Self Paced Students: Course Overview
Welcome
Aloha, Namaste, and welcome to taking this course asynchronously in a self-paced format. I’m overjoyed that you’re here. One of the greatest gifts of the self-paced format is that you can move through the material at your own rhythm—giving yourself time to digest it, sit with it, and let it truly integrate into your life. In many ways, this format supports the deepest kind of learning: the kind that becomes real.
How the Course Works
The structure of the training is simple and supportive. You’ll move through the website module by module, and each module includes a combination of reading, video teachings, guided practices, and discussions to help you understand the material from multiple angles. Along the way, you’ll complete projects that allow you to practice teaching and receive mentorship-style feedback.
Start With the Text Resources
At the beginning of the training, you’ll see a section where you can access and download key text resources. These are included to support your studies and give you excellent reference material as you write essays and create presentations. You’ll see resources like Babaji’s books, the Yoga Sutras, and Rooting the Green Apple. Many of these sources—and additional material—are also woven into your primary essays throughout the course.
The Primary Essays and the Seven Modules
This training includes seven modules, and each module covers an essential topic for building a strong foundation in meditation—both for your own practice and for teaching others. Each module begins with primary essays that introduce the theme and help orient you to the essential concepts. From there, you’ll typically have video teachings, guided practices, and a discussion component to deepen your understanding and help you feel how the practice lives in real life.
Module 1: Committing to Your Practice
The first module is primarily for you. It introduces the foundations of committing to a meditation practice, including the idea of sankalpa—making a clear inner commitment—and the basics of establishing practice in daily life. You’ll see an initial essay, a video presentation, and additional supportive material, including a discussion with members of the sangha. You’ll also find downloadable audio that you can listen to on a walk or commute. Consider Module 1 a reflective beginning—meant to help you establish your own ground before you begin teaching.
Module 2: Stillness and the Koshas
Module 2 begins to introduce practices you can teach. You’ll explore stillness, the koshas, and how to access real stillness that arises from within. This module includes guided meditation practices that take you through the process directly, along with discussion and reflection material. This is also where you’ll complete your first formal project. All project instructions are clearly outlined on the website under Module 2 Projects. You’ll notice there are separate project instructions for self-paced students and for live online students. Since you are in the self-paced format, you’ll follow the self-paced instructions.
Module 3: Pranayama and the Breath
Module 3 focuses on the breath, particularly pranayama—an accessible and practical way to work with breathing on the mat and on the cushion. You’ll read essays introducing the concepts, practice guided pranayama sessions, listen to class discussions, and then complete a project where you introduce the topic and teach it.
Module 4: Mantra and Teaching Methods
Module 4 introduces mantra as a foundational meditation practice. You’ll move through essays, mantra practices, and discussion material that help bring the topic to life. In Module 4 Part 2, we also begin introducing teaching methods. These are not meant to be taught directly to your students. They are meant to support you as a teacher—helping you with the teaching process itself. This section culminates in another project.
Module 5: The Heart and Surrender
Module 5 brings in the heart and surrender through a similar structure: essays, practices, discussion, and integration. Module 5 Part 2 continues with additional teaching methods, leading up to another project.
Module 6: Subtle Breath Meditation and Continued Teaching Methods
In Module 6, you’ll be introduced to more subtle breath meditation practices, supported by guided experiences, discussion, and new teaching methods. This module also culminates in a project.
Module 7: Gratitude and Intentional Release
In Module 7, we complete the training with gratitude and intentional release practices—supporting you in helping students soften, integrate, and connect to what matters most.
Moving Through the Course
From here, the path is simply to take your time and move through the website section by section, lesson by lesson. Everything is spelled out step-by-step, and you’ll always know what is being asked and what to do next.
Support and Questions
We’ll be with you every step of the way. If questions come up at any point—about the material, your projects, or anything technical—feel free to email konalaniyoga@gmail.com. We’re here to help and support you as you move through the training.
Thank you again for being part of this program, and for taking this step in your growth.