LIVE Online The History of Yoga: Comprehensive, Contemporary, Curious Teacher Training
Join LIVE starting February 17th
Join Firdose Moonda, E-RYT 500 for this 20 hour, live hybrid online training to discuss the origins and evolution of yoga and how to apply that historical and philosophical grounding into a yoga class.
The History of Yoga: Comprehensive, Contemporary, Curious Teacher Training | Online
$250.00
Training Description
This course explores yoga’s evolution across centuries, cultures, and continents. It blends pre-recorded content with live online sessions, as we bring yoga’s journey to life, from its roots in the Indian subcontinent to its contemporary global expressions. Through critical analysis, myth-busting, and guided reflection, this course examines how yoga has continually reshaped itself in response to shifting spiritual, social, and scientific contexts.
We will move from historical sources and early practices to the birth and development of modern asana, and then immerse ourselves in yoga’s worldwide expansion. Throughout the course, we will ask questions about authenticity and adaptation, and keep the future of the practice in mind. Designed to engage both the mind and body, this course offers an opportunity to understand yoga as a living, evolving inquiry into the human experience.
You will take away:
- A nuanced understanding of the varied developments of yoga over time and place.
- Clear through-lines between ancient and modern yoga as well as understanding of key changes.
- The ability to think critically and analytically about yoga in the past, present and future.
Join Us Live
February 17 - April 28
Complete On Structured Timeline
CEUs Upon Completion
Unlimited Content Access
Training Details
Course Overview
Session 1: Roots of Yoga
The origins of yoga are millennia old and in this session we will consider which source materials have been used to fashion our understanding of yoga’s beginnings and its early philosophical underpinnings. This session will consider both oral and textual material.
Session 2: Key Ancient Practices
From ritual sacrifice to withdrawal and fasting to active participation in society, we will look at what it meant to be “in pursuit of liberation,” in an ancient time and how that started to evolve.
Session 3: Metaphors of the Mind & Body
Exploring subtle realms and energetic understandings of the self through body mapping, sound and words.
Session 4: Building the Physical Body
How and why yoga asana and sequences were founded and developed. This will include a short physical practice.
Session 5: Common Misunderstandings from the Early Period
As we close off the first section of the course, we’ll debunk some myths about which ancient practices have survived to the modern day and how they have shape-shifted over time.
Session 6: Building the Modern Physical Body
Creating strength towards the end of the 19th century was a preoccupation of those outside and inside the Indian subcontinent and is a trending topic today. We look at how much was known about health markers, early scientific studies into the benefits of yoga and how biomedical language has been reframed for yoga audiences.
Session 7: Yoga on the Move
Yoga was both brought to and taken west by a diverse range of characters who moulded the practice to suit a new audience. We will consider how they created institutional schools and distinct lineages and what the impact of that was.
Session 8: Yoga in Global Contexts
It’s too easy to think of all yoga outside of the Indian subcontinent as “western,” but what about other environments. How did yoga make its way to Eastern Europe, Latin America or Africa and how is it practiced in these geographies? What role does the Indian diaspora play?
Session 9: Radical Ideas for Changing Times
Mainstream yoga has married with a range of other modalities in what is generally termed “wellness.” How does this apply to us across physical, mental, individual and social spheres, especially as the industry leaders have shifted to a largely female demographic? What kinds of yoga serve us and when?
Session 10: Creating the Future of Yoga
We’re it! As yoga constantly evolves, we are actively writing the next chapter of the history. What do we want it to look like? Our Wishlist… all here.
This 20hr LIVE training is taught in a hybrid model consisting of 10, 2hr sessions total: 5 pre-recorded sessions and 5 live call sessions (1 session delivered each week) plus a bonus Reading Week. Expect deep dive content drops and information-filled interactive live sessions which will both challenge and champion your learning.
The pre-recorded content will come as two one-hour recordings per session. The live call sessions will begin with about an hour of lecture, followed by an interactive discussion to prompt deeper inquiry.
LIVE Sessions Schedule (8-10am PST | 9-11am MST | 11am - 1pm EST):
- Tuesday, February 17th:
- Live Online Meet & Greet (30 mins)
- Pre-Recorded Session 1 - Roots of Yoga
- Tuesday, February 24th:
- Pre-Recorded Session 2 - Key Ancient Practices
- Tuesday, March 3rd:
- Pre-Recorded Session 3 - Metaphors of the Mind & Body
- Tuesday, March 10th:
- Reading Week
- Tuesday, March 17th:
- Live Online Session 1 - Building the Physical Body
- Tuesday, March 24th:
- Live Online Session 2 - Common Misunderstandings from the Early Period
- Tuesday, March 31st:
- Pre-Recorded Session 4 - Building the Modern Physical Body
- Tuesday, April 7th:
- Pre-Recorded Session 5 - Yoga on the Move
- Tuesday, April 14th:
- Live Online Session 3 - Yoga in Global Contexts
- Tuesday, April 21st:
- Live Online Session 4 - Radical Ideas for Changing Times
- Tuesday, April 28th:
- Live Online Session 5 - Creating the Future of Yoga
We created this live hybrid online yoga teacher training to better support you in an interactive format with discussions along the way. You can either begin the weekly pre-recorded content as soon as it drops or catch up throughout the week. Likewise, you can either attend the weekly live call sessions or watch the recordings to stay on top of the information as it progresses - you will have unlimited access to the live session recordings and resources.
