What is included in this training?

The goal of the 200-hour Accessible Yoga Teacher Training is to offer a supportive learning environment to deepen your yoga practice and give you the tools to make your teaching accessible.

• Guest Workshops: We’ll have a series of special Guest Workshops with a variety of experts teaching in areas like Yoga for People with Disabilities, Yoga for Larger Bodies, Yoga & Racism, Disability Justice, Conscious Marketing, etc. 
• Practical Teaching Skills: Not only will the course deepen your practice, it will offer practical teaching skills that will prepare you to teach yoga to anyone who is interested. 
• Expand Your Knowledge. Even if you’re already a yoga teacher, the foundational principles of Accessible Yoga will enhance your teaching and help you learn how to share yoga with anyone who is interested. 
• Build a Supportive Community. We are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for anyone who is interested in completing a yoga teacher training program regardless of ability or background. 
• Everyone is Welcome: And we mean it. You are welcome to join us regardless of your experience or ability. In fact, our differences will be celebrated and welcomed. This is a culture of inclusion where no one will be left out.

• 218 Total Hours: The program offers a total 218 training hours. This includes 204 required hours, and an additional 14 hours of mentoring time that is optional. 
• Live Online: Unlike most online trainings, over 200 hours are live online with our amazing faculty. Only a few hours of pre-recorded content are included. There is also additional homework such as practice teaching and reading that will be required outside of class time. Since the program is spread over six months, this should account for a few hours of study each week.
• Six Month Program. The slow pace of the program allows for time to integrate the practices into your life and offers time to practice and study at your own pace.
• Small Mentor Groups: You’ll get to join a small group with 15 or less students where you will spend time asking questions and doing your Practice Teaching. This creates a more intimate environment for learning. 
• Leaders in the Field: Our faculty includes leaders in the field of accessibility and social justice, as well as Anatomy and Physiology, subtle practices, philosophy, and more. 

What you'll learn:

The Training meets or exceeds all Yoga Alliance upleveled standards, with special emphasis on deepening your practice and understanding of the philosophy of yoga. In particular, we’ll look at how we can apply the yoga teachings in our daily lives to create a more equitable and just world. 

Topics include:

• Asana - In depth study of asana, sequencing, mixed-level teaching, with an emphasis on accessibility and variations. All poses will be taught as a spectrum of possibility on the mat, chair, bed, etc.
• Pranayama - in depth study of making breathing practices accessible, and how to teach them in a trauma informed way. This includes study of the physiology of breathing as well as the subtle anatomy such as chakra, nadis, etc. 
• Meditation - exploration of the theory and philosophy of meditation and some accessible ways to practice and teach with a focus on contraindications and trauma informed teaching.
• Anatomy & Physiology - an exploration of the basics of muscles, joints, bones, and systems of the body, as well as consideration of the racist background of Western science and how that skews our understanding and teaching about the body. We’ll explore topics such as biomechanics, range of motion, mindful movement, joint stabilization, common medical conditions, contraindications, etc. 
• History of Yoga - an exploration of the history of yoga, in particular the history of social movements and social justice in yoga. 

• Chanting, Mantras & Mudras - an introduction to some of the most accessible yoga practices.
• Sanskrit - an introduction to the language of yoga to help with pronunciation of asana names and other key terms

• Yoga Philosophy - this will be a theme throughout the program with weekly topics for practice, journaling and in-depth study of major yoga texts including the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali and The Bhagavad Gita, each of which will have ongoing classes throughout the training. We’ll also explore the Upanishads, and the Hatha Yoga Pratipika.
• Ethics - a major focus of the course is connecting the legacy of ethics in yoga to contemporary practice where it seems to be sorely missing.
• Ayurveda - an introduction to the sister science of yoga
• Teaching Methodology - A major emphasis of the program is sharing teaching skills to prepare you to start teaching immediately after completing the training. 
• Practice Teaching - Each week you’ll be given a chance to teach what you’re learning in small, supportive, mentor groups.
• Marketing and Professional Development - Ongoing conversations about real world applications as well as marketing and business development.

