Restorative Ananda Yoga® Teacher Training

Restorative Ananda Yoga® Teacher Training

5-Week Professional Online Training for Certified 200-hr Yoga Teachers

Dates: Oct 18 - Nov 22, 2023

Expand Your Skill Set with Restorative Yoga

In today’s fast-paced and over-stimulated culture, more and more yoga students and teachers are turning toward a calming, slowing, and introspective yoga practice. Restorative yoga is the answer!

Whether you plan to deepen your understanding of restorative yoga or teach it to your students, this comprehensive online course will help you gain the knowledge–through experience—of the healing power of restorative yoga!

5-Week Online Training Course for RYTs

Tuition: *$699 (apply by October 2 for early-bird) $775 (regular)

*Early Bird: Apply by March 22, pay by March 24, 2023

Tuition: *$699 (early-bird) $775 (regular)

Free Zoom Info Session

Recorded Wednesday, September 20

Register to learn more about this training and meet the instructor.

“This is an extremely inspirational insightful course for any yoga teacher whether for teaching or self-nurturing, deeply spiritual all would benefit greatly from participating in Ananda restorative yoga.”

“This is an extremely inspirational insightful course for any yoga teacher whether for teaching or self-nurturing, deeply spiritual all would benefit greatly from participating in Ananda restorative yoga.”

— Kelly W., England

— Kelly W., England

Joy. Woman 10.12

Why Take Restorative Ananda Yoga Teacher Training?

Yoga teachers love this training because they get to practice a lot of Restorative Yoga! Through Melody Hansen’s expert guidance, you’ll feel what it’s like to be nurtured and cared for in a Restorative class with guided relaxation techniques.

What You'll Learn

Spiritualize Your Practice with Ananda Yoga

Ananda Yoga Restorative is uniquely based on the universal teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi. During this course you’ll heighten your teaching ability by addressing the whole person—body, mind and spirit—in a holistic way:

Warm-Ups

The Chakras

Props

Modifications

Touch-Assists

Best Practices in Online Training

Happy young woman sitting outdoors in yoga position

“Melody is a gifted yoga teacher and a joy to learn from. She clearly articulates the essence of restorative yoga and how to guide others in a safe and supportive environment. Her enthusiasm for its benefits is infectious and will inspire you to share this treasure with your students.”

“Melody is a gifted yoga teacher and a joy to learn from. She clearly articulates the essence of restorative yoga and how to guide others in a safe and supportive environment. Her enthusiasm for its benefits is infectious and will inspire you to share this treasure with your students.”

— Michelle, MA

— Michelle, MA

Meet Your Instructor

Melody Hansen, E-RYT 500 & C-IAYT

Melody is an extraordinary yoga teacher, who conveys her great knowledge of yoga asanas—from physical mechanics to spiritual upliftment—with a blend of graciousness, authority, and fun. One of Melody’s greatest strengths is the purity of her transmission of Yoga. She has very little egotism to block the clear flow of inspiration she shares. Her inner life is committed and deep, and she’s able to help students experience that depth in their yoga practice.

Melody has been practicing the teachings of yoga since the age of 14, and began teaching at age 17. She is a Certified Ananda Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), and teaches therapeutic yoga for private sessions and groups. Melody loves leading Ananda’s Restorative Yoga Teacher Training in-person at The Expanding Light Retreat three times per year. She also directs the Ananda Yoga Teacher Training 200-hr program at The Ananda School of Yoga and Meditation in California. Melody is trained in prenatal yoga and leads prenatal weekends, as well as co-directs the Prenatal Ananda Yoga Teacher Training Program.

Melody uses restorative yoga, Ananda Yoga and Meditation in her personal life to balance serving her students and her family. She practices what she preaches and enjoys guiding beginning through advanced students into the stillness of meditation that follows yoga so that all can experience their higher potential.

FAQs

For this course, you need to have already completed a 200-hr yoga teacher training program (ideally from a Registered Yoga School). You should also have established a regular Hatha yoga or restorative yoga practice. In other words, you should already have some yoga training under your belt because we’ll assume that you have basic anatomy and physiology knowledge as well as the foundations of yoga mechanics.

For a professional-level online training like this, you need to also be organized and a self-starter, because you’ll need to have time for approximately 7-8 hours of coursework every week (part of that is a couple hours of practice time). You’re expected to participate online multiple times per week, at times convenient for you. Finally, you need to be comfortable with computers or mobile devices, because although it’s not difficult, it is part of the course.

Everyone moves through the course together, week by week, and you’ll have assignments due each week. That’s the only way to have extensive, quality interactions with classmates and build a dynamic learning community.

The course will be laid out in 5 Units with several lesson plans within each unit. Live Zoom meetings take place each Wednesday, one in each unit. (Note: for those who cannot attend, recordings will be made available.) 

