Healing with Yin Online Course
A Step-By-Step System To Using Chinese Medicine To Create (and Teach) A Self-Healing Yin Yoga Practice
This is a self-paced course. Enrollment OPEN until June 21st, 2023!
Yin yoga is a powerful and transformative practice. There is no doubt about it.
Long sustained holds. Moments of stillness. Leaning into edges with softness.
And then there's the emotional upwells, tumultuous mental landscapes, and intense physical sensations that move to and fro. All despite being anchored into place.
Have you ever wondered why certain feelings rise up in swan pose?
Or why all of a sudden a memory from times past, which you haven't thought about in years, comes to the forefront in butterfly pose?
And how, if you pay close enough attention to bodily sensation, waves of heaviness, discomfort, or pulsations will come and go the longer you hold a yin pose?
Enter the World of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Although society at large tells us to numb out, stay distracted, and keep busy, the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) paints a very different portrait. Pulling from the deep reservoir of time-honored tradition, TCM honors and is inspired by our connection to the natural world.
Chinese Medicine literally gives us a map for navigating the physical, mental, and emotional terrain of our lived experience. And a yin yoga practitioner in particular, has much to learn from this ancient healing tradition.
Yin Yoga As A Healing Practice
Now, most yin yoga teachers and students have at least heard of TCM and how it can inform a well-rounded yin yoga practice. But most yinsters have only a rudimentary knowledge of Chinese Medicine at best.
As we settle into the richness of a yin yoga practice, we can begin to use the shapes or poses as a means to access greater health and resiliency. Better knowledge of TCM allows us to more fully navigate the waters of our own healing and provides us a complete and whole picture of the human experience.
Chinese Medical theory can give yin yoga folks tools to see the world, and your yin yoga practice, differently. With TCM, you can explore:
1. Yin Yang Theory
2. Vital Substances (like Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids)
3. The Five Elements (Wu Xing)
4. Channels and Collaterals (Jing Luo)
5. The Internal Organs (Zang Fu)
Accuracy of Knowledge and Respect for Tradition
Most yin yoga teacher trainings simply gloss over the specifics of TCM. And we get it. There's already so much information to cover, and it can be easier to side-step the specifics and mechanics of channel and Qi particulars.
But we can do better.
Yes, fascia is fascinating. The functional anatomy approach is brilliant. However, it is the tradition of Chinese Medicine that can sit at the heart of yin yoga. With respect and sensitivity, we can pull from the 2500 years of accumulated medical knowledge to craft specific and highly therapeutic sequences to heal with yin yoga.
"Heaven, earth, and humanity are mutually interconnected as one."
(Tian di ren xiang tong yi.)
Designed specifically for yin yoga folks, this 10 week online course will help you fill in the gaps in your Traditional Chinese Medicine knowledge. In it you'll learn:
- All of the necessary TCM foundational concepts (& how to apply them to yin yoga)
- What the vital substances are (& why you should care about them)
- The basics of Channel Theory (& how this creates a sense of "wholism")
- In-depth & practical instruction on how to approach the sinew channels in yin yoga poses
- How to use the five elements to shape your yin yoga practice (& see the world differently)
- Why acupressure basics are essential for yin yoga folks
- The role of the 3 treasures in creating self-healing yin yoga sequences
Who Is This Class For?
This class is right for YOU if you're:
1) A yin yoga teacher looking to get an in-depth look at TCM, gain more confidence and ease in bringing Chinese Medicine to your yin yoga sequencing, theme-ing, and personal practice, and desiring to learn how to craft therapeutic yin yoga classes with TCM.
2) A yin yoga student who wants to explore the richness of Chinese Medicine for your personal yin yoga practice, and learn how to create a self-healing yin yoga class using TCM.
Long story short, if you're a yin yoga person who values Chinese Medicine, is curious about how to effectively apply TCM in your yin yoga practice, and wants to learn how to confidently use TCM to craft therapeutic yin yoga sequences, then join us!
Some Love From Our Healing With Yin Online Course Students
"I have a much better understanding of the elements, sinew channels and acupressure and how they can be combined to create intentions for our practice. I am very happy I took this course! I am going over the modules that packed in the most information again. Thank you!"
