle; slowly, mindfully, and with an intention to be open as you adapt and grow.

 

1. Create a space

I used to be one of the classic eye-rolling non-believers when it came to understanding the importance of setting intentions and allowing time to create an energetic space in which to conduct your practice. New-agey? Perhaps. Valid? For me, definitely. For you, maybe not, but before you quickly skip to the more concrete and tangible instructions below, give this a shot.

Establish a spot to practice that doesn’t stress you out. We tend to associate physical locations with memories or habits of repeated actions, so try and find a space that speaks to you in a soothing, calm voice as opposed to one that screeches in high-pitch. Add in what you need to make yourself feel at ease; essential oils, incense, props, music. Make this space your own, customize it for what you need in that moment to help cultivate sukham and feel at ease.

 

2. Build a foundation

Taking ownership over your practice is an empowering but also overwhelming step in the always-continuous yogic journey. Keep the steps manageable by developing a framework upon which you add, subtract, and modify as you become more comfortable guiding your home practice.

  • Start with a short meditation, five minutes is plenty to start. Scan your physical body, notice what feelings come up, and take time to establish the link between your moving parts and your moving mind.
  • Move on to breath work (pranayama). In a traditional yoga practice, pranayama is its own dedicated practice, and can take upwards of 30 minutes. Bear in mind that breath work is difficult, and if done incorrectly or without awareness can cause harm to your body. For that reason, start by simply working to lengthen your inhales and exhales, focusing on breathing into specific parts of your body where you’d like to create a sense of softness or spaciousness. As you become increasingly comfortable with breath work, begin to research and incorporate different techniques. My suggestion is to journal afterwards, and identify which techniques resonate with you, and the mental and physical responses that are generated as a result.
  • Work on joint mobility next. Bring some movement into the main joints (neck/shoulders, wrists, elbows, hips, knees, ankles), and spend extra time exploring areas that feel as though they need more acute attention at that point in time. Experiment with new ranges of motion, load bearing and non-load bearing exercises, and gradually incorporate greater complexity into your joint warm-ups.
  • Build heat. Begin to incorporate more activity and movement into your practice. Traditional yoga methodology will tell you to launch into sun salutations, vinyasas, etc. These are great options, but they’re not the only ones. Long holds in strength-building postures such as Ashta Chandrasana (high crescent lunge), or dynamic squats can build heat equally as effectively as faster-paced flows. Experiment and ensure that you balance right to left side with respect to sequencing and breath hold times.
  • Challenge balance. After cultivating strength and heat, work on understanding the balance between the physical stability and your inner balance. Base your foundation in simplicity, and eventually move towards more complex, balance-oriented asanas or movement patters.
  • Cool down. This portion of your self-practice can mean so many different things, depending primarily on the selected theme of focus the active portion of your practice. Try to counterbalance whichever parts of your body were recruited, and give them an opportunity to soak in breath and a bit of extra length and space. Use the cool down as an opportunity to begin reconnecting with how you’re feeling, what’s changed, what hasn’t, and any thoughts that arose during the process.
  • Choose a closing shape for your practice. Seated, side-lying, prone, or in good old fashioned savasana. Before you come into whatever final shape you choose, take a few moments to ask your body what it wants. This is an opportunity to open a dialogue and further distance yourself from taking the general “autopilot” option.

 

3. State your focus

I’m a big proponent of focusing your practice around a theme, as was alluded to in the second section here. Working with an anatomical, spiritual, seasonal, or energetic point of focus on which to build and structure your practice brings an element of cohesiveness onto your mat, and provides you with an opportunity to better understand how your self-practice is an opportunity for holistic connection.

Allow your focus to fluctuate with your mood, your situation, and anything else that you feel makes sense for you in that time frame. Journaling and documenting your sequence is a very cool way to look back on how your practice evolves, and remind yourself of aspects that worked well, and also those things you tried that might not have had the intended effect.

 

4. Leave a little wiggle room

As your self-practice evolves, you may find yourself working towards apex asanas, and more complex

movements. There may come a period of time when you start to set a more rigid routine and structure around your self-practice; this is not necessarily a detracting factor, stability to ensure growth can be extremely beneficial. That being said, always come back to your initial intention for nurturing a self-practice (hint: the word SELF). Always allow your practice to be what you need in that moment, try to let go of expectations and preconceived notions around what your sequence needs to look like, and what poses or movements you need to focus in on. Some days, your self-practice sequence is going to be a 45 minute savasana or body scan. And that’s okay. Allow yourself to accept that elusive quality, and use it as an opportunity to develop a better relationship with yourself. Enjoy the journey that this practice let’s you embark upon, and try to see even the most frustrating of obstacles as chances to seek new routes of ascension along the path.