If you plan on taking this course to deepen your own practice and you have no plans to teach, you can make-do with simple props from around your home including folded blankets, bath towels, bed pillows, couch cushions, etc.

However, if you plan on teaching we suggest that you have the following available: • 2 Flat Rectangular Bolsters • 2-4 Blocks • 5-8 Mexican Blankets • 2 Bed Pillows • 1 Eye Pillow

After you apply for the course and are approved by the instructor, you’ll be sent a more thorough list of suggested props for purchasing and the specific websites we recommend using for wholesale prices.

Yes. This course takes place within the tradition of Paramhansa Yogananda and his direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda.

Participants should be open to learning and teaching their approach to yoga postures and yoga philosophy. Those who come from a different tradition—or no tradition at all—should register as far in advance as possible in order to learn and practice those techniques before the course begins; we will send those links to you before the course web page opens. Then your course experience will unfold much more naturally, and your teaching and personal practice will benefit much more. Please note: We do not ask that you discontinue your current yoga practices if they are different; we simply ask that you do the practices that are required for this program.

If you’re interested in exploring Restorative Ananda Yoga more and you want to get to know Melody Hansen before committing to the entire program, you’ll receive $25 off of this training when you purchase Restorative Ananda Yoga for the Chakras: A guided experience of the chakras for deep rejuvenation.

The course web page is easy to use and intuitive, and it offers many “how to” instructions to help you. Plus you’ll receive a special video “tour of the course” early in the training.

These days, everyone knows someone who can help them with such basic technological tasks as making videos and uploading them to the web. If you think you will need such help, we recommend that you find a helper early in the course, rather than waiting until an assignment is due. All in all, please know that many “tech-challenged” people have done very well in this course.

There are only a few live webinars, and because we have students from all over the world, the webinars are recorded for those who cannot attend “live.” Most other coursework can be done at times that are convenient for you.

You are free to do your coursework at whatever times of day suit your schedule. We expect you to log in and do some work (30 minutes to an hour) on multiple days each week.

Also, during some parts of the course, you will need enough flexibility to find a mutually agreeable time to meet with classmates for practice teaching via internet video (using Zoom); this is usually quite doable.

Yes, you’ll have lots of interaction! In fact, many of your assignments require it: discussion forums, Q&A forums, “live” one-to-one practice teaching fellow trainees via Zoom, and a final team project. Plentiful interaction is a best practice in online learning, and this course is structured entirely around best practices. You’ll love being part of the supportive learning community that forms. 

Here are some examples of practice teaching sessions via Zoom: 

 

Yes, and we recommend it! We open the course web page 2 weeks prior to the scheduled start date of the course, and we send a notice to enrolled students at that time.

Yes, after completing all of the course requirements, you will receive a certificate as a “Certified Restorative Yoga Teacher.” If you are a certified Ananda Yoga teacher already, your certificate will say “Certified Restorative Ananda Yoga Teacher.” If you decide later to become a certified Ananda Yoga teacher (by completing our Level 1 or Level 2 training), we can upgrade your restorative certificate to “Ananda Yoga” certified. If you are a RYT, you will also receive 30 continuing education hours through Yoga Alliance upon completion of this course.

tingling-after-meditation

“This was an awesome experience! I feel restored, transformed and uplifted to new horizons as a teacher, as a student and as a person!”

“This was an awesome experience! I feel restored, transformed and uplifted to new horizons as a teacher, as a student and as a person!”

— Norbu O. 

— Norbu O.

