Meditation teacher, Lindsay Monal, guides you through the body using color moving through different segments of your body in accordance with the Chakra system. This practice can be done lying or sitting down.
Do you struggle to find a sustainable seat for your meditation practice where your legs don’t fall asleep and your low back isn’t in constant pain?! We can help!
Why Online Yoga Teacher Training is an Advantage During COVID
COVID shut the world down completely for over a year and has only allowed us to slowly re-emerge into a new world full of masks, mandates, and social distancing.Ā
As we adjust to this new world, we find ourselves itching to be as creative as we were when we were locked away in our homes with nowhere to go.Ā
Many of us learned a new skill (or 2 or 12), some of us started valuing experiences over material possessions, and some of us found a new way to live life.Ā
Whatever your yearning may be, youāve found your way here to our page, and we welcome you with open arms.Ā
With COVID taking away all in-person classes, training, education, and more, weāve had to find a way to pursue our passions online.Ā
This is where we come in. We said, āHey, we can do that!ā And so we did. We built a completely virtual, 100% online yoga teacher training experience that allows you to explore and immerse yourself in the benefits of yoga and teaching others.Ā
In our latest article, we discussed the benefits of virtual vs. in-person training. Today we will be talking about how our virtual training is effective and beneficial during this pandemic.Ā
Safe- Online Yoga Teacher Training During Covid
Our priority is keeping you safe. Our program allows you to train from home and away from an environment that could possibly expose you and your family to COVID.Ā
Traveling for certification could mean you stay in hotel rooms and then train in a room of people for upwards of 10-12 hours over the course of 6 weeks. You will most likely also have to wear a mask during training, which doesnāt help when attempting to learn effective breathing techniques.Ā
With our virtual training, you can eliminate the travel and exposure risk.
Practical
Along with the accessibility to train in your own home, itās also practical because you learn at your own pace. Everyone has their own priorities and daily routines, giving you a chance to learn around your schedule.Ā
We donāt have scheduled training sessions; they are all recorded and available whenever and wherever you are. You can even train on vacation!Ā
Youāll be able to become certified when it works for you. Itās not about cramming training and education into a few weekend sessions; itās about learning with passion and purpose.Ā
Immersive
Yes, in-person training can help you build friendships and community, but when COVID hit, all of that turned online. We get that, which is why we created a virtual community of our own.Ā
Youāll have lifetime access to resources, yoga training, and support anytime you need them. In addition, we offer the opportunity to get involved in live classes, workshops, and virtual chat sessions, which keeps your finger on the pulse of the industry and helps you build connections near and far!Ā
Get Certified with YogaRenewĀ
If youāve found yourself intrigued by the idea of becoming a yoga teacher, contact us today. We are available to answer your questions and provide support in any way possible. Our intention is to create a universe of accessible and affordable yoga training courses that anyone can take advantage of.Ā
Browse through our website, check out the training courses, and read our articles to learn more!
Ready to open your heart? Join Lindsay Monal for a heart-centered meditation practice focused on the 4th Chakra, Anahata. Through visualization, you’ll bring this center into balance and leave feeling more compassionate and empathetic than before.
Online Yoga Teacher Training vs. In-Person Training
For many of us, 24 hours in a day isnāt enough time. We have to split our precious time between work, sleep, family, household chores, eating, and more.Ā
Unfortunately, this leaves little time to explore new opportunities that take up more time than youāre able to give.Ā
If you have been interested in learning more about yoga and becoming a yoga teacher, chances are you havenāt pursued it because of the amount of time you need to spend learning the craft.Ā
Most likely, youāve gotten discouraged when you searched for yoga teacher training and were met with 6 to 10-weekend intensive training classes with 10-12 hour days of mandatory attendanceā¦along with a price tag that makes you want to run for the hills.Ā
Well, we are here to tell you that times have changed, and we here at YogaRenew have broken that mold with online yoga teacher training.
