"The Qoya Intensive Teacher Training was one of the most profound experiences I’ve been blessed to have. While the weeklong Intensive was transformative, I have really begun to feel the transformation during the integration process. The energetic shifts I received in Costa Rica began as a download straight into my heart and lovingly absorbed into every molecule of my being. My perspective of presence and participation in the world around me truly is an unfolding as the embodiment of my Divine essence. I am eternally grateful for the gifts Qoya has offered me."
LEIGAH LOCKE, Qoya Teacher
"The Qoya Teacher Training Intensive is one of the richest experiences I've ever had. Get ready to dive deep into yourself, magic, and community. This training removed many layers of falsehood I hadn't known I was carrying. At times I felt I was running a spiritual marathon - and loving every second of it. My heart burst open. I was taken to the center of the mysterious spiral of life. Come as you are, leave as yourself unbound. Why wouldn't you?"
VIRGINIA, Qoya Teacher
"Qoya Intensive was more than I could ever have imagined. Each day felt like a lifetime in the best possible way. Each individual day was worth the investment, let alone the whole week. Each exercise, ritual, discussion, lecture, and class were woven together perfectly. I went in knowing what Qoya is and I was able to teach a class. I came out feeling the spirit of Qoya in my bones—like it was alchemically transferred into my being. The way the group comes together in this environment is nothing short of magical. I know that the intentions, dreams, and desires I brought to the Intensive are being nurtured in the hearts of all the women who held space for me to plant them."
KACI, Qoya Teacher
"The Qoya Intensive Teacher Training in Costa Rica went far beyond my expectations. I've been teaching Qoya classes for three years and the Intensive week took my teaching to a whole other level with an even bigger expansion in my spiritual growth. I feel fortunate to teach and live the message of Qoya. It would be well worth it to take this course every year just for my own personal growth."
BETSY, Qoya Teacher
The Qoya Teacher Training is a profound experience for personal growth that offers practices and tools to hold space for others in your community as they dance with the blessings and challenges of their lives.
This course is not only about what and how to teach a Qoya class. You learn "what" Qoya is in the Intro and "how" in the Initiation. The Intensive is "why" you teach a Qoya class—specifically, why YOU teach a Qoya class.
In a moment when movement as medicine is needed, why would you call in sacred space? Why would you circle? Why would you open your heart or your hips? Why would you dance your yoga as prayer, shake, do a grapevine, free dance or sit across from another human being and share?
When you get to the heart of anything, you get to the heart of everything. When you get to the heart of Qoya, you get to the heart of yourself.
Please note: this is NOT a retreat. This is not relaxing (except to your soul, who loves this inquiry). This is not full of free time to get massages and rest. This is an intensive, and you will do better if you come well-rested and prepared, having taught at least 11 practice classes. You should come ready to do your inner work, to create and co-create experiences, and to teach for the group and shine.
Qoya's style of leadership is not to take up all the space and ask you to be like the teacher. Instead, we prefer to create opportunities for you to rise and shine your unique medicine into the circle. We are counting on you to show up fully if you enroll in this training. We also ask that you feel a big YES in your body when you sign up since the whole point of Qoya is to deepen the connection between being able to listen to and honor the wisdom in your body.
We look forward to dancing together and if you have any questions, please reach out to info@qoya.love, and we'll be happy to help.
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”
The Intensive is a powerful week of personal transformation.
Qoya is a way to practice keeping your channel open by exploring the nourishment of movement, ritual, and community connection. From a place of embodied presence, each person opens up to be guided on the most aligned paths for them to share their gifts.
My desire is to empower you to continue to share Qoya with your communities. The Intensive is also a prerequisite for those who with to learn how to lead Qoya retreats and teacher trainings.
One of the most valuable parts of the experience is that everyone who participates in the training will lead a full Qoya class for the group. This embodied experience of guiding a group and taking classes from 6+ other teachers is a great example of learning by doing. The best way to learn how to teach a Qoya class is to teach a Qoya class! It is important that each person prepare by doing their practice classes before the gathering and will be required to send Rochelle a video recording of their class no later than two weeks before the training. We do this to honor everyone's time and make sure that people are ready to teach before leading the group. It's also a great way to receive insights and tips from Rochelle on your teaching path to integrate as they feel resonant.
The Intensive is a very intimate experience in which we come together exploring the energetic transmission of each pillar of a Qoya class by doing a full Qoya class to embody that pillar, a ritual to honor the energetic transmission, and community connection to support and be supported by the group. If you're feeling the call for an immersion in movement, ritual, and community connection, we'd love to share this time with you.
Qoya is based on the idea through movement, we remember.
We remember our essence is wise, wild and free.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
April 13, 2024
4:00pm: Arrive and Check In
6:30pm-7:30pm: Dinner
8:00pm: Opening Ceremony
Daily Schedule
7:30am-8:30am: Breakfast
9:00am-12:00am: Morning Session
12:00pm-2:00pm: Lunch
2:00pm-6:00pm: Afternoon Session
6:00pm-7:30pm: Dinner
7:30pm-9:00pm: Evening Session
April 20, 2024
7:00am-8:30am: Closing Session
8:30am-9:30am: Breakfast
10:00am: Departure
FACILITATOR
Your facilitator for this journey is Qoya founder Rochelle Schieck.