 

Cassandra Cooper

Cassandra Cooper

Growing up with a background in competitive figure skating, Cass’ journey with yoga began at a young age. What started as a way of maintaining flexibility and mobility has since shifted to focus on building strength, by combining elements of functional movement into her practice and sequencing, helping to explore the different ways in which each individual’s body moves and changes shape. Since completing Octopus Garden’s 200 hour teacher training, and Rishikesh Yog Peeth’s 300 hour advanced teacher training program, Cass has pursued Barre and Pilates certifications through Stott Pilates, along with Essentrics movement training. The most important thing she’s discovered along the way is that you’re always a student – be curious, always question, carefully analyze, and continuously seek new avenues towards unexpected answers. ‘Yoga is the journey from cosmetic to cosmic beauty.’

Right on Cue: A Guide for Yogis

Bring back curiosity and mindfulness into your practice, leading a class is more than just being right on cue. 

As intelligent, evolved beings we often find it challenging to take directions from others. Think back to the childhood curiosity that frequently found you pushing beyond the neatly laid out boundaries set out for you by parents and elders, questioning everything. If you spend long periods of time with young children in your day-to-day, you’re probably quite used to hearing the word “why?” endlessly repeated in response to basically any statement.

At some point in our lives, generally around the same time we found ourselves confined to a chair and desk for six hours a day, we started to lose that incessant desire to question; to explore beyond the surface of directions sent our way by others. We started to find it much easier to take directions without asking, and go through the motions on an autopilot of sorts.

In our modern yoga and movement practice, this lack of childlike curiosity and autonomy over our physical, mental, and emotional responses to our practice has become a (not-so) silent epidemic.

Right on Cue

Drastic words? Perhaps, but I fully believe that the consequences hold some pretty serious implications and impact. Let me back track by saying that I do not think this falls entirely on yoga practitioners unwilling to ownership of their practice, but also on the part of teachers who continue to repeat generalized cues without much conviction or thought put into how they translate into the bodies of practitioners in the room at that moment in time. And it’s this continuous stream of bland, non-personal cues for both the physical and subtle body that lead to practitioners tuning out, running on autopilot, and failing to connect on a profound level with what’s happening through their practice. As a growing community that has embraced the concept and practice of yoga, it’s time to tune back in to both our teaching and practice, and bring back that act of self-aware questioning.

 

Yoga Teachers

Let’s start by breaking down the difference between teaching and instructing, because they’re two very separate vocations. To instruct is to go through the motions, repeating words and phrases that are far too often not truly our own. An instructor leads with few modifications, and provides cues that do not allow much, if any, wiggle room, without questioning why he or she is asking practitioners to progress through a sequence of movements. A teacher, however, dedicates him or herself to moving outside his or her own definition of the practice in order to better serve the practitioners in the room, at any given time. A true teacher never defines him or herself as such (re: Yeah, actually I’m a yoga teacher. It’s pretty great!), but rather as a vehicle for learning.

The best teachers always question “why,” guide with purpose, and are always students themselves.

So “teachers,” let’s make waves and make changes. Instead of providing alignment cues in a tone that suggests everyone must follow suit, it’s important to provide practitioners with the space to experiment. Encourage everyone to feel out how their body responds to certain movements, to breath pattern, and even to different verbalizations and visual representations of instructions. Heel to heel vs. heel to arch vs. square your hips vs. toes at a 45 degree angle – there is no one or even two or three “right ways” for asana to make its appearance across a vast spectrum of different physical bodies. Let each practitioner determine what works and what doesn’t, and start to find your own voice in how you choose to verbalize your points of guidance.

Right on Cue

The best piece of advice I have been given was by a friend during our 300 hour training in Rishikesh. She observed me teaching our final “practicum” class, and when I looked to her for feedback, she told me that the best parts of my class were when I was being my authentic self. She suggested to me that I forget about turning to those overused, tired cues that we hear teachers repeating with a tireless lack of conviction. Be a little awkward, try to crack a joke or two, if that’s how you best connect and communicate with others. Even those practitioners that are new to your classes and teaching style will better connect with a teacher who carries with him or herself a sense of credibility and confidence, and doesn’t force a falsified presence. Finding your voice, as non-traditional as it may be, is so key to feeling fully comfortable as you strive to enable others to feel comfortable and find themselves through their practice.