Tuesdays

9am-10:50am PT  |  12pm-1:50pm ET

Session 1

SPECIALTY TOPICS

*Including: Yoga for Larger Bodies, Yoga for People with Disabilities, Mindful Mobility,  Yoga for Seniors, Pranayama, Meditation, Anatomy, Biomechanics, Physiology, Yin & Restorative Yoga, Trauma Informed Teaching, Ayurveda, Consent

10:50am-11am PT  |  1:50pm-2pm ET

Scheduled Break

11am-12pm PT  |  2pm-3pm ET

Session 2

ASANA WORKSHOP / TEACHING METHODOLOGY

*Exploring and breaking down practicing & teaching Asana (including Forward Bends / Backward Bends / Inversions / Twists / Standing Poses), and Teaching Skills including Cueing, Class Management, Pace, Sequencing, Mixed Level Teaching and Accessible Yoga Practices

Thursdays

9am-10:30am PT  |  12pm-1:30pm ET

Session 1

PHILOSOPHY

*Including: Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Hatha Yoga Pratipika, Koshas, Chakras, Nadis & Prana Vayus, Chanting, Mantras, Mudras, Ethics, Definition of Yoga and Key Terms, Philosophy's Relationship to Practice, Relationship between Asana, Pranayama & Meditation

10:30-10:40am PT | 1:30-1:40pm ET

Scheduled Break

10:40am-12pm PT  |  1:40pm-3pm ET

Session 2

ASANA WORKSHOP / TEACHING METHODOLOGY

*Exploring and breaking down practicing & teaching Asana (including Forward Bends / Backward Bends / Inversions / Twists / Standing Poses), and Teaching Skills including Cueing, Class Management, Pace, Sequencing, Mixed Level Teaching and Accessible Yoga Practices

Saturdays

*Every other week

9am-10am PT  |  12pm-1pm ET

Session 1

SPECIALTY TOPICS or PHILOSOPHY

10am-10:10am PT  |. 1pm-1:10pm ET

Scheduled Break

10:10am-12pm PT  |  1:10pm-3pm ET

Session 2

SPECIALTY TOPICS or PHILOSOPHY

12pm-12:10pm PT  |  3pm-3:10pm ET

Scheduled Break

12:10am-2pm PT  |  3:10pm-5pm ET

Session 3

MENTORING: PRACTICE / TEACHING

*Saturday sessions will include Teaching Practicums in final weeks

Jivana Heyman

Jivana Heyman (he/him), C-IAYT, E-RYT500, is the founder and director of the Accessible Yoga Association, an international non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to the yoga teachings. He’s the author of two books, Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body, and Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage & Compassion (Shambhala Publications).

Jivana coined the phrase, “Accessible Yoga,” over ten years ago, and it has now become the standard appellation for a large cross section of the immense yoga world.

He brought the Accessible Yoga community together for the first time in 2015 for the Accessible Yoga Conference, which has gone on to become a focal point for this movement. Jivana is also the creator of the Accessible Yoga Training and the co-founder of the online Accessible Yoga Training School with Amber Karnes, which is a platform for continued education for yoga teachers in the field of equity and accessibility. They also created the Accessible Yoga Podcast in 2020.

Over the past 25 years, Jivana has led countless yoga teacher training programs around the world, and dedicates his time to supporting yoga teachers who are working to serve communities that are under-represented in traditional yoga spaces.

Connect with Jivana:  www.jivanaheyman.com

Mukunda Marc Morozumi

Mukunda Marc Morozumi (he/him) E-RYT 500, CMT, Lead Yoga Teacher Trainer with Integral Yoga, began practicing Ashtanga yoga in 2001 while a full-time modern dancer with Joe Goode Performance Group in SF, CA. Due to injury, Mukunda retired from his 12 year dance career in 2004 and entered the events industry from 2004-2016. A 2-month personal trip to India in 2007 paved the way for landing in Yogaville in 2009 for his first teacher training with Swami Divyananda and staff.

Mukunda has co-led Integral Yoga retreats since 2011 and has staffed or co-led Basic Teacher Trainings since 2013 including IYI's first BIPOC Yoga Teacher Training in 2021. He has opened and managed small group yoga studios in SF since 2017 and in early 2020, he opened and then reformed a studio post COVID-19: Mukunda Studio in SOMA, SF, CA.

Connect with Mukunda: www.yogamukunda.com // @marcmorozumi

Anjali Rao

Anjali Rao (she/her) offers insight into the Yoga stories and histories that have been obscured by heteropatriarchy and colonization.