- Barbara S., Healing With Yin Online Course student
"Oh my gosh, I've loved this course! 😃 I don't think I can come up with more ways to say it! I now understand how TCM really is applicable to Yin yoga. How Yin can be a healing form of yoga, not just from my understanding as nervous system (etc) support. Learning about Tuina and how that is how we can affect the primary channels feels a game changer and information that is misrepresented in other trainings. I now have a much better understanding of 5 element theory. I feel like my ideas for class themes and workshops has expanded ten fold! There's loads you can bring to a yin class with this information!"
~ Emma H., Healing With Yin Online Course student
"Thank you for this exhaustive and invaluable course! It fulfilled my expectations. And I enjoyed your enthusiasm. The difference between primary and sinew channels was new to me. The description of Qi, the organs and the elements are well explained (for the beginner I am). I like the idea of combining a Yin pose with breathing exercises and visualization. I really enjoyed the whole course!"
~Jean-Louis, Healing With Yin Online Course student
"The root of life is rooted in yin and yang."
(Sheng zhi ben, ben yu yin yang.)
After taking this course, you'll:
- have gained an extensive, in-depth, and practical knowledge of TCM (without having to go to Chinese Medicine school!)
- be able to see where TCM is often misrepresented or misunderstood in the larger yin yoga community
- understand fully how the channels of the body and Qi relate to greater health
- get why yin yoga offers a unique form of healing (beyond just nervous system regulation & fascial integrity)
- know how, when, and in what way yin yoga affects the sinew channels (& why that matters for a yin yoga poses)
- feel far more confident in applying Chinese Medicine to your yin yoga sequences
- have clarity and ease in using channel theory & the Five Elements to shape your yin yoga poses
- know how to accurately work with the Five Elements in your yin yoga practice (& for theme-ing your yoga classes & workshops)
- learn how to use basic acupressure (Tuina) techniques along the primary channels for a more therapeutic yin yoga experience
- be able to merge the concepts of Qi, sinew channels, and the five elements to create clear intentions for your yin practice
- relate to the 3 Treasures (Jing, Qi, & Shen) as a means to identify inner disharmony
- expand your TCM toolbox with visualizations & breathing techniques based on the Five Elements
- be able to teach and speak confidently about TCM in your yin yoga classes
- have practical TCM tools to create a self-healing yin yoga practice
Here's What You'll Receive
- 10 Weekly video recordings on specific topics within Traditional Chinese Medicine for your yin yoga practice that are broken down into step-by-step & practical training modules.
- Easy to follow guides, printable handouts, and action sheets to bring Traditional Chinese Medicine to life in your yin yoga practice.
- Access to a group discussion forum where you can ask questions and listen in to what other classmates are working on.
- 1 private & individualized 30-minute Q&A Zoom session with Sean during the program to ask any burning questions & have guided support in integrating the course material into your personal self-healing practice.
- Lifetime access to this course and it's materials!
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Bonus Alert! You'll get access to the Yin Medicine School Video Training Library with SIX additional bonus workshops, including:
- An online workshop on Sequencing Yin Poses for the Seasons & with the Elements
- A 1 hour masterclass video recording on the sinew channels, emotions, and resiliency
- A 1.5 hour masterclass video recording on Medical Qi Gong & Dao Yin breathing exercises for yinsters
- An online workshop on breathwork, the 7 Po (Spirit of the Lungs, so to speak), & Yin Yoga
- A discussion on the necessity of ritual & re-enchantment in self-healing
- A demonstration of how to work with the sinew channels & Gua Sha basics for yinsters
"Sean has done an incredible job of making such a complex subject accessible, understandable and applicable to Yin yoga. Before this course, I was so aware that I didn’t have a solid understanding of Chinese Medicine, despite studying it on other teacher trainings, and I certainly didn’t understand how to apply it effectively to my teaching. So I didn’t! This course has changed all that.
I now have a much better understanding of the principles of Chinese Medicine and how they really can- and do- apply to Yin yoga. I have learnt so much, not just from a teaching point of view, but also in helping me to understand my own constitution and how I can tailor my practise to help support my own health and healing- what an incredible gift!
Although the course is self paced and online, you really feel supported the whole way through. Sean is on hand to answer any questions and he is incredibly generous in sharing his time and knowledge. The course is formatted in such a way that it builds each week. Although the course goes deep, it is never overwhelming. I so appreciated all of the different methods of learning Sean has incorporated into the course; from printable hand outs, quizzes, additional videos and even story telling.