If youāre ready to immerse yourself in the benefits of yoga and become certified to lead classes with confidence, you have come to the right place.Ā
In a previous article, we discussed the Top 5 reasons for doing a yoga teacher training program, and today we will be discussing the value of virtual vs. in-person training.Ā
Letās dive in!Ā
Accessibility
How many yoga studios are within an hourās drive to you? How many of those offer certified teacher training courses? If you live in a small town, your chances are slim.Ā
And now, with COVID restrictions and the way it has affected many businesses, you may not even be able to find a studio remotely close by.Ā
We created YogaRenew with the intention of making it accessible to as many people as possible.Ā
Youāre able to take the classes on your own time and learn around your schedule, at your own pace. You donāt have to cram them into a few weekend sessions at a yoga studio 2 hours away; you can practice and learn with intention and purpose.Ā
Youāll be able to take your time, watch and learn and watch again if you need to. So even though it is a rigorous certification, youāll be able to learn how you want to, whenever you want to.Ā
Another perk? You have LIFETIME access to the courses and online yoga teacher training resources. So if you need a refresher down the line, itās there, right at your fingertips.Ā
Affordability
If the price of in-person teacher training was keeping you from pursuing, weāve got you covered. In-person training often requires you to pay in full or in 2 or 3 parts over the training period. Right now, that is a hefty price to pay and one that you may not be able to afford to handle, along with your other bills and responsibilities.Ā
With our program, you pay monthly, which breaks the training price down into manageable payments. We are in the business of helping people learn how to balance their bodies, minds, and souls, and the affordable monthly cost can bring you peace of mind.Ā
Get Going with YogaRenew
There are numerous benefits of online training, and we have highlighted just a few of them today. These benefits are unique because you donāt get them with in-person training. Our entire reason for creating this online training is to allow people to have accessible and affordable options for pursuing their goal of becoming a yoga teacher!Ā
If youāre interested in learning more, itās time to contact us. We are available to answer your questions and put you on the right track to the courses designed for your goals.Ā
Letās get moving together!Ā
Kate Lombardo and Lindsay Monal talk through how to get started as a yoga teacher with in-person classes.
I came into teaching prenatal yoga by chance. I wasn’t sure if being a mom myself and a yoga practitioner would make me able to serve the pregnant population around me. My first classes were clumsy and although I knew Prenatal Yoga should not just be a diluted version of a regular class, I feared offering too much or going too far. Here is the magic though, a prenatal yoga class might very well be the only place your student will come to that doesn’t treat her like a person with an impediment.Ā Ā The class is meant to meet students where there are in their practice whether they are brand new or seasoned.Ā Ā
Asanas are multidimensional. They require flexibility of the body but also endurance of the mind as well as connection to oneās breath.Ā The idea that a class, mostly seen asĀ physical,Ā can bring so much more into a personās journey is extremelyĀ humbling as a teacher!Ā When you see a student leave with aĀ new perspective on their pregnancy or aĀ newfoundĀ sense of autonomy and trust in their intuition, you know youāve honored Yoga as a whole.Ā They might be directed towards a class forĀ alleviatingĀ common aches and pain but,Ā when you know the vastitude of the yoga teachings, youĀ knowĀ that most lessons are meant to flourish off the matĀ and, in this case,Ā straight into theĀ laborĀ and delivery floor.Ā Ā
Something happens in a prenatal yoga class; it acts as a central magnet for likeminded people.Ā
My absolute favorite part of teaching is when two students, who just met, canāt stop chatting, sharing experiencesĀ and leaveĀ the class sharing their phone numbers and making decaf coffee date.Ā It happens often. We say it takes a village, and the village can be built before the mayor arrives.Ā I am a firm believer that if we take the time and seize all the opportunities thatĀ presentĀ themselvesĀ to build aĀ nonjudgmental,Ā inclusiveĀ and safeĀ community around the pregnant folks, the anxiety and stressĀ that come with welcoming tiny humans into the world and theĀ uncertainty and challengesĀ of parenthood can be greatlyĀ alleviated.Ā Ā
I think that there are very few jobs that never require you to be a studentĀ forever.Ā When you are a prenatal yoga teacher, or have prenatal students in your classes,Ā youĀ have toĀ stay very much informed. Not only to provide students with reliable information but also because guidelines and studies are constantly evolving. And while the frameworkĀ doesn’t change much, the material you can bring in could potentially save aĀ student’sĀ like and enlighten them on their rightsĀ and the best practices to accompany them on their journey. As a yoga teacher with no other qualifications, I stay in my lane and never diagnose or pretend to treat anything but byĀ constantlyĀ seeking informationĀ it allows me to stay relevant to my students.Ā Ā
Do you know the best part of teaching prenatal yoga? The birth announcements. Pictures, birth stories and then sometimes meeting the baby is the most exciting part!Ā Once you are part of someoneās journey through birth, you are part of their practice for life.Ā Ā
If you’re interested in learning more about prenatal yoga, check out my online, self-paced, Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training right here on YogaRenew!
