OVERVIEW | SCHEDULE | PROGRAM STRUCTURE | FACULTY | APPLICATION & TUITION | FAQ
9-MONTH YOGA EDUCATION PROGRAM
YOGA STUDIES & APPRENTICESHIP
NEXT PROGRAM STARTS SEPTEMBER 2024
APPLICATIONS OPEN SOON
Get Notified When Applications Open:
DAILY, DEVOTIONAL, DISCIPLINE = SADHANA
Sadhana Studies is for those who seek to deepen their connection to all the elements of the yoga practice. The program provides you with a complete immersion into the Iyengar Yoga approach including asana, pranayama, Ayurveda, anatomy, ethics and practical yoga philosophy.
There is no Iyengar Yoga program quite like this.
Over 9-months you will receive:
- Tools to support your physical, mental and spiritual health.
- Resources that help you develop strength, skill and confidence.
- Practices that examine habit patterns and create support systems so you can meet your personal life goals.
- Direct Connections to the Iyengar family and our international community of teachers and practitioners.
Expansion
Expand your understanding of Asana, Pranayama, Ayurveda, and Yogic philosophy.
Establish a stronger connection to all that is inside of you including your breath and body, thoughts and actions.
Sadhana Studies aims to be an inclusive and welcoming space for study. We welcome you to experience healing, growth and transformation through deepening your personal connection to yourself and your community.
Transformation
Get focused, improving your discipline and abilities to care for yourself.
Personal growth discussions will consider the issues of most relevance to our time including: systemic injustice, racism, connection to lineage and cultural appropriation.
Through deep work over 10-months, you have the potential to transform yourself, your relationships and the world on all levels – physically, emotionally, energetically and even spiritually.
WHAT MAKES THIS PROGRAM UNIQUE?
- A deep 9-month immersion into the practices of asana, pranayama and Ayurveda
- World class faculty, each with decades of experiences and time spent with the Iyengar Family.
- Learn with others live – and also on your own time – through synchronous and asynchronous opportunities that can fit around a busy life style
- Comprehensive curriculum to address your modern-day experiences and needs.
- Use of technology so you can learn in the ways that you learn best: zoom to class live, access the program portal to share ideas, ask questions and review class recordings. Monthly assignments include readings, videos, podcasts and more.
THE FORMAT
- Nine weekend gatherings: Three weekends will be in-person. All other live programs are via zoom so so we can gather from wherever in the world we live.
- Group class every Wednesday night 5:45 – 7:15 pm pst via zoom
- Two 5-morning immersions to help you establish your personal practice of asana and pranayama
- Led practice + daily practice sequences to get you on the mat with confidence
- Program portal with videos, readings and writing reflections assigned monthly so you work with the program material on your own time.
You will also have an opportunity to get creative and solidify your learning through an optional independent project. Alumni tell us that this unique opportunity for a service-learning or creative project is a super fun way to finish the program and see how far they have come.
Some participants utilize Sadhana Studies as training to become Iyengar Yoga teachers. Sadhana Studies offers additional teacher education curriculum to support these aspirations. See below for complete details.
“The Sadhana Studies program helped me look into myself in a deeper way, helping me blossom into a better person, practitioner and yoga teacher.”
– Michelle Grady,
Sadhana Studies Graduate &
Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher
WHY SADHANA STUDIES?
- You are interested in exploring self transformation through yoga
- You want a structured process to help you build your own knowledge and experience of yoga
- You are looking for close relationships with your teachers and a supportive community environment in which to deepen your yoga practice
- You want to share the gifts of yoga with others
- Heather Haxo Phillips, Level 3 (Senior Intermediate 1) is the lead instructor and program director. The Faculty includes Certified Iyengar Yoga teachers Anneke Faas, Diedra Demens, Michael Lucey, Sandy Lamerson (Ayurveda), and Shari Ser (Anatomy).
TEACHER TRAINING
There is an additional apprenticeship track that introduces you to the art of teaching yoga the Iyengar way.
