90-hour Yoga Alliance Recognised Course
Embodied Woman: Prenatal and Postpartum Yoga Teacher Training with Amber Sawyer, PhD

Singapore, 6 - 18 August 2023

As women, we are cyclical creatures. From experiencing life through our emotions, our monthly moon cycles and our archetypal journey including for some from Maiden to Mother, our path and life experience is not linear. To be an embodied woman, means to know that in our deepest truth, our source of knowledge lies within the body, within these cycles, as an intuitive knowing. An embodied woman uses her feelings and her body as a starting place to ground her choices and actions. In Ayurveda, the Shakti Prana of every woman exists within her womb, as an inner strength that affects every level of health, the wax and wane of all cycles and the attunement with our intuition and empathy.

This unique prenatal and postpartum yoga teacher training, recognised by Yoga Alliance, provides a holistic perspective on the natural cycles of a woman’s life from preconception to pre and postpartum, for the expectant Mother, grounded in awareness and embodiment. Leaning on the principles of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, we will explore how the Elements function during these cycles, as well as how to tailor asanas, pranayama and meditation specific to these life stages. Going beyond the traditional role of teaching yoga, this training dives deeper into how to hold space for these sacred transitions, from honouring moon cycles to cultivating a conscious and healthy pregnancy, to preparation for an active and mindful birth, to support for the entrance into matrescence and the postpartum journey.

Created through Amber’s personal experience of conscious conception, pregnancy and empowered birth, two plus decades as a yoga practitioner, 15 years as a yoga teacher, nearly a decade of offering pre/postpartum yoga, her work as a birth doula and midwife assistant, combined with her scientific and Ayurvedic backgrounds, this training brings forth a unique perspective on maternal health and wellbeing through the yogic path. Following this training, you will be equipped with the skills and confidence to safely teach pre/postnatal yoga and to honor these sacred life passages with sensitivity, wisdom and connection.

"Yoga and meditation are the strongest offering that we can give to a pregnant woman. Through conscious pregnancy, birth and early parenting, we set the foundation for life-long health and happiness in a child.”
— Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

COURSE OVERVIEW

- Understanding women’s physiology, hormone cycles and health
- Application of menstrual cyclical wisdom to a yoga practice
- Holistic view of fertility, womb care and female pelvic anatomy
- TCM/Ayurveda/5-Element Theory for preconception, pregnancy and postpartum
- Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy
- Trimester specific asana, pranayama and meditation during pregnancy
- Guidelines and contraindications for teaching prenatal yoga
- Preparing sequences for prenatal classes, prenatal modifications, or pregnancy-related complications
- Safe abdominal toning and core work during pregnancy
- Understanding the role of the pelvic floor before, during and after pregnancy
- Stages of birth and labor anatomy
- An overview of the medical model of birth and alternatives with active birthing
- Optimal fetal positioning
- Cultivating intuition and empowerment through embodiment practices
- Understanding the emotional terrain of the expectant Mother, the birth of the Mother and into the postpartum journey
- The importance of postpartum healing and support through a yoga practice
- Guidelines and contraindications for postpartum yoga
- Sequencing for postpartum yoga
- Reconnecting to the body, pelvic floor stabilisation, closure of ab separation
- Diastasis recti and other postpartum complications
- Breath awareness during preconception, pregnancy and postpartum
- Yoga practices to support through miscarriage, birth trauma and postpartum complications
- Application of these principles into daily activities or other styles of asana classes

WHY IS THIS TRAINING UNIQUE?

There are many incredible prenatal/postnatal yoga trainings offered internationally with exceptional teachers. This particular training is unique in that it is a perfect blend between Eastern (esoteric and traditional) and Western (evidence based) perspectives on pregnancy, birth and postpartum. While we spend time looking at the cyclical and elemental nature of a woman during these life events and phases, we also spend equal time exploring the scientific literature relevant to anatomical and physiological changes during these phases. We will have special guest lectures by a women’s health physiotherapist and birth workers to enrich our learnings and discussion. The contents of this course have also been reviewed by Women’s Health Physiotherapists and are up to date with the most recent perspectives on maternal health. Additionally, Amber has a passion for pelvic floor health and how this relates to women’s health through all life stages and weaves this fascinating and incredibly relevant and profound knowledge through the training.

SCHEDULE

Sunday, August 6
12pm - 1:45pm (Opening Circle)

Monday - Friday, August 7 - 11
7:45am - 6:15pm

Saturday & Sunday, August 12 & 13
Rest days

Monday - Friday, August 14 - 18
7:45am - 6:15pm

Sample schedule
7.45am - 9:15am Yoga Practice
9:35am - 11:45am Theory/Practicum
11:45am - 1:15pm Lunch
1:15pm - 3pm Teaching Methodology/Practicum
3:15pm - 5pm Theory/Practicum
5:15pm - 6:15pm Yoga Practice

TUITION

Early bird (by July 4): $2,299 SGD
Regular: $2,599 SGD

GUEST LECTURERS

TAMARA GERDIS : Women’s Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

RED MILLER: Biodynamic Midwife and Author

Childbirth Doulas & EWYTT Graduates

TRAINEE BENEFITS

All trainees are entitled to unlimited complimentary yoga classes and 10% off all retail during the period of the training, and 20% off our packages upon completion of the teacher training.

CANCELLATION POLICY

All deposits are non-refundable.
Any cancellation received 60 days prior to course incurs a fee of 250 SGD
Any cancellation received 30 days prior to course will result in forfeit of the full tuition fee.

Cover photo by Ruthi Schooling, @ochre.root IG