Reawakening to Self: A Yoga Intensive Just for Teachers with Donna Farhi

Reawakening to Self is a five-day yoga intensive for teachers, led by Donna Farhi at South Pacific Resort in Noosaville, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. It is a yoga workshop made for people who spend their working lives guiding others and want time to be students again, whether they have just begun teaching, have taught for decades, or are taking a break from it.

The intensive is offered as an antidote to the particular strain of teaching yoga: the constant generating of sequences and themes, the isolation of working alone, and the burn out that can wear down enthusiasm for personal practice. The aim is to renew enjoyment and pleasure on the mat, and to make room for real connection with colleagues.

What to Expect

Donna shares inventive, effective practices to improve and maintain mobility, strength and balance at any age. The approach builds from the ground up: attention to the feet and the kinetic chain rising through the legs, pelvis and spine; core connectivity from the center to the limbs; and a more refined alignment of the shoulders, neck and head, as a way of working with our relationship to space. The practice is gentle yet strengthening and experiential, and there is plenty of material to take back to your teaching toolbox.

The days follow a steady rhythm. The intensive opens on Friday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. From Saturday through Tuesday, sessions run from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Mornings are given to more active practice on mobility, strength and balance. Afternoons turn quieter, with discussion, collegial exchange, Restorative Yoga and deeply relaxing guided Yoga Nidra. Some of the exchange may include touch, through dyad work or receiving gentle touch from a colleague. Places are limited, which keeps the group intimate and supportive.

About Donna Farhi

Donna Farhi has practised yoga for over 45 years and has taught since 1982. She is one of the most sought-after guest teachers in the world, leading intensives and teacher training programs internationally. She is the author of several widely read yoga books, including The Breathing Book, Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit, and Teaching Yoga: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationship. Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, she is known for helping people of all levels find greater ease and freedom in their bodies through practice grounded in practical wisdom and deep anatomical understanding.

The Setting

The intensive is held at South Pacific Resort, 179 Weyba Road, Noosaville, on the Sunshine Coast and very near Noosa. The resort is a 30 minute drive from Maroochydore Airport, or about 1.5 hours from Brisbane Airport. Accommodation with kitchens can be booked at the resort.

Before You Go

The intensive suits yoga teachers at any stage, and participants work at a pace that suits their body. It is taught in English.

Bring your own yoga mat and props. A list is sent a few months before the intensive, and international travellers will be able to borrow bigger props. Included are all the scheduled sessions with Donna, from Friday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon. Accommodation, travel and meals are not part of the program.