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South Okanagan Yoga Academy (Headquarters/Calgary/Edmonton)

4.9

Based on 351 reviews

What is a School Review?



3 more Locations

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233003 Range Road 240, AB

Wheatland County, AB, Canada

Types of Yoga Taught

Flow Yoga

Alignment-Oriented Yoga

Spiritually-Oriented Yoga

Gentle Yoga

Specialty Yoga

Trainings Formats

Full-time
usually intensive/immersion

Part-time
spread out over time

Weekends only

Modules
several, shorter immersions

Residential
trainees stay on-site

Non-residential
trainees commute to the program

Destination / retreat

Languages

ENGLISH

Other Locations

South Okanagan Yoga Academy (Michigan/Florida/Costa Rica)
12372 Center Road
Traverse City, MI, USA

South Okanagan Yoga Academy (Penticton/Sorrento/Mexico)
100 Nanaimo Ave E
Penticton, BC, Canada

South Okanagan Yoga Academy (Prince George & Northern BC)
2930 5 Avenue
Prince George, BC, Canada

About South Okanagan Yoga Academy

With more than 25 years of training yoga teachers SOYA has transformed into an Academy owned by Marion (Mugs) and Robert McConnell. SOYA offers one of the most diverse and accessible yoga teacher training programs in full-time immersion and part-time formats, in these locations:...

With more than 25 years of training yoga teachers SOYA has transformed into an Academy owned by Marion (Mugs) and Robert McConnell. SOYA offers one of the most diverse and accessible yoga teacher training programs in full-time immersion and part-time formats, in these locations:
Penticton, Prince George, and Creston, BC/ Calgary, AB, /Michigan and Florida/ and Mexico.

With its roots in the Sivananda lineage, and guided by the highest standards, SOYA gives students a diverse and broad exposure to many styles, lineages and philosophies. Ever evolving, SOYA’s Teacher Training is designed with flexibility, accessibility and transformation at its heart.

SOYA’s lead trainers have extensive experience teaching, training and are dedicated to continued study. Some of the master yoga teachers they have had the blessing to study with include Dr. Hari Dickman, Swami Vishnudevananda, Namadeva Acharya, Erich Schiffmann, Rod Stryker and Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani (son of Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri). SOYA is proud to offer students exposure to various lineages or styles such as Ashtanga, Sivananda, Gitananda, Yin, Restorative, and Vinyasa, as well as Mantra and Mudra.

South Okanagan Yoga Academy has trained over 900 teachers at the 200, 300 Advanced Upgrade and 500 hour levels. We offer ongoing support to our students after graduation as they advance their skills as teachers. The SOYA website at www.soyayoga.com has all the details on our yoga teacher training. After certification SOYA teachers are eligible to apply for RYT with Yoga Alliance, and with thee 500 hour certification they can become Full Teaching Members with the International Yoga Teachers’ Association (IYTA). We endeavour to open students’ world up to the many paths available to them so that they may find their path. As Swami Sivananda once said, “The paths are many, the Truth is One”.

First Registered January 2001

Reviews

As part of the Yoga Alliance Social Credentialing system, teachers that register with Yoga Alliance must submit a review of the RYS training program they completed.

Feedback from trainees provides Registered Yoga Schools with the opportunity to understand their trainees’ experiences in order to continually improve their trainings.

By choosing to display comments, schools enable trainees to provide insight into a school’s culture and training which helps potential trainees choose the right teacher training for their individual path with yoga.

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  • 5 out of 5
    By: Shelley Kundert Sep 10, 2023
    Training Program held on Jul 03, 2023—Jul 19, 2023

  • 5 out of 5
    By: KRW@YMCA Jul 30, 2023

    SOYA Teacher’s are very knowledgeable and the teacher training was thorough. Additional SOYA workshops reinforce the initial training; physical and spiritual. Graduates of SOYA are, even years after graduation, welcome to reconnect and welcome to reach out if seeking Yoga guidance.

    • General Comments

      SOYA Teacher’s are very knowledgeable and the teacher training was thorough. Additional SOYA workshops reinforce the initial training; physical and spiritual. Graduates of SOYA are, even years after graduation, welcome to reconnect and welcome to reach out if seeking Yoga guidance.
  • 5 out of 5
    By: Jordann Kian Jul 26, 2023
    Training Program held on Sep 06, 2019—Jun 28, 2020

    Such an awesome experience. Very thorough training, got so much out of it, super valuable and all the lessons have continued to influence how I teach and live.

    • General Comments

      Such an awesome experience. Very thorough training, got so much out of it, super valuable and all the lessons have continued to influence how I teach and live.
    School response
    South Okanagan Yoga Academy
    Jul 27, 2023
    We are so glad that you continue to experience the benefits of your studies! Thank you so much for choosing SOYA as your school and for taking time to share your review.
  • 5 out of 5
    By: Sarah McGovern Jul 16, 2023
    Training Program held on Mar 07, 2023—Jun 22, 2023

  • 4 out of 5
    By: Winona Rae Jul 15, 2023
    Training Program held on Jan 28, 2023—Jun 26, 2023

  • 5 out of 5
    By: Megan Goodacre Jun 24, 2023
    Training Program held on Mar 07, 2023—Jun 22, 2023

    Very detailed course and amazing instructors. They embody yoga and its practices beautifully.

