Yoga Teacher Training - Disability

After this weekend, I definitely feel more comfortable working with students with disabilities. The observation and hands-on experiences were invaluable.

Absolutely will recommend to others. The combination of instruction, group exercises, reading materials, videos, and hands-on experiences was fantastic.

I loved getting to see and work with your students.

I appreciated the deep care of the teacher and the nourishing and non-judgmental space created. I learned how to think about poses and yoga in a more accessible way.

JoAnn is a wealth of knowledge, super approachable, and fostered such an open, easy learning environment.I would HIGHLY recommend this course.

 I just wanted you to know how thankful I am to have had this experience. It was truly eye-opening what experience, determination, and the power of yoga can accomplish.

 What would it be like to live one's life in a wheelchair without the ability to get out of the chair without help? What would it be like to need assistance for the simplest tasks of life such as moving a fork of food toward and then into one's mouth? What would it be like to experience a complete yoga practice with the abilities one has when most people would say it's impossible?

Sometimes the journey of yoga opens up unexpected pathways. Last weekend I had the privilege to attend a wonderful workshop, "Yoga For People With Disabilities" which was taught by my friend and mentor, JoAnn Lyons, from Oakland, California. Note that in the title of the workshop, the word "people" is placed before the word "disabilities" and consider the important and empowering shift that occurs.

Most of the weekend was about learning theory and practical technique. Then, for a few hours we had the opportunity to work with people from our community and practice our new skills. With curiosity and patience we helped each person do forward and backward bends, twists and side bends. We worked on using the breath to help move the body and arranging props to make all postures accessible to each person. We stretched and lengthened, opened tight spots and brought awareness to felt-sensations in the body and mind. And we all, instructors and students, laughed a lot and applauded our progress!

This beautiful practice of yoga, which many of us take for granted, can be enjoyed by people of all abilities. And it's about time! I feel honored to be a part of this work, to have met 4 brave souls who were willing to let us hone our new skills with them. And to take away the thought that we will someday be able to offer yoga to all people in our communities.

And another one from a workshop in Sidup, UK.

I feel so lucky that we had you come and teach us in such an intimate setting in March. Your teaching experience and ability to hold the space for the group is even more apparent now.