Daoist Flow Teacher Training
August 2025 – January 2026
£3600

 

An eight-month teacher training held in-person and online with Jean Hall, James Rafael and guest teachers.

 

Daoist Flow is a unique movement practice that fuses the ancient Eastern traditions of yoga and qigong, with the contemporary embodied practice of somatics. We draw from the philosophies of yoga, Daoism and Buddhism to create a unique approach to movement and spirituality.

 

Our transformative teacher training officially began in May, but our doors are still open if you’d like to join!

Module 1 is now available as a recorded session, and you’re warmly invited to catch up in your own time before stepping into the live circle from Module 2 onward.

 

When you join now, you’ll receive:

– Immediate access to the Module 1 recording – to ground yourself in the foundational teachings.

– A place in our live sessions from Module 2 -5.

– Access to all future recordings, resources, and community support.

 

If you were thinking of joining but thought you’d missed your chance – this is your invitation.

Reach out if you have any questions or or need a little guidance before stepping in.

Course Content

The heart of this yoga teacher training is centred in the understanding that everything is part of the whole, a belief found within both Yoga and Daoist traditions. From this starting point of interconnectedness, our practices seek to align us with this sense of wholeness. This opens us to rediscover our full potential and inherent wisdom, fluidity and ease within ourselves.

 

This unique teacher training is offered by Jean and James along with faculty members who are experts in their field. Together, they offer this training with dedication, humour and depth. Over the years, they have taught in-depth enquiry-based learning, experiential embodiment and practical skills to trainees, enabling them to take their love of yoga into the world with compassion, clarity and confidence.

 

In this Daoist Flow Teacher Training, they will share their love for yoga, qigong, and somatic movement principles, resulting in a far-reaching and vibrant landscape of practice that unites each. In the ever-evolving world of contemporary yoga, it’s more important now than ever to honour these traditions with respect and humility. They are as relevant today as they always have been, and so we can treasure them deeply for ourselves, and for those we may choose to pass them on to.

 

This training is open to those who wish to teach yoga and movement but equally open to those who wish to deepen their knowledge and approach to mind-body movement.

Key Themes

Key Themes covered:

  • Principles of Energy and Alignment
  • Primary Movement Patterns
  • Intention
  • Holding Space
  • Breath Awareness and Pranayama
  • Yogic, Buddhist and Daoist Philosophy
  • Yoga Vinyasa Flow Practice and Theory
  • Qigong and Practice and Theory
  • Somatic Anatomy
  • Meditation and Mindfulness
  • Principles and Methodologies of Teaching
  • Inclusivity and the Power of Language
  • The Art of Seeing & Reading Bodies
  • Demonstration
  • Injury Prevention and Safe Practice
  • Restorative Vinyasa and Healing Practices
  • The Art of Assists and Adjusting
  • The Art of Creating Purposeful Sequences and Themes (for classes, workshops & 1:1 sessions)
  • Role of the Teacher – student teacher interaction
  • Voice and Chanting

Learning Outcomes

  • Ability to teach safe, clear, creative and effective yoga classes informed by natural, universal movement patterns from somatics and the softness, energy and intention of qigong
  • A deeper understanding and appreciation for yoga, somatics, qigong, movement, embodiment, creativity and passion for practice and teaching
  • Knowledge of somatic anatomy and its relevance and application to yoga and movement
  • Gain skills to communicate and share yoga as a healing and transformative practice in compassionate, safe and authentic ways
  • Confidence in your self-practice
  • Confidence to be in the role of the teacher and support your students’ health, balance and wellbeing to the best of your ability

Your Teaching Team

Jean Hall and James Rafael understand that some students take a training because they want to teach for the first time, while others wish to deepen their existing teaching. But they also understand that many students join a training simply because they want to further their own understanding of the practice they know and love, a practice that so often has transformed their lives and given so much to them.

 

Whatever draws your heart to this training, Jean and James will guide and support you through your journey. They have a combined experience of more than 30 years practising and teaching yoga, qigong, somatics and other movement practices such as internal martial arts and dance. This training represents the intersection of their passions, perspectives, vision and expertise, refined over many years.