For those who participate, the first year includes all the general Sadhana Studies program elements plus :
- Additional meetings that introduce you to Iyengar Yoga teacher education
- Participating in beginner classes
- Apprentice manual + special homework
- Practice teaching sessions
- Invites to participate in the community of apprentices and CIYT
- additional time with Heather including feedback on your teaching
The first year of the program deepens your knowledge as a practitioner and exposes you to what teaching yoga is all about. For those who want to teach Iyengar Yoga, Sadhana Studies formally continues into years two and three preparing you to be an effective teacher and become a CIYT.
Your Investment
9-MONTH SADHANA STUDIES PROGRAM 2024
Tuition: $2495 early bird
Register by June 1 and save $200
This includes:
- All program components: 7 weekends, two 5-morning intensives plus Wednesday night public classes through the duration of the program
- Led practice / Open studio time for group practice
- Sadhana Studies program reader
- Program website and class recordings
SADHANA STUDIES WITH TEACHER EDUCATION
Tuition: $2995 early bird
Register by June 1 and save $200
This includes:
- All general program components for the first year: 7 weekends, two 5-morning intensives plus Wednesday night public classes through the duration of the program
- Additional programming just for apprentices including two weekends and several other sessions
- Participation in beginner level classes
- Program website and class recordings
- Sadhana Studies program reader plus an Apprentice Manual
- Invites to specific gathers with other apprentices and CIYT
- Mentorship throughout the program
Get Notified When Applications Open
The Commitment
The foundation of Sadhana Studies is our live programming. Please make sure to coordinate the program calendar with the time zone where you live. Recordings will be available if you want to review material or need to miss a class.
Apprentices who want to participate in years two and three will need to actively participate in at least 80% of the year one classes with their camera on.
Time
The Sadhana Studies program is a 200-hour time commitment plus a daily home practice and monthly homework assignments. Your home-study assignments will take approximately 10 or more hours to complete each month – they include readings from the Iyengar family and writing assignments which are turned in for feedback. Apprentices should expect an additional time commitment in their first year.
Financial Support
Adeline Yoga is committed to supporting diversity in our community. One full scholarship, two partial scholarships and several work-study opportunities are available. These offerings are an invitation to participate and are not necessarily needs-based. Students of color, those living with disabilities or who identify as LGBTQIA+ are especially encouraged to inquire about this opportunity. Apply for a scholarship or workstudy opportunity here.
Supplies
Participants will receive a list of required books and props for this program. Be prepared to source what you need. Past participants have made use of the library, borrowing and/or purchasing items. Adeline Yoga does have some basic props available through the Yoga Blessings community gift program. And, participants will have the option to purchase specific books and props through Adeline Yoga.
“If you’re considering joining Sadhana, you probably have felt the healing benefits of yoga. Well … imagine that deepening! The program is a big commitment of time, energy, focus, and emotion. But after just a few months my disposition had changed–in a good way! Beyond deepening my knowledge of asana, the community that Sadhana Studies brought me into was one of the most gratifying things I got out of the program. To come together and learn, share thoughts and experiences, there were many vulnerable moments in the program.”
-Sherine Ebadi
REQUIREMENTS
A supple body is not a requirement for this program or for the practice of yoga. All students who seek the challenge presented by this program should consider application.
- For the general program, a minimum of one year consistent study with a CIYT (Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher).
- For the teacher education program, a minimum of two years consistent study with a CIYT (Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher).
- Commitment to yoga as practiced in the lineage of B.K.S. Iyengar
- For Apprentices: Commitment to teach Iyengar yoga exclusively once the decision to pursue Iyengar Yoga Certification has been made
Application
Your application must be submitted no later than August 15th 5 pm PST. Once accepted, your first payment is due within two weeks and holds your space in the program. This deposit goes towards your tuition. Payment plans are available.
Get Notified When Applications Open
GOT QUESTIONS?
Book time with us!
Inbal wants to help you get your questions answered.
Click here to book a Zoom call.
Program Schedule
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
The 2024-2025 schedule looks like this:
- An opening weekend in person at our Berkeley Studio: Sept 13 – 15 to introduce you to the program, participants and lineage of Iyengar Yoga
- Every week you will attend the Sadhana Studies asana class on Wednesday 5:45 – 7:15 PST pm via zoom.
- Two early morning intensives which run Monday – Friday from approximately 7 – 8 am PST: aimed to kick-start your asana and pranayama practices.
