Tranquil Space Yoga

* develop your true voice * evolve your teaching style * cultivate community *
* deepen your connections * serve good karma * attune your energy *
* build precision in asana, alignment, anatomy, and assisting * find bliss *

tranquil space is proud to bring you our advanced teacher training (att) an advanced teacher training for students and teachers of yoga. att is a dynamic program which delves into advanced topics of yoga teaching, yoga philosophy, anatomy & physiology, psychology, ayurveda, therapeutics, and much more. this training is led by our teaching faculty and internationally recognized guest teachers.

att is open to everyone wishing to deepen their understanding and practice of yoga. students are welcome to enroll for a workshop, a weekend, or the entire training. continuing education credits (CEs) for yoga teachers are available. see our website for upcoming trainings and workshops.

200-hour certified yoga teachers are invited to apply to 500 hour certification. students may elect to complete 500 hour certification in one year or two years. there are five modules in the training: surya (solar asanas, pranayama), chandra (lunar, restorative), mandala (balanced, sequencing), anatomy & physiology, and mindfulness, ayurveda, and psychology. certification includes over 260 contact hours, plus an additional 40 non-contact hours. more information on certification requirements.

graduates receive listing under our tranquil space-trained teacher page plus 15% off classes and tranquility boutique shopping at all tranquil space studios. review the required and recommended readings here.

yoga philosophy
asana & pranayama
assists & alignment
anatomy & physiology
sequencing for vinyasa
yoga therapeutics
restorative yoga
yin yoga
yoga nidra
ayurveda
psychology & energetics
ethics & empowerment
ethics & business of yoga
specialty topics

our teaching faculty

kimberly wilson, e-ryt500
kevin waldorf-cruz, msw, e-ryt
carol collins, e-ryt
anne thiel, e-ryt500
danielle polen, e-ryt500
siobhan troy-carranza, e-ryt
and our att graduates

our visiting guest teachers

gina sager, md, ryt
kristin leal, e-ryt
jenny otto, e-ryt500
jane vaganek, ms, e-ryt500
kate yonkers, ms, lac, dipl.om
ashley turner
darren main
alanna kaivalya
lisa farmer-richards
click here for bios

september 10-12 - surya
october 8-10 - anatomy & physiology
november 5-7 - surya*
december 10-12 - anatomy & physiology
january 7-9 - chandraa
january 28-30 - chandra
february 18-20 - anatomy & physiology*
march 18-20 - map*
april 15-17 - map*
may 13-15 - mandala
june 3-5 - mandala
final thesis dates - tbd
*combined training weekends

fridays 6:30-9:30pm, saturdays 11-8pm, sundays 10am-6pm*
*hours subject to change- students will be informed in advance

updated schedule with dates, times, teachers, and topics will be posted on the tranquil space schedule page. click here for more details.

admission requirements

successful completion of tranquil space’s 200-hour teacher training
-or-
completion of a 200-hour yoga teacher training
regular and ongoing yoga practice
expressed interest and sincere passion for living and learning yoga
no admissions requirements for non-certificate students

$3900 for total training
-or-
early bird special available ($500 savings!)
$3400 if purchased before 8/1/2010
-or-
$340/weekend for most training weekends*
*when weekends purchased individually, certification fee shall apply for final yoga synthesis and certification

email info@tranquilspace.com

tt500 certification requirements

description of total hours=300 hours total
att certification includes 260 contact hours, plus an additional 40 non-contact hours.
260 contact hours
240 contact hours through 11 weekend intensives
15 contact hours through supportive mentoring
5 contact hours (or more) observed teaching and final thesis
40 non-contact hours
15 non-contact hours in karma teaching project
10 yoga thesis project
15 non-contact hours in om-work

surya vinyasa
join us as we explore the foundations and the evolution of vinyasa yoga. find new understanding of asana, pranyama, practice techniques, precise alignment, and fluid movement. these solar and energetic weekends will draw from the ashtanga, iyengar, and jivamukti lineages, while exploring the unifying practice of hatha yoga. we will be focusing on shaktipat (the gift of teaching) through intelligently sequencing a class, physical assisting, finding your seat as a teacher, and incorporating yoga philosophy. a special focus will be placed on the impact of sound and music on the body, as well as a look at the vayus (energy channels) which travel throughout the body. join us and allow your yoga to evolve! for att certification both modules are required for a total of 35 contact hours.

