Modern Yoga Foundation Course

Modern Yoga foundation course

A contemporary approach to yoga that combines evidence-based movement theories with revolutionary teaching principles. This 12-session course reveals how your spine functions as the engine of movement, while integrating modern understanding of functional movement patterns. Available both in-studio and online.

This course is designed for::

  • Complete beginners seeking an authentic foundation in yoga
  • Those interested in moving beyond conventional approaches
  • Desire a deeper understanding of their body’s unique patterns
  • People seeking a gentler, more sustainable practice
  • Anyone looking to combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle
  • Students interested in evidence-based movement techniques

Yoga is to join the limited to the unlimited, the finite to the infinite.

Apa Pant, Prince of Aundh

Meet your instructor

Erling McCracken

With over two decades of experience teaching yoga, I specialise in integrating evidence-based movement theories with Scaravelli-inspired yoga principles. My approach emphasises functional movement patterns and modern understanding of body mechanics, while honouring Vanda Scaravelli’s revolutionary insights about the body’s natural intelligence. This combination makes yoga accessible to everyone, regardless of age or physical ability.

I created this course to bridge the gap between contemporary movement science and Scaravelli’s profound understanding of how the body works. By focusing on the spine as the engine of movement and incorporating both proven principles of functional movement and Scaravelli’s teachings about gravity, breath, and spinal awareness, this program offers a progressive approach that’s especially relevant for today’s lifestyle challenges.

What Makes This Course Unique?

Foundations of Natural Movement in Yoga

The Modern Yoga Foundation Course offers a deep understanding of how yoga works and why it benefits you. You’ll explore your unique body patterns, focus on movements and poses tailored to you, and learn breathing techniques and meditation. The course also covers yoga’s history, including its origins in India, the development of Modern Postural Yoga, and Scaravelli’s revolutionary approach to working with the body’s inherent intelligence.

What you’ll learn:

  • Foundations of Movement & Body Intelligence
  • The Spine, Breath & Gravity (Scaravelli Principles)
  • Anatomy, Safety & Sustainability
  • Working with your body’s inherent intelligence
  • Discovering your unique body patterns and natural movement
  • Traditional Wisdom & Modern Practice

Course Format:

  • 12 one-hour sessions
  • Available face-to-face or online
  • Comprehensive course materials including PDFs, video tutorials, and reflection worksheets
  • Community discussion and support
  • Regular feedback and guidance from your instructor
A woman performs a yoga pose on a sunny beach, under a partly cloudy sky.
graphic of body and nervous system for yoga foundation course

The Modern Yoga Foundation Course

The Scaravelli-inspired yoga practice we follow cultivates acute inner listening, tapping into your body’s intuitive knowledge.

  • Yoga Body 
  • The ethos of Vanda Scaravelli’s approach to yoga is one of exploration and receptivity. Her focus on the body’s inherent intelligence helps us understand ourselves more deeply and find a more authentic connection with our practice. In this way, we can uncover new layers of ourselves through our yoga practice and come to appreciate the beauty of our human nature.
  • Developing Awareness
  • Yoga is more than just a physical practice. It is an opportunity to connect with our innermost selves and learn more about who we are. Through the practice of yoga, we can learn to listen to our bodies and understand what they are telling us. We can learn to discriminate between tension and effort and find the balance that is right for each individual. This self-awareness can help us to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
  • The Felt Sense
  • “When we practice yoga, we focus on the sensations of what we feel when we move. This felt sense helps us learn to differentiate the feeling of a relaxed muscle from that of a working muscle and that of an active muscle from that of a tense muscle”. In Scaravelli-inspired yoga, we learn to find support through our skeleton, our bones. Resting through bones, as opposed to muscles, requires no effort, and muscles have less work to do when we arrange our bones well. When we practice like this, we learn to reduce habitually held tension. Yoga allows us to explore our body’s inherent intelligence and learn how to listen to what our bodies tell us. ( Pete Blackaby )

Module One: Foundations of Movement & Body Intelligence

Discover how to work with your body’s inherent intelligence through Scaravelli’s revolutionary approach, supported by modern understanding of movement patterns.