- Seven weekend immersions covering yoga philosophy discussions, asana, pranayama, anatomy and Ayurveda. Friday evening approx 5 – 7 pm PST, Saturday morning and afternoon sessions and some Sunday morning sessions.
- Optional Peer-lead activities including study sessions and led practice on Monday and Friday mornings.
Apprentices will have additional meetings plus additional coursework.
Please note that all class times are on Pacific Standard time.
Wanting to meet in-person? Our September, May and January sessions will be in-person. Local participants can gather weekly on Friday mornings at the studio for practice sessions, and arrange other times for study sessions at the studio.
The program calendar:
Class every Wednesday at 5:45 pm PST with Heather – Sept 17 thru April 30.
Sept 12-15: Program Kick Off in-person
Oct 11: Day-long immersion on zoom
October 21– 25: 7 – 8 am Home Practice Immersion on zoom
Oct 26-27: Apprentice immersion
November 8 – 10: on zoom
December 13 – 15: on zoom with one additional session for apprentices
January 10 – 12, 2025: in-person
Feb 15-16 Apprentice immersion
February 17 – 21: 7 – 8 am pst Pranayama Immersion on zoom
March 7 – 9: on zoom
April 4– 6: on zoom with one additional session for apprentices
May 2 – 4: Final Weekend in-person
Optional led practice sessions are Monday (zoom) and Fridays (in-person). Both are 6:30 – 7:45 am.
“Sadhana Studies and apprenticeship at Adeline Yoga has been a structured way to commit to my personal practice, more deeply explore the student-teacher relationship and be part of an amazing community of yogis.
I am incredibly grateful to Heather and all of the faculty for their generosity in knowledge and experience as dedicated Iyengar Yoga practitioners and instructors. Their care and attention to my development as a student and aspiring certified teacher is priceless.”
– Francesca Nicosia,
Sadhana Studies Graduate
and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher
FAQ
I live far away, can I still take this program?
Yes! Even if you live far away, you can definitely still take this program. You will need to attend the first weekend in person. After that, you can zoom into classes. Those who are in the apprentice program can work with their local CIYT or make other arrangements while in town for the weekend programs. Where there is a will, there is a way!
What makes this program special?
Every yoga training program has its own unique traits, whether it is focused on general studies or teacher education. All Iyengar programs will give you an important foundation in asana and pranayama and help you to practice at home. We are unique in three key ways:
Our specific programmatic emphasis:
- Yoga in Every Day Life: Our personal practice starts with asana – but our disciplined practice must extend beyond the physical body to include our actions and words. Every month we will go deep into exploring our own potential using the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita as our guide. And, the program includes many hours on pranayama and an emphasis on mantra sadhana, social justice and building community. You will learn how to chant in Sanskrit and use specific chants to support your personal growth.
- Yoga for the Whole Person: Our program starts with the nuts-and-bolts of the foundational Iyengar practice. Then we tap into BKS Iyengar’s revolutionary genius – helping you understand how to practice for your specific needs – including your stage of life, your physical body and emotional health.
- Use of technology to support out-of-town practitioners: Yoga is best learned in-person. What to do when you have few Iyengar practitioners in your community? Join us for this program! We are creative in helping out-of-town students build their community both at Adeline at at home.
I plan to take the teacher education part of Sadhana Studies. What can I expect in year two and three?
Year one focuses on developing your understanding of Iyengar yoga as a practitioner, and gives you the foundational knowledge to consider teaching. You will take coursework with the general studies program, and coursework with the apprentices specifically.
Years 2 and 3 get you ready to teach the Iyengar method safely and confidently in a class setting. In year two you will do more supervised teaching and in year three you will receive preparation for certification.
Years 2 and 3 move beyond your studies as a practioner and begin to hone your skills as a teacher. These years will help you start and refine your skills as a yoga teacher – whether you want to teach a few classes a week or you want to make this your full-time career.
Years two and three include:
- Developing proficiency in the required asana and pranayama for Level 1
- Monthly immersions to practice your teachings skills. You will study therapeutic approaches, sequencing, modifications and adjustments in more depth.
- Supervised teaching with your mentor providing regular feedback
- Getting more experience through assisting the faculty in beginner classes
- Deeper study into important topics for Iyengar Yoga teachers including physiology and developing your career as an Iyengar Yoga instructor.
