Join us for a Warriors at Ease Retreat that offers a deep dive into the practices of yoga, meditation, and yoga philosophy! This retreat is special because it’s a civilian-veteran retreat, designed to bring people together for a week of personal reflection, transformation and growth. Through this unique combination, participants will have the opportunity to learn from one another and develop a deeper sense of connection amidst deep practice.

Attendees can expect a daily program that includes yoga, iRest Yoga Nidra, Vedanta lectures, silent meditation, breathing practices, creativity practices, vegetarian food, personal reflection time, and community fun with fellow attendees. As a special surprise for Winter Creativity Retreat participants, Hipólito Arriaga-Harari III and Anthony Torres Jr. will be leading us in some truly unique creativity experiences and collaborations! There will also be two days of silence during the week, in which participants are invited to adhere to Mauna (Sanskrit for “silence”) throughout the day’s activities.

The focus is on going deep into the practices of yoga and meditation. There will be no difference in participation between veterans, civilians, or providers of the retreat. We are all in this together, we will all be doing the practices. We will all be sharing in the experience.

This retreat is open to veterans and civilians who already have a regular meditation and yoga practice and are interested in an advanced retreat. This retreat will maintain a strict retreat schedule. It is rigorous, but we are inviting people who are serious practitioners and who from their own personal interest want to experience Advanced Retreat.

Costs:

Through the generosity of a private donor, the tuition for this retreat is covered for both civilians and veterans. Veterans need to cover only their travel expenses and civilians need to cover their travel and accommodation expenses at the Ashram. The Sivananda Yoga Ranch Ashram is a sweet place, which is carefully maintained by beautiful souls and on a gorgeous piece of property. The food is vegetarian and delicious. Much of it is grown on the property. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. Please advise of other dietary restrictions. There will be two shuttle buses departing from NYC. Times will be announced soon. If you are able to make it onto these shuttles, transport to/ from NYC is included. If you cannot make the shuttles, you will need to arrange your own transport to the ashram.

To register, please email Betsy Diller, the retreat coordinator, at: retreats@warriorsatease.org

January Winter Creativity Retreat Schedule:
6:00 am: Wake up
6:30 am: Morning Satsang: Silent Meditation & Program
8:00 am: Morning Pranayama (Breathing) & Yoga
10:00 am: Brunch
12:00 pm: Creativity Practices
2:00 pm: Yoga Philosophy Talk/ Discussion with Swami Paramananda
4:00 pm: Afternoon Practice & iRest Yoga Nidra Guided Meditation
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:30 pm: Evening Silent Meditation & Program
10:00 pm: Lights out

Facilitators:

Molly Birkholm (Teaching at both Retreats) Molly Birkholm is a yoga and meditation teacher trainer, professional speaker, consultant, and author. She is the co-founder of Warriors at Ease and has helped pioneer evidence-based trauma-sensitive yoga and meditation programs for PTSD in the military and other communities affected by trauma and stress. Molly’s stress management programs, resilience training, and trauma treatment programs are used by leaders and top organizations. Molly teaches trainings and retreats around the world and also online on The Great Courses and as the host of the Women’s Empowerment Initiative on Yoga International. www.mollybirkholm.com

Swami Paramananda (Teaching at the January 13-18 Retreat) is the manager of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch and longtime teacher of Sivananda Yoga Teacher Trainings in the Bahamas, New York, and India. A much-loved teacher admired for his humor, warmth, and devotion to the practice, he seamlessly weaves classical yoga teachings into modern daily life. He is also a veteran after serving in the Israeli Special Forces.https://sivanandayogaranch.org

Gather to celebrate and explore yoga nidra with teachers from Satyananda Yoga Nidra, I AM Yoga Nidra^TM, Total Yoga Nidra, and iRest® Yoga Nidra. Together, we recognize and honor the roots of these teachings and establish a yoga nidra “family tree” that strengthens our community and reveals our united purpose.

Through experiential teachings and deep understanding, this first-of-its-kind conference offers an opportunity to

• Interact with a global community of yoga nidra practitioners
• Experience deep restoration, integration, intention, and creativity as you explore your essential nature and truth
• Learn more about the science behind the healing power of yoga nidra
• Discover new ways to carry these ancient teachings into everyday life.

Take time to connect, collaborate, and deepen your understanding of yoga nidra in order to transform and heal our world.

Presenters: 

Richard Miller, PhD
Stephanie Lopez, LISW-S, C-IAYT
Swami Shankardev Saraswati, MD
Swami Atmarupa Saraswati, E-RYT 500, RPYT, RCYT, YACEP
Kamini Desai, PhD
John Vosler, E-RYT 500
Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, PhD, YTh Dip, C-IAYT
Dr. June Henry, C-IAYT
Indu Arora
Jennifer Reis, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, LMT
Molly Birkholm

Visit the Kripalu website to learn more and register today!

Trauma and anxiety pervade modern life, causing major public health concerns within society.
Cutting-edge clinical research can now confirm what yogis have known for thousands of years — that yoga and meditation regulate the nervous system, releasing tension and trauma from the body and mind. Especially today, these are crucial practices to know how to use … and teach!

Designed to give you a direct experience of the healing potential within these practices, this certificate course is both experiential and educational, intended for yoga teachers, healthcare workers, and interested souls. By experiencing these teachings firsthand and understanding the “why” behind them, you’ll be better equipped to integrate them into your personal and professional life.