anatomy and philosophy
delve deep into the workings of the body. students shall be immersed in an in-depth survey of human anatomy. explore the science of movement, physiology, and the practice of yoga with expert teachers. special topics include: the workings of the spine, shoulder therapeutics, the anatomy of breath, the energetic body, the major muscle groups, healthy hips and pelvis, the bandas, and an exploration of tantra yoga. for att certification both modules are required for a total of 35 contact hours.

chandra vinyasa
explore the lunar and yin elements of vinyasa. these intensive weekends shall explore the healing subtleties of chandra vinyasa including: pranayama, restorative, yin-yang yoga, and yoga therapeutics. study the chakras, the subtleties of breath, the subtle energies of the body, healing practices for injury and disease, therapeutics, and thai body-work. students shall also explore the poetry of vinyasa yoga through chanting, kirtan and bhakti yoga, while delving deeper into yogic philosophy. all are welcome! join and allow yourself to feel renewed. for att certification both modules are required for a total of 35 contact hours.

mandala vinyasa
these three weekend intensives bring all the elements of hatha yoga into union in an active and balanced practice. the intensives will focus on the creative science of modern vinyasa yoga and the playful cosmic dance. students integrate foundational understandings of yoga into intelligent, balanced, and energetic vinyasa-flow sequences. there will be special focus on peak poses, developing core strength, arm-balances, and inversions. topics include teaching methodology, intelligent sequencing, adjustments and assists, practice technique, and advanced teaching methodologies. for att certification all three modules are required for a total of 52.5 contact hours.

mindfulness, ayurveda & psychology
explore balance in life through mindfulness, ayurveda, and psychology. learn about ayurveda (the sister science of yoga) theories and daily practices. explore the roots of buddhism and mindfulness meditation and discover how the first boddhis were also the first psychologists. learn about the effects of stress, depression, anxiety, and trauma on the body and innovative methods to heal imbalances. participants will explore their role as a teacher, including setting safe boundaries and creating realistic expectations for students. all three sciences shall be folded into an integrated approach to life. look at how modern science and research support these ancient practices for healing. for att certification two modules are required for a total of 35 contact hours.

other contact hour requirements

in addition to the weekend classroom requirements listed above, the following are additional options and requirements for contact hours (see below). when you enroll in the entire 500 hour teacher training you will develop a contact hour plan with the teacher training director.

practice requirement
daily yoga and meditation practice in addition to a minimum of 20 classes taken at tranquil space during att. students in teacher training receive a 15% discount on class passes. students are also encouraged to take classes outside of tranquil space in at other studios in a variety of styles. 25+ hours.

teaching assistant track requirement
assist a tranquil space yoga class with a senior e-ryt level teacher. become a teaching assistant (ta) for a minimum of 20 tranquil space classes. develop your teaching style through hands on assists, observation, and mentoring with senior teacher. receive a free class for every time you assist a class. 25+ hours.

mentoring
ongoing mentoring shall be required of all students in the att program. students shall be assigned to a primary teacher-mentor who is an E-RYT. you will work together to deepen their understanding of the following: assisting, teaching practicum, sequencing, anatomy, ethics, and professional boundaries. you may have the option to become a teaching assistant with your mentor for one of their classes. 8-15 hours.

assist in teacher training
shadow and assist your mentor or one of the teacher training faculty with teacher training. observe and help with one of the level 1 or 200-hour teacher training as a training assistant.

elective track
as a teacher of yoga we all gravitate towards certain teachers and styles. this elective has been created to allow participants to find yoga alliance certified teachers they resonate with and learn more directly from their preferred teachers. teacher trainees may attend master workshops, create a supervised teaching assistant apprenticeship, undergo individual mentoring, or mix these options to create their ideal teacher-student learning relationship. elective plans must be reviewed and approved by teacher training director, which must meet the yoga alliance standards for teacher training. optional 15 hours.