    • General Comments

      Very detailed course and amazing instructors. They embody yoga and its practices beautifully.
    School response
    South Okanagan Yoga Academy
    Jul 16, 2023
    Thank you so much, Megan <3 Congratulations to you!
  • 5 out of 5
    By: Kristoffer 'KC' Carter Jun 23, 2023
    Training Program held on Mar 07, 2023—Jun 22, 2023

    I chose SOYA for my foundational 200hr training because I serve on the Board of Directors for Yoga Alliance with SOYA's founder— Marion "Mugs" McConnell. Throughout our 3-month hybrid-learning program that concluded with an 8-day in person intensive, I was so impressed with the depth of the curriculum. In particular, SOYA does a fantastic job with honoring all 8 limbs of Patanjali's yoga sutras, as well as learning the proper Sanskrit names for all terms and asanas. This was very important to me. The book selections were excellent, my sadhana deepened, and my body, mind, and spirit opened up. I feel very prepared to go out and teach. So grateful to my teachers in this program, Terri McDermott (RYT-500) and Chloe Haddad (RYT-500). Their hard work with our group makes it very easy for me to recommend SOYA to my clients and students. Thanks SOYA! -Kristoffer Carter, founder of Epic Leadership, author of Permission to Glow— A Spiritual Guide to Epic Leadership

    • General Comments

      I chose SOYA for my foundational 200hr training because I serve on the Board of Directors for Yoga Alliance with SOYA's founder— Marion "Mugs" McConnell. Throughout our 3-month hybrid-learning program that concluded with an 8-day in person intensive, I was so impressed with the depth of the curriculum. In particular, SOYA does a fantastic job with honoring all 8 limbs of Patanjali's yoga sutras, as well as learning the proper Sanskrit names for all terms and asanas. This was very important to me. The book selections were excellent, my sadhana deepened, and my body, mind, and spirit opened up. I feel very prepared to go out and teach. So grateful to my teachers in this program, Terri McDermott (RYT-500) and Chloe Haddad (RYT-500). Their hard work with our group makes it very easy for me to recommend SOYA to my clients and students. Thanks SOYA! -Kristoffer Carter, founder of Epic Leadership, author of Permission to Glow— A Spiritual Guide to Epic Leadership
    School response
    South Okanagan Yoga Academy
    Jun 23, 2023
    Thank you so much KC. We appreciate your recognition of our yoga teacher training that is in depth, rich with philosophy, and focussed on preparing students to be teachers. I hope I get to experience one of your classes online! Yoga is truly a lifestyle and you have been immersed it in! Enjoy sharing this knowledge with your students. Mugs
  • 4 out of 5
    By: Tammy L. Taylor May 16, 2023
    Training Program held on Apr 03, 2023—Apr 19, 2023

  • 5 out of 5
    By: Denise Marshall Apr 15, 2023
    Training Program held on Sep 24, 2017—Oct 06, 2017

    Excellent traditional tecahings. Alignment based asana practice with an emphasis of being aware of what a students body can and cannot do. Broad scope of philosophy teahings for a deeper richer understnadings of the 8 limbs of Yoga, Pranayama, meditation, and the lineage of SOYA.

    • General Comments

      Excellent traditional tecahings. Alignment based asana practice with an emphasis of being aware of what a students body can and cannot do. Broad scope of philosophy teahings for a deeper richer understnadings of the 8 limbs of Yoga, Pranayama, meditation, and the lineage of SOYA.
  • 5 out of 5
    By: Yoga with Patricia Mar 25, 2023
    Training Program held on Nov 01, 2022—Feb 21, 2023

    In 2022 I decided to make the journey of pursuing my 200 YTT certification. I chose to follow the hybrid approach with the South Okanagan Yoga Academy and am so grateful for the amazing teachers, the well laid out curriculum and the entire experience. If anyone were to ask for a recommendation for taking their yoga teacher training certification I would recommend SOYA, the hybrid approach and the teachers that I had 100%!

    • General Comments

      In 2022 I decided to make the journey of pursuing my 200 YTT certification. I chose to follow the hybrid approach with the South Okanagan Yoga Academy and am so grateful for the amazing teachers, the well laid out curriculum and the entire experience. If anyone were to ask for a recommendation for taking their yoga teacher training certification I would recommend SOYA, the hybrid approach and the teachers that I had 100%!
    School response
    South Okanagan Yoga Academy
    Mar 25, 2023
    Thank you Patricia. We are so happy that you participated in this training. Good luck for your future teaching, now as a fully certified and registered yoga teacher!
First Registered January 2001

School Reviews

Total Reviews: 351

By Shelley Kundert RYT® 200

Sep 10, 2023

Full Review

By KRW@YMCA RYT® 500

Jul 30, 2023

SOYA Teacher’s are very knowledgeable and the teacher training was thorough. Additional SOYA workshops reinforce the initial training; physical and spiritual. Graduates of SOYA are, even years after graduation, welcome to reconnect and welcome to reach out if seeking Yoga guidance. Full Review

All Reviews (351)

Teaching Staff

Jo-Ann Bance

E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500

Emma Faulkner

E-RYT® 500, YACEP®

Marion Lea McConnell

E-RYT® 500, YACEP®

Terri McDermott Terri McDermott

E-RYT® 500

Lalita

E-RYT® 500, RCYT®, RPYT®, YACEP®

Becky Stone

E-RYT® 500, YACEP®

Cindy Szekely

E-RYT® 500, YACEP®

Dorothy Fizzell

E-RYT® 500, YACEP®

Chloe Haddad

E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP®

Courtney Mollins-Bidlake

E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP®

All Teaching Staff (11)

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