It has been a joy to study this course and it is definitely the most effective online training I have done (and I’ve done a fair few!). If you are a Yin teacher and you are looking to enhance your knowledge and effectively bring Chinese Medicine to your classes, I cannot recommend this course highly enough! "
- Emma H., Founder & Yoga Teacher, Phoenix Rises Yoga
"What I've really enjoy about this course - what captured my attention most - is the more than detailed knowledge Sean shared with extreme clarity and ease, besides the impressive depth he explored.
His passion is palpable, especially his focus on the embodiment of the five elements and how they interact on our systems (from macro to the micro, and sinew channels, specifically).
He
also shared a
very useful foundational box of Chinese Medicine tools to really look into
your unique balance of the elements and how to affect them with specific
yin yoga poses.
- Raffaella V., Yoga Teacher & Greece Retreat Center Owner
I enjoy Sean’s teaching style, his inquisitive mind and the way he has married the teachings of yoga with his acupuncture knowledge.
He has a style of teaching that is concise and direct; simple, yet deep. I also enjoy how he holds space for others, with ease and grace
- Shar'ron B., The Medicine Shack & My Functional Yoga
"Earth is the mother of the tens of thousands of things."
(Tu wei wan wu zhi mu.)
This course is NOT right for people who:
- "don't believe" in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
- think you already know everything
- don't enjoy online learning
- are not a yin yoga student and/or teacher
- already have a medical degree in TCM
- are, in general, not a nice person
This course is BEST for yin yoga people who:
- are super interested in learning more about the core concepts & theories of Chinese Medicine (like Qi, the Five Elements, Internal Organs, etc.)
- want to know about the sinew channels & how to use them in your yin yoga practice
- are already familiar with basic yin yoga philosophy & poses (but you don't need to be a teacher)
- want to learn how to create a self-healing yin yoga practice
- are wanting to explore other healing practices to incorporate into your yoga classes and/or teaching
- want to feel good in your body, mind, heart, & spirit
- are wondering what Qi is & how to relate that to yin yoga
- desire practical instruction in accurately applying TCM principles to yin yoga
- yearn for more confidence in teaching (or working with) TCM in your yin yoga classes
- are ready to see your yin yoga practice through a different and more holistic lens
Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to Sean at: [email protected]
Here's what folks are saying inside the online classroom:
"The channels and network vessels govern the treatment of the areas they pass through."
(Jing luo suo guo, zhu zhi suo ji.)
Healing With Yin Online Course - A Breakdown
Some
folks have asked what exactly we'll cover in this 10 week online course.
I hear that, and this is what we're going to learn (plus, the
curriculum is shown lower on this page too):
Module 1: Getting to Know TCM Basics (& How They Relate to Yin Yoga)
An introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) history & fundamental theories. You'll learn about the Five Branches of TCM and how Chinese Medical theories can (& should) be applied to a yin yoga practice. We also break down the core tenets of Yin Yang theory and how to embrace these foundations within an asana practice.
Module 2: Learning All About Vital Substances (Hint: We’re Talking About Qi Here!)
A
discussion of the critical role of the Vital Substances within the body. You'll
delve into Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids and explore their role in TCM physiology and pathophysiology. Exploring the many types of Qi in the body, we also highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy Qi dynamic and how yin yoga serves to this end. You'll round this out with a peek into the many causes of internal disharmony from a Chinese Medicine worldview.
Module 3: Navigating the What, Where, & Why of the Channels
A channel theory primer for yin yoga folks. Dispelling the myths of channel aplication to a yin yoga practice, we introduce the Channel and Collateral system. You'll discover the depths and functions of the channels as they relate to the movement of Qi throughout the body. An introduction to the sinew channels and Wei Qi is offered as a key component of a yin yoga practice.
Module 4: Making Sure You Know Your Zang (& Your Fu)
Organs are not channels, and channels are not organs. Moving into the deep recesses of the body, you'll become intimately acquainted with the Zang Fu organ system. You'll learn basic organ physiology and function in a straight-forward and applicable manner.
Module 5: Mastering the Five Elements (By Making It Super Practical)
Five Element theory offers a rich understanding of inter-relatedness within the body, mind, and emotions. You'll explore the fundamentals of Five Element theory by examining each element and its corresponding set of relationships. Serving as a cornerstone for sequencing yin yoga poses, we ground into the foundations here knowing we will circle back around to the elements in a later module.
