Shanine Dennill
Lead Trainer

After being touched by the death of family members at a young age, Shanine questioned the meaning of life and death. This led her on a spiritual quest and to study with masterful spiritual teachers.

Over the past 15 years, Shanine has helped thousands of people to nourish and restore their body, mind, and soul through her classes (having owned a studio for 10 years and now teaching at various places), having taught many teacher trainings, workshops, and through her recordings. Her first teaching position was working at a hospice, bringing the healing benefits of restorative yoga to those with life-limiting illnesses. She returned to Restorative during grief and when she was so depleted that she could not get out of bed. Restorative and Yoga Nidra restored her back to health (as well as through herbal medicine) and provided so much more.

Shanine is dedicated to bringing Rituals and Rest to her students (a space that cultivates reverence and guides us to slow down and listen to the whispers of our heart). Yoga Nidra has brought her some peace with the aspects around death, which is our most extraordinary transformational transition. In Restorative and Yoga Nidra, we are on a pilgrimage of dissolving to be fully received in the unknown (much like death).

Shanine is an E-RYT 500 and YACEP with the Yoga Alliance (having graduated from 3 trainings). She has received extensive training in Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Meditation. Her yoga practices are influenced by Tantra Yoga (from the Sri Vidya lineage). She is also a Reiki practitioner. Her hobbies include: spending time with her Aussie dog, Rihanna; learning and sharing folk herbalism (including awakening people as being part of nature); and playing her didgeridoo.

Shanine’s desire is to share the wisdom of soulful healing to live fully and die well.

Preeti Unique
Guest – Introduction to Sound Healing

Preeti has a unique way to life. She sees the world as energy, art and expression. She is an Energy Alchemist and has the gift of Light Language and deeply connecting to spirit. She is a Vibrational Healer, Holistic Health and Beauty Practitioner, with over 22 years of experience in Beauty, Holistic Nutrition, Reflexology and Reiki. She also has a background in Pranayama Yoga, Vipassana Meditation, various styles of breath-work and Sound Healing. Combining all these aspects together really shifts the way she experiences life. 

Her mission is to bridge our spirit back to source energy and nature. Reactivating our hearts, connecting us back to the natural planetary rhythms and cycles. Helping us to remember where we truly come from. 

Kathleen Aubry
Guest – The Brain & Nervous System Regulation (Online)

Thirty years ago, when Kathleen stepped onto a yoga mat for the first time, little did she know that she was taking the first step into a practice that would transform her life. In the beginning, she loved the physical practice of yoga, developing strength and flexibility, and the feeling of lightness she would have after class. But as Kathleen continued to practice, she became aware that what she really loved was the sense of contentment and inner peace she would feel, not just while she was practising, but also in other areas of her life. These feelings inspired her to delve into learning more about yoga, first by taking the Yoga Teacher Training at Chrysalis Yoga and then to study Yoga Therapy at Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine in Rishikesh, India. This is where her yoga became a deeply spiritual practice integrating breath, mind, and body. She found a place, a way, to inner peace and healing. Kathleen truly believes that Yoga IS Therapy; yoga is a system of healing that works from the outside in.

Kathleen has over 30 years of experience as a Registered Kinesiologist and recently received her C-IAYT. Her original studies in Western medicine taught her anatomy, physiology, and the science of human movement. Still, the ancient Eastern science of life, yoga, taught her to take a holistic approach, simultaneously working on the body, mind and spirit. Currently, Kathleen teaches Chair Yoga and Aquatic Yoga. She is passionate about helping people in pain by integrating yoga into healthcare.

Module 2: The Brain & Nervous System Regulation
Location: Online (Rooted in Natura). Must be completed within a year of RYTT start date.

Basic nervous system anatomy (the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system).
The psoas, vagus nerve and breath in relation to health and relaxation.
The anatomy of the mind according to science and its relation to rest.
The traditional wisdom of the anatomy of the mind and how rest/stillness plays an important role.

Module 3: The Koshas & Gunas – Layers of Being and Influences in Life
Location: Online (Rooted in Natura). Must be completed within a year of RYTT start date.

The 5 layers that comprise of the body, energy, breath, emotions, and soul according to eastern philosophy and how they play a role in rest. 
The gunas and how these interweave in life and our practice.

Module 4: The Art of Propping
Location: In-person (Circle Studios)

How to set up a Rest Nest and prepare students for gathering props.
The use of different props and alternatives.
Explore 20 key restorative postures and variations in propping. Learn the various categories of poses, including the benefits and contraindications.
Learn to adapt and modify poses according to the student(s) level and circumstances, including minimal or lots of props.

Module 5: Guiding Students into Deeper States of Relaxation
Location: In-person (Circle Studios)

Cueing deeper states of relaxation – words, voice, and more.
Breathing practices for before or during a practice.
Introduction to Yoga Nidra and other techniques to cue more profound relaxation and deeper states of consciousness.
Introduction on trauma-sensitive guidelines or intentions (however, this is not a specific trauma-informed training).
The use of touch. Assist and learn ways to add therapeutic touch to aid in relaxation.
The use of sound and the role of sound healing for deep listening and relaxation. Enjoy a Restorative Yoga & Sound Healing Journey workshop.
The importance of silence.
Bonus information: Rooted in Natura elements to aid in relaxation (teas, plants, and more).
Other rituals for relaxation, compassionate inquiry and integration.

Module 6: The Art of Teaching Restorative Yoga
Location: In-person (Circle Studios)

Pillars for teaching restorative yoga.
Sequence postures for the overall theme, timing of poses and for particular therapeutic effects.
How do the Doshas (Ayurveda) play a role in propping and teaching.
Plan restorative classes and prepare for the specific needs of your students (includes a class template).
How to demonstrate poses.
The power of observation and verbal cues.
Teaching privately and as a group. Virtual considerations.
The importance of personal practice.
Practice teaching and hold space for students.

Curriculum is subject to change. Some modules may cross over (for example demonstrating poses in the art of propping).
Training must be completed within 1 year (including submission of all assignments). There are no huge time-consuming projects.
You will receive a detailed schedule before every weekend.