pre-natal and post-natal elective track
att students may substitute one weekend of the "psychology, mindfulness, and ayurveda" module for both weekends of the pre-natal and post-natal teacher training weekends for final accreditation. this is recommended for students interested in teaching to this population. please check our website for pre and post-natal offerings. optional 15-30 hours.

final teaching-yoga synthesis
upon completion of all att requirements, students will teach a final class for certification and peer review. classes shall reflect the advanced components and teaching modalities of the training. students are expected to demonstrate an advanced integration of teaching methods, physical assists, philosophy, and ethics. an oral interview will also follow with lead teachers, this includes a review of the students final thesis project. required 10 hours of teaching and observation.

final yoga synthesis certification fee
for students who purchase weekends individually and who wish to receive the 500-hour yoga alliance certification, an additional certification fee will be charged. this fee includes review of the student's thesis project, review of final teaching, and 500-hour diploma. this fee is only charged upon completion of all program requirements and before a student's final yoga synthesis. this fee does not apply to students who purchase the entire training package. final yoga synthesis certification fee- $350.

40 non-contact hours
15 hours of karma yoga- volunteer, give yoga for a good cause
15 hours of om-work- assignments, take-home exams, special projects
10 hours for final thesis- preparation and design for final thesis workshop

our visiting guest teacher bios

gina sager, md, ryt
gina l. sager, md, ryt is a retired board-certified general surgeon, named one of baltimore's top docs in october 2000. she permanently left the practice of traditional western medicine in may 2002 to explore her long time interest in holistic healing. she has studied and practiced buddhism in the tibetan tradition, studied the ancient wisdom traditions including traditional chinese wisdom and 5 element theory at tai sophia institute, and has been a daily yoga practitioner since 1991.she has studied and practiced ayurveda for personal healing since 2000, and is currently enrolled in a professional ayurvedic nutrition training course with internationally known teacher and author, amadea morningstar she leads bi-annual mindfulness retreats at casa del sol in abiquiu, new mexico, and is increasingly incorporating mindful ayurvedic cooking into these retreats.

gina has taught mindfulness classes, yoga and yoga nidra in baltimore and harford counties since 2004, and teaches weekly at hopewell cancer support in brooklandville, md. she works with calvert's gift farm, a sparks based organic farm, to encourage the use of seasonal, local, organic produce for health and well-being.

in ayurveda, it is said that the best physician is one who teaches patients to care for themselves. in this spirit, gina believes that her path is to share what she has learned on her transformative journey by offering others the opportunity to reconnect with their own deepest nature, and learn to care for themselves using these ancient, holistic practices. For more info visit ginasager.com.

kristin leal, e-ryt
after moving to new york city to pursue her dance career she was dragged to her first yoga class at the old jivamukti school. while she had no idea what anyone was talking about she immediately fell in love with the poetry of meditation in movement. she studied with her first teachers sharon gannon, david life, and katchie ananda for many years trying to discover and understand herself and this transformative practice she stumbled upon. she completed several teacher trainings with adrienne burke, rodney yee, and betsey downing ph.d. she graduated from the swedish institute for massage therapy and became a licensed massage therapist and reiki practitioner. she has additional certifications in thai massage, neuromuscular and myofascial release.

she has been honored to lead many workshops and teacher trainings around the country and in 2005 kristin created the kaya yoga 200 and 300 hour teacher trainings to share her passion for the miracle of the human body and the liberating potential of movement. she has been blessed to graduate over 100 students to date. she has also studied under yogiraj alan finger. she is beyond thrilled to have been able to work alongside this yogi master helping him to further translate his teachings and create the ishta marma point teacher training.

she is a co-author of the book the yoga fan. kristin is currently working toward becoming a doctor of naturopathy and writing her second book, applying the ancient yoga philosophies to modern day relationships.

kristin's classes are a challenging mix of strong anatomical alignment and powerful vinyasa flow all while maintaining a sense of humor and a connection to the divine within. her classes are influenced by everything from quantum physics to her new love of the trapeze but most of all the beautiful teachings of all of her teachers and students who continue to inspire her every day. For more info visit kristinleal.com.

jenny otto, e-ryt500
Nationally known Jenny Otto, E-RYT500, is Anusara Certified and a designated Senior Anusara Teacher Trainer who has been teaching and developing wellness/exercise programs for over 25 years. Jenny shares the depth of her knowledge and her love of yoga as she travels both nationally and internationally teaching workshops, residencies and yoga therapy teacher trainings.

