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Santosha Yoga Institute: Foundations of Yoga

Santosha Yoga Institute with Sunny Richards

A self-paced online yoga immersion in the Sri T. Krishnamacharya lineage. Covers yoga anatomy, philosophy, Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, meditation, Tantra and the chakras, Ayurveda, Yoga Therapy, and pranayama. Designed for personal enrichment, with lifetime access and an optional upgrade path to RYT-200 certification.

Modules: 6 Modules
Certification: non-certification course
Format: self-paced
Skill level: beginner, intermediate, advanced
Career pathway: interest

$39 $320

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Course program

The Online Lite Yoga Immersion by Santosha Yoga Institute is a self-paced course covering the foundations of yoga in the Sri T. Krishnamacharya lineage. It introduces yoga anatomy, philosophy, meditation, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Tantra, Ayurveda, and pranayama as a personal practice — a gentle entry point for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of yoga without committing to a full teacher training.

This course is open to everyone — no prior experience required. It suits beginners curious about yoga, experienced practitioners wanting to deepen their study, and health professionals looking to integrate yoga wisdom into existing practice. Future yoga teachers can use it as a foundation before stepping into a full teacher training, since the cost credits toward Santosha’s RYT-200 certification.

The course is organised into six modules. Module 1 covers Anatomy and Philosophy, introducing the body’s basics for safe practice alongside yogic philosophies that quiet a busy mind. Module 2 explores Yoga Nidra — the ‘yogic sleep’ for deep rest and restoration — and Yin Yoga as a softer, restorative complement.

Module 3 turns to Tantra and Energy, with practices for balancing the chakras and working with the divine masculine and feminine. Module 4 is dedicated to Meditation, with guided practices to calm the mind and settle the nervous system. Module 5 introduces foundational Ayurveda for daily health, along with Yoga Therapy tenets for vitality and longevity. Module 6 focuses on Breath and Pranayama, teaching techniques to direct prana and regulate the nervous system.

Alongside the modules, the course includes guided video asana practices, specific practices for anxiety and stress, and a study of the history of yoga.

The format is fully self-paced. On enrolment, students gain immediate access to all course modules through Santosha’s online learning portal, and progress through video lessons and guided practices at their own pace. Lifetime access is included, with no fixed start date, no live sessions, and no exams. Students can later upgrade to Santosha’s RYT-200 Online Yoga Teacher Training and have the Lite course payment credited toward the full tuition.

Alongside the modules, the course includes guided video asana practices, specific practices for anxiety and stress, and a study of the history of yoga.

Meet your teacher

Sunny Richards

Sunny Richards is the founder of Santosha Yoga Institute and has taught yoga for over 22 years. Her training spans Vinyasa, Vini Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Pre and Post Natal Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Yin Yoga, Children's Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Meditation.

Host reviews

Lyn Russell

Verified user

I held my workshop on Saturday afternoon. It was a practice run through with my husband to see how the format went and how I went! I absolutely loved it, and so did my husband. Overall, doing the practice run through was great as I now feel confident to advertise and run the workshop for a small group of people! Thank you so much for sharing all of your experience, knowledge and wisdom. I would never have had the confidence or the knowledge to pursue this without you.
Elisa Santamaria

Verified user

The online material was so thorough and informative that I never felt I was lost or missing something. Learning via online was easy with Santosha because their online platform was well organized. It took the doubt of online learning completely away. The teachers were also amazing! My experience of training with Santosha gave me a whole different understanding of yoga. The mental, spiritual, meditative side of yoga was so beneficial to my life and especially in these crazy times we are in currently.
Héloïse Lambert

Verified user

I never thought I could feel such a strong sense of community, love and passion through my laptop! The courses are well organized and very complete. I have learned so much. The challenging part for me was to deconstruct what I had learned in my own yoga practice, in order to teach in a safe way for my future students. My life has been turned upside down with the COVID crisis. This training not only gave me new future perspectives, it also helped me go through a difficult time and listen to myself. I can only recommend!
Melanie Ceveri

Verified user

I'm so grateful that this opportunity came up and I was able to learn from the most wonderful and knowledgeable instructors from around the world. There is so much to learn and I have been fully supported both during the course and ongoing. I've come away with such amazement at what I learnt as yoga is really so much more than I thought. I'm so happy to have found answers and I want to share my love for yoga with all.