85-hour Yoga Alliance Restorative Yoga Certification
The Lotus River Wellness Ayurveda Continuing Education Program is an 85-hour advanced training designed to deepen a yoga teacher’s understanding of Ayurveda as the sister science to yoga, while remaining firmly within the educational, non-clinical scope of Yoga Alliance continuing education. This program weaves together classical Ayurvedic philosophy, practical lifestyle applications, energetic anatomy, trauma-informed care, and Ayurvedic-inspired yoga practices to create a comprehensive and culturally respectful curriculum suitable for yoga teachers, wellness educators, and those supporting high-stress or service-oriented communities.
Rooted in the classical teachings of the Vedas, the Samkhya philosophical system, and the traditional frameworks of the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas, this course explores Ayurveda through an accessible, modern lens while honoring lineage, cultural context, and historical integrity. Students gain a detailed understanding of the Pancha Mahabhutas (five elements), the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), the gunas, the prana vayus, the koshas, and the subtle energetic systems that underpin both yogic and Ayurvedic worldviews. The curriculum emphasizes lifestyle practices such as Dinacharya (daily routines), Ritucharya (seasonal routines), and diet and lifestyle choices that promote balance and clarity. Students learn how these ancient practices correlate with the rhythm of modern life, including stress, sleep cycles, digestion, emotional regulation, and the nervous system.
Alongside foundational knowledge, the course prioritizes practical application. Students participate in guided practices, labs, teaching demonstrations, and experiential learning that translate Ayurvedic wisdom into yoga teaching contexts. Techniques include doshic-specific sequencing, pranayama for elemental balance, meditation practices based on the gunas and subtle body principles, restorative and Yoga Nidra applications for grounding, and somatic practices influenced by Ayurvedic energetics. Participants learn how to create supportive, inclusive, and accessible classes using Ayurveda to inform pacing, theming, cueing, and energetic intention.
This program includes significant focus on Anatomy & Physiology from an Ayurvedic perspective. Topics include Agni (digestive fire), Ama (toxicity or undigested material), the microbiome, stress physiology, trauma responses, circadian rhythms, sleep and energy cycles, inflammation, the vagal system, and the relationship between doshic imbalance and nervous system dysregulation. All content is presented in a non-diagnostic, educational framework appropriate for yoga professionals, with clear explanation of professional scope and referral guidelines.
A key component of the training is the trauma-informed integration of Ayurveda, especially for populations experiencing chronic stress, environmental hardship, instability, or transition. Students learn to recognize signs of imbalance at the level of the nervous system, breath, behavior, and energy; and how to offer grounding, stabilizing, and supportive practices rooted in yogic and Ayurvedic philosophy. The curriculum explicitly emphasizes cultural respect, ethical communication, and non-hierarchical teaching approaches that empower students without overstepping scope or presenting Ayurveda as medical treatment.
Teaching Methodology is woven throughout the program. Students learn how to design and deliver classes, workshops, and private sessions informed by Ayurvedic principles. This includes creating doshic or seasonal series, leading meditation and breathwork appropriate for specific energetic states, guiding 1:1 intake sessions using non-clinical assessment tools, adapting practices for diverse learning styles, and offering lifestyle guidance that is supportive, approachable, and rooted in yogic tradition. Teachers practice inclusive cueing, sequencing for balance and stability, and using Ayurveda to enhance student understanding of self-awareness, grounding, and inner regulation.
Students complete written assignments, journaling, case studies, anatomical analysis, lifestyle planning, and a final written capstone that demonstrates integrated understanding. Practicum components include teaching demonstrations, sequencing labs, breath and meditation instruction, and a final practicum where the student leads an Ayurveda-informed class. Throughout, students are encouraged to develop their own authentic voice, deepen their personal Ayurvedic practice, and refine the ways they bring accessibility, clarity, and cultural respect into their teaching.
This 85-hour program meets Yoga Alliance Continuing Education standards and is delivered through a combination of pre-recorded lectures, live virtual sessions, interactive labs, reading assignments, guided practices, student teaching practicums, feedback sessions, and a culminating capstone project. Upon completion, participants will possess a confident understanding of how to integrate Ayurveda into yoga classes, workshops, and private sessions; how to support students through personalized, non-clinical lifestyle recommendations; and how to maintain professional boundaries, cultural integrity, and trauma-informed care in all teaching environments.
Graduates leave the program with a deepened sense of personal embodiment, expanded knowledge of yogic and Ayurvedic systems, enhanced teaching skill, and the ability to offer meaningful, heart-centered, and well-informed guidance to the students and communities they serve. This training supports long-term growth, refinement of teaching identity, and the development of offerings rooted in compassion, lineage, and the authentic integration of yoga and Ayurveda.