 

Yoga Practitioners

Continue to ask “why.” This doesn’t mean that every single cue provided to you by an instructor or teacher needs to be followed up with that verbalization, but question the purpose behind the pose, behind the movement, and behind the cue. Leverage this to build a sense of awareness within your own physical and subtle body – identify how your reactions and responses change each day, and start to foster a deeper level of self-awareness. It’s incredible easy to move through asanas and through your typical flow without fully absorbing each subcomponent within your own being. Avoid the autopilot trap, bring a sense of awareness into your practice, and let that attunement permeate throughout other aspects of your life.

In its most raw form, pre-Instagram yoga challenges, before “Hot Power Flow” classes and “Yoga Bootcamp” classes were ever a thing, yoga symbolized union. It is the understanding that we are all one and the same. Yoga embodies the fact that nothing separates each one of us here; we do not coexist, we only exist as one collective. So let’s take steps towards breaking down the dogmatic teacher-student barriers that have come to be, and provide practitioners with the ownership to shape their respective practices, both on and off the mat.

 

Cassandra Cooper

Cassandra Cooper

Growing up with a background in competitive figure skating, Cass’ journey with yoga began at a young age. What started as a way of maintaining flexibility and mobility has since shifted to focus on building strength, by combining elements of functional movement into her practice and sequencing, helping to explore the different ways in which each individual’s body moves and changes shape. Since completing Octopus Garden’s 200 hour teacher training, and Rishikesh Yog Peeth’s 300 hour advanced teacher training program, Cass has pursued Barre and Pilates certifications through Stott Pilates, along with Essentrics movement training. The most important thing she’s discovered along the way is that you’re always a student – be curious, always question, carefully analyze, and continuously seek new avenues towards unexpected answers. ‘Yoga is the journey from cosmetic to cosmic beauty.’

Stronger Wrists: 10 Easy Exercises

There’s a reason that the statement “getting down on hands and knees” is synonymous with doing all of the hard things. As with most clichéd statements, the words themselves may be overused, but their validity rings true. I’d make a joke about having a nickel for every time I saw a student come down and shake out his or her wrists mid-downward dog, but I think it’s time to lay to bed the literary devices (for now).

As a mammalian group that has evolved to carry out the majority of our lives on two feet as opposed to quadruped, the struggle gets very real when we are tasked with bearing significant load on the wrists. The struggle is further amplified when said wrist joints are supporting weight at a degree of flexion or extension that they so rarely get exposed to from our tech-absorbed lifestyles (re: texting, typing, and any other social media-induced sinning you can think of). The solution to the tenderness or lack of strength you may be feeling is not to simply keep pushing through chaturanga after chaturanga, letting your wrist weakness translate its way up into pinching scapula and over-extension of the lumbar spine. Scale back, and start with a basic wrist warm-up routine that you can build up over time to help develop both the strength and mobility you need to keep this integral synovial joint happy and healthy. Keep in mind that none of these exercises are revolutionary or unique (trademark anyone?), but serve to introduce a less familiar range of motion back into the joint, coupled with dynamic movement. Here are 10 easy exercises for stronger wrists.

. . . . . . . . . .

1) Table-top Dynamic Palm Presses

stronger wrists

Start by positioning yourself on hands and knees; knees under your hips, and with wrists under shoulders. Wrists will not line up right underneath your shoulders, as you will have to allow for the carrying angle of the elbow, so you will notice slight ulnar deviation (fingers moving away from midline). Wrist creases will move towards parallel with the top of the mat. Spread all ten fingers wide, maintain a gentle curve through the joints of the fingers, and distribute your weight evenly by pressing in through the base of your palm (meaty party), as well as the pads of your fingers. Start moving back and forth, use your inhalations to take your hips towards your forearms, and your sitting bones back towards your heels. Make sure you’re not dropping your navel towards your mat; front line of your body remains engaged, but not tense. You can switch it up and move side to side, just be sure to keep the fingers spread wide, and the shoulder blades moving in opposite directions to avoid any pinching of the scapula.

 

 

 


2) Table-top Dynamic Wrist Extensions (Variation A)

stronger wrists

Take the same starting position as 1). Turn your fingers out to opposite edges of your mat (thumbs forward, pinky fingers back). Move hips forwards and then sit weight back towards heels, keeping all ten fingers pressing in to the mat. Play with changing the weight distribution through your palms, and move through 10-20 iterations of this.

