With Shelly Werts, 500 CYT

By registering you agree to the below terms.

Start date TBA

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​​For direct questions, email Shelly at lotuselephant108@gmail.com

 

The Lotus Elephant Yoga Teacher Training is a transformative 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training designed to help you deepen your practice, expand your understanding of the mind-body connection, and integrate both Eastern and Western philosophies into your personal and professional life.​​ Whether you’re a mental health therapist seeking somatic tools to support your clients, an aspiring yoga teacher ready to share your practice, or a dedicated student wanting to explore yoga more fully, this program is tailored for the modern, busy individual. With a thoughtfully paced structure, it allows time to absorb, integrate, and embody the teachings in a meaningful and lasting way.  You do not need to be flexible or an expert.  This program is designed to be supportive and adaptive.  I am a middle-aged woman with the understanding that we move differently in our bodies every day.  Yoga is not a perfection, it is a practice!

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What You’ll Experience:

● Foundational Knowledge: Explore the rich history and philosophy of yoga, gain essential anatomical insights, and learn how to safely and effectively guide others through a well-structured practice.

​● Personal Growth and Embodied Wisdom:  Deepen your connection to self through an exploration of asana, breathwork, meditation, Ayurveda, and mindfulness. This training nurtures both your personal practice and your ability to teach with authenticity and clarity.​

● Practical Application and Inclusive Teaching Skills: Gain experience in sequencing, cueing, and adjustments—while learning how to create trauma-informed, accessible classes that honor diverse bodies and experiences. You’ll leave prepared to teach with confidence, compassion, and cultural awareness.​

● The Business of Yoga: Step into your role as a professional with tools to develop your personal brand, market your offerings, and build a sustainable career. We’ll also cover essential communication skills, including group facilitation, time management, boundary setting, and creating intentional spaces.​

● Online Learning: This program is offered online only, with self-paced learning materials and assignments to support integration of content.

● Assignments only need to be turned in by students who are seeking certification or who would like feedback to support a deeper personal understanding of their yoga practice

● Required Books: 

~The Yamas & Niyamas by Deborah Adele and the companion journal 

~Teaching Yoga, Second Edition: A Comprehensive Guide for Yoga Teachers and Trainers: A Yoga Alliance-Aligned Manual of Asanas, Breathing Techniques, Yogic Foundations, and More by Mark Stephens 

~Ayurveda for Yoga Teachers and Students by Siva Mohan 

~Science of Yoga: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect Your Practice by Ann Swanson 

~The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (any translation) 

~The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (any translation) 

~The Bhagavad Gita (any translation)

~Trauma-Informed and Trauma Responsive Yoga Teaching by Catherine Cook-Cottone and Joanne Spence 

 

ATTENDANCE AND CERTIFICATION: Students seeking certification to become a Certified Yoga Teacher must meet complete the required modules, and submit all assignments.  Students who are taking the training for personal growth or a deeper understanding of their yoga practice are welcome to participate without submitting assignments unless they would like feedback.

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The Legal Reality

• Unregulated profession: Yoga teaching is not licensed in the same way as medicine, law, or massage therapy. No government agency or legal authority mandates a national curriculum or grants a legal license to teach yoga.

• No legal requirement: A person may legally teach yoga classes or operate a training program without state or federal approval.

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The Role of Private Credentialing Organizations

• Voluntary registries: Many private organizations offer membership directories, credentials, or registration programs for yoga teachers and schools. These organizations are not government regulators or public accrediting authorities.

• Different private standards: Each organization may establish its own voluntary training frameworks, eligibility requirements, fees, and codes of conduct. Schools and teachers can decide whether any particular system aligns with their values and educational goals.

• Industry preference, not law: Some studios, gyms, insurers, or employers may prefer credentials from one or more private organizations. Such preferences are market-driven and vary across settings; they are not legal requirements to teach yoga.

 

Why There Is No Universal Governing Body

The absence of a single authority for yoga standards and credentials reflects several features of the practice:

• Diverse roots: Yoga developed across many traditions and cultures, making universal standards difficult to define.

• Spiritual and cultural foundations: Its personal, traditional, and philosophical dimensions resist a one-size-fits-all model.

• Freedom in teaching and practice: Individuality and creativity are central to many approaches, making rigid regulation difficult to impose.

• Global variation: Expectations and standards differ significantly by country and region, further complicating centralized oversight.

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Why The Lotus Elephant Chooses Independence

The Lotus Elephant Yoga Teacher Training is not affiliated with a private organization that certifies yoga teachers. This independence is an intentional reflection of the program’s core values:

• Autonomy: The program retains the freedom to shape its curriculum and teaching methods around its own educational philosophy rather than the requirements of a private registry.

• Individuality: Each teacher’s path is distinct, and the training supports personal development rather than conformity to a single prescribed model.

• The timelessness of yoga: Yoga’s enduring wisdom predates modern credentialing organizations and is not defined by any one contemporary certification system.

• Authentic expression: Teachers are encouraged to develop an informed, responsible, and genuine voice rooted in their own practice and lived experience.

This choice does not diminish the importance of rigorous preparation, ethical teaching, or continued study. Instead, it affirms that meaningful teacher development can be grounded in depth, integrity, and direct engagement with yoga’s diverse traditions without relying on affiliation with a private certifying organization.

 

Why This Matters

Recognizing that yoga has no centralized governing body helps practitioners and aspiring teachers:

• Make informed choices: Research and compare the credentials offered by organizations, schools, and instructors.

• Respect diverse approaches: Appreciate the personal nature of yoga and the validity of different styles and teaching methods.

• Commit to ongoing development: Prioritize continuing education and professional growth in an evolving field.

• Practice cultural sensitivity: Honor yoga’s varied traditions, philosophies, and decentralized history.

 

Understanding Standards and Credentialing

Yoga standards and credentialing use defined processes and criteria to assess the qualifications of teachers and schools. Their purpose is to encourage appropriate training and education while helping students identify instructors whose preparation meets recognizable benchmarks.

However, no single standard can represent every form of yoga. Its practices, cultural roots, and teaching methods are diverse and continue to evolve.

 

Accommodating Diversity Across Yoga

The yoga landscape includes a wide range of traditions, styles, and philosophies. Any approach to standards should account for:

• Freedom of expression: Instructors develop distinct teaching styles and interpretations.

• Cultural variation: Yoga may be understood and practiced differently across cultural traditions.

• Regional differences: Because yoga is practiced worldwide, expectations and standards vary by location.

Recognizing that multiple approaches to yoga standards can coexist supports inclusivity, mutual respect, and thoughtful adaptation throughout the yoga community.