We live: in a gorgeous, spacious home, right in the middle of Haiku. We share rooms, stories and songs, living in close proximity and glorious connectivity. We eat fresh, local greens (mostly raw) with a juice fast once a week. We practice outside in our lush jungle acreage or in our beautiful home.
We adventure: to beaches, to the farmer’s market for yummy snacks, to volcanic mountains. We gather to watch the sun go down as friends play harps, guitars and the digeridoo. We make our own jun and bless it too. We swim in the ocean (clothing optional) and roll around in natural mud baths.
We love: the storms, the rainbows, the Hawaiian songs, the coconuts we pick with our own bare hands, the unbelievable sweetness of tropical fruit, the hippies, the sunshine, the rawness of the land, the wild energy, the spontaneous chaos, the relaxed island time, the freedom to love.
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An inspired foundation for teaching comes from a disciplined personal practice. As diverse, open-minded and wildly curious yogis, we have studied with great masters from various traditions of Yoga to bring you the best of all worlds. We embrace and explore many styles of Hatha Yoga including Vinyasa, Yin, Kundalini, Restorative and AcroYoga. Throughout our 21-day journey, you will be exposed to many creative, non-conventional sequences to challenge your mind, body and spirit. Don’t be surprised if you burst out laughing or crying!
Asana: Our daily asana practice will build you up, break you down and push you to your edge. We are hard workers, grand philosophers and great lovers of life— both on and off the mat. We share a colourful variety of styles with you and encourage you to find your own unique path.
Pranayama: From gentle ujjayi to powerful shamanic breathwork, you will be swept up in an electrifying energy current of physical, mental and energetic transformation. We share age-old techniques that are rarely taught in the West, medicinal tools for great healing and release.
Meditation: It is in emptiness that all the answers arise. We learn deep meditation techniques as we develop a daily practice of sitting with ourselves. This tool is one that must be practiced to be understood.
Kirtan & Chanting: Through Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of devotion, we connect to a space of untouchable joy. Get ready to jam out with Sufey on the ukelele and Allowah on the guitar. We learn sacred songs and chants (and rock spontaneous dance parties)!
Teaching Preparation & Practicum: We believe the best way to master anything is to simply do it. Opportunities to teach begin in our first week together, starting from simple warm up sequences to a teaching a full 60-90 minute class.
Although Yoga University is registered as a 200-hour Yoga Alliance school, we go far above and beyond— as a living Yoga immersion, we spend 300+ hours together in study and play, diving far deeper into the experience of Yoga than a traditional school is capable of.
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Satsang comes from the root words sat meaning “truth” and sanga meaning “company”. As we sit together in a community of truth, we hold space for passionate discourse on the meaning of life and Yoga. This is supported through yoga films, insightful readings and interactive lectures where we discuss everything from philosophy to ethics to anatomy to happiness!
The History and Philosophy of Yoga: Where did this practice come from? Who started it? What is it really all about? As we dive into the philosophical side of Yoga, we decode classic yoga texts including the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas and the Upanishads. We marvel at great myths and examine their relevance to our modern age.
Sanskrit 101: Learning a new language is a challenging, fascinating and rewarding process. As we acquaint ourselves with the sounds of this sacred language, we begin to see a deep and powerful beauty within the meanings of these words.
Anatomy & Physiology: The more we study our physical bodies, the greater our appreciation for the vessel we move in. Through a yoga-related discussion of muscles, bones and body systems, we gain a clear understanding of safe movement, alignment cues and the physiological effect of Yoga in our bodies.
Subtle Anatomy: Beyond the physical body lies a fascinating world of unseen energy. The deeper we move through our practice, the more sensitive we become to the flow of prana or life-force energy. In this section, we study the nadis, chakras, koshas, doshas and meridian lines as part of an introduction into Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Teaching Methodology: From clear vocal cues to the secret behind sequencing, we provide you with simple tools to cook up a yummy yoga flow. We guide you to develop clear communication, a powerful voice, and a strong sense of intuition. As you master the basics, we encourage you to pick and choose from a buffet of knowledge to share what rings true in your heart.
