Online pre-learning module

When we reach our 40s and 50s, our bodies and minds begin to transition, and we can experience intense physical and psychological turbulence. Specialised yoga practices can be a tremendous support to help navigate this natural wave of change.

While this transformation is not easy, it is significant because we are undergoing an initiatory process. We are birthing a new self: our Wise Woman.

In this module, you’ll

• Be introduced to the program.
• Learn about the yoga philosophy of menopause.
• Explore HERstory of yoga.
• Reclaim HIStory of menopause.
• Receive an overview of Western (HRT) approach, and the Eastern Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspectives on menopause.
• Explore how to be trauma aware.
• Meet the Maha Vidyas – the 10 Wisdom Goddesses from the Tantra tradition – who can act as guides through menopause.

Many women reach menopause in a state of exhaustion and physical depletion because our culture doesn’t respect this sacred feminine transition.

In this module, you’ll learn the science behind the hormonal changes and how to support women experiencing anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and overwhelm.

In module 2, you’ll

• Enjoy a morning practice: a self-nurturing yoga practice vata for anxiety, overwhelm and fatigue.
• Experience an evening practice: unwind for sleep sequence + Yoga Nidra
• Learn what is happening at menopause, explore a seasonal feminine narrative of menopause and lunar charting the Wise Woman way.
• Explore an Ayurveda and TCM perspective of anxiety, overwhelm, insomnia and fatigue.
• Discover how stress impacts hormone balance, the vagus nerve and Polyvagal theory and how to thread this into a yoga class.
• Learn why sleep is important through the stages of menopause.
• Deconstruct the practice and learn how to create your own yoga  classes to soothe and pacify vata.
• Refill your cup with the goddess Yoga Nidra.
• Experience the power of a wise women’s circle and each day practice facilitating a circle.
• Learn about nutrition, adaptogens, Ayurvedic herbs

For many women, menopause is announced with hot flushes, strong emotions, and shifting moods as we begin to navigate the cauldron of change within.

You’ll learn the science behind hot flushes, night sweats, menopause rage, irritability and brain fog (focus area two) and which specialised yoga practices can support you and your students.

In module three, you’ll

• Discover the Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine’s perspective on heat in the body.
• Learn about the physiology of hot flushes and strategies to support students physically and emotionally.
• Experience specific pranayama practices for releasing heat and hot emotions.
• Experience the benefits of Kriya for your brain and how to use it as a tool for hot flushes.
• Create yoga sequences to cool and reduce pitta.
• Enjoy asana labs and teaching practicum.
• Appreciate the changes in your brain and understand why you are experiencing brain fog, irritability and forgetfulness.
• Understand the importance of including restorative yoga in your sequence.
• Learn which complementary therapies and herbal remedies can offer support.

Menopause is a profound transition, and some women may experience periods of low energy and mood, grief and sadness. Navigating this experience with kindness and compassion is essential for a healthy menopause and rising up to embrace our second spring.

In this module, you’ll learn which specialised yoga practices can support focus area three: low energy and mood, lethargy, lack of motivation, grief, sadness and depression. Included are pelvic floor health and the role of pleasure.

In module 4, you’ll

• Appreciate the changes in our cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
• Get an overview of how pranayama can help women as they age.
• Practice a warming, stimulating heart-opening Kapha for courage and resilience.
• Learn how to navigate and talk with ease about grief, sadness and depression within a yoga class context.
• Understand the changes in the pelvic floor health at menopause and how to cue appropriately.
• Rediscover pleasure and sensuality.
• Learn more about menopause appropriate mantras and mudras.
• Use journaling and self-reflective practices to go deeper.
• Practice facilitating safe and inclusive women’s circles.
  

Revolution. Step up and collect your crown, queen. As we grow beyond the sphere of focused nurturing of family and career, we gain perspective of the broader connections to both community and the universe. Menopause is a distillation of all that is wonderful about you. It’s time to celebrate the possibility of spring and fully inhabit your version of your Wise Woman.

On day four, you’ll learn the science behind the changes in your muscles and bones and which specialised yoga practices can help relieve achy muscles and joints, support pelvic floor health and build muscle and bone strength.

In this module, you’ll

• Understand changes in muscles and the best ways to build muscle through menopause.
• Learn about inflammation and how to support students with achy muscles and joints.
• Discover what’s happening to your bones and how to build buff bones.
• Learn how to work with osteopenia and osteoporosis in a class.
• Understand prolapse, how to support women with prolapse in a yoga class context and cue appropriately.
• Learn a specialised prolapse sequence to include in your classes.
• Have fun with looking at how to creatively theme menopause classes, workshops and circles.
• Honour your journey by creating your own menopause celebration and ceremony.

Ideally, you will have completed your RYT-200, however, if you may enroll if you are in the process of completing a RYT-200 training. there are also two spot available for women who have been practicing yoga regularly for two years to join the group. Yoga for Menopause Well-being involves a fair amount of specialised knowledge and skill based learning, and  the common denominator is you have completed basic yoga teacher training. All real learning starts with embracing your ‘tabula rasa – beginner’s mind’, and I call on your discernment as you progress through the content, practices and teachings.

The training is open to any teacher who has completed at a minimum of RYT-200 yoga teacher training, whether you are currently teaching or not.

Absolutely.  This training is for all teachers who a want to support women in their classes aged between 40 – 60. With this training, you learn how to make an uncomfortable conversation a learning opportunity and have the confidence to offer support within the yoga class context. You will learn to seamlessly incorporate relevant menopause knowledge, modifications and contraindications into your general class and the skills to deliver a Yoga for Menopause Well-being class and how to extend a class to create an inspiring menopause workshop.

You have access to the online materials for three months. This is a potent space for growth in the program when coupled with personal practice. Watching the presentations and filling in your discovery journal and class templates is a great way to really absorb the teachings.

Time is allocated within the structure of the face-to-face training for you to get started on your assessment tasks and seek clarity on the tasks. If not completed over the four days of the course, you will need to set aside around 4-hours (maximum) to complete the assessment tasks.