300 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training

Yoga Light’s 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training program is designed to build upon and deepen the Trainee’s understanding of the fundamental concepts of the practice and teaching of yoga that are generally taught at the RYS 200-hour level. The Program prepares its Trainees to teach principles and techniques of yoga that are more advanced, more detailed, and/or subtler, and the training enables them to teach with greater skill than could reasonably be expected of a RYT 200.

Yoga Light’s Program includes comprehensive courses that will allow Trainees to expand their knowledge and further refine their teaching skills. Courses are also suitable for yoga students who wish to delve deeper into a specific subject matter to advance their yoga practice, or for their own personal interest. All courses that are part of the Training will be offered at different times each year, and may be taken at the Trainee’s convenience and in whichever order suits the Trainees's schedule.  The Program can then be completed on the Trainee’s own timeline, once all of the requisite number of hours and courses have been accumulated, and the other Program requirements are completed.

Pursuant to Yoga Alliance standards, a minimum of 270 hours must be contact hours (in-studio). The remaining hours of the training are allocated to out of studio study including reading, written assignments and attending classes which are then evaluated or analyzed.

Why Choose Yoga Light's Teacher Training?

• Materials provided, which includes over 200 pages of content.
• Guaranteed teaching opportunities at the studio.
• Comprehensive curriculum, and practical courses that will help you enhance your own personal practice as well as prepare you for a career of teaching.
• Spacious and comfortable learning environment.
• Top faculty; each having experience in their respective disciplines for 10-30 years, and prior experience in Yoga Teacher Trainings (see our faculty page for bios)
• Tax receipts provided for deduction of tuition costs (T2202A).
• Flexible format, allowing trainees to complete courses on their own timeline.

Other Inclusions At No Extra Cost:

• Free Access to Yoga Light studio classes, on all training dates
• Free parking, locker rental, mat storage, and WiFi access, as well as snacks, tea and beverages.
• On-going Mentorship Program and access to Yoga Light's teaching team for questions, discussions, shadowing and extra assistance where needed, throughout the entire program and beyond.
• Discounts on future memberships/classes, programs and workshops at Yoga Light Studio.
• Complementary four-month membership upon registering for five weekends.

Class Times: 

Weekend Courses are typically offered Fridays 7:15pm - 9:15pm, Saturdays 11:30am - 6:30pm and Sundays 1:30pm -7:30pm, on the dates specified (15 contact hours). Course work beyond these times (non-contact hours), may be completed on the trainees own timeline. Alternate dates (weekdays & weeknights) will be offered for courses to ensure students have suitable options to complete the Program.

Tuition:

• Each course can be paid for individually.
• Tax receipts are provided for courses each year, for deduction of tuition costs  
• Save $600 when paying & registering for 8 courses at the same time (4 of which must include Sequencing, Adjustments, Philosophy and Anatomy) and receive a 3 month membership which can be used at any time.  

Application:

• Applications for the 300 HR Program are due one month prior to the Trainee's first course, plus a $600 non-refundable deposit which will be applied against the first course(s). 
• To apply to the program, please send an email to yogalightstudio.ca, with your name, address, date of birth, information about prior teacher trainings, and any related experience.  Applications are due three weeks before the date of the first course which you intend to enrol in.
• To register for individual courses, you must send an email advising of your intention to register at least 3 weeks prior to the start date of each course, and payment is required to reserve your spot. 

Payment plans are available, please email info@yogalightstudio.ca for more information.

500 Hour Certification

To receive the Yoga Alliance 500hr designation, students must complete a 200hr AND 300hr training with a Yoga Alliance registered school in addition to 100hrs of teaching.

To receive RYS 300 certification at Yoga Light Studio, you must complete courses which will add up to 270 in-class/contact hours, plus 30 out-of-studio/non-contact hours.

Curriculum: 

Courses are led by the studio's Program Director, Nancy Salerno, with other experienced instructors as indicated below. Trainess may select which courses to take, on their own timeline. The 300 Hour designation will be granted upon completion of all courses and course work.

Teaching & Sequencing Restorative Yoga (17 Contact Hours) 

Jeannette Keir 

$300 +HST

May 26, 27, 28, 2023

Restorative yoga is powerful healing tool that reduces stress by supporting the body’s innate responses towards homeostasis and health. It assists with nervous system disorders such as insomnia, hypertension, anxiety, and depression.

Topics Include:

• The most common areas of dysfunction or “tension breaks” in each pose and the appropriate hands-on assists to cultivate release.