- Practicing skills required in the assessment process and getting feedback from your mentor.
- Additional education on the knowledge and skills required of an Iyengar Yoga teacher
Who are the faculty?
Our six core faculty members brings an important diversity of professional experience. Each of our faculty members is both a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and a specialist with specific training in their field. For example, you will be learning anatomy from a certified Physical Therapist, and Ayurveda from a certified Ayurvedic counselor. Our large faculty offers students an opportunity to experience the wide breadth of possibilities available in Iyengar Yoga.
What is the best way to prepare for this program?
Consistent study of Iyengar Yoga practice is required before entering the program. If you do not yet consistently attend class a minimum of once a week with a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, you must start there. Sadhana Studies would be the next step after that. Let your teachers know you would like to participate in deeper study, and they will provide further guidance. If there is no CIYT in your area, please email our Sadhana Studies program coordinator Tiffany Goss. Email tiffany@adelineyoga.com and we will help.
Can I take some of the classes, but not all of them?
Program Participants should commit to taking full advantage of the program by participating in all the modules. Most modules are restricted to program participants only. However, a few modules will be open for general enrollment as workshops—a good choice for those who are interested in certain topics only or cannot commit to the whole program.
Will I get a certificate of completion?
Yes! Students who complete the entire Sadhana Studies program will get a certificate of completion which demonstrates your commitment to Iyengar Yoga and knowledge of its practices. This is not a professional certificate recognized by Yoga Alliance or the Iyengar Yoga Associations.
I already took an Iyengar Yoga teacher training program. Do I need to take all of the Sadhana Studies program in order to apprentice?
This will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Heather directly to discuss.
Are there scholarships or work-study opportunities?
Adeline Yoga is committed to supporting diversity in our community. A full scholarship, partial scholarships and work-study opportunities are available. They are not based solely on need. We are committed to broadening access to yoga by encouraging practitioners who come from backgrounds that are not well represented in most yoga studios, or who come from communities that might be less familiar with the benefits of a yoga practice. These scholarships are an invitation to participate. Students of color, those living with disabilities or who identify as LGBTQ are especially encouraged to inquire about this opportunity. Please note in your application if you would like to apply for work-study or a partial scholarship.
Apprentices may be eligible to apply for the Yoga Alliance Scholarship Program when their program opens next.
How will I know if I have been accepted into the program?
We will contact you within one week.
Who do I contact to discuss this program further?
We are here to answer all your questions.
Click here to book a Zoom call with the program coordinator Inbal. You can also find her at inbal@adelineyoga.com or call us at (510) 982-1783
FACULTY
Heather Haxo Phillips is Director of Adeline Yoga and a certified Iyengar yoga instructor at the Senior Intermediate level. Among the highest certified Iyengar teachers in the East Bay, her additional certifications include: Certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), Relax and Renew restorative yoga teacher and Yoga Alliance E-500 level instructor. She has specialized yoga therapy training which includes scoliosis, musculoskeletal injuries and pain management. One of her asana-related specialties is women’s health. Heather has a deep commitment to the ancient teachings which includes mantra sadhana (chanting) and Sanskrit, pranayama and yoga philosophy. You can expect to find aspects of this in all of Heather’s classes. Heather deepens her own practice by studying regularly with senior Iyengar teachers, Sanskrit and Vedic scholars, and the Iyengar family in Pune. Heather is past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California and an active volunteer for the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States. Heather is on the board of the Lorin Merchants Association (LBA).
Michael Lucey is a certified Iyengar yoga teacher at the Senior 1 level. He stumbled into an Iyengar yoga class in 1982, while he was a student at Oxford University. Since then, he has been fascinated by how yoga can transform your relation to your body, mind, and breath and his classes aim to share that fascination with you. Michael is certified at the Senior Intermediate level; he has had the good fortune to study with many senior teachers from around the United States and Europe, and has also made 11 trips to Pune, India to study with the Iyengar family. His most recent trip was in December 2018. Michael is a professor of Comparative Literature and French at the University of California, Berkeley, and served as President of the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States from 2014-2017.
