Embodied Yoga Teaching Immersion on Sicily's Blue Flag Beach

The Embodied Teacher Program is a 50-hour YACEP-certified training run at a beachfront resort in Santa Maria del Focallo, Sicily. It's built for yoga teachers – new ones who want confidence, experienced ones who want fresh inspiration, and anyone in between who teaches asana and wants to bring more wholeness into their classes. The core idea, repeated throughout the week, is that experience is the teacher of all things. So instead of just learning new sequences, you'll spend a lot of time exploring the art of holding space: creating a safe container for students, developing your voice and presence, and learning the subtle refinements of transmission. You'll also get into more conceptual territory – the koshas, chakras, kleshas, the nervous system, and the gut-brain connection – but always with practical tools you can take straight into your own classes. The daily schedule is consistent: 07:30 to 09:30 morning practice with breathwork and meditation, breakfast at 09:30, theory or practice from 10:30 to 13:00, a long lunch break, then practical implementation and open discussions from 15:30 to 17:00, practice teaching from 17:00 to 19:00, and Yoga Nidra to close from 19:00 to 19:30. You'll come away with a certificate of completion, a deeper awareness of yoga, and new tools for managing students and yourself. The training is led by Dr. Illona, whose own journey started with a 200-hour teacher training in Bali in 2016 and has since taken her through Positive Psychology studies in Melbourne, Integrative Nutrition from New York, and years of teaching and coaching in Switzerland. She's also involved in the PlayPauseBe online platform and teaches live sessions in Switzerland, Italy, and Portugal. The resort itself is run by Ettore, who also runs the watersports school, with a small team that feels more like family than staff. The property sits 30 meters from the beach, surrounded by gardens and fruit trees, with three houses containing private rooms, shared rooms, and suites. This is a working training with a real curriculum, but it unfolds in a place that's genuinely beautiful and relaxed – a quiet, unspoiled corner of Sicily where the main activities besides yoga are cycling, swimming, and paddleboarding.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation in a private or shared room - 3 daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) – organic and mostly vegetarian - Daily morning yoga classes and pranayama - Teaching methodology, sequencing, and hands-on assist skills - Training in the art of holding space, transmission, voice, and presence - Opening and closing ceremonies - 50-hour YACEP-certified training manual - Certificate of completion - Yoga mats, blocks, straps, and bolsters - WiFi connection - Airport pickup and drop-off (included, with free return from Comiso in some packages)

What's not included

- Flights costs - Travel insurance - Visa fee - Additional treatments - Additional activities not included in the itinerary - Airport shuttle fees from Catania (€100) or Comiso (€75) if not covered by the package