The Luminary Way at Here and Now Yoga, Wellness & Arts Collective

Established 2026

Learn more about our program here.

Here and Now Yoga, Wellness & Arts Collective

Program Instances

Hybrid

Dates: TBD

200 hours • TBD

Floral Park, NY, US

Led by

Dina Denis-Paolucci

CYT-L3

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Purpose

What to expect

The Luminary Way YTT students will learn what is needed to become knowledgeable, reflective and effective yoga practitioners and teachers through observations, research, readings, reflective writing, self and peer assessments, and hands-on teaching and learning experiences. This mission will be accomplished through in-person, live virtual and asynchronistic course work where students participate in asana labs, case studies that prepare teachers to work with diverse populations, daily meditation, journaling, teaching mini and full lessons to peers and the public, and participating in local group classes both in-person and virtually. Students will have the opportunity to practice teaching at the Here and Now Yoga, Wellness & Arts Collective Studio.

Students will experience performance and project based learning in the following areas:

Asana, Meditation and Pranayama Techniques and Practice
Subtle Body Research and Applications
Anatomy, Physiology and Kinesiology Analysis and Practical Applications
Yoga History, Philosophy & Ethic Reflections and Synthesis of Scared Texts to Everyday Living
Pedagogy: Teaching Methods and Materials / Professional Development Connecting Theory and Practice
Accessible Yoga: Knowing and Understanding Best Practices for Creating Meaningful Yoga Experiences for All Bodies / Diverse Populations

Style/Lineage

The Luminary Way at Here and Now Yoga, Wellness & Arts Collective

The Luminary Way - 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program is a transformational yoga teacher training program created to inspire, awaken, and prepare students to step into the role of teacher while deepening their own practice along the way. The Luminary Way applies Pantanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga as a lens and guide to learning about asanas, meditation, pranayama, subtle body, anatomy, physiology, yoga humanities, teaching methodology, professionalism and accessibility. Along the Way we review sacred texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, explore Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras, as well as past and current spiritual teachers in order to intergrate the ancient practice of yoga to our present lives.

The Luminary Way is perfect for aspiring yoga teachers, current 200HR yoga teachers who are looking for a refresher or students interested to continue their yoga education or take their practice to the next level. Students will receive training in historical paths of yoga theory and practice along with awareness about present day yoga in our Western society. They will learn the pedagogy needed to be an adaptive, thoughtful and skillful teacher for all bodies.

Additional Information

Prospective students will be required to fill out an application and provide 1 letter of reference in support of beginning an intensive Professional Yoga Teacher Training Program.

Upon acceptance to The Luminary Way 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program, students will receive information on program requirements, including required and suggested readings, supplies and program calendar.

Payment and more information can be found on our website at www.HereAndNowYoga.com.