Deidra Demens is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher based in New York City. She was first introduced to Yoga in 2004 and is now certified at the Junior Intermediate 1 level . While studying at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago Illinois, Deidra explored various styles of Yoga, movement and breathing exercises as creative ways of expression. Upon graduating, Deidra moved to New York to follow her dream of becoming a theatre artist. Between shows Deidra continued studying Yoga and began teaching in 2011. After taking her first Iyengar class, Deidra was amazed at how much she learned in just one class. “I needed a foundation for my practice and teaching, I found it in Iyengar Yoga. The instructions were clear and precise. My interest in Yoga was elevated. My practice transformed, and so my journey began.” – Deidra Demens Deidra graduated from the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York and became a certified CIYT in 2017. She is on the teaching faculty at the New York Institute. Deidra’s approach to teaching is comprehensive and fun, her classes are dynamic and engaging. Through demonstration and detailed alignment Deidra seeks to both challenge and inspire her students.
Sandy Lamerson (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Ayurvedic Health Counselor and meditation practitioner. Sandy began her yoga and meditation practice in 2005. She trained and worked at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco since 2014. She is a graduate of Kerala Ayurveda Academy’s Ayurvedic Health Counselor program and is currently completing her Ayurvedic Practitioner level training.
Sandy has lived and practiced at Buddhist meditation centers in the US and Asia for many years. Her work with the wisdom and compassion practices offered through Buddhism inspires her deepest intention of waking up and transforming suffering – her own and others.
Sandy provides a welcoming environment for all to experience the benefits of yoga. Her knowledge of Ayurveda informs her approach and ability to offer practices tailored to the individual, time and season. As a new mother, Sandy also offers pre- and post-natal yoga support to parents.
Anneke Faas is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor at the Intermediate Junior II level. She was inspired by the precision and genius of Mr. Iyengar’s teaching at the age of 14, and started her teacher training in 2002. Since then, Anneke has had two sons. She is especially drawn to working with mothers, helping to reduce the stress and tensions of everyday life. She has specialized training in pre-natal yoga. Anneke recently relocated to the Bay Area from Santa Fe, New Mexico where she owned her own studio. Visit her website at www.annekefaas.com.
Shari Ser is a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher, a physical therapist and certified yoga therapist. She has over 35 years of both physical therapy clinical practice and experience teaching yoga for a wide range of medical and health conditions. Shari works full time as a physical therapist and yoga teacher. She is also a faculty member of the Yoga Room’s 500 hour Advanced Studies Program. She is a graduate of the Professional Yoga Therapy training for health care professionals, and the Adeline Yoga Sadhana Studies Program. Her additional certifications include RYT 500, E-RYT, C-IAYT and PYT. Shari is an avid believer of the power of yoga throughout the years and of its immense value in maintaining mobility, independence and equanimity as we all age.
Kelly Sobanski (she/her) is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher at the Intermediate Junior III level and a c-IAYT certified Yoga Therapist. She has studied directly with BKS Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar and Abhijata Shridar including six months of study at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India. Kelly has deep knowledge of Iyengar Yoga therapeutics and pain management, gleaned from her own practice and eight years assisting in Lois Steinberg’s therapy classes at Iyengar Yoga Champaign-Urbana and her time at the Iyengar Institute in Pune. Kelly has worked with many students with intricate and in-depth physical challenges. Kelly inspires practitioners at all levels to cultivate wisdom, intuition and luminance through the endless learning that yoga unveils. She is also a dedicated volunteer including past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Mid-West.
ADMINISTRATION
Inbal (she/her) is our assistant manager and a graduate of the Sadhana Studies program. Yoga awakened a deep yearning inside to not only understand life but to participate in it fully with deep presence, awareness, openness, and compassion. Since then, Inbal has been studying yoga and meditation in Israel, India and the U.S. She has an extensive background in the yoga industry, both on the administrative side and as a yoga teacher. If you have any questions for her, she would love hearing from you: inbal@adelineyoga.com
Tiffany Goss is the program administrator and a graduate of the Sadhana Studies program. Her first Iyengar yoga class in 2012 was held in a small living room by a friend. She knew then that Iyengar yoga was her path. Today she is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher! Tiffany’s goal is to make yoga accessible and safe for all body types.
In her administration role, Tiffany wears many hats including supporting the Sadhana Studies program. In her free time she likes to go hiking with Mani her Guatemalan rescue pup and plan her next travel destination.