She brings an intersectional lens in integrating yoga philosophy and history, with storytelling, imagery and poetry.

She is an Indian American immigrant, a cancer survivor and believes that a dedicated practice of yoga in all its expansiveness can alchemize and heal the world by creating ripples of change within and around us.

She is an aspiring writer, President of the Board of Directors of Accessible Yoga, an international non profit organization dedicated to sharing the teachings and benefits of yoga with those who have been marginalized.

Connect with Anjali: www.yoganjali.me // @yoganjali

M Camellia

M Camellia (they/them) is a yoga practitioner and facilitator, writer, consent educator, and advocate called to create profoundly accessible spaces for self-inquiry. They believe that yoga is a practice of collective liberation and challenge contemporary yoga practitioners to dismantle the systems and beliefs that hold us all back.

M is a co-founder of the Trans Yoga Project and serves on the staff of Accessible Yoga, among other roles within the realm of yoga service. Their teaching and writing center Queer and Trans* identity, consent and agency, body liberation, and disability justice in relation to yoga philosophy and practice, and they serve as a mentor for other yoga teachers and practitioners desiring to deepen their understanding of accessibility, power dynamics, trauma, and yoga as social justice.

M lives in Southern Maryland amongst beloved community and regularly makes offerings online and in the Washington-Baltimore metro area.

Connect with M: www.foundspaceyoga.com

Indu Arora

Indu Arora (she/her) considers herself a student for a lifetime.

As a Yoga and Ayurveda teacher, she has shared her experiences for the last two decades across more than 50 cities worldwide. Her unique gift is making Yoga and Ayurveda a practice, which is equally useful for a beginner as for a sincere seeker who has made Yoga a lifelong journey.

She is the author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret (2015), Yoga: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision (2005, 2019), and SOMA: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care (e-book, 2020; updated hard copy, 2022).

She lives in Minneapolis with her spouse.

Connect with Indu: www.yogsadhna.com // @induaroraofficial

Arturo Peal

Arturo Peal L.Ac. (he/him) has spent over 30 years inspiring and educating yoga teachers, body workers, and movement specialists across the globe through his classes in Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Therapeutic Touch. With a unique gift for translating complex scientific concepts into tangible and useful teachings for his students, he raises awareness of how the body works.

Arturo holds a Master’s degree in Chinese medicine, and has practiced therapeutic massage for over 40 years. He has a 6th degree black belt in Aikido and is the Chief Instructor at Aikido of New Orleans.

Connect with Arturo: www.bodystudies.com

Jesal Parikh

Jesal Parikh (she/they) is a yoga teacher, movement educator, podcaster, author, and disrupter working on creative solutions for equity in yoga.

She is one of the Co-Hosts of the Yoga is Dead podcast and the Co-Director of Yoga Teachers of Color.

Her mission is to uplift those of us who are feeling isolated and marginalized by the yoga industry.

Connect with Jesal: www.yogawallanyc.com

Dani Anderson

Dani Anderson (she/her) is a disability advocate and public affairs professional with over fifteen years of involvement in the disability field, including the state and federal government, corporate, and non-profit arenas.

Anderson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from California State University Channel Islands. In addition to her lifelong lived experience, she was a Governor appointed member of the State Independent Living Council (SILC).

In 2020, Anderson was recognized by California State Senator Hannah Beth Jackson and Assemblymember Monique Límon as Woman of the Year. Dani is focused on improving communication between individuals with and without disabilities.

Tristan Katz

Tristan Katz (they/he) is a writer, educator, digital strategist, and equity-inclusion facilitator who holds space for learning and unlearning about gender as it relates to trans inclusion and queer competency. They also teach marketing practices to foster business growth from a justice and equity-focused perspective.

Tristan’s intention is to offer this work with an anti-oppression and intersectional lens. He was named one of Yoga Journal’s 2021 Game Changers and is proud to serve on the Board of Directors at Accessible Yoga.

Connect with Tristan: www.katz-creative.com

Sarit Rogers

Sarit Z. Rogers (she/her) is a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, trauma-informed yoga teacher/trainer, Reiki 3 practitioner, writer and accomplished photographer. Sarit’s work is relational, integrating sound, movement, yoga, and NeuroAffective and Somatic Touch to help people tap into their essence, develop accessible tools for self-care, self-regulation and healthy boundaries in order to come home to themselves. Sarit also offers a monthly Somatic Support Group for Jews.