This yoga teacher training will count as 20 hours towards your 500-hour/1000-hour Yoga Medicine certification. Directly following the last live session of the yoga teacher training you will be invited to take an optional online exam - you must pass the exam within 45 days to receive your certificate of completion and training hours. These online hours will also be recognized as 20 continuing education hours (CEUs) by Yoga Alliance.
For teachers dedicated to a higher standard of learning looking to deepen their knowledge.
This training is for curious practitioners who want to understand the origins and evolution of yoga both on and off the mat as well as yoga teachers seeking a layered historical and philosophical grounding to bring to their classes. As long as you’re curious, value critical thinking, are open to discussion and interested in interdisciplinary perspective, this is for you.
Tiffany Pridgen
500-Hour Yoga Medicine Teacher
"Firdose is truly a thought leader in the yoga community when it comes to academic studies of yoga - she brilliantly holds space for diverse viewpoints and backgrounds, creating a safe space for thoughtful dialogue with sensitive materials such as politics. Firdose's course lectures were thought provoking and she guided meaningful communication and engagement with the topics. My eyes were opened to some of the systemic cultural appropriation prevalent throughout many YTT programs and it encouraged me to rethink my own offerings. I had a wonderful experience in the trainings and the Yoga Medicine® team did an exceptional job of disseminating the materials online and in the live sessions. Thank you for an amazing experience."
Maya Odeh
500-Hour Yoga Medicine Teacher
"Studying with Firdose was profoundly enriching and transformative. She brought a fresh, essential voice to the world of yoga, offering perspectives that challenged and expanded my understanding. I had the privilege of taking two of her courses, which were truly eye-opening.
Firdose has a wealth of knowledge, and encourages discussions and critical thinking, which I believe is one of my most important takeaways. I sincerely wish this approach was a standard in every yoga teacher training program. I’m deeply grateful to Firdose and hope she continues to offer more courses in the future."
Meet your teacher...
Firdose Moonda
E-RYT 500
Firdose is a South African of Indian descent, a yoga teacher, practitioner and researcher passionate about issues of decolonisation and social justice. She is currently undertaking doctoral work titled Yoga, Politics and Possibilities for Social Justice at the University of Cape Town. She holds a Masters degree on the Traditions of Yoga and Meditation from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and she is a registered E-RYT 500 teacher with Yoga Alliance. She also works as the Southern African correspondent for ESPN, where she reports on cricket in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and beyond, and she is the women’s editor-at-large at On the Whistle, an African football podcast.
Her teaching style is steeped in historical knowledge, cultural experience, socio political curiosity and practical application. In her classes you can expect historical and philosophical discourse zoning in on particular periods in yoga’s storied development, anatomically intelligent postural practice which is also reflective of asana as it evolved over time and culturally relevant information on practices from the subcontinent which have evolved through a Western lens. She draws on a wide variety of sources including academic wisdom, teaching experience, and her own lived experience as a person of mixed heritage. She is both an African and an Indian and recognizes the shared suffering through colonization. Her work is centered on amplifying both Africa and India’s attempts to seek liberation – of their resources, their cultures and their bodies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be enrolled in the Yoga Medicine 500-Hour Program to attend this Yoga Teacher Training?
No!
This yoga teacher training is designed for yoga teachers, physicians, healthcare providers and those who are interested in learning more about this invaluable curriculum. If you have a consistent yoga practice and a desire to learn more, then we would love to have you join!
If you are new to Yoga Medicine and would like to join the 500-hour program, then please complete the online application. Upon successful completion of this online training, the 20 hours would automatically be applied towards your 500-hour. Details on the 500-hour program can be found here.
How do I prepare for and access the online training?
When you register for this training, you will also receive complimentary access to the following online courses: Conducting a Therapeutic Evaluation and Recognizing Red Flags in a Therapeutic Yoga Setting – reviewing these courses will also help you prepare for this training.
After registering for this training, you will receive a confirmation email with more details on general information, training materials needed, and instructions on how to access your online training.
Do you offer refunds?
Immediately after your payment is processed, you will receive access to this live online training portal and materials. For this reason, refund requests are only accepted before February 17th (when this training goes live).
We appreciate your understanding.
Got additional questions? Contact us here.
Our Promise
We believe bridging the gap between yoga and medical systems is a crucial therapeutic adjunct to modern healthcare. That’s why all of our offerings strive to reach the same goal: to empower teachers and students through deeper yoga education.
We train our teachers to understand the body and the full spectrum of therapeutic yoga modalities so they can build a personalized practice to suit the individual across any yoga style, state of wellness, level, body shape, gender, anatomical differences, age, or capacity. With our credentials, students and healthcare facilities can trust that their yoga teacher is trained with a depth of knowledge in the fusion of research, science & traditional practices as well as a range of applied and highly specialized therapeutic experience!
Apply This Training Towards a 500-Hour Certification
If you are enrolled in Yoga Medicine’s 500-hour or 1000-hour program, then this training counts as 20 ‘in-person/contact’ hours towards your certification, as well as continuing education hours with Yoga Alliance!
If you are a yoga teacher interested in pursuing continued education with Yoga Medicine, then you have the option to apply to our 500-hour program (in which case, these teacher training hours will automatically apply towards your 500-hour certification process).
To learn more about our 500-hour certification program, click here.
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