Advanced Certification gives you a broader and deeper set of skills and insights to bring into your practice and teaching. The "advanced" quality of the 550-hour certification is not about so-called advanced asanas but rather developing an advanced understanding of how to effectively teach asana, pranayama and meditation to all levels and conditions of students. We look in considerably greater depth at each of the topics considered essential in your ongoing development as a professional yoga teacher.

Building on Phases I & II, the 550-hour program is structured into six modules that run concurrently and can be completed in a minimum of one year (most participants will take longer).

1. Optimal Sequencing - Topics include The Traditional Energetics of Sequencing (considering Koshas, Nadis, Chakras, Doshic Types and seasonal factors); Sequencing for Peak Asanas; Planning and Varying the Arc of a Class; Sequencing Restorative Yoga; Sequencing for Energetic Effects; The Bio-Mechanics of Asana Relationships.


2. Philosophy, Ethics and History in Teaching (monthly series) - Topics include Vedic and Upanishadic Philosophy; The Bhagavad Gita; The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali; Tantra; The Origins and Development of Hatha Yoga; Yoga in the West.


3. Advanced Anatomy & Physiology - Topics include Subtle Anatomy (Koshas, Prana, Nadis, Chakras); Anatomy of the Pelvic Girdle, Shoulder Girdle and Spine; Anatomy & Physiology of Respiration; Teaching Pranayamas; Applying Principles of Subtle Anatomy in Vinyasa Flow Yoga Classes.


4. Yoga Therapy - Topics include Working with Injuries; Developing a Comprehensive Student Assessment and Practice Plan; Teaching Students with Scoliosis, Lordosis, Kyphosis and other Spinal Issues; Teaching Yoga to People in Pain; Teaching Yoga to Reduce Anxiety and Depression.


5. Specialized Teaching – Topics include Teaching Pre-Post-Natal Yoga Classes; Teaching in Institutional Settings (schools, prisons, treatment centers); Planning, Organizing and Teaching Yoga Retreats; Teaching Partner Yoga; Teaching Yoga to Athletes; Teaching Kids; Teaching Seniors.


6. The Practice of Teaching - This is you out there teaching, with the added support of an advanced mentor.

Each module is comprised of weekend, all-week or evening workshops offered throughout the year. Participants in the 250-hour program may opt to enroll in these modular courses prior to completing their 250-hour certification.

Certification at the 550-hour level requires 300 hours of non- repetitive study beyond the 250-hour level. If you have previously completed a credible 200-hour yoga teacher training certification program and have a minimum of two years teaching experience, you may take the Phase I 7-week 120 hour intensive and have these hours apply to your 300 hours for Advanced Certification. In addition, up to 30 hours may be satisfied by courses taken at another Registered Yoga School with prior approval of courses and instructors.

The 550-hour certification concludes with a comprehensive written and performance exam.