HEART OF YIN
50h Yin Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Alliance Certified (YACEP)
Feb - May 2026
Online
Yoga Alliance Certified (YACEP)
Feb - May 2026
Online
Discover the gentle power of Yin Yoga, deepen your personal practice, and create a solid foundation to begin teaching yourself.
Live online dates:
14 & 15 Feb 2026
21 & 22 March 2026
11 & 12 April 2026
25 & 26 April 2026
9am-3pm (EST)
3pm - 9pm CET (Germany/Netherlands/Spain)
including recordings available for 1 month each
for all levels
This 50H foundation training is open to Yoga teachers and everyone interested in learning more about nervous-system-informed Yin Yoga. It offers a combination of in-depth theory and nervous system-informed Yin Yoga practice. A balance of technique, understanding, and embodied experience.
Yin Yoga is calm, passive, and receptive. It offers us the space that is often lost in our hectic daily lives - a sacred time where we can leave behind our daily tasks, responsibilities, and roles, reconnecting with our inner world.
At HEART OF YIN, it’s not just about the postures, but about what they create in us when combined with all the other elements that influence the practice.
These factors range from external influences such as sequencing (intensity, energy curve), theme selection, context (space, location, participant backgrounds), the holding of space by the teachers, to personal influences of the practitioners, like intention, experience with Yin Yoga, and their overall well-being (emotional, mental, and physical).
This training focuses on providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the foundations of Yin Yoga, how to practice and teach in an embodied and nervous system-informed way as well as helping you find YOUR practice - the intention with which you wish to practice.
HEART OF YIN goes beyond the physical components of Yin Yoga and invites you to experience it as a tool to strengthen your energy system and cultivate a deeper awareness of your sensational, emotional and mental inner landscape.
TAOISM, MERIDIANS & YIN ORIGINS
Here, you will learn about the roots of Yin Yoga – Taoism, the concept of Yin and Yang, the meridians, the body’s energy system, and traditional Hatha Yoga. In this section, you will have the opportunity to understand, question and reflect on the origins of Yin Yoga, discover what ‘Yin’ means to you and the intention with which you wish to practice. We will explore questions such as: What is your intentiion for the practice? What role does it play in our modern world?
FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY, BODY STRUCTURE & NERVOUS SYSTEM
An introduction to functional anatomy. Here, we will explore tension & compression and the principles of individual bone structure according to Paul Grilley. Additionally, you will gain an insight into the nervous system and the role of muscles, connective tissue, and fascia. This part of the training provides you with a deeper understanding of the human body and the nervous system in relation to Yin Yoga. We will explore questions such as: What exactly happens in the body in a pose? What are physical benefits of the practice? How does the practice impact the nervous system and the overall state?
PRESENCE, BREATH AND NERVOUS SYSTEM CARE
Yin Yoga is a fusion of asana (the posture), breath, and attention. In this part of the training, you will learn breathing techniques, meditations and somatic exercises complementary to the Yin practice that invite the nervous system to regulate and activate and open specific body regions and organs to deepen the practice. We will explore questions such as: What is the role of the breath in Yin Yoga? How do we practice presence in Yin Yoga and why? How can we practice nervous system regulation in Yin?
PRINCIPLES OF THE PRACTICE & YIN LAB
Principles of Practice: introduction to the HEART 5-Step process for nervous-system informed Yin Yoga. In the YIN LAB, you will engage in a deep exploration and analysis of Yin Yoga postures - where is the focus in each posture? What variations are available? When does it make sense to offer an alternative? How can props be used effectively? What are common challenges and questions that arise?
SEQUENCING, SPACEHOLDING & YOUR AUTHENTIC CODE
This part of the training provides you with the foundations and inspiration to share the Yin Yoga practice in your own unique way. Class structure, what is important when teaching - theme selection and sequence design, use of language and cues and teaching in a nervous system-informed manner.
The Yin Yoga training with Sonja was a beautiful interplay of learning, emotions, openness, and new experiences. The knowledge and practice she shared will be lifelong companions on my path - ones I would never want to be without and for which I am endlessly grateful. Giving the class the space it needs, bringing people together, and creating an environment where positive connection and mutual support are the priority is something truly special - just like Sonja herself, her energy, and the way she shares her wisdom and makes you feel good. I encourage anyone to dare to invest this time in themselves and to place their trust in Sonja. For me, it has been worthwhile in every possible way.
Caro, 50H HEART OF YIN Training Graduate
For the past two years, Yin Yoga has enriched my everyday life and given me a whole new connection to my inner calm and my body. Sonja’s classes are always uniquely profound and have supported me throughout my journey. The training helped me understand why Yin has such a powerful effect on me, and it’s also helping me improve my own routine and share these experiences with others. I can only recommend it to everyone - it was such a valuable and truly enjoyable experience.
Norman, 50H HEART OF YIN Training Graduate
Sonja’s Yin Yoga training was incredibly enriching for me. She shared so much profound knowledge about the individual poses, their effects on the body, and the entire history of Yin. The atmosphere and sense of trust within the group were so special that everyone felt safe to show up as they were and continue their personal growth. I would take the training again anytime and hope there will be a continuation one day. :)
Franziska, 50H HEART OF YIN Training Graduate
+ Schedule
The online live sessions will take place via Zoom.
Live online dates:
14 & 15 Feb 2026
21 & 22 March 2026
11 & 12 April 2026
25 & 26 April 2026
9am-3pm (EST)
3pm - 9pm CET (Germany/Netherlands/Spain)
including recordings available for 1 month after each session
+ What this training includes:
• 8 live online training days with Sonja
• Workbook to review the theory
• 50-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Certificate, Yoga Alliance accredited (YACEP) - full attendance required
+ Investment in yourself:
Early Bird until 31 January 990 Euro incl. VAT
Regular 1111 Euro incl. VAT
There are no specific requirements. The training is open to those interested in diving deeper into nervous-system informed and embodied Yin Yoga, for existing Yoga Teachers, Therapists, Coaches etc.
There are no specific requirements.
The training is open to max. 18 people.
You need a mat 2 blocks, a bolster, a blanket, a strap as well as the printed manual, a notebook and a pen.
The sessions will take place via Zoom, you will receive the Link beforehand. If you can't attend live the recording will be available for one month after each session.
Upon successful completion of the training, you will receive a certificate recognized by Yoga Alliance as a YACEP continuing education program.
How can I sign up?
Registration takes place via the website or by email at hello@sonjaheeser.com. Your booking is confirmed once payment has been made. After the payment has been received, the amount is non-refundable.
How can I prepare for the training?
Recommended books: the complete guide to Yin Yoga by Bernie Clark & The courage to teach by Parker J. Palmer
Yin Yoga is more than just physical relaxation – the practice is a journey to ourselves. It helps us dissolve inner resistance and tension by consciously relaxing, feeling, and being present. Instead of fighting or forcing, we allow things to happen naturally. As we continuously become softer and more open, an inner transformation occurs.
Sonja first encountered yoga in 2010 and has been teaching Yin Yoga since 2019. Her work is based on the understanding that tension in the body and mind arises when thoughts, beliefs, and actions are not aligned with our authentic self.
In her offerings, Sonja creates spaces where people can calm down, release tension, and deepen their connection to their body and creativity. Through conscious movement, breath, and the exploration of inner stories, she invites people to discover different facets of their own self and strengthen their connection to the body and soul.
"The more connected we are with ourselves, the easier it becomes to live a life that is in harmony with us."
Sonja's style is gentle yet challenging, woven with contemporary wisdom and spirituality.