This Yin Yoga Teacher Training is for experienced and aspiring yoga teachers and students alike who wish to enhance their knowledge of yin yoga – “the quiet practice”. One will discover the anatomical and energetic theories of yin yoga for their own personal practice and/or with the intention to teach.  Turning our attention inwards, to connect to the true essence of ourselves. One will gain a myriad of insights and enhanced self-awareness, assessing the needs and limitations of any individual student. 

What is Yin Yoga? 

Yin Yoga is a slow-paced and passive style of Yoga where postures or asanas are held for extended periods of time ranging from three to six minutes. Yin yoga focuses on the connective tissue of the body (tendons, fascia, and ligaments) to increase circulation in the joints and improve flexibility.  

Yin yoga originated on the Taoist concepts of Yin and Yang, opposite and complementary principles in nature. Yang is masculine, active, hot, sun, changing, and upward moving. Yin is feminine, passive, cold, moon, stable, and downward moving. In this training, you will learn the concepts Yin and Yang applied to yoga practice, the differences between them, and how they complement each other.

Yin practice is a more meditative approach to Yoga, bringing our focus more inwards and allowing ourselves to go deeper into the body. When we relax and let go of our physical bodies, we can start releasing stuck and unprocessed emotions. These feelings can manifest as tension and stress, which Yin helps to release. The practice will help promote optimum health and balance for both your external and internal systems. Some of the other benefits of Yin include deepening self-awareness, facilitating deep relaxation, calming the central nervous system, increasing energy flow, mental clarity, inspiring self-exploration, and enlightening inner silence and peace. 

Who is this training for? 

• Those who want to establish, develop and understand your yin yoga practice.

• Those who want to explore a different style of Yoga to balance their personal practice.

• Those who want to establish and develop their meditation practice.

• Those who would like to learn how to slow down the pace of life.

• Those who would like to encourage mindfulness into their practice and life.

• Those who would like to learn how to calm the central nervous system.

• Those who would like to deepen their self-awareness and concentration.

• Those who are already yoga teachers and would like to include yin yoga and meditation into their teachings.

• Those who would like to understand the holistic principles of  how to nourish their mind, body & soul. 

What will you learn in this course? 

• Understanding the yin yoga practice and development of your yin practice. 

• How to teach Yin Yoga and develop your teaching voice. 

• How to create and hold a safe, trusting space for your class.

• Developing a meditation practice. 

• Stabilizing and deepening a yin yoga practice. 

• Bringing understanding to our emotions. 

• Differences between yin and yang yoga practice, the benefits of each and how they complement each other.

• Learning how to recognize when there is an imbalance in the body that could lead to illness or disease. 

• Developing awareness into the subtle bodies.

• Learning to embody the Yin quality in your life, opening to acceptance, receptivity, compassion, stillness, and self-love. 

• Learn how to listen to our bodies, getting to know one's patterns, belief systems and what creates our reality in our life, and how one shift them in a conscious way.

What will you study in this training? 

In this Yin Yoga Teacher Training program, we will study the history of yin yoga and apply yin theory to the practice. Learning anatomy applied to the Yin practice, we will learn and develop skills in analyzing the bone structure, compression and tension of our students. In learning Yin asana, pranayama and meditation along with the subtle bodies and chakras, we will have the opportunity to learn – in a safe environment – to read a human being, to sense our own limitations and to test and recognize those of others. 

By the end of this course, you will have secured a solid understanding of Yin Yoga and will be able to confidently guide others in developing their own Yin Yoga practice and teachings in a safe and engaging way.

The Art of Yin Yoga

• History of Yin Yoga.

• Yin Yoga theory and application.

• Stabilizing and deepening a Yin Yoga practice.

• Comparison of a Yin and Yang practice.

• Yin Asana benefits and contraindications .

• Archetypal poses and their variations.

• Appropriate use of props.

• How to create and hold a safe space.

• Developing your teaching voice.

• Sequencing Yin Yoga classes .

Our Bodies

• Anatomy applied to Yin Yoga.

• Compression and tension theory.

• The fascia and connective tissue.

• Yin and Yang related to the body.

• The physical and subtle bodies

• The 5 koshas and energy fields.

• The chakra system and how to relate it to daily life.

• How to recognize imbalances in the subtle bodies.

• The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

• Understanding the relaxation response.

Pranayama & Meditation

• Qi, Prana or life–force energy.

• Nadi Shodhana and nostril breathing.

• Belly breathing (diaphragmatic breathing).

• Full Yogic breath and practice.

• Long Exhale breathing.

• Bhramari humming bee breathing.

• Chakra balance and meditation.

• Mindfulness awareness meditation.

• Walking meditation.

• Metta loving kindness meditation.

• Soham meditation.

About this training 

Alicia believes overall health and wellbeing are not solely achieved by working with only the physical body but also maintaining emotional stability and mental clarity. One of the main goals of this training is to promote mindfulness and healing through Yin Yoga and Meditation. The practice of Yin Yoga allows the students to understand who they are as a whole and invite them to discover themselves on a much deeper level. The word Yoga means to unify all aspects of self; the emotional, energetic, mental, spiritual, and the physical, so by using the practice of Yoga and meditation for healing and self-discovery. 

Alicia's backgrounds are from extensive healing modalities, including Thai Massage, Reiki, Cranial Sacral Therapy. These have given her extensive knowledge and understanding of the human body and psyche. Her extensive training and personal practice allow her to share the connection of the mind, body, and soul to students during Yoga. Alicia is sharing this training from a place of healing, compassion, understanding, and love for her students to grow and expand on all levels and hoping to encourage them to embrace their unique journey through the study of Yoga. 

The world we live in right now moves and changes at such a fast pace that we find ourselves chasing and looking for answers, peace, and happiness externally. During this training, Alicia will provide the time and space that we all need to look within, learn to listen, and get to know our bodies and ourselves. This will be a way we can begin to learn to understand what we all need for healing—inviting students to use these mindfulness and self-awareness tools to benefit themselves and others.