Key Learnings:

  • Introduction to yoga fundamentals and authentic benefits.
  • Understanding your unique body patterns.
  • Developing the ‘felt sense’ in practice.
  • Essential breathing techniques and their physiological effects.
  • How to read and respond to your body’s signals.
  • Understanding the difference between effort and tension.

Materials included:

  • How to Modern Postural Yoga PDF.
  • Two hours of teaching.
  • Practice journal.
  • Homework assignments.

Modern Yoga foundation course

Module Two: The Spine, Breath & Gravity

Explore the core principles of Scaravelli-inspired yoga, where the relationship between spine, breath, and gravity forms the foundation of intelligent movement.

Key Learnings:

  • Understanding how your spine functions as the centre of the movement.
  • Exploring spinal waves and natural movement patterns.
  • The breath-spine connection and its role in releasing tension.
  • Using gravity as a supportive force.
  • Skeletal alignment and support systems.
  • Moving beyond rigid forms to find freedom in practice.

Materials included:

  • Illustrated guide to spinal mechanics and movement.
  • Practice sequences for exploration.
  • Video tutorials for key concepts.
  • Weekly reflection worksheets.
  • Anatomical reference materials.

Modern Yoga foundation course

Module Three: Integration & Sustainable Practice

Bring together traditional yoga wisdom with contemporary understanding to develop a sustainable, lifelong practice.

Key Learnings:

  • Safe and sustainable movement practices.
  • Modifying practices for your unique body.
  • Understanding yoga’s historical context and evolution.
  • Practical application of yoga principles in modern life.
  • Developing intuitive movement awareness..
  • Building a personal practice framework.

Materials included:

  • Practice modification guide.
  • Historical context handbook.
  • Personal practice planning tools.

Enroll in Modern Yoga Foundation Course today!

Pay In Full

Save more by paying upfront. Enjoy complete access to all modules, resources, and support from day one, hassle-free.

£420 total

most affordable

3 Payments

Spread the cost over three months for added flexibility. Begin your journey today with an easy monthly payment plan.

£154 x 3 months

most flexible

Prices are in Pounds Streling.

pricing

The Yoga itself demanded focus, and was at times quite intense, but the good pace of this work and time for rest, both during and between sessions, gave great room to become far more self aware. The learning created by Erling’s subtle and personal approach has given me a great opportunity for growth. Clearly the methods he uses have been gained with great experience.

Brett Walpole, Author

FAQs

We are always happy to help. Please get in touch to arrange a 15-minute pre-course consultation.

No! This course is designed for complete beginners and those looking to deepen their understanding of modern yoga practices.

The course is delivered via live-streamed sessions and includes downloadable materials. All you need is a yoga mat, a quiet space, and a device with an internet connection.

Recordings of live sessions will be available for a limited time, allowing you to catch up at your convenience. In person sessitions can be resheduled.

Yes, the course emphasises a gentle, sustainable approach and includes modifications for different abilities and needs.

The curriculum integrates principles from modern movement science and Scaravelli’s teachings to ensure a safe, functional, and effective yoga practice.

Aligning your practice with your body’s natural mechanics will improve mobility, reduce tension, and foster a sustainable approach to yoga.

You’ll retain access to downloadable PDFs and video tutorials for ongoing practice.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows freedom of movement. Bring a yoga mat, a water bottle, and any helpful props, such as blocks or straps.

By the end of the Modern Yoga Foundation Course, you’ll feel more aligned with your body, mind, and breath. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refine your practice, this course provides a foundation for sustainable, lifelong yoga.

Refund Policy

  • Refunds are available up to two week before the course starts.
  • No refunds once the course is started.

Cancellation Policy

  • You must notify us at least 14 days prior to the course start date.
  • We retain the right to cancel without prior warning, issuing a full refund
  • We are governed by UK law