 

 

 

 

 

 


3) Table-top Dynamic Wrist Extensions (Variation B)

Take the same starting position as 2). Instead of moving the trunk and hips, lift one palm, suction cupping the palm diaphragm up away from your mat, and then place it back down. Repeat on other side, and feel free to lean weight slightly toward each side as your lift the palm. Repeat 10-20 times per side.

stronger wrists stronger wrists


4) Table-top Reverse Wrist Extensions with Pulsing

stronger wrists

Users’ warning: this is intense, especially for those of us restricted to a stereotypical office job where we spend the vast majority of our time typing, in wrist flexion. Take palms onto the mat, but spin wrist creases to face towards the front edge of your mat, fingers point directly back toward your knees. Walk your knees up to meet your finger tips to take some pressure and weight off of your wrists, and start to slowly bend your elbows slightly, taking your glutes back toward your heels, and lifting the palms away from the ground. If this is super intense, try a single palm variation, with one wrist crease exposed to the front of your mat, and one wrist crease facing back in toward your knee. Keep this exercises dynamic by pulsing the palms up and down 5-10 times, and on your last pulse, see if you’re able to peel the palm slightly higher, and hold for 3-5 rounds of breath.

 

 

 

 


5) Moving combo (2-4)

Stay in table-top, and move through the different wrist positions explored in the first four exercises, using your inhales to guide weight forwards, and your exhales to bring your glutes closer towards your heels. This requires some coordination, but is a dynamic way to work mobility through the wrist joint and challenge your breath-body connection.


6) Table-top, “Awkward” Push-ups

Stay in table-top, this time reverse the direction of your fingers from 2) and 3), so that your elbows point out, thumbs come toward your knees, and pinky fingers point forward. Keeping your shoulder blades spreading apart, upper back strong, inhale, then exhale to bend at your elbows in an “awkward” push-up variation, and press back up to straight arms on the inhale. Make sure your core braces to prevent your chest from collapsing down, and keep your neck in line with your spine. Repeat this 10-15 times.

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7) Table-top Finger-Curls with Wrist Flexion

Now we’re getting to the good stuff! Maintaining table-top position, flip onto the backs of your palms (yes, that’s right. No, I’m not crazy, and yes, this is going to feel weird). Wrist creases will face out toward the left and right side of your mat, with your fingers spread wide apart and facing in towards one another. The soft, fleshy part of your palms (diaphragm), will face up towards your nose. Take an inhale to spread the fingers as wide as you can, and then exhale to curl the fingers into fists, squeezing. Repeat this 5-10 times, without compensating or taking tension in through your neck and shoulders.

stronger wrists stronger wrists


8) Table-top Dynamic/Sustained Wrist Flexion

stronger wrists

Same starting position (backs of palms) as 7). Take your wrist creases to face towards the front edge of your mat, and try to press as much of the back of your hand into the mat as you can. Hold here. Keep your elbows from bending, and spread your fingers far apart. You can play with spreading the fingers wide, and then squeezing them back together, in a snow-angel motion, to change the sensation through the wrist and back of your palms.

 

 

 

 

 

 


9) Isolated Finger Taps

Quadruped starting position, spread all ten fingers wide. Keep elbows from bending, and start to tap just the thumb on both left and right hands. Take 20 taps, then move to index finger. Move through all five fingers on each hand. You’ll find this gets significantly tougher when you move to the middle, ring, and pinky fingers due to the structure and attachment of the tendons in your hands.


10) Non-load Bearing Flexion/Extension of Wrists

Sit in kneeling, or any comfortable seated position. LiFt elbows to shoulder height. Inhale here, on exhale squeeze hands into fists, knuckles face towards center of room, inhale to release your hands open, extending the wrists and flexing fingers back in towards your face. Repeat 5-10 times. Move slowly, squeeze a little more tightly each time you take fists, and spread all ten fingers wide when you extend and open the palms.

. . . . . . . . . .

Pace yourself; start by spending around five minutes in total working through exercises 1) to 5) as your foundation. As you start to build stability, strength, and feel less strain or resistance, gradually add in 5) to 9), mixing and matching so that you are working in equal parts wrist extension (palm diaphragms DOWN) and wrist flexion (palm diaphragms UP). Most importantly, don’t be afraid to freestyle it. The more comfortable and confident in your wrist mobility you become, the easier you’ll find it becomes to explore modifications and creative additions to your wrist warm-up sequence that challenge your anatomical limitations. It may not be as sexy as a vinyasa or a bad-ass arm balance, but by building from the ground up, you’re developing a better understanding of your body as its own entity, and setting the foundation to move towards complex, challenging movements further down the road. So get down on your hands and knees, and work your stronger wrists.

