Finding Your Inner Teacher: The Yoga of Empowerment

The core teaching of yoga is that we can cultivate an inner connection with an essential part of ourselves, free from the limits of the body and mind. In order to use the practice to connect with this place within us, we need to take a deep dive within. The yoga practices are specifically designed to encourage that inner connection, and as students and teachers, we need to regularly check that our practice is aligned with our goal. 

In this course, yoga therapist Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga, will explore the roles of the student and teacher in this inner exploration. He’ll guide students to make yoga their own, and support teachers to effectively meet students where they are, with the ultimate goal of finding an inner source of strength and peace.

As a practitioner, you’ll learn to approach yoga asana as a process of conscious embodiment. This means finding ways to practice that are suitable and effective for your body. Emphasis will be on finding your own inner teacher and relying less on top-down instruction which is often used in yoga teaching.

As a teacher, we’ll reflect on our role in preparing students for this inner, personal journey. We can be a guide and support, helping students cultivate a personal practice that is both safe and effective. Rather than focusing on the exterior form of a pose or practice, you will learn how to help students find the underlying purpose of the practice. 

We’ll consider the role of the teacher, the role of the student, and the power of community in our communal awakening. What is our responsibility to each other as a community of practitioners as we move forward in a new world full of challenges? How can we build a practice that supports us individually and shows compassion for each other?

What You Will Learn:

• How to develop greater interoceptive awareness and trust our own inner guidance

• Skills for adapting practices based on their underlying benefit and purpose

• How to practice in a way that inspires us to connect more deeply with our bodies

• How to approach yoga as self-care 

• How to use yoga for empowerment through sensitivity, kindness, and compassion

• For teachers: Tips for creating a welcoming environment in the classroom

• For teachers: Awareness of power dynamics within the yoga space that echo cultural dynamics

• For teachers: Language for teaching that gives students agency, improves learning, and sparks creativity

This Course Also Includes:

• Yoga Practice Video: Enjoy a yoga practice video that accompanies this course designed by Jivana Heyman.

• Recordings of All Webinar Sessions: It’s generally acknowledged that many people only retain 10-20 percent of what they learn in a workshop. You will get access to the recordings of all webinar sessions - both MP3 (downloadable) and MP4 (streaming online), enabling you to go back and listen to the workshop as many times as you like.

• Transcripts of All Sessions: Ever wanted to refer to a certain part of a course? Even the best note takers miss a point every so often. With the transcripts of the webinar sessions, you can go back and refer to particularly important passages or clarify sections you were in doubt about.

This course qualifies for 3.5 non-contact hour CEs with Yoga Alliance.