Clients share that working with Sarit provides a piece of their healing that they were missing. She has a grounded, warm and compassionate presence that helps people feel witnessed and safe. It brings Sarit great joy to witness her clients stepping into their agency as they begin to heal and reconnect to themselves.

When she’s not seeing clients, she’s supporting at risk youth, assisting student learning at Somatic Experiencing® trainings, cuddling with her dog Lulu, or spending time with her son and husband. 

Connect with Sarit: www.saritzrogers.com // @saritzrogers // @saritphoto 

Tamika Caston-Miller

Tamika Caston-Miller (she/her), E-RYT 500 and Yoga Nidra Guide, is the director of Ashé Yoga where she curates yoga experiences and trainings in service of collective healing and community repair. Having begun her yoga journey in 2001 with a home practice, she now holds advanced certifications and training in Trauma-informed Yoga, Somatics, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra.

Tamika’s journey has been informed by chronic pain and injuries, social justice for QTBIPOC communities, the battle between shame and compassion and quest for ancestral healing, and the love for the practice and philosophy of yoga.

Connect with Tamika: www.asheyoga.com

Tan Hubbard-Hood

Tanisha Hubbard-Hood, or Tan (they/she) is a caregiver, movement instructor, facilitator and aspiring activist. While the physical practice of yoga is what drew them to the mat, it was the calling of something deeper that led to the decision to complete a YTT. The introduction of the 8-limbed path during training was the starting point of their curiosity of the intersection of yoga and social justice. Forever a student of the practice, Tan is always eagerly seeking out spaces where crucial conversations around accessible wellness and movement are being held. This includes completing workshops and trainings for Yoga For 12-Step Recovery, Accessible Yoga, and Skill in Action.

In the summer of 2021, they wrote their first published blog post for Accessible Yoga Blog on caregiving and how it relates to Yoga as a practice. They believe in empowering others to disrupt the narratives and stories that uplift perfectionism and hyper-productivity. In movement classes, expect practices that encourage individual healing, as self love and care is a part of collective liberation.

Connect with Tan via Instagram: @tan_h_squared

Rodrigo Souza

Rodrigo Souza (he/him) is an RYT 200 Adaptive & Accessible Yoga teacher with experience in teaching yoga to folks who have gone through Trauma & Disability. Rodrigo suffered a spinal cord injury (T3 complete) in 2014 after a fall accident. He has been studying and practicing Mindfulness and Adaptive Yoga to help him deal with muscle spasticity, chronic nerve pain, anxiety, and many other secondary symptoms conditions that the injury has brought him.

Through direct personal experience with traumatic injury, and chronic pain, and discovering the need to take charge of his recovery to optimize long-term wellbeing, Rodrigo decided to become a Yoga teacher and teach from his own experience, creating Allihopa Accessible & Adaptive Virtual Yoga Studio. He also runs a non-profit organization called AllihopaBrasil to make yoga more accessible to marginalized groups in Brazil and also teaches newly injured folks in an active rehabilitation non-profit in Sweden.

Rodrigo received his Adaptive yoga certification training under Matthew Sanford, the leading pioneer and “Jedi” of the Adaptive Yoga World. He is focused on creating a supportive community for those who have experienced trauma & disability through Adaptive yoga.

Connect with Rodrigo: www.allihopayoga.com // @allihopayoga

Sunny Barbee

Jacquie “Sunny” Barbee (she/her) is an E-RYT 500hr yoga teacher living in the Panhandle of Florida.

Sunny finished YTT in 2016 after turning to an asana practice to help with her chronic illness and depression. While in YTT she realized there was a need for more teachers that didn’t fit the stereotypical “yoga body” image like her and that she could make a difference in helping people see that yoga is for every body.

She is able to share with others how to customize their practice to fit their own body, whether that body is larger, aging, or living with illness or injury, much like she does with her own practice. What she loves most about teaching is that she tries to create safer spaces where the student can connect and make peace with their bodies.

She is also certified in Accessible Yoga; Yoga for All Bodies; Mind Body Solutions; and Yin Yoga.

Connect with Sunny: @sunnybeeyoga // @SunnyBeeYoga (FB)