Get ready to give complete focus to your personal and spiritual growth. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in yogic philosophy, becoming a certified yoga teacher or is drawn to experience personal development through yoga practices. Your teachers, Bonnie and Elyse, will guide you through the perfect blend of focused education and challenging movement while immersing yourself in another culture. The beachside hotel offers a private, personal space to relax, practice and drop in while staying comfortable in A/C, hot showers, and ceiling fans in every room. Wifi is also available throughout the entire hotel campus. 

 Equipped with a sparkling pool, WiFi, and A/C, you’ll be able to enjoy comfortable 4-star hotel accommodations without losing the rustic touch that makes Gigante unique. Yoga will be held between a tropical open space underneath our beautiful grand palapa and a cliffside ocean view shala.

Breaks in the day are encouraged, so feel free to take a moment to relax in one of our day beds or hammock, and appreciate the cloudy blue skies, palm trees, and gift yourself the feeling of serenity. 

 “By purification arises aversion for one’s own body and for contact with other bodies.” Saucha is observing purity of what is taken in by the senses, as far as food, and other things we put into the body, as well as what we listen to, what we watch, and what thoughts we allow our awareness to pursue. To live in our yoga fully for our weeks together, we will practice saucha and ahimsa, non-violence, in the foods we eat by maintaining a vegetarian diet. Any other dietary restrictions will gladly be accommodated for. 

Our onsite restaurant will prepare thoughtfully-crafted vegetarian cuisine that still highlights the delicious, fresh, and local flavors of Nicaragua.  There will be absolutely no alcohol or drugs consumed during your in-person training. Consumption of alcohol or drugs are grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. 

 A colorful fishing village off the beaten path, El Gigante is located just over an hour north of San Juan Del Sur on Nicaragua's beautiful Pacific Coast. The town is aptly named “big foot” when translated from Spanish to describe the gentle green foothills that meet the ocean with such ease. A town filled with untouched beaches, roaming farm animals, and dirt pathways; you’ll quickly remember the importance of slowing down and to embrace living simply.  

The lifestyle and culture here very much embodies the phrase “Take it Easy”. Arriving here feels like taking one long exhale and a chance to just be. 

 Bonnie is an E-RYT 500 certified yoga teacher. Bonnie’s personal yoga practice expands across many styles including Bikram, Ashtanga, and free flow Vinyasa. She has studied many styles of yoga, and continuously studies various forms of movement. She enjoys challenging her body to find new ways to move from one side of the mat to the other, and finds passion and self-discovery through this intuitive style. Trained under Jonny Kest and Courtney Fletcher, her style of teaching stems from breath. She reminds students that yoga practices are really just breathing practices, and draws awareness inwards to focus on sensation rather than appearance. With this in mind, she is strong believer that all of life is yoga and whether you are driving your car, catching a wave, or laying on your mat- if your breath can be found then your yoga is present.  

Elyse is a RYT-200 Hour certified Yoga Teacher and has been teaching for 4 1/2 years. She specializes in Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative and Meditation. Her intention as a teacher is to help students discover self-love, strength and peace by teaching them to connect body, mind, and soul. She wishes to empower all students with the ability to breathe, move, and rise above any challenges on and off the mat. She is also passionate about bringing yoga, mindfulness and pranayama to people from all walks of life who have been through any type of trauma. She currently teaches Trauma Sensitive Yoga at various non-profit organizations in New York City. 

Completion of this course will certify you as a 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. You will receive your certificate upon completion of the 200-hours of study, including pre-arrival homework and post, in-person training essay completion. This course is a Hatha focused practice. If you think about yoga as a tree, Hatha is the trunk and other branches include styles you have likely practiced- Ashtanga, Yin, Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, etc. With your Hatha Yoga certification you will be able to teach your preferred style of yoga upon graduation. Your final 75 minute class can be taught in the style of your choosing.

200 Hours of coursework is broken down into: 75 hours of Techniques and Training Practices (Asana, Pranayama, Subtle Energy, Meditation), 30 hours of Anatomy and Physiology, 30 hours of Yoga Humanities (History, Philosophy, Ethics), and 50 hours of Professional Essentials (Teaching Methodology, Professional Development, Practicum).

This hybrid training completes our 200 hours through pre-arrival homework, 150 hours together in Nica, and 3 virtual sessions (24 hours) together via zoom after leaving Nicaragua. You will teach your final 75 minute class prior to leaving Nicaragua. Your virtual classwork will consist of workshops and working towards completing a small project with another student to present on your last day. 200 Hours of coursework is broken down 

There is a place for both softness and strength. You will confront many emotions and experiences through this journey, and that is intentional. You cannot heal what you do not acknowledge. This journey will guide you to both physical and mental edges, make you intentionally uncomfortable, and remind you to soften into it to experience it all. We cannot teach what we do not practice. I can’t wait to be a part of this journey with you!

Feel free to reach out with any and all questions- We want to make sure this training is the right fit for you!

With love and gratitude,

Bonnie

 6-8AM- Asana, Breathwork, Meditation

8-9AM- Breakfast

9-10:30AM- Philosophy

10:30-12pm- Asana Workshop

12-1PM- Lunch

1-3PM- Anatomy

3-4PM- Practice Teaching

4-4:30PM- Prana Anatomy

4:30-5PM- Satsang

*Our schedule will shift a bit each day to offer more time for practice teaching as we learn more on class creation and cueing.

 “I was lucky enough to have Bonnie as my 200YTT facilitator and, from the very first moment I met her, I immediately noticed her sparkly spirit.  She was especially helpful regarding the breaking down of Asanas and different ways to adjust students and find the best way of teaching different bodies. She gave me a complete and well rounded overview of the foundations of guiding yoga, with nurturing guidance for myself to follow this amazing path. Thank you, Bonnie!”

-Lucia Cornell, Virtual YTT Student

“I found Bonnie to be an amazing teacher. I was lucky to have her guide my YTT because she really understood how to hold space for myself and the other students when we were going through it, but also has a unique mastery of teaching how to teach asana. This program was challenging in a very good way. Bonnie is so wise- thank you, Bonnie!”

-Camila, Jacksonville YTT Student

"Bonnie's style of teaching is truly unparalleled. The reminders that she provides in the beginning and throughout her classes regarding breath control and stillness, really help you understand that as funny as you may feel in any posture your first time, it simply is not about what it looks like. A lesson that is physically and mentally challenging, all intertwined with self-love that you grow in those moments with yourself. Bonnie will encourage you to lean into those places rather than stray away from them, as well as trying any of her classes no matter where you are in your journey/ practice." 

-Stormi, In-person student from Vital, Grand Cayman Islands

"Bonnie's classes are great! They're pitched really well for all levels, and are challenging enough while still giving you the freedom to express yourself creatively. My yoga journey and practice has benefited so much from being guided by Bonnie!" 

-Laura, In-person student from Vital, Grand Cayman Islands