200 hour Yoga Teacher Training

9 Weekends including a Memorial Day Weekend Retreat

with emphasis on Safe Alignment, Therapeutic Elements, and Yoga Philosophy

with Certified Anusara Instructors, Robyn Smith, Patrick Harestad, and specials guests

Share what you love! 
Learn the art and science of teaching Yoga through this intensive and exciting certification program. Inner Freedom Yoga offers the highest level of excellence with highly trained and experienced instructors in one of the most refined, clear and advanced systems of yoga alignment and philosophy.

For new and seasoned teachers, this training will deeply transform your yoga practice, enhance your leadership and communication skills, and give you all the tools you need to teach inspiring Yoga classes of varying styles to all levels of students.  Whether you want to teach yoga or simply deepen your understanding of yoga, this is a life-changing experience!

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. – Rumi

Immersing in Yoga:

We begin with a deep exploration of the practices and teachings of Yoga including:

  • Emphasis on Universal Principles of Alignment™ of Anusara Yoga
  • Asana practice covering the entire Level 1 and 2 Syllabus poses
  • Yoga Philosophy through the ages with emphasis on Tantra
  • Guidelines for living a yogic lifestyle
  • Meditation and Contemplation practices
  • Pranayama practices
  • Classic Yoga texts including Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika
  • Anatomy for yoga
  • Esoteric anatomy (chakras, nadis, etc.)
  • Ayurveda Intro, approach to asana and diet
  • and much more!

This immersion into all aspects of yoga will prepare you to enter into teaching with knowledge, experience, and confidence.

  • "I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge from this teacher training. During the Immersion, I deepened my practice and knowledge of yoga. In the training, I further deepened my yoga practice but also gained the skills/knowledge to be an Anusara teacher. It was great to feel everything slowly come together."

  • "The teacher training expanded the growth and self awareness I developed in the Immersion, but then added organized, practical and effective teaching instruction. I am so grateful to Anusara and Robyn for giving me such a solid foundation to be the teacher my students need me to be."

  • "Robyn, you are a delight. Thank you for your devotion, spirit, commitment and who you are in our community."

  • "I liked everything. Teaching to each other with you going around and giving advice was great, and the small class size."

  • "I enjoyed the blend of all aspects: philosophy, asana, demos, etc. and developing community."

  • "You really have a great program! All the driving from Oregon has been worth it!"

  • "I liked learning the hands-on adjustments. They're like instant yoga gratification!"

  • "I loved the yoga therapy workshops. Seeing and assisting a full spectrum of bodies and ailments was SO educational. The workshops also reinforced the basics of Anusara Yoga."

  • "I loved the pranayama,adjustments, demonstrations, group practice, readings and observing classes."

  • "I learned so much about teaching yoga and have become much more confident in my skills as a teacher."

  • "I loved learning how to put it all together from beginning to end with a theme and all the practice teaching on each other."

Learning to Teach:

  • Teaching from the heart using heart language and themes
  • Practice teaching in the group and in supervised public classes
  • Effective demonstrations and skillful languaging
  • Refined observation of alignment and attitude
  • Hands-on adjustments
  • Focus on ailments and special populations
    (Pregnancy, Menstruation, High Blood Pressure, Beginners, Lower Backs, Neck, Shoulders, knees, etc.)
  • Teaching methodology
  • The art of sequencing within a class and within a term
  • Ethics for teachers
  • Observing and assisting classes
  • The Art and Science of Vinyasa
  • The business of Yoga
  • Sanskrit pronunciation and practice
  • And so much more…

Includes a Weekend Retreat focusing on Musculo-skeletal Ailments:  May 26 – 29! 
This retreat includes asana classes for issues in Lower Backs, Hips, Sacrum, Upper Backs, Neck, Shoulders, Knees, Ankles, Feet, Neck, Jaw, Elbows, Wrists, and more.   Trainees will learn how to assess misalignments in these areas, apply hands-on therapeutic adjustments and learn sequences for these areas of the body.
Learn more about this training

Prerequisites: At least 1.5  years of yoga practice, 15 hours of Anusara Yoga, and genuine enthusiasm for yoga.  For those who don’t have access to Anusara-trained Yoga teachers, these hours can come from videos/DVD’s of John Friend or any other certified Anusara Yoga instructors, or from Anusara classes online.  We can direct you to local or other teachers trained in Anusara.

Certification: Inner Freedom Yoga is a Registered School with the Yoga Alliance and this is a 200-hour training.  Upon successful completion of this training, you will receive a certificate and can register with the Yoga Alliance if you like.  All hours for this training can also be applied towards Anusara Yoga certification.  Please note: The therapeutic perspective and curricular components of this program are based on Robyn and Patrick’s trainings in Anusara and other modalities, and not derived from their status as trainers with Yoga Alliance Registry.  The Yoga Alliance Registry does not certify yoga therapists, solely yoga teachers.