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics	Identify the form and function of major bones, muscles, and joints by defining each structure in their own words and locating it on their own body, a peer's body, a skeleton, and in an anatomy coloring book. Describe the three planes of motion by identifying each plane and explaining which movements occur in it during asanas they perform and observe in peers. Explain the actions of the major joints, such as flexion and extension, by observing movement in asana, naming the action occurring at each joint, and discussing their observations with peers. Apply anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics to practicing and teaching the Luminary Way series by executing each asana safely in personal practice and teaching the series with accurate alignment and safety cues during asana and teaching labs and homework teaching. Explain the major body systems, such as the nervous, circulatory, and respiratory systems, and how yoga and meditation affect them by defining key terms, describing each system's form and function, and recording observed changes before, during, and after practice. Demonstrate safe and correct asana execution for students by modeling each asana and using clear verbal cues and appropriate tactile cues to support alignment. Apply anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics to teaching students with diverse needs and health conditions by using case study research to plan adaptations and teaching a practice class that accommodates the needs presented. Assess students' needs, levels, and abilities by observing and talking with students and selecting modifications and props, such as blocks, chairs, walls, and straps, that safely support their practice.
Yoga History & Theory	Apply the yamas and niyamas to personal and teaching practice by interpreting each principle through readings and research, recording reflections in a journal, and discussing practical examples with the group. Discuss the meaning of yoga in daily life by researching the topic, journaling, and describing specific ways yoga can be applied to daily living during group discussion. Demonstrate various pranayama techniques, including ujjayi and nadi shodhana, by recalling known techniques, researching additional types, and guiding peers through each technique with clear instructions. Apply knowledge of the subtle body, including the koshas and chakras, to learning and teaching by describing each layer and incorporating subtle body awareness into asana, pranayama, and meditation during asana and teaching labs. Apply mudras and mantras in asana, pranayama, and meditation by demonstrating selected mudras and mantras and explaining how each connects to the subtle body. Apply Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga to daily living, personal practice, and teaching by reading translations of the Yoga Sutras, explaining the meaning of each limb, and journaling and discussing examples of how each limb can be applied. Summarize selected portions of the Bhagavad Gita by reading a translated version, interpreting key passages, and discussing their meaning with peers.
Business Skills	Create a teaching philosophy statement that communicates their mission and promotes their work by identifying core values and goals and refining the statement throughout the Luminary Way 200 Hour YTT. Develop a list of insurance companies that protect yoga professionals and their services by researching providers and sharing findings with their cohort. Develop a plan for a healthy work/life balance as a yoga instructor by exploring career avenues in the yoga field, identifying professional development and continuing education options, and identifying teaching venues that align with their teaching philosophy. Create a website and social media content that share their work with the public by documenting their teaching and learning throughout the Luminary Way and using photos and relevant materials from prior experience to build a professional online presence. Identify professional organizations that provide membership and ongoing support for yoga, health, and wellness professionals, such as the American Yoga Council, by researching relevant organizations, describing the benefits each offers, and submitting a membership application to at least one.
Lifestyle & Ethics	Develop a personalized daily practice by drawing on research and experiences from the Luminary Way 200 Hour YTT and documenting adjustments to the practice as their needs change. Create a meaningful personal practice that integrates knowledge of yoga, the body, mind, and spirit by combining theory and practical applications from research, discussions, and asana and teaching labs and explaining how each element supports their practice. Develop a meditation practice of at least 40 consecutive days by researching and practicing different types of meditation, such as guided and kriya, and keeping a daily reflective journal.
Practice Skills	Demonstrate kirtan chants, mudras, and mantras, including unique mantras, by researching related texts, music, and videos and accurately performing selected chants, mudras, and mantras. Practice asanas and pranayama aligned with personal goals by setting specific goals through meditation, reflection, and research from primary teachers and performing a practice that addresses each goal. Apply Patanjali's eight limbs of yoga to their personal practice by reading the Yoga Sutras, interpreting each limb in reflective writing, and discussing how they apply the limbs to their own daily life and practice. Apply the ethical principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in teaching by learning about their students, researching current policies and best practices, and using these practices to serve a diverse group of students. Identify their personal learning style by completing a learning style assessment and naming the teaching tools and techniques most effective for their own learning. Develop a list of professional resources for continuous learning and professional development in the yoga, health, and wellness field by researching relevant organizations and sharing findings with their cohort.
Teaching Skills	Evaluate contraindications of common asanas by identifying risks for a student presented in a case study, selecting an adapted version of the pose that meets the student's needs, and demonstrating the adaptation in asana and teaching labs. Examine disabilities, limitations, diseases, and other conditions affecting the skeletal, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, nervous, and respiratory systems by researching assigned conditions through case studies, identifying how each condition affects a student's asana practice, and discussing observations in asana and teaching labs. Implement an inclusive yoga environment by asking students about their needs, building positive and professional rapport, actively observing students, and offering props and modifications to all students. Explain how disabilities, injuries, and other life circumstances affect a person's ability and approach to yoga practice by researching relevant conditions, interviewing a person with lived experience, and discussing findings during case studies and asana and teaching labs. Explain the role of a peak asana within a sequence by identifying the peak asana in a sequence such as the Luminary Way and describing how the surrounding asanas prepare for and follow it. Demonstrate commonly used asanas and ways to differentiate them by teaching each asana with clear cues and offering variations matched to students' needs in case studies and teaching labs. Explain different learning styles and their implications for teaching by completing a learning style self-assessment, describing major learning styles and Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, and identifying effective teaching strategies for different types of learners. Develop a repository of pedagogical tools and techniques by researching best practices, teaching theories, and uses of props, and practicing selected tools during teaching labs. Demonstrate improvisational teaching skills by participating in arts-based improv exercises and responding to hypothetical teaching scenarios with on-the-spot choices that serve the students present. Differentiate which asanas and pranayama suit specific student needs and class formats, such as chair or inclusive classes, by analyzing case studies involving health conditions, life circumstances, and disabilities and explaining which practices to include or avoid. Apply anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics to teaching asanas and transitions by demonstrating, explaining, and cueing each asana and guiding students safely into and out of poses during asana and teaching labs. Demonstrate professional presentation and a welcoming class environment by presenting themselves professionally in dress, speech, and scent, greeting each student, organizing mats, and preparing a clean space with appropriate sound, scent, lighting, and other sensory elements. Create a meaningful personal practice by synthesizing what they have learned about yoga, the body, mind, and spirit and explaining how these elements shape their practice. Demonstrate teaching of the Luminary Way series by guiding peers in teaching labs and friends, family, and members of the public through the full series with accurate sequencing and clear cues.

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Graded Demonstration
Other
Solo Project Or Presentation
Written Submission
Group Project Or Presentation
Case Study
Direct Observation
Graded Skill Demonstration

Assessments for The Luminary Way program are written, performance and project based:

Group discussions
Google classroom submissions for written work
Written journal entries
Solo presentations on program material
Group presentations on program material
Solo teaching demonstrations (teaching labs)
Written and oral presentations of case studies
Summative Assessment: 40 meditation practice and journaling
Summative Assessment: Teaching Practicum

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Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Dina Denis-Paolucci

Dina Denis-Paolucci is a Queens-based educator, dancer, & choreographer. She holds a BA in Dance from Hofstra University and an MA in Dance Education from NYU. Dina is a NYS K–12 certified dance educator, an E-RYT and CYT Level-3 AYC Yoga Teacher, and a certified Zena Rommett...

Floral Park, NY, US

Adjunct Faculty