Asana Breakdown: As we breakdown poses one-by-one, you gain a clear understanding of the alignment, benefits, anatomy, cues, assists, contraindications, energies and modifications of each pose.
Yoga Ethics and Current Events: From discussion on classic Yoga texts to modern day Q&As, we learn how to live harmoniously with the Yamas and Niyamas in our current society. We hold non-judgmental space for open discussion and intelligent debate on controversial topics in the yoga world.
Dharma Talks: From the teachings of the Buddha to the poetry of Rumi, we discuss the meaning of life in an open-ended, non-dogmatic way. As we nourish our spiritual essence, we wake up to the nature of human existence and the deep love within us.
Special Topics: We value flexibility in our sessions and enjoy adding custom modules based on the requests of each gathering. We also invite guest teachers and students to give talks on their own specialties, passions and life experiences.
Final Quest: All of your newfound knowledge will be quested in a final exam designed to challenge and review the entirety of this course.
Although Yoga University is registered as a 200-hour Yoga Alliance school, we go far above and beyond— as a living Yoga immersion, we spend 300+ hours together in study and play, diving far deeper into the experience of Yoga than a traditional school is capable of.
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Ultimately, Yoga is a practice of humanity. It is a conscious process of observing our thoughts, of quieting our mind, of loving compassion, of radical forgiveness and simple joy. Yoga extends beyond the mat into our daily lives: into our relationships, the way we treat our families, friends and strangers, into our careers, into our attitudes and choices, into the way we experience every moment of our existence. This is the magic of immersions— as we live, eat and breathe together, we find daily opportunities to practice what we preach.
Self-Study: The Yoga never ends on the mat. Through select readings, homework assignments and self-review, you will have the opportunity to make the most of your training. The more you dedicate yourself to your studies, the more you will learn from this experience.
Journaling: During our time together, we recommend you keep a personal journal to spark a conversation between yourself. This is not to read or share (unless you wish to), merely a personal tool for growth. We will have certain times each week set aside for free-writing and reflection.
Noble Silence: In the wee moments of dawn, we keep a noble silence as we transition into our first meditation. There will be select meals and sessions where we remain silent, attentive and meditative as we heighten our inner awareness.
Adventures: We are explorers at heart and love to trek through the land. Every place we go has its own charm and calling. From skinny-dipping in waterfalls to ziplining through Costa Rican jungles to soaking up the Hawaiian sun, we guarantee a natural high on mama Earth.
Circles: Clear communication and loving attention is a skill of innumerable benefits. We share stories, feelings and experiences as they arise. We practice conscious listening. And we check-in regularly so that you’re always heard, supported and taken care of.
Cooking & Nutrition (in select locations): Preparing food with love is a big part of our personal practice. We take turns making healthy meals with fresh, local and vegetarian ingredients. Nothing tastes quite as good as homemade meals prepared with our own hands!
Seva: Living in a home together brings many opportunities to selflessly serve each other. We all contribute to keeping a clean and tidy environment and tuning into the needs of the group. This shows up in the form of picking veggies from the garden, sweeping the yoga studio, taking attendance for class, or any other basic tasks that ask for a helping hand.
Friendships: As we laugh, cry and grow together, we inevitably become a family: a beautiful entanglement of diverse opinions, personalities and experiences. We practice our Yoga in all the relationships we form. How do we become kind, compassionate people to all that we meet? How do we see the light in all? How do we elevate each other and live harmoniously with all beings? This is the true practice!
Mindfulness: During breaks in our practice, we encourage you to remain mindful, present and true to your intention. Rest and recovery are essential in a day and age of go-go-go. Balance is key to the maintenance of a healthy, happy lifestyle.
