Amy Valdez yoga teacher

ExploreNourishConnect Costa Rica Retreat 2025 with Amy Valdez

What will your students get from coming on your retreat: Join me at the beautiful Blue Osa to experience a deep reset for your mind, body and soul.

Explore mindfulness meditation, intelligently sequenced yoga, and focused breath practices.

Nourish your body with local whole foods, your senses with the sights and sounds of nature and your mind with serenity.

Connect to your deeper self to recover from the stresses of life and reset your whole being.

All practices can be tailored to where you are in your practice whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced practitioner. In our discussions we will dive into the origins of yoga and what present day research can teach us about the healing and health enhancing effects of this ancient practice. We will gain an appreciation of how mindful movement can promote our well-being on all levels, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Teaching methodology + practicum

  • Learn how to lead and market successful yoga retreats

  • Learn the principles of demonstration, observation, assisting/correcting, and instruction.

  • Learn different teaching styles.

  • You’ll learn specific techniques that will enable you to easily teach all levels

  • You’ll also learn how to sequence your asanas to create a natural, therapeutic and transformative arcs in your classes

  • Learn the qualities of effective teaching

  • Learn the business aspects of being a yoga teacher and gain the building blocks of how to build a thriving yoga career

Development of the Professional Essentials

History, Philosophy + Ethics

  • Identify your spiritual stance so you can step into it as a source of strength
  • Identify walls and develop strategies to take them down
  • Create a support network and support strategies and have them in place when you leave
  • Complete a physical and spiritual adventure challenge
  • Learn the business aspects of building a thriving yoga career
  • How to bring the practice of yoga into your everyday life and make it work for you
  • The science and application of mantra
  • An overview of the history of the yoga tradition
  • The ethical standards of teaching yoga

Yoga Humanities

Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™

  • Receive training in Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™ training for Yoga Teachers
  • Go further in your anatomy training
  • Learn how to access muscle function
  • How to sequence transformational yoga classes
  • Learn the energetic and deeper sublime effects of asana
  • The science and application of Mantra
  • Design classes based on Ayurvedic principles
  • Knowledge of both human physical anatomy and physiology (bodily systems, organs, etc.) and energy anatomy and physiology (chakras, nadis, etc.).

Anatomy & Physiology

Techniques, Training and Practice

  • A breakdown in the anatomical and energetic categories of postures
  • Develop a daily meditation practice
  • Learn pranayamas, kriyas, chanting, mantra, meditation, and other traditional yoga techniques
  • How to sequence and structure transformational 60 and 90-minute classes
  • Practical experience teaching postures, classes, and meditation
  • Learn deep relaxation techniques
  • Yoga Nidra, as taught by the Himalayan tradition and Western tradition
  • Learn how to conduct and lead fire rituals
  • Kundalini Yoga techniques
  • Learn the subtle energetic aspects of yoga like the Koshas and chakras
  • Kriya Yoga and Laya Yoga

Advance Your Own Practice in Yoga

Techniques, Training and Practice

  • A breakdown in the anatomical and energetic categories of postures
  • Develop a daily meditation practice
  • Learn techniques in pranayamas, kriyas, chanting, mantra, meditation, and other traditional yoga techniques
  • How to structure and sequence transformational classes
  • Practical experience in teaching postures, sequencing, and meditation
  • Learn deep relaxation and meditation techniques that come from the Himalayan tradition

Develop a Rock Solid Practice in Yoga

Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™

  • Receive training in Applied Yoga Anatomy + Muscle Activation™ training for Yoga Teachers
  • Develop an understanding of basic anatomy
  • Learn about muscle function and how to improve it (something you will not learn in any other YTT)
  • Knowledge of both human physical anatomy and physiology (bodily systems, organs, etc.) and energy anatomy and physiology (chakras, nadis, etc.)
  • The study of both the subject and application of its principles to yoga practice (benefits, contraindications, healthy movement patterns)
  • Skills to teach yoga classes suited to all levels of practice.

Anatomy & Physiology

History, Philosophy + Ethics

  • An in-depth study and application of the Yoga Sutra
  • How to bring the practice of yoga into your everyday life and make it work for you
  • The science and application of mantra
  • An overview of the history of the yoga tradition
  • The ethical standards of teaching yoga

Yoga Humanities

Teaching methodology + practicum

Get hands-on practice teaching so that you’ll be able to teach on day one after the training is finished. You will:

  • Practice teaching in small and large groups

  • Be ready to teach yoga as soon as you leave the yoga teacher training

  • Get hands-on experience teaching and give/receive feedback

  • Practice assisting students

  • Learn the principles of demonstration, observation, assisting/correcting and instruction

  • Learn different teaching styles

  • Learn qualities of effective teaching and adjust to the student’s process of learning

  • Learn the business aspects of how to build a thriving yoga career

Development of the Professional Essentials