• Key restorative postures; how to teach, modify, and apply them in a balanced routine, specific physical and emotional effects; contraindications; and modifications.

• How to sequence postures for particular therapeutic effects.

Advanced Meditation Training (30 hours + 5 non-contact hours) (online or in-studio)

With Amanda Vitaro

Part 1: June 24, 25 2023 ($300 + HST)

Part 2: September 23, 24, 2023 ($300 + HST)

This course will:

• Help you to deepen your understanding of meditation (foundations, history, and practice), beyond the concepts studied in the Meditation Intensive
• Deepen your knowledge of the tools available to further your own meditation or mindfulness practices;
• Further explore the practice, and application of meditation and mindfulness in healthcare, education, worksites, and other applications;
• Further xplore the benefits of different types of meditation practices;
• Teach you how to enhance your ability to script and deliver guided and/or themed meditations;
• Teach the skills to apply mindfulness practices to relationships and situations of conflict, trauma, and overall life
• Further explore the ethics of guiding meditations;
• Provide mentoring during and after the training.

This training is beneficial for Yoga Instructors, Health Care Providers, Life Coaches, & Educators interested in teaching meditation or mindfulness, or in incorporating these techniques into a professional setting. It is also valuable for those looking to take control of their personal health through a greater understanding of the mind-body connection, or to deepen their connection to the people and the environment through increased awareness and mindfulness. After the course, participants who which to receive teacher training hours will be required to lead 2 guided mediation classes at Yoga Light Studio (Practicum). An existing meditation practice and/or prior Mediation Training is recommended.

Advanced Sequencing & Cuing (60 Contact Hours + 5 Non-Contact Hours) (online or in-studio)

With Sheldon Shannon

$1099 +HST

February - May 2024

Yin Yoga: Practice, Sequence, Teach

Naomi Zahler

$300 +HST

September 2023

Yin Yoga allows practitioners to stretch connective tissue around the joints, and is an excellent compliment to other more vigorous styles of yoga. This training will:

• Teach participants how to logically & safely incorporate yin postures in their own practice, or in classes they teach, with proper cuing.

• Teach participants how to sequence a full yin class;

• Provide an overview and discussion of the benefits of yin yoga, when & why to practise it; contradictions for postures, variations/modifications.

Advanced Yoga Philosophy (30 Contact Hours + 5 Non-Contact Hours) (online)

With Hali Swartz 

Part 1: October 2023 ($300 + HST)

Part 2: October 2023 ($300 + HST)

(Saturdays 11:30 am - 6:30 pm) (Sundays 12 pm - 8 pm) 

This course will be offered online. More details will follow for program registrants. Register here!

This course will involve an in-depth exploration into the main historical yoga texts including the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,  and some of the most important verses contained therein. The focus will be on how to weave these philosophical lessons into our practices and also our teaching. Your Instructor, Hali Swartz, has been immersed in the world of yoga since she was a young girl, being exposed and learning from her mother and her mother’s teachers. She has travelled to India every year sicne1988, delving into all aspects of the yoga tradition at the International Meditation Institute (I.M.I. ) in Kullu. Hali started teaching yoga in Toronto in 1999, while continuing her studies in Ashtanga Yoga and in 2001, she began teaching yoga philosophy, Sanskrit, chanting and meditation in various yoga teacher trainings.

* Required text: One Without A Second: The Seeds of Yoga Philosophy From Root to Sprout, by Hali Swartz (order from www.yogahali.com)

Business, Ethics & Law In Yoga (15 Contact Hours + 5 Non-Contact Hours) 

With Nancy Salerno

$300 +HST

November 2023

Completing a teacher training program is just the first step to effectively, consciously, and safely sharing the practice with those around you. In this course, we will review the most effective ways to begin a career of teaching, the different business models available to you, & the associated  business and legal requirements for each.  We will also review potential risks & liabilities, and how to protect yourself.  Finally, we will explore the numerous ethical issues that can arise for yoga teachers, and how to address them.

Teaching & Incorporating Dowel & Self-Massage Techniques into Led Classes and Your Own Daily Regimen:  (15 Contact Hours)

With David Bruni

$300 +HST

October 2023

This unique training will focus on highly effective, yet very simple techniques to quickly soften the muscles and tendons and sooth the superficial nervous system, using a dowel and other props. Doweling is a form of self-therapy used to loosen layers of tension and stress that lie beneath the surface of the skin. The sensations created by the dowel are similar to receiving a massage, but the individual remains in control of the pressures applied.