Creative Works: As musical, visual and performing artists ourselves, we highly encourage the pursuit of creative passions. We have spontaneous projects that pop up from time to time— from choreographed dances to themed photoshoots to video interviews to the writing of a song. Make art, not war!
Secret Angels: As we tune in to the oneness of the Universe, sensitizing to the connectivity between ourselves and every other living being, ahimsa (non-harming) becomes an integral part of our practice. We take on the role of “secret angels” for one individual in our group and experience the true joy of sharing our infinite love.
Post-Graduation Support: As a Yoga University graduate, you have unlimited post-graduation support from our teachers within a powerful network of inspired yoga teachers. There are also opportunities to join our organizing team and continue to study with us as we travel to teach around the world.
Although Yoga University is registered as a 200-hour Yoga Alliance school, we go far above and beyond— as a living Yoga immersion, we spend 300+ hours together in study and play, diving far deeper into the experience of Yoga than a traditional school is capable of.
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[ut_tab title=”Schedule” id=”t4″]
A typical day in our lives is a delightful mix of work and play. In Maui, we live and breathe yoga, on and off the mat. Each day is packed full of asana, teaching practice, satsang and culture. Our schedule ebbs and flows to nourish a healthy experience — there are days where we stay up late singing and dancing, days of introspection and reflection, and days of rest and rejuvenation.
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[ut_tab title=”Teachers” id=”t5″]
Sufey Chen believes in headstands, daily dance parties and love-fueled communities. An eclectic background of biomedical sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia and theatre/ art studies at New Mexico State University complements her extensive study with master yogis around the world. She started University at 15, travelling for months at a time to lecture and teach across Asia and North America. With 10+ years of teaching experience in movement, music and communication, she is known for her loving, energizing and refreshingly honest presence. In class, she channels an inspired mix of poetry, philosophy, power and play with a deep reverence for her teachers and devotion towards her students.
Allowah Lani is the visionary behind Yoga University, an international school for advanced yoga studies. He is passionate about a universal education experience that addresses the whole person: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. As an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania, he studied Philosophy and Religion. Yet it was Yoga that offered him the answers he was seeking. For many years, he traveled throughout India, Israel and America to study with contemporary Hatha Yoga legends. Now 20+ years into his yoga journey, he skillfully bridges the gap between the East and the West in a down-to-earth, accessible and fun way.
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[ut_tab title=”Tuition” id=”t6″]
Yoga Teacher Training Tuition:
$4900 USD — full value
$4600 USD — early bird (if paid in full before May 1st, 2016)
Tuition includes 300+ hours of training hours in a registered Yoga Alliance 200-hour yoga teacher training program, a powerful healing curriculum, shared tenting accommodations, simple & delicious weekday meals, airport pick-up/ drop-off and The Great Yoga Quest manual.
Refund Policy: If written notice of withdrawal is received:
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[ut_tab title=”FAQs” id=”t7″]
What styles of Yoga are taught at Yoga University?
Yoga University is a multi-disciplinary Yoga school. Our 200-hour teacher training immersion dives deep into the roots of Yoga on the spiritual, physical, mental and societal realms.
Our main styles of asana practice include:
We also offer special workshops on the following (depending on location and group intention):
Is Yoga University a Yoga Alliance registered school?
Yes. Upon graduation, you will receive a formal certificate of completion to become a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance.
Are there scholarships, work-trade opportunities or student rates?
Yes. There are limited spaces for karma yogis to join us at certain locations, along with special student rates for our Florida immersion. Generally, karma yogis apply at least a year in advance to guarantee availability.
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[ut_service_icon_box icon=”fa-envelope-o” url=”http://sufey.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Yoga-Teacher-Training-Application-Form.pdf” headline=”Apply Today” target=”_blank” effect=”wiggle”] To learn more or set up a free phone consultation, please email smile@sufey.org. [/ut_service_icon_box]