 

Jean and James will be the main course leaders and teachers of asana, qigong, movement, pranayama, meditation, teaching practices, embodied philosophy and anatomy with the additional faculty members of:

  • Somatic Anatomy – Aki Omori
  • Voice and Kirtan – Dan Breakwell
  • Yoga and Buddhist Philosophy – Daniel Simpson
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Kookie Punam Gill
  • Size Inclusive Yoga – Lucy Bishop
  • Daoist Philosophy – Mimi Kuo Deemer

Eligibility & Accreditation

Successful applicants will be required to have:

  • 18-24 months of regular yoga practice
  • A general understanding of yogic philosophy
  • An openness and willingness to explore yoga experientially
  • A commitment to fulfilling the course requirements in respects to attending modules, completing homework and deepening their yoga, movement and meditation practice

 

Certification will be determined based on completion of the required hours, full engagement and interaction with the course contents and a satisfactory level of completed assignments.

 

To successfully complete the training and gain accreditation students are required to:

  • Attend a minimum of 85 per cent of the course. If a student misses more than this, a catch-up session will be agreed with the assistants or tutors at an additional charge
  • Complete all course assignments to a satisfactory standard
  • Attend 4 study group meetings
  • Attend 4 mentor meetings with your course mentor
  • Complete all practice, observation and assisting hours with approved teachers
  • Complete course reading and journalling
  • Observe the course’s code of conduct and requirements as outlined in the course policy.

 

This course is accredited by Yoga Alliance USA at 200 hours.

Scholarship Application

We are committed to the cultivation of a community that is equitable, inclusive and diverse, and to support are offering 4 partial scholarship schemes under the following categories. We welcome your application – please apply here.

  • Financial hardship (75% scholarship)
  • BIPOC (50% scholarship)
  • LGBTQIA+ (50% scholarship)
  • Living with disability (50% scholarship)

 

Key Information:

  • Application Deadline: 31st January 2025
  • Notification of Successful Applicants: Two months before the course start date.

If we receive multiple applications, eligible applicants will be randomly selected to ensure fairness.

 

Scholarship awards provide a reduction on the full course fee only. Applying for scholarship is confirmation of your understanding and acceptance of our course policy.

Course Schedule

Structured over 8 months, this immersive teacher training will involves:

  • 5 modules (Friday – Tuesday)
  • Mentorship in between each module which involves a one to one meeting with your course mentor (online or in-person)
  • A study group meeting with your peers (online or in-person) between each module (4 in total)
  • An optional online meeting with course leaders between each module (4 in total)
  • Class attendance, observation and assisting
  • Completion of four assignments (in between modules)
  • Course reading and journalling

 

Course Introduction (online): April 7, 6:30-7:30pm (UK time – via Zoom)

Module 1: May 30-June 3: Nature Is Our Teacher: Vinyasa Yoga, Somatics, and Qigong

Module 2: August 8-12: Natural Wisdom: Somatic Movement Patterns and Vinyasa Yoga

Module 3: October 17-21: Harmonising with the Movement of Energy and Intention: Qigong and Vinyasa Yoga

Module 4: November 21-25: The Art of Teaching: Fundamentals, Creative and Purposeful Sequencing

Module 5: January 24-28: Practicalities of Teaching and the Essence of Deeper Practice

Course Structure

The nature of this teacher training is based upon the understanding that we learn best from our personal experience. Therefore each module will be experiential and exploratory so that trainees can develop a felt understanding (somatic) and embodied knowledge of yoga, energy and meditation practices as well as the principles underlying them.

 

This approach will be integrated with practical teaching methodologies and strategies so that trainees can effectively share this knowledge and emerge as skilled, articulate and authentic yoga teachers. Because we believe good teaching is based on openness, compassion, integrity and trust, this training will NOT include assessments or grades.

 

There will be no final exam, but throughout the course modules, teaching practices and assignments there will be on-going assessment by the senior teachers and faculty member’s through observation and feedback.

 

Trainees who fall behind in meeting the course requirements will be supported in catching up and improving in the areas which they may not feel confident in. Deferral is considered a useful and viable option to enable trainees to graduate at a later date if necessary.

 

This approach will be integrated with practical teaching methodologies so that trainees can effective share this knowledge and emerge as skilled, articulate and embodied yoga teachers. Because we believe good teaching is based on openness, commitment, compassion and integrity, this training will NOT include assessments or marks.