Module 6: Embracing the Sinew Channels (Cause Yin Yoga is NOT Like Acupuncture Without the Needles)
In Chinese Medicine, specificity and nuance matter. You'll rest solidly in the teachings of the sinew channels and learn where, what, and how they move through the body. To make things easier, you'll receive detailed maps with necessary landmarks for each sinew channel. We'll round out the discussion with a lesson about the spaces in between, the Huang and the Gao, as they apply to yin yoga.
Module 7: Bringing Together the Elements, Sinew Channels, and Yin Poses
A synthesis of all that you've learned we now meld the Five Elements, the sinew channels, and yin yoga poses to create a roadmap for moving forward. You'll examine each element type and how it can be re-framed and overlaid upon yin yoga postures to see your practice in a whole new way.
Module 8: Transforming Yin Yoga Poses into Five Element Sequences
Like telling a story you'll circle back around to the Five Elements and go deep into the imaginal realm they offer. Relying on both left and right-brained approaches, you'll uncover a world of relationships among the elements. Here, you'll learn to see each element in a highly personal way, that will help you bring their motifs onto your yin yoga mat and/or teachings.
Module 9: Adding a Little Acupressure (Tuina, Really) To Your Yin
Acupressure 101 for yin yoga folks. Leveraging acupuncture, Tuina, and channel theory, you'll get all the necessary foundations for inviting into acupressure to your yin yoga practice. You'll learn to layer these techniques along side the Five Elements to regain inner harmony. With ample videos, images, and instructions, you'll leverage some of the most potent acupressure points for greater therapeutic potential.
Module 10: Developing Therapeutic Yin Sequences for Common Conditions
Accessing the wisdom of the Three Treasures, you'll become acquainted with Jing, Qi, and Shen as a means to read inner imbalances. You'll learn to bring all of your Chinese Medicine knowledge together into a clear & succinct method for planning and sequencing a self-healing yin yoga practice.
Online Course Schedule
All module content is available in the online classroom immediately upon enrollment. To help support you in completing the course material you'll receive an email reminder about each week's content as a prompt to sequentially complete the lessons and assignments.This is a self-paced course however, so don't feel rushed.
A Note on Pricing, Accessibility, & Inclusiveness:
We believe that traditional medical knowledge should be taught with respect for tradition and cultural sensitivity. We also acknowledge that systemic and long-standing inequalities exist in real time and are perpetuated by the mechanics of exploitative capitalism, colonialism, and imperialism.
In an effort to keep this work accessible and inclusive, we offer full payment, payment plan options, and a generous scholarship program for all of our online courses. We welcome learners from diverse backgrounds, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), LGBTQIA folks, those from economically disadvantaged countries/populations and those serving historically marginalized populations.
And we know too that economic hardship can impact people of all backgrounds, so always, if you want to join one of our courses and cost is a barrier to access, please just reach out via email and we'll get it sorted.
Course Curriculum
Your Instructor
Sean is an acupuncturist, herbalist, & Chinese Medicine physician. Having worked in the health and wellness field for over a decade, Sean has been a yin yoga teacher trainer, yoga studio owner, and is a board licensed acupuncturist with a medical degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine. He also holds a Master’s degree in Biology and has traveled the world as a conservation biologist & wildlife ecologist.
Pulling from the fields of traditional medical knowledge and ecological anthropology, Sean is highly curious about the myriad ways in which people meet and engage with their environment. His focus rests in restorative medicine and how to help heal people and place. Applying body, relational, and earth-honoring practices in culturally sensitive ways has become the center of his work.
When he’s not busy treating patients at his private practice (Oak & Well Acupuncture) or teaching online courses,
Sean can be found spending time with his wife, their four children, & a host of animals on their 5-acre homestead. As a family they love being in nature, refining their organic gardening skills, and exploring the bounty of local farms. Sean lives on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula in Washington state on the ancestral lands of the Chimakum and S’Klallam people. His own ancestors hail from Ireland and Italy, and these days he's feeling quite a connection to his Celtic roots so is learning the Irish language (Gaeilge) as a homage to his people.
This course is closed for enrollment.
Yin Medicine Scholarships Available!
We value accessibility and inclusiveness in our work, and the world at large. In that vein, if you would like to enroll in this online course but finances are an obstacle, please feel free to complete the scholarship application (during the enrollment period) which you can find HERE.