Some experiences last a lifetime

We begin each day gathering with our coffee or tea for Sangha or spiritual studies. This is followed by a practice to ensure students are exposed to the varied methodologies of yoga to expand their understanding of the most popular yoga styles today. Some of the classes may be yin or restorative, while others are flow or kundalini. After practice we have lectures, films, anatomy, meditation, pranayama, teaching practice, etc. We are careful to pace the day to keep everyone's energy up and since the Heartwood grounds are a very inspirational place, we often move out of the yoga center to have a discussion around our fire pit, practice in our open-air yoga pavilion or under the shade of trees near the medicine wheel or hold conversations in the meditation gazebo(weather permitting).  Heartwood's meditation garden won a national award and was featured in Country Garden Magazine too, providing another inspirational environment to visit or practice. 

In addition to a classical yoga education, this program includes a creative art project, workshops, journaling, a personal photoshoot, the business of yoga, and other lovely activities to open minds and hearts to a new way of looking at life, while also preparing the student for teaching others.  Be prepared for 14 wonderful days of yoga, yoga, yoga. You will work hard but enjoy every minute.

We believe that the only way to be a great yoga teacher is to be, first and foremost, a true yogi. So, this program is as much for you and your personal development as it is for your future students and career goals. Yoga at Heartwood is deeply transformational and, thanks to the fact that one lesson or discussion stacks upon another, invites participants to form a deep relationship with yoga. Unlike some drawn out programs where down time between meetings, to much of a focus on memorizing sequences, or missed sessions pause the process, we find the immersion program produces some truly amazing, dynamic teachers, thanks to the momentum and single focus of the studies during our time together.  

During these programs, a vegetarian lunch and dinner together is served on the grounds of Heartwood. We dine family-style (vegan and gluten- options available), and students have access to self-serve continental breakfast food, allowing everyone to eat according to their body clock so we can break bread together to connect as a tribe. Snacks are available all day, including fruit, vegan muffins, nuts, or healthy treats. Coffee and tea are available all day. No one goes hungry at Heartwood because we understand that to get the most out of your training, fueling up with healthy fare is important. 

We often have participants with years of yoga experience, and others who are new to yoga but craving to learn more. We believe every yoga teacher needs a solid foundation in yoga and so, regardless of experience, we start at the beginning with everyone, building upon core concepts and establishing roots in classical yoga education. No matter where you begin, you will leave the program with a profoundly expanded understanding of yoga. All levels are welcome, and you will find that your experience in asana (the physical practice of yoga) is only a small part of what you learn in YTT, and pretty much everyone is a beginner in the journey of the deeper dimensions of yoga.     

No worries if you feel out of shape or have issues that make Asana challenging. We've had students with all levels participate successfully. Considering the entire staff at Heartwood are yoga therapists we provide modifications, advice, and support so everyone can handle the physical requirements. (We've had older students, students with Parkinson's, and other issues who have successfully completed the course.)

Yoga Alliance does require some kind of evaluation to establish competency, so we do have activities we engage in for evaluation and to build confidence and competency. But no worries, we don't do formal, graded, written tests. Students participate in practicum teaching to receive feedback to help prepare them to teach yoga and we do some low-pressure appraisal of knowledge (a nice way of saying "testing") to be sure everyone is processing and retaining the information that is important for a yoga teacher to know to teach safely.  Our tests are not so much designed as testing for the students but testing to be sure we taught the material in a way that students can understand. If people are confused, we want to know so we can review the material again. No one has ever failed the testing portions of the Heartwood program.     

If flying in, both the Sarasota and Tampa airports are approximately a 45-minute drive. We do offer one complimentary pick-up on arrival day, so don't make flight arrangements until learning about our scheduled pick-up if you wish to take advantage of the free shuttle. Otherwise, uber is readily available. Tampa is a much larger airport and you will want to add wait times to your schedule. 

The immersion programs include a comprehensive manual (so save room in your luggage to get a big notebook home) some yoga gifts and supplies used during the training, a yoga journal, all food and snacks, a photo shoot to jump-start your career, online lifetime access to the material to reinforce your education, and airport pick up if needed. Not included: personal flights or travel expenses and required books (approximately $60.00 on Amazon). The book list is sent with the welcome e-mail.   Students also receive a free bonus certification course to take online at their convenience, with a choice of Chair Yoga certification or Ayurveda. Online live Zoom sessions are available but not required for those who want feedback and practicum practice after taking the online course. 

You will be amazed at how much you learn and understand in this progressive program. But it is true that retaining all that information is easier for some than others. For this reason, our entire program is also offered online with powerful prerecorded sessions to make the concepts easy to understand and apply. All of our graduates are offered lifetime access to this material to reinforce their education and provide a resource to support their career after they have had the empowering live experience. You can even join us for our online Zoom sessions to revisit lessons later if this is helpful or inspirational to you. The online content includes anatomy, postures, alignment & modifications, Sanskrit, philosophy, sound healing, meditation, pranayama, business of yoga, and more which you can access when or if you ever wish to revisit the teachings.