This training is divided into 3 sessions, each of which will focus on a different area of the body, with specific guidance re the parts of the body being affected, benefits and contradictions. The 4th session will recap and refine the techniques learned, specifically for teachers or prospective teachers. Some basic yoga postures will also be incorporated into the sessions, with an exploration of why specific yoga postures should follow tissue-softening for specific areas. Participants will finish the training with knowledge about how and when to incorporate the learned techniques into yoga classes, and/or one’s own daily self-care regimen.

Dowel Kits can be ordered from the studio in advance for use in the training (but not required – see below).

Dowel Kits:

A dowel kit consists of a dowel (a rod approx. 2 feet in length and made of wood), 2 railings (rectangular shaped); and 2 blocks options. Kits can be ordered by emailing the studio and a pick up time can be arranged.

1 dowel plus 2 railings: $30 + HST ($20 if purchased with the workshop series)

1 dowel plus 2 railings and 2 blocks: $55 ($35 if purchased with the workshop series)

Advanced Anatomy & Application to Yoga Asana (30 Contact Hours + 2 Non-Contact Hours) (online or in-studio)

With TBA

November 2023

This intensive anatomy course will dive deeper into the musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular, and digestive systems and shed light on why a basic understanding of these systems is essential for yoga students and instructors.

Other topics include:

• Common injuries of the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Appropriate modifications will be provided where applicable

• Examination of Asana practice from a biomechanical and connective tissue/fascia perspective

• Joints and how they move, concave and convex bones, joint congruence

• Fascia research, bio tensegirty

Pre-Natal  Yoga (30 Contact Hours + 2 Non-Contact Hours) (OPTIONAL COURSE) (online or in-studio)

With Kristina Piacente

$699 + HST 

November 2023

During these classes expectant mothers will be guided through a gentle yoga class intended to relax, release, and attune their bodies to their changing physical state and growing child within. Participants will be taught breath work, yoga postures, and meditation techniques to create increased health and awareness of themselves that can be used while pregnant, during child birth, and beyond. Poses may be modified depending on pregnancy, yoga experience, and trimester. This is a great opportunity to connect with other expectant mothers and share your practices on this journey. No previous yoga experience required.

In-Depth Look At Adjustments & Alignment  (60 Contact Hours + 5 Non-Contact Hours) 

With David Bruni, Natalie Marnica, Sheldon Shannon

$1099 + HST for all dates or drop in prices as follows; Wednesdays: $80/ Fridays: $60 / Saturdays: $229 / Sundays: $179

February 2024

This course will teach:

• Philosophy of yoga adjustments.

• Learning Styles and how each responds to Verbal adjustment techniques, Demonstrative Adjustments, Hands-On Adjustments.

• How to cue, demonstrate and physically adjust postures in full expression as well as modified variations.

• Hands-on adjustments: methods, qualities of touch, steps to provide hands-on adjustments, positioning and stance, use of props, understanding students’ bodies and how to support growth in practice safely and slowly.

• Common injuries (hamstrings, knees, sacroiliac joint issues, herniated discs, scoliosis), how to prevent them, and structural / functional limitations in different bodies.

• Ethical considerations.

Chair Yoga Teacher Training (25 Contact Hours + 2 Non-Contact Hours)

With Natale Marnica

$1199 +HST 

Winter 2024

This over 30 hour ONLINE training will provide participants with tools and techniques needed to create therapeutic and accessible group yoga classes for those with limited movement, and those experiencing various health issues. Participants will learn how to apply modified yoga poses, breathing practices and meditation techniques to help empower others to feel better in their bodies & minds. 

Included:

- 3 live training hours online, on each of the specified dates

- Access to over 60+ high definition educational videos and tutorials (lifetime access) 

- 30 puls hours of training: 6 hours prerecorded content and 24 hours of live virtual seminars (recordings will be made available)

- Two 1-on-1 private coahing sessions with Natalie

- Personal coaching and mentorship 

- Access to Natalies monthly virtual classes for the duration of the program

Yoga & Mental Health (6 Contact Hours + 2 Non-Contact Hours) 

With Natalie Marnica

$150 +HST

New Dates Coming Soon!

Ashtanga Second Series Intensive - Theory, Poses, Teaching (17 Contact Hours) (OPTIONAL)

With Lisa Novembre

$300 +HST

New Dates Coming Soon!