Essential teachings on Yin Yoga and Mindfulness mingled with active Yang Yoga sequences.

This course is intended to deepen one’s understanding of the experiential, philosophical and practical application of yoga and meditation. This intensive will deepen one’s ability to teach/practice both a receptive Yin style and an active flow or Yang style of yoga combined with detailed instruction for the teaching and practice of Mindfulness Meditation.

In this Primary Level training we will explore:

• Yin Yoga: how, why and when to practice this style safely and effectively
• Meridian Theorything
• Organ and hormonal health
• Sequences for the kidneys, liver, spleen, lung, and heart
• Balancing the Yin style with a Yang practice to support structural strength and stability
• Proper physical alignment in active postures
• The primary focus of ujjayi breath in asana: length, depth and direction
• Mindfulness in asana
• Sequencing of postures for various levels, from beginner to intermediate student
• How to assist those with injuries
• The use of touch and hands-on adjustments
• Skillful verbal communication
• The teacher/student relationship
• View upcoming programs

Teachings and practices for developing and integrating the energetic and psychological domains within us.

After we have established a clear understanding of how and why to practice Yin yoga (studied in the Primary Level training), we can begin to look more closely at the pranic and mind training aspects available to us while in the practices, the inner methods of Yin Yoga. In this course, we will NOT focus on where the meridians flow in each pose and how to get into the shapes safely, INSTEAD we will explore the contemplative inner experiences that are available in each pose. Sarah will teach various breath patterns and retentions, visualisations for the health of the organs, contemplations in the poses, as well as the essential themes and practices of a Buddhist view for Yin Yoga.

Each session will include a lecture, yin yoga session, seated meditation practices focusing on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, as well as interactive discussion time. This course is for Yin teachers who want to use the Yin yoga class as a doorway for developing the subtle body, Mindfulness practice and psychological inquiry.

Secondary level training is 30 hours when non-residential, and 40 hours in retreat settings.

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Entering the Silence with Psychological Inquiry – Bringing clear, kind attention to our inner and inter-personal life

IYI residential practice retreats bring together the dynamic and receptive aspects of yoga, (Yin and Yang Yoga postures) with teaching from the three schools of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana) along with skilful methods of psycho-dynamic personal and relational work, often drawn from the Internal Family Systems model. These retreats are held in social silence. You do not need to be in our IYI program to enjoy coming on a retreat with us.

In each retreat, in addition to many sessions of Yin Yoga and seated and walking Meditation, Ty and Sarah also share Buddhist/Psychological teachings throughout the day coupled with relevant inquiries that are meant to foster increased individual and interpersonal insights, as well as encouraging a growing capacity for compassion towards oneself and others.

To complete IYI requirements, students must attend a minimum of 3 retreats led by Sarah and Ty.

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Learning a more in-depth understanding about the tissues, joints, and bones of the human body allows teachers to skillfully inspire practitioners about yoga’s benefits in a safer and more individualized way. This is particularly relevant when teaching Yin Yoga which veers from some of the common conceptions about how to practice a yoga shape, and for how long.

Here is a list of courses you can attend as Anatomy and Yin Yoga training.  Minimum hours for this category is 30-50 hours.

Jennifer O’Sullivan: Level 1: Yin Yoga Asana & Biomechanics

Paul Grilley: Online Course

Bernie Clark: 50-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training

Adam Stonebraker: Form & Function: Anatomy + Poses

Dianne Harris: Yin Yoga Teacher Training – 50 Hours Module 1: Anatomy & Energetics/ Online Distance Education Module

Marije Paternotte: Yin Yoga teacher training with an introduction to the meridian system and mindfulness. (50-hour)

Coming home to ourselves and taking up residence in our body/mind in a clear, kind way throughout the ups and downs of life requires an abundance of support and encouragement. Unhealthy intergenerational patterns easily imbed themselves in our psyche from a young age, at times interrupting our sense of internal balance and vitality. Spending time with skillfully trained compassionate people/psychological systems which help us deepen our understanding, holding, and healing of our personal story, patterns, and/or trauma, accelerates our capacity for living in a more fully alive, lucid way. Psychological teachings/methods are about continually growing up, while spiritual/meditative teachings help us wake up. On a dedicated yogic path, we will need to include both into our somatically based inhabitation. If we are teachers, the more personal shadow work we do, the better able we are to hold and help others.

Here is a list of courses you can attend as psychological training.  Minimum hours for this category is 30 hours.
You may take theses courses 3-5 days for credit in our program and longer ones for extra credit hours.

IFS Online Courses
Fundamentals of psychosynthesis
Trauma Healing

As IYI students, you will receive a list of reading materials. Every three months, we will have a joint meeting with Sarah, during which she will discuss the readings and address any questions you may have about the materials you are working on. Each session will last for one hour and will be conducted via Zoom. The group mentoring fee, which covers the entire four-year program, is $320 and will be collected upon your acceptance into IYI.

Establishing connection to a mentor is the way in which we establish sangha – one of the Three Jewels on the Buddhist path.

Each student is assigned an endorsed IYI teacher as a mentor who is psychologically trained to assist you in any way you prefer: i.e. to clarify, inspire, and/or help you work with difficulties in your practice or your life during this program. In the first year, we suggest once a month sessions with your mentor, and in the following years, at least every other month.

Upon your acceptance of IYI, you will have free access to Insight Yoga teacher Sangha Online classes database where you can view endorsed IYI teachers’ teaching samples and choose the mentor that you’d like to work with. The payments for Individual Mentorship are made directly to your mentor. The average cost for a one-hour one-on-one Zoom/Skype session with an IYI Endorsed Teacher is USD$125. If you are assigned Sarah or Ty as your mentor, the cost will be USD$150.  Sliding scale options may be available and can be discussed with your mentor.

IYI students must attend a minimum of 12 sessions of IY Teacher Sangha online classes within a span of 4 years. These sessions, led by IYI Endorsed Teachers, consist of a dharma talk and a meditation practice and often some yoga postures as well.

Upcoming sessions soon available