Goofing off with some of the 2012 Trainees!

Goofing off with some of the 2012 Trainees!

  • Robyn's teacher training course was everything I hoped for and more! I was looking for a teacher who focused on safety as well as the spiritual aspects of yoga and that's exactly what Inner Freedom Yoga was all about. Robyn is a very knowledgeable yogi who genuinely cares for all of her students. This course has not only taught me how to teach the concepts and techniques of yoga, but it taught me how to be a better person and to live a more open and love-filled life.

    C. S.
    C. S.
  • This was a great course. I learned a lot both about yoga and myself as a person. Learning the alignment principles totally changed my yoga practice and studying Tantric philosophy has helped me in my personal life. I feel I am leaving this course as a wiser, yet humbler person.

    J.M.
    J.M.

Schedules, Payments and Registration

SCHEDULE

DATES:
This training has been canceled until further notice.  Please stay tuned.

TIMES (for all weekends except May 26 – 29):
Fridays: 4:15 – 6:30 p.m. and 7 – 9 p.m.
Saturdays:  9 – 6 p.m. (with 1.5 hour lunch break)
Sundays:  9 a.m.  – 12:30 p.m. and 2 – 5:30 p.m.

Schedule for May 26 – 29:  8 a.m. Friday – 7 p.m. Monday
(includes 2 hours travel each way from Arcata to Petrolia, CA)

Plus approx. 6 additional hours (schedule to be decided by the group), various reading and writing assignments and 6 class observations

2017 PAYMENTS

SAVE UP TO $275 WHEN YOU PAY BY Dec. 20!

ENTIRE TEACHER TRAINING COST:
OR, $2575 if paid in full by Dec. 20, 2016
OR, $2675 if paid in full by Jan. 25, 2017

PAYMENT PLAN OPTIONS:
1) $2775 with $950 due by January 10, $450 due Feb. 10, March 5, April 1 & May 5
2) $2850 with $550 due by January 25 and $350 due February 12, March 3, March 31, May 5, May 25 and June 9

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All trainees receive a significant discount of class passes with IFY.  All deposits and payments are non-refundable. Prices do not include cost of required reading materials, travel expenses to the retreat, retreat breakfast and lunch.  3 retreat dinners will be catered and for the rest, please bring your own food. There is  plenty of cooking space, dinnerware and refrigeration available.

REGISTRATION:  Download Registration Form and return it with your payment.

QUESTIONS: E-mail Robyn

Use PayPal for a 3% Fee

PRIMARY FACULTY:

 

Robyn 2014 orange shirt headshotRobyn Smith, E-RTY 500, owner of Inner Freedom Yoga, is a certified Anusara yoga instructor, Hendricks Big Leap Life Coach, Integrative Yoga Therapist and Hanna Somatic Educator (Somatics).  She attended her first yoga classes with her mother as a teenager and in college yoga classes, she realized she might like to teach yoga.  She fell in love with Ashtanga yoga in her early 20’s, did her first teacher trainings with Ana Forrest and Integrative Yoga Therapy in 1997-98, and explored Iyengar yoga with some of the greats.  She found Anusara in 2000 and studied extensively with its founder, John Friend, from 2001 – 2012, as well as numerous other top Anusara instructors.  She’s also had a dedicated meditation practice since the mid-90’s.  Robyn has now been teaching yoga for over 20 years, leading annual yoga teacher trainings since 2005, and helping people in pain through Yoga Therapy and Somatics since 1998.   Her teaching blends her love of postural alignment and therapeutics, heartfelt messages, life lessons, and a playful spirit.  It is her great joy and honor to facilitate transformation through yoga, meditation and Hendricks teachings. See more here.

 

IMG_0112Patrick Harestad is a Certified Anusara Yoga instructor, Board Certified Structural Integrator, (Kenesis Myofascial Integrator) and a Certified Massage Therapist. He has been teaching Hatha Yoga since 2000, and Anusara Yoga since 2002. His love affair with yoga began at age 16 as a student of Swami Satchidananda, when he spent two years studying and practicing Integral Yoga. Since then, he has studied many forms of body/mind/spirit disciplines, including nine years of Aikido practice, (he holds a black belt), five years of Jui Jiutsu and decades of surfing. Since 1997, he has had a regular practice, which has included meditation, Ashtanga Yoga and Anusara Yoga styles. He studied extensively with John Friend, creator of Anusara Yoga, from 2002 – 2012.  Patrick’s teaching blends his deep exploration of Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Structural Integration modalities with Anusara Yoga to bring a unique experience of hatha yoga.

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Please drop us a line if you'd like to connect. We hope to see you soon! - Namaste

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