Restorative Yoga Teacher Training 1: Laying the Foundation with Anna Ashby and Chris Swain

Written By Mark Rothwell

September 13-15 + October 11-13, 2024

Weekend Schedule:
Friday - 3:30pm - 9pm
Saturday - 11:00am - 6pm
Sunday - 11:00am - 5:30pm

£625
Early Bird - £550 paid in full by May 15, 2024

Payment plan available

Restorative Yoga Teacher Training 1: Laying the Foundation

> 33 hour programme which qualifies for CPD
> for yoga teachers, trainees and professionals in the healing arts > held over 2 weekends in Sept/Oct 2024
> at Space to Breathe in Leicester city centre
> led by experienced trainers Anna Ashby + Chris Swain.

This unique teacher training focuses on the practice and art of teaching Restorative Yoga.

Designed for teachers, trainees and professionals in the healing arts, it includes ample time for practice, exploration and ‘hands on’ learning.

Led by Anna Ashby and Chris Swain, senior teachers facilitating trainings for over 20 years, both weekends provide a solid foundation for integrating this essential style within different contexts.

The training covers: immersive practice, lecture + dialogue that clarifies the purpose and nature of the practice, how to set-up/adapt postures, basic sequencing, and how to create sanctuary through cues and environment. It also explores basic stress physiology, it’s impact on health and how Restorative Yoga postures and environment support nervous system health and wellbeing.

Each immersive weekend offers a retreat-like atmosphere that includes three 2-hour practices, as well as time to learn about the history, nature and purpose of Restorative practice. Practicums include learning tasks, group work and dialogue which cover how to set up poses and structure lessons with hands on practice exploring essential poses, props and various set-ups. Particular emphasis is given to adapting and adjusting the postures to suit individual needs. The anatomy and physiology portions of the training cover basic stress physiology that grounds the learning in the reality of everyday living.

Sessions are designed to support the process of learning and assimilation, offering time for questions and dialogue, as well as exploring the work.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand basic stress physiology, anatomy of the postures, and breath awareness.

  • Understand the history of Restorative Yoga, its purpose and nature.

  • Confidence in how to structure and successfully facilitate a Restorative Yoga class.

  • Immersive and experiential practice in Restorative Yoga.

  • Practice in setting up and adapting poses to suit individual needs.

The two weekends include:

  • Restorative Yoga practice each day

  • reflection + journaling

  • lectures + dialogue

  • the art of teaching Restorative Yoga: purpose and nature of the practice, breath awareness, sequencing, language, cues and creating sanctuary

  • stress physiology and the anatomy/physiology of postures

  • practicums which cover the basic set-ups of essential poses, how to adapt postures

    to suit individual needs and assisting

    In addition to scheduled weekend hours, students are asked to attend two online Restorative Yoga classes with Anna Ashby and observe at least one of them. Upon successful completion, there may be opportunities to assist Anna in future workshops and trainings. Ongoing supervision and mentoring is also available.

    The training includes a comprehensive Companion Manual with photographs. In addition, participants are required to purchase Restorative Yoga: Power Presence Practice for Teachers and Trainees written by Anna Ashby which can be obtained through various outlets. Upon registration, a discount code of 20% will be sent to purchase the book through the publisher, Singing Dragon. Props are provided by the venue. (Eye pillows are not included.) Please bring an extra blanket or shawl for warmth and a journal/pen.

  • Anna Ashby is an experienced senior teacher and trainer in the UK having successfully led over 10 cohorts in London over a span of 20 years. She’s been praticing yoga for over 30 years. She leads workshops and intensives for teachers and students alike in the UK, US and Europe. As a registered SYT teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals in the UK and E-RYT-500 with Yoga Alliance in the U.S, hours can be used towards CPD hours.

    Author of the essentialal ‘go to’ book, Restorative Yoga: Power Presence Practice for Teachers and Trainees, Anna brings her wealth of knowledge, skill and care to supporting teachers in sharing the transformative power of yoga.

    Chris Swain has been teaching yoga for 25 years, initially qualifying as a teacher with the Chinese Yoga Federation in 1987, then as an Iyengar yoga teacher, before being introduced to Ashtanga yoga with John Scott in London in 1999. It was whilst studying in the early 1980s that Chris came across yoga, Kempo (a martial art), Cheirology (hand reading) and meditation. During this time Chris developed a deep interest in natural healing. He moved to London in 1996 to take a 4 year degree in Osteopathy, deepening his understanding of western medical models. He is currently on the faculty for several teacher training courses and also teaches asana and anatomy based workshops.

 
Mark Rothwell