What Our Graduates Say

J restorative
"This course absolutely exceeded my expectations and is very well laid out with comprehensive weekly modules. The material is well-structured and allows you to work at you own pace within a given timeline. It includes ample hands on training to apply and practice the principles. I received a very thorough understanding of Restorative Yoga and the spiritual, meditative and healing benefits. I highly recommend this course to yoga teachers looking to expand their teaching repertoire."
Mina Jiwani
"Ananda's Online Restorative Yoga Teacher Training is so much more than just an online training course. The amount of interaction with teachers and other students, the meticulously planned modules, and highly professional supporting materials, including dozens of beautiful and informative videos, made for a challenging and highly rewarding training experience. ORYTT was an incredibly comprehensive, deeply spiritual, and thoroughly enjoyable approach to teaching restorative Ananda Yoga, a beautiful practice that can benefit almost anyone physically, mentally, and spiritually."
Linda Gorsuch
Kavitha Shekar
Singapore
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This program gave me simple, yet practical tips on how to relax more deeply. Loved the simplicity of the Restorative Ananda Yoga yet the results achieved are very deep. Thank you to Melody and her entire team for making this happen.
Mary Meckley
FL
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Participating in ORYTT brought my yoga practice to the next level. I can’t wait for my students to experience deep inner yoga.
Peggy Guaraldi
Read More
I've been practicing and teaching yoga for many years and still found the "Ananda Restorative Yoga Teacher Training" refreshingly unique, practical, all encompassing, and deeply spiritual.
Jashoda Bothra
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I’ve been learning online and trained to design courses online since 1997. I was very impressed with the quality, excellent structure, and alternative ways to engage with the content for what is generally a very hands on course. The guidance and support from Melody and the staff was phenomenal.
Michelle
MA
Read More
Melody is a gifted yoga teacher and a joy to learn from. She clearly articulates the essence of restorative yoga and how to guide others in a safe and supportive environment. Her enthusiasm for its benefits is infectious and will inspire you to share this treasure with your students.
Nadia Hlibka
Read More
With clear and concise presentation, the course material, the attentive instructors and the devotional vibrational energy, it is wondrous how deeply one can access this healing practice. Restorative yoga asanas will be a part of my daily practice.
Amber Hintze
Read More
Completing Online Restorative Yoga Teacher Training with Melody was a wonderful experience! She is very knowledgeable, friendly and thorough. The education provided exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend for any Yoga Teacher wanting to offer a healing practice to their students.
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Course Materials

Restorative Ananda Yoga Video Library

Restorative Ananda Yoga Manual

Restorative Ananda Yoga Teacher Trainees will receive a thorough 8-section manual for the course (250 pages PDF printable). All course material is available in the manual, which includes:

  • Instructions for teaching 3 Restorative Ananda Yoga routines including beginning through advanced poses
  • Fully-illustrated color photos of over 20 restorative poses and their prop setups
  • Asana benefits, cautions/contraindications, modifications, teaching tips, and hands-on adjustments
  • Valuable content on the chakras and meditation

After completing all of the course requirements, you will receive a certificate as a “Certified Restorative Yoga Teacher.” If you are a certified Ananda Yoga teacher already, your certificate will say “Certified Restorative Ananda Yoga Teacher.” If you are a RYT, you will also receive 30 continuing education hours through Yoga Alliance upon completion of this course.

  • Restorative Yoga Origins
  • Relaxation, Stress, and Yoga 
  • Elements of Restorative Ananda Yoga
  • Centering & Pranayama practice
  • Introduction to Ananda Meditation 
  • Who are your students & Using Props
  • Guided Warm-ups & Stretche
  • An Ananda Yoga Restorative Class 1 ½ hr. (Routine #1)
  • Demonstrating Poses – Video Assignment #1 
  • Teaching Diaphragmatic Breathing & Pranayama
  • Self-Quiz, Journaling & Q&A 
  • Review Restorative Routine #1 – Each One Teach One practice session with classmate (via Zoom)
  • Sequencing a Restorative Ananda Yoga Routine
  • How and Why we Use Ananda Yoga Affirmations
  • Ananda Meditation & How to Sit Comfortably
  • Self-Quiz, Journaling & Q&A 
  • Understanding the Chakras
  • Guided Exercises to Awaken the Chakras
  • Guided Warm-ups & Stretches
  • Ananda Yoga Restorative for the Chakras 1 1/2 hr. (Routine #2
  • Review Routine #2 and Each One Teach One session
  • Self-Quiz, Journaling & Q&A 
  • Final Video Assignment: Teach a volunteer student two restorative poses
  • How to use fewer props & poses
  • Guided Warm-ups & Stretches
  • Teaching Advanced & Intermediate Poses (Routine #3)
  • Research Articles on Restorative Yoga
  • Advertising your classes
  • Self-Quiz, Journaling & Q&A
  • Resources – Developing your practice at home

Restorative Ananda Yoga Affirmation Cards

Restorative Ananda Yoga Asana and Affirmation Cards have been created for this training to help you with your teaching. 

21 colorful restorative asana cards with instructions, benefits, and affirmations.

 

Restorative Ananda Yoga ® Teacher Training Online

Apply now to recharge your own practice, help your students fall in love with restorative yoga, and change lives.

Dates: Oct 18 – Nov 22, 2023

Tuition: *$699 (early-bird) $775 (regular)

Early Bird Discount: apply by Oct 2 pay by Oct 4

*Graduates of Restorative Ananda Yoga Teacher Training at The Expanding Light Retreat will receive a discounted rate. Apply and request for a promo code.

Contact Us

Would you like to experience the depth of Restorative Ananda Yoga before committing to this training?

Restorative Ananda Yoga for the Chakras

Take a self-guided Restorative Ananda Yoga course and get to know Melody Hansen.

Receive $25.00 off this training program when you purchase Restorative Ananda Yoga for the Chakras: A guided experience of the chakras for deep rejuvenation with Melody Hansen.