Jenny's teaching is compassionate, inspirational and fun. Her clear and precise teaching style is authentic and is committed to awakening a deeper knowledge and understanding of the body, mind and spirit.

Jenny teaches Workshops and Teacher Trainings and leads Yoga retreats nationally. For more, visit bodybalanceyoga.com.

jane vaganek, ms, e-ryt500

kate yonkers, ms, lac, dipl.om
kate is a licensed acupuncturist in washington dc and has been practicing since 1998. she studied chinese medicine at bastyr university. kate is from washington and she and her husband opened their here practice in 2001. kate also pursues interests in nutrition and practices yoga as a ways to maintain the energy and presence to sustain daily life with family and work. Kate is also a graduate of the 200-hour yoga teacher training at tranquil space. For more info visit acupuncture-dc.net.

ashley turner, ma, mfti
ashley turner is an acclaimed yoga/meditation teacher and mind-body psychotherapist in private practice in los angeles, specializing in yoga psychology - an innovative synthesis of psychology, spirituality, yoga and modern science.

a frequent contributor to top tier media publications including self, women's health, yoga journal, natural health, fitness, among many others, ashley's core intention is to help people live with more fearlessness and freedom -- resulting in confidence, efficacy and empowerment.

ashley consults hollywood creatives, leading companies, distinguished business leaders, couples and individuals. with a diverse palate and ability to speak directly to her audience, ashley has toured with rock stars, lectures in academic settings and leads transformational workshops and retreats around the globe. For more info visit ashleyturner.org.

darren main
Darren is a yoga teacher and author currently living in San Francisco. He has written largely about Eastern spirituality for a more modern and Western audience. Main is best known for his second book, Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic. He has written several other books: Inner Tranquility; Spiritual Journeys Along the Yellow Brick Road; and his newest, Hearts and Minds: Talking to Christians About Homosexuality. Three of Main's books are currently in their 2nd edition and have been translated in various languages. Main also maintains a podcast called "Inquire Within" on his website darrenmain.com where he interviews various individuals on topics such as healing, spiritualism, and social activism.

alanna kaivalya
Alanna possesses many talents, but they all fall under one mission: to convey a sense of joy and freedom through harmony and synchronicity. As a singer/songwriter, author and yoga instructor, she channels a passion for finding the connection to our human-ness in everything she does.

During her classes, Alanna strives to blend her love of music with the breadth of knowledge of yoga philosophy she has gained through her studies with her mentors, Sharon Gannon, David Life and Manorama, as well as many others including Dharma Mittra, Emil Wendl and Michael Bonamer. Another aspect of teaching that Alanna has gained a strong reputation for is her physical adjustments - which she has been teaching to yoga teachers on 5 continents over the past 6 years. In her classes you can expect rockin’ music, dynamic adjustments and creative sequencing all backed by the clever, modern, charismatic artistry of her presentation of the underpinnings of yoga.

She has traveled the world and contributed to many teacher trainings (Radiantly Alive, Flow Yoga, Jivamukti Yoga) as well as taught at conferences (Yoga Journal, Telluride Yoga Festival) and offered workshops in at least 9 countries and countless destinations therein. Yoga Journal has named Alanna as one of the top 21 instructors under age 40 in the nation, and she has been featured on Lime.com, and in Body + Soul Magazine. Her podcast, which started in 2005 has been heard by over one million people worldwide. For more info visit jivadiva.com/.

lisa farmer-richards
lisa richards is a wife, mother, animal lover, food enthusiast and believer in positive social change. she has been teaching vinyasa yoga classes since 2000 and is known for her free-spirited sense of humor and straight forward approach to yoga.

over the years she has inspired many students and helped them demystify yoga so that it can be practically applied to their everyday lives. through teaching, lisa encourages students to tap into their inner courage, have faith and to test their boundaries. she believes yoga is one of the greatest metaphors for life - challenging us to be active, present and engaged while staying relaxed in the flow of life. lisa lives happily in denver, colorado with her husband nick, son sawyer and dog elvis. For more info visit lisarichardsyoga.com/.