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Cassandra Cooper writerCASSANDRA COOPER

GROWING UP WITH A BACKGROUND IN COMPETITIVE FIGURE SKATING, CASS’ JOURNEY WITH YOGA BEGAN AT A YOUNG AGE. WHAT STARTED AS A WAY OF MAINTAINING FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY HAS SINCE SHIFTED TO FOCUS ON BUILDING STRENGTH, BY COMBINING ELEMENTS OF FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT INTO HER PRACTICE AND SEQUENCING, HELPING TO EXPLORE THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL’S BODY MOVES AND CHANGES SHAPE. SINCE COMPLETING OCTOPUS GARDEN’S 200 HOUR TEACHER TRAINING, AND RISHIKESH YOG PEETH’S 300 HOUR ADVANCED TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM, CASS HAS PURSUED BARRE AND PILATES CERTIFICATIONS THROUGH STOTT PILATES, ALONG WITH ESSENTRICS MOVEMENT TRAINING. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING SHE’S DISCOVERED ALONG THE WAY IS THAT YOU’RE ALWAYS A STUDENT – BE CURIOUS, ALWAYS QUESTION, CAREFULLY ANALYZE, AND CONTINUOUSLY SEEK NEW AVENUES TOWARDS UNEXPECTED ANSWERS. ‘YOGA IS THE JOURNEY FROM COSMETIC TO COSMIC BEAUTY.’

I Am Not Flexible: Confessions of a Yoga Teacher

I am not flexible and I teach yoga. I used to feel like a complete sham, being a yoga teacher and not able to express full hanumanasana (the splits) …

Over time and with a lot of forgiveness, I have allowed this to become a strength rather than a hindrance. Due to an inability to demonstrate some poses in their fullest, I had been forced to improve my understanding of anatomy, my communication skills,
i am not flexible
and my explanations of postures. Comprehensible and down-to-earth analogies were needed in order to safely guide students in an out of complicated asana.
I had to let go of a tremendous amount of ego watching my students advance and surpass me in their bendtacular physical abilities. Rather than envy or jealousy, I was filled with enormous amounts of gratitude. It’s a truly humbling experience to watch your students surpass you. I felt privileged to be their teacher.
When my stiff body does manage a touch of suppleness, it becomes a fantastic victory. Years ago, while teaching gomukasana (cow face yoga pose), I was demonstrating how to position the arms when suddenly my fingertips grazed each other for the first time ever.
I almost stopped the class to shout, “Hey everybody! My fingernails just momentarily brushed each other!! Wooo hoo!! Did anyone see that!?!? I am usually not a flexible yoga teacher”
Which would have been both inappropriate and ridiculous in a room full of clasped hands behind backs.
But there’s something more here: When tickling fingertips together draws such awareness and excitement, suddenly little things in life offer us so much encouragement.
This small victory made me feel like I could accomplish anything! The intense sensation of joy and triumph in that moment gave me so much empowerment.
Once I had let go of the goal-oriented nature of my practice and the negativity I had let myself experience for being Inflexible, my personal asana practice flourished.
… 
i am not flexible
Today my yoga practice is about joy. It is about love. It is so much less about the asana. When I step on my mat, I close my eyes and I move my soul with breath and posture. I let my heart pour out on the rubber floor. Whatever I am feeling I just let it be.

I have become so much more compassionate and forgiving of myself on the mat that it has permeated other areas of my life too-less judgment, more being okay with others as they are. By allowing expression and removing rigidity from my personal yoga practice, my body has opened up as well.
 …
Today, not only can I do the splits, but lotus, arm balances, fallen angel, full dancer, have all become part of my regular practice. Oh, and gomukasana too! I can totally grab my hands and even reverse prayer these days! I never in my life thought I would be able to express these asana!
 …
For anyone who is not a flexible yoga teacher or student, step on your mat. Close your eyes. Take some deep breaths. Ask yourself, “what is possible?” You might be surprised with the results, I know I was!

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Lauren Rudick

Lauren Rudick
 
Lead teacher and founder of Yoga Academy International, Lauren is a globally celebrated yoga instructor. She has been teaching yoga for nearly a decade and comes from a variety of lineages and traditions. Lauren’s appetite for yoga and travel are insatiable. She continues to study with world-class instructors whenever possible, all the while leading her own yoga retreats and workshops. Lauren has solid roots in Hatha yoga with continued studies in Vinyasa flow, Anusara, Ashtanga, Restorative and Yin Yoga. She is inspired by teachers who tell stories. She has studied under Seane Corn, Chris Chavez, MC Yogi, Susan Cohen, Nancy Goodfellow and many others. Lauren is passionate about sharing yoga from an authentic and soulful point of view. She believes that yoga practice can help uncover the veils that hide us from achieving our full potential.