Course topics include:

• How to create a safe and nurturing trauma-sensitive yoga practice using evidence-based methodologies
• Yoga Nidra guided mindfulness meditations for insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, and depression
• The modern clinical research behind these ancient techniques, showing how they heal trauma
• Healing practices in breath, visualization, sound, movement, and mindfulness
• Resilience, empowerment, and post-traumatic growth
• Building a self-care plan to integrate these life-changing practices into daily life

To learn more and register for this course, please visit the Sivananda Ashram website.

iRest is a proven approach to overcome trauma and promote well-being using meditation and deep relaxation techniques. This training will allow you to incorporate the simple 10-step iRest protocol into your personal life, professional teaching or clinical practice. It’s dynamic, interactive and experiential.

Training Includes: Comprehensive manual and Level 1 Training audio download.

CEUs: Approximately 30 CE hours* will be available for YA, PSY, MFT, LCSW, RN, Yoga Alliance and IAYT. (see below for details)

RESIDENTIAL & COMMUTER OPTIONS AT THE CENACLE

• Double and single-occupancy overnight accommodations are available on campus including all meals. Contact host if interested in additional nights before or after the training.
• Commuter includes lunch and dinner (no alternative options)
• See below for more information about the Cenacle Retreat Center

Click here for all options for transport and parking.

LEVEL 1 TRAINING DESCRIPTION

Developed over 30 years by Richard Miller PhD, iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation supports psychological, physical and spiritual health, healing and awakening.

HOW IT WORKS

iRest is an accessible and easy to use meditation protocol that is integrative, as it heals unresolved issues and traumas, and restorative, as it aids practitioners in recognizing their innate wholeness and underlying peace of mind that is always present amidst all changing circumstances in life.

Research has shown that iRest effectively supports health and healing across a broad range of populations, including those experiencing PTSD, chronic pain, sleep issues, high stress, depression, and anxiety.

“I use iRest to manage the daily pain caused by migraines and to find peace in the midst of stress and anxiety.”
– Nicole, Working Parent

In this Level 1 Training, you will learn:

• The core principles and practice of iRest meditation.
• How to use iRest for your personal practice.
• How to teach and deliver iRest simply, and effectively in group and individual settings.

Following the Level 1 Training, you will:

• Join a global community of practitioners who are teaching iRest in yoga studios, sleep clinics, rehabilitation and healthcare facilities, hospitals, hospice, prisons, universities, schools, as well as in private practice.
• Be able to list yourself on the IRI website as a Level 1 Teacher.
• Be able to access our “Teacher Resources” and our “Teachers Community Network (TCN)” for further personal and professional support.
• Be recommended by IRI to people seeking iRest teachers in their local area.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to receive a certificate of attendance designating you as a Level 1 Teacher you must arrive on time every day and attend all training sessions.

SCHEDULE
Registration: Tuesday, September 3, 4:30 – 5:30 pm

• Welcoming dinner: 5:30 pm & Evening Program: 7:00-9:00 pm
• Wednesday – Saturday: 8:30 am-6:00 pm program with 12:30-2:00 pm lunch
• Training concludes on Sunday, Sept. 8 with 12:30 pm lunch.

ABOUT IRI
To find out more about the iRest Institute, please visit irest.org.

REQUIRED reading and listening:
Richard Miller, Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing (book with audio CD).

RECOMMENDED reading and listening:

iRest Program for Healing PTSD – Book
iRest Meditation: Restorative Practices for Health, Resiliency, and Well-Being (6CD Set)
Integrative Restoration—iRest: The Principles and Practice of Yoga Nidra (6CD Set)
iRest at Ease with Richard Miller  (CD or Mp3) or iRest at Ease with Kelly Boys (CD or Mp3)
Resting in Stillness (CD or Mp3)

Read an article by Samantha Kinkaid about Level 1 and 2 iRest Yoga Nidra trainings here
Read an article by Gemma Adams about the iRest Yoga Nidra Certification Program here

CEUs: Approximately 30 CE hours* will be available for YA, PSY, MFT, LCSW, RN, Yoga Alliance and IAYT

To learn more about this training and register for it, please click here: https://bit.ly/2THVxWR

Use code “Molly” at checkout to get a 10% discount!

How can we create an inclusive, equitable and accessible yoga community? How can we adapt yoga practices (asana, breathing, meditation) to support people with disabilities, injuries or chronic illness? What effect does the constant barrage of marketing images that reinforce society’s narrowly defined beauty standards have on our students? How has the #MeToo movement influenced important conversations about consent culture, abuse, and led to questioning the gurus and lineages we may have held dear?

Many people seem to be waking up and asking: Where is yoga heading? What really matters in this community and industry? How does my teaching welcome or alienate people who are new to the practice? What about my role in cultural appropriation? What does it really mean to be accessible? Who is the face (and body) of yoga?

For the Accessible Yoga Conference in New York City, we are joining the search for deeper meaning. We’ll be exploring topics like yoga and wellness, adaptive and chair yoga, therapeutic yoga for illness or injury, race and yoga, yoga for vets, yoga in recovery, yoga to support underserved communities and folks with marginalized identities, living our values while still operating in systems of oppression, and most of all, connecting, supporting, and rejuvenating folks who are dedicating their work and their lives to helping the world see the humanity in one another. Join us in creating a yoga community that is equitable and accessible. 

New York City