Course Structure and Content
Course structure
Although yoga is a unified teaching, it includes many different types of practices.
For example, Hatha Yoga is primarily a set of methods focused on working with the physical body. Pranayama Yoga includes techniques for working with prana through the breath, and so on. Each kind of yoga is a collection of methods that works with a particular aspect of the human experience.
In fact, yoga takes many forms, reflecting the many ways a person can express themselves, yet all of them come together as one teaching.
Sadly, only a limited number of yoga paths are available to us today.
Each kind of yoga is taught in its own course, with additional courses dedicated to important yoga-related topics and disciplines. Each course is numbered and thoughtfully structured to build on the previous one. Students can move through the courses at their own pace, following the intended order.
Therefore, each course should be studied only after completing the previous one and earning the required points on the tests. Skipping ahead can lead to misunderstandings in the deeper aspects of yoga and may result in mistakes in practice.
Each course is made up of several steps. A new step unlocks only after passing the test, while previously unlocked steps remain accessible.
To complete the course, submitting the homework is required.
We’re always working to improve our courses and make them clearer and more complete. If you’ve studied a course before, we encourage you to revisit it—new information may include important details or answers to common questions. You can see when the page was last updated at the bottom.
Content
Lesson content can include text, images, video, or audio. While the text and video may cover the same topic, they present it in different ways. It’s important to study all formats, as together they provide a complete and comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Tests may include questions from both the text and video materials.
Sometimes the emotional side of a lesson is more important than the logical one. Lectures often include comparisons and real-life examples that are best conveyed through videos or audios rather than text alone. It’s important to watch and listen as well as read. In lessons where audio or video isn’t available, studying the text by itself is sufficient.
It’s hard to say exactly how much time each course will take, as it depends on you. You might want to review the text or video materials several times before moving on, and homework can take more or less time depending on the ideas and reflections you want to share. We do, however, try to keep each step—including the test—within 30–60 minutes to make the learning process efficient.
Tests and quizzes
The test evaluates how carefully you’ve retained the lesson material, not your overall knowledge of the course. The questions and answer options are designed to help you learn, organize the material, and improve your memory and focus.
Each test includes a set number of questions, with 30 seconds allocated per question. Be sure to complete all questions within the allotted time. Each question comes with multiple answer options, and you have three attempts to pass the test. Test results are saved. In some courses, students can only proceed after earning a required number of points in the previous course.
How Tests Help?
- Strengthen your memory and understanding of the material from the very first try.
- Help you think quickly and find answers to unexpected questions.
- Boost your focus and concentration on the task at hand.
- Offer a helpful review of the material you’ve studied.
A test is considered successful when you score 80% or higher—but every attempt is a valuable part of your learning journey.
Memorization and mindfulness of yoga basics
Some important yoga concepts are repeated throughout our courses. Ideas like the first and second principles of yoga, as well as basic study guidelines, may appear in multiple courses to support a deeper understanding of the material and help bring the concepts to life.
This doesn’t mean we don’t value your time by repeating familiar themes. We intentionally revisit these topics because our experience shows that even seemingly simple parts of yoga often benefit from extra attention, helping students understand them more fully and apply them in both practice and daily life.
Following the best traditions of ancient yoga teachers, we strongly encourage students to learn the fundamental principles of yoga by heart and revisit them often.
Sometimes it takes years of revisiting these seemingly simple statements in yoga for their deeper meaning to truly unfold.
Yoga practice
Unlike in-person learning, where a teacher can guide you, make adjustments, and help you feel the rhythm from the very first lesson, online learning has some limitations. That’s why it’s important to first build a solid foundation in theory—it will help you avoid common mistakes in your personal practice.
That is why, our course structure follows this logic: start with short but meaningful theory to give you the spirit of yoga, then move to physical exercises—beginning with Hatha Yoga and Kriya Yoga—and finally explore in-depth theory. This deeper understanding allows you to perform earlier exercises more effectively and reach new levels in your practice.
In the meantime, we encourage you to explore Yoga Course 002: Yoga Practice for Beginners, where you’ll find a variety of free online yoga classes recorded by our most dedicated instructors.
There is never be a perfect place or time to do yoga, so make the best of what you have and begin today. A strong, cared-for body is the foundation for a calm mind and a deeper connection with yoga.
Course updates and saving your progress
Thousands of students from many countries use our courses, which puts a significant load on our servers and software. From time to time, we need to “refresh” the courses.
To avoid losing your work, please save all your homework and any other important materials on your computer or a remote drive.
Keep your course certificate as proof of completion.
If you take a long break and later decide to continue your studies, having copies of your homework and certificate will help our curators quickly access your information and restore your course access. Alternatively, you can ask a curator for the opportunity to review the previous course to refresh your memory.