A deeper understanding of yoga came into play long before fancy yoga gear and pretty Instagram photos attracted students to the practice. Some students will even admit that the cute outfits and celebrity praise from stars like Gweneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston guided them towards experiencing yoga (Gweneth once credited herself to popularizing the practice). Still, ancient yogis had a different meaning to yoga aside from the asanas and breathing techniques taught in classāa method that they encompassed into their lifestyles outside of the studio: the Yoga Sutras.Ā Ā
The Yoga Sutras dates back nearly 4,000 years but still applies to modern-day living. The sutras focus on the eight limbs of yoga, guiding towards living a more peaceful and fulfilling life. As explained in the first two limbs, yamas and niyamas, yogis can navigate your daily lives more purposefully, transforming how you view the world. You can improve your social interactions, kindness towards yourself and others, among other pathways to becoming a better human being. And thereās no better moment to put the sutras into practice than now, as September 5th is International Charity Day. Below are some charitable ways you can practice yoga sutras and embody the true yogic lifestyle.Ā
AhimsaĀ
Ahimsa is the Sanskrit word meaning non-violence or non-harming. Itās about separating yourself from the anger or aggression that may arise in certain situations. A charitable way to tap into this Yoga Sutra would be to extend kindness toward others and be more accepting of those you encounter. For instance, holding the door open for someone would be a nice gesture that demonstrates ahimsa. Instead of being annoyed that they are making you late, you can choose to refrain from negative thinking and introduce a more balanced approach.Ā
SatyaĀ
Truthfulness exhibits the satya sutra. Upholding honesty in your interactions alleviates much of the burden you put on yourself, as well as helps you form authentic relationships. By filtering your words, you’re preventing hurting others with unwanted thoughts or opinions. Consider this sutra in all of your conversations to ensure that you showcase yourself in a trustworthy light.Ā
Asteya
Asteya, in modern-day terms, means non-stealing, which sounds much easier than it is for many. This sutra is more than promising not to steal money or goods that donāt belong to you but can also translate to consuming someone elseās time, energy or burdening them with work. Many of us learn to work hard for our money and possessions from birth, but asteya takes it a step further, making yogis aware of other things you do that may be taking advantage of others. Think about this sutra next time you request to leave the office early or keep an employee past their shift’s end while they help you with your order. You could be stealing from them without even realizing it.Ā
Brahmacharya
Also known as the conservation of energy, brahmacharya focuses on avoiding things that unsettle the mind and body. Itās often referring to sexual activity, which depletes both your mental and physical energy, but the practice suggests that other acts could violate this sutra. Examples would be consuming loud music or violent movies. Noticing what you are taking in and how you exert your body emotionally will keep you in line with this sutra.Ā Ā Ā
Aparigraha
Many of us are probably guilty of breaching aparigraha. Otherwise defined as non-grasping, aparigraha is a form of hoarding through greediness and always wanting more than you have. Societal pressures encourage this type of thinking, reminding us of the powers that an abundance of money or material items bring to our lives. However, pulling back on your impulse buys and feeling grateful for what you have at the moment is a way to practice this sutra and is a pretty charitable way to live.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Saucha
Kicking off the niyamas is the saucha sutra, which emphasizes purity. The intention is to keep the space around you clean and organized and purify your thoughts manifesting inside. Try adopting this sutra by introducing meditation into your daily routine to rid your mind of anxious thoughts and establish more clarity.Ā
Santosha
If you are content with what life has to offer you, you are already following the sutra, santosha. On the mat, this sutra teaches you to accept that where you are may be different from the day before or afterāfeeling satisfied with your progress in a pose rather than beating yourself up for your abilities. Finding comfort in where you are in all facets of your life allows you to release the need for perfection in all that you do.Ā
Tapas
When igniting the tapas sutra, you have the desire and willingness to do more. You are committed to whatever the task is at hand, whether it relates to the changes in your physical being or how you treat others. Fueling your body with good nutrients and exercise, or even devoting much of your energy to your yoga practice, is a charitable action that embodies the tapas sutra. Target the contents of your life that could require more of your attention.Ā
Svadhyaya
In yoga classes, instructors often encourage their students to notice how they are feeling without judgment – witnessing the thoughts and feelings that appear without trying to change or manipulate them in any way. This exercise is a sense of svadhyaya. Itās a form of self-observation where you study your perspective to gain insight into specific parts of yourself. This practice also enables you to see compassion for others as you observe yourself outside looking in.Ā
Ishvara Pranidhana
The final niyama of the Yoga Sutras is Ishvara Pranidhana: one of devotion to a higher power. Asking yourself what God or a person of a greater essence would want you to do in a situationāthinking about a circumstance outside of yourself and what would be the best course of action for everyone involved. Practicing this sutra may help you find the comfort and mental clarity that you need.
