For the first time, the Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga (LVCY) Teacher Training will be offered as a residential retreat at Mandala Yoga Ashram. Rooted in over 40 years of adaptive yoga tradition, this training offers you the skills and confidence to bring yoga to those who may otherwise be unable to access it – older adults, people with disabilities, those with limited mobility, and anyone for whom floor-based yoga is not available.
Tutor(s): Liz & Julie
The Lakshmi Voelker Method
Created in 1982, the LVCY method is internationally respected for its clarity, structure, and adaptability. Its thoughtfully developed “Levels of Flexibility” system allows teachers to meet every student exactly where they are, ensuring that each practice remains both safe and empowering.
You will learn how to teach chair yoga in a wide range of settings, including community venues, healthcare, specialist groups, and private sessions, as well as adapting practices for wheelchair users and those with chronic health conditions.
What This Retreat Includes
Five days of immersive group training
Partner and small-group practice
Self-study and reflective components
Practical and written assessments
One-to-one mentoring and personalised feedback
A 200-page training manual and access to a video library
Guidance in sequencing, adaptation, breathwork, and additional modalities such as acupressure and DoIn selfmassage
Required Reading:
The book, Get Fit Where You Sit: A Guide to the Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga Method by Lakshmi Voelker and Liz Oppedijk, is required reading for the course. This book must be acquired separately and is not included in the retreat fee.
Who the Training Is For
This retreat welcomes:
Yoga teachers and therapists
Healthcare and wellbeing professionals
Carers and support workers
Exercise specialists and community facilitators
(Those without a yoga teacher qualification will need to complete an 8-hour Basic Yoga Techniques prerequisite.)
The Ashram Setting
Held in the serenity of Mandala Yoga Ashram, this training is enriched by the ashram’s living yoga tradition. During your stay, you will experience:
Daily meditation and shared practice
Mouna (sacred silence) from 9pm until breakfast
Karma Yoga as part of integrated learning
Freshly prepared vegetarian and vegan meals
Time for rest, reflection, journalling, and walking in the peaceful Welsh hills
Accommodation is in shared dormitory-style rooms, supporting simplicity, connection, and community.
Accreditation
This course is accredited by Yoga Alliance. It also forms Part 1 of the IAYTapproved Accessible Chair Yoga CPD Pathway (The Minded Institute) and contributes towards professional development recognised by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).
Register Now
Places are limited to ensure high-quality mentoring.
