A self-paced journey into the foundational Patañjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga, grounded in everyday experience. Guided by Desikachar’s commentary on the Yoga Sutras, each week invites reflection through meditation, ritual, self-inquiry, and journaling to embody the teachings in daily life.

Begin your journey by watching Yoga Unveiled, a powerful documentary tracing yoga’s evolution from ancient roots to its contemporary forms. Then choose one of yoga’s classical paths—Jnana (wisdom), Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action), or Raja (meditation)—to explore more deeply and read a seminal scripture, integrating through meditation, journaling, and personal ritual. Reading list available at the beginning of the course. Write a reflection piece for submission.

If yoga teaches us the value of ahimsa (non-harming), what does it look like—especially in our relationships and speech? In this transformative elective, you’ll explore Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as a modern method of embodying yogic principles in everyday life. Through listening to Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s insightful lecture series, journaling, and applied practice, you’ll learn to speak and listen with empathy, clarity, and presence. Design and lead a mini NVC-inspired workshop, applying these tools to your role as a teacher and conscious communicator in the world, or write a reflection piece for submission on your study and applications.

Work with earth, water, fire, air, and ether through movement, reflection, and elemental sequencing.

In this elective, you will study classic Ayurvedic texts and deepen your understanding of the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether—as they manifest in the body, mind, and natural world. Through this exploration, you’ll learn to intentionally design and create yoga practice sequences that reflect elemental balance, bringing greater harmony, insight, and depth to your teaching and personal practice.

Cultivate sacred rhythm with chanting, intention setting, and vibrational awareness. This course invites you into the power of sacred sound and intentional rhythm as a daily anchor for clarity, healing, and devotion. In Phase One, you'll study the foundations of mantra, its energetic effects, and explore Sanskrit sound through accessible modern sages and their works. In Phase Two, you'll enter a 28-day moon cycle practice with a mantra that resonates with your heart and intention—building a sustainable ritual and intuitive connection to your inner voice and vibration.

Create your own personal retreat by aligning with the wisdom of Ayurvedic and yogic tradition. You'll begin by choosing from a selected list of Ayurvedic texts to explore themes of balance, simplicity, and sacred rhythm. From there, you'll design and experience a gentle home cleanse—incorporating intentional meals, breath practices, movement, and daily rituals that support clarity, nourishment, and inner spaciousness. This course empowers you to create a lifestyle rooted in presence and purpose, one sacred choice at a time.

Reconnect with the Earth as a sacred teacher through elemental yoga, breathwork, and contemplative time in nature. This course guides you to receive direct wisdom from the natural world—learning from trees, rivers, wind, and sky—while deepening your practice and teaching through presence, reflection, and intuitive listening.

Discover your Dharma or purpose through meditation, self-inquiry, and the technology of prayer and vedic astrology.

Explore the deeper layers of your purpose through guided journaling, core values reflection, and yogic self-inquiry practices. Over a moon cycle or four weeks, you’ll contemplate dharma vs. desire, the voice of inner wisdom, shadow and gift integration, and transitions on your soul path—culminating in a final dharma statement or creative expression.

Learn how to design, teach, and reflect on age-appropriate yoga classes for children. This self-paced elective invites you to explore key children’s yoga resources, design and guide a playful and structured class, receive coaching, and reflect on your experience. Submission of a written reflection piece on readings, class design, and teaching experience required for completion.

Explore how to safely and creatively teach yoga with light weights and strength training principles. This elective blends functional movement and resistance-based practices into vinyasa sequences to build powerful, embodied classes. Includes sequencing, cueing, safety, and demo teaching.

Unlock the powerful tools of Thomas A. Harris’ groundbreaking I’m OK – You’re OK through daily meditation and mindful self-inquiry. Explore the Parent-Adult-Child model in dialogue with the Observer Self or Higher Mind, and learn how to re-write your subconscious mind and walk your Dharma with presence and agency. Integrate these insights on your inner landscape and evolving awareness into a month-long self-study and provide a final written reflection on your process.

Explore Fast Like a Girl as a modern lens on saucha, the yogic principle of purification. Learn how intentional fasting can support physical, mental, and energetic clarity through readings, weekly reflections, gentle practice, and guided self-inquiry. Perform a cleanse and submit a written reflection on your studies and experience.