In the last 20 years, Rochelle has traveled around the world as a student and teacher leading over 4,000 movement classes, training hundreds of Qoya teachers in 20 different countries, and taking women on over 80 retreats around the world.
In the last two years, she had deepened her travels inside herself. Her hope is that she can be a vessel for nourishing wisdom to come through with a simple message, "Listen to your body."
She believes that movement is medicine and that when we are willing to make time to connect, there are infinite opportunities for the soul to learn, grow, and serve with love.
LOCATION
This retreat will be held at Blue Spirit, one of the foremost world-class yoga and meditation retreat centers in Costa Rica. Located in Nosara, the center is perched on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean and a three-mile white sand beach that is protected as a turtle refuge. The pristine nature, subtropical climate, dedicated staff, and the healing energy of the center provides an extraordinary setting for spiritual transformation, personal growth, and environmental sustainability.
Click here to learn more about Blue Spirit’s Covid-19 safety protocols.
COST + ROOM CHOICES
PLEASE NOTE: All rooms are priced at single occupancy. If you desire to share a room with a loved one, please contact us for double-occupancy pricing.
Ocean View with A/C ($4,041)
The Ocean View rooms have step-out balconies and beautiful ocean views. Each room has a king-sized bed or two twins, with a full en suite bathroom with solar hot water, air conditioning, and overhead fan. These rooms have a safety box large enough to fit a 17″ laptop computer. The Ocean View Rooms are located in the main building, reachable by stairs or elevator.
Mountain View with A/C ($3,939)
The Mountain Room double has a step-out balcony and large windows with an extraordinary mountain view to take in the true sound healing in Costa Rica. It has a king-sized bed or two twins with a full en suite bathroom with solar hot water, air conditioning, and overhead fan. These rooms have a safety box large enough to fit a 17″ laptop computer. The Mountain View Rooms are located in the main building, reachable by stairs or elevator.
Nature Suites with A/C ($3,780)
Nature Suites are very cozy and located on a hillside overlooking the lush vegetation. They are simple and natural wood frame structures and have private bathrooms with an outdoor shower overlooking the jungle. Each Suite sleeps two people and includes a separate enclosed porch with a desk. All Suites have solar hot water as well as air conditioning. The Suites are a short walk up the hill to the Main Building. Nature Suites have a safety box large enough to fit a 17" laptop computer.
Hermitage Rooms with A/C ($3,399)
These rooms are specifically designed for singles and provide privacy and elegance, while being cozy and inexpensive. Many of these rooms have partial views of the ocean and others of the mountains nearby, a queen-sized bed, a private bathroom with solar hot water and air conditioning. There are also a few Hermitage Rooms available with twin beds for two people. Hermitage Rooms have a safety box large enough to fit a 17" laptop computer.
Eco-Cottages ($3,177)
The cottages are beautifully situated in lush vegetation, allowing for a sensual being-in-touch experience with nature. They are simple and natural wood frame structures with screening for natural ventilation. Each Cottage sleeps two people and has a private bathroom with ambient temperature water shower, or you can use our shared bathhouse with hot water showers. Everything runs on solar powered electricity to provide a comfortable and ecological setting. The Eco-Cottages are situated below the Main Building and involve a short hike up a stone stairway to get to the Main Building. Each Eco-Cottage has a safety box large enough to fit a 17" laptop computer.
Platform Tent with A/C ($2,673)
Our glamping wall-style tents are surrounded by nature and a 5-minute hike away via a stone stairway from Blue Spirit’s main building (reception, dining hall, etc.) Each Tent features a queen-sized regular platform bed, electric outlet(s), a pedestal fan, and is placed on a platform that is covered by a wooden roof to protect against sun and rain. A few steps away, guests will find a bathhouse that features two different wings (women & men) with each featuring several sinks, showers, and toilets. All linens, pillows, and towels are provided, and guests can bring valuables to be stored in the safety box at Reception at no charge.
PREREQUISITES
You must have completed the Introduction to Qoya online training ($250) and your Initiation Training ($600) in order to attend the Intensive. If you’d like some guidance on how to complete these requirements before an upcoming Intensive, please contact us at info@qoya.love.
CERTIFICATION
To become a Certified Qoya Teacher offering Qoya classes to the general public, you must complete the Intensive training, which includes teaching a class to a Qoya Teacher Trainer, and sign our Teacher Training Agreement. At the Intensive, you will have the opportunity to teach your class and sign the agreement, completing your Qoya Teacher journey. You can also opt to teach your certification class after the Intensive, if you desire more time to work on your teaching. To maintain your certification, you must participate in our Continuing Education program, which includes monthly phone calls with Rochelle and other resources to support your teaching practice.
COST + REGISTER
This Intensive is open to women 18+ of all backgrounds and at all phases of their life’s journey, who identify as female or as non-binary.
Your tuition includes:
7 nights accommodation
3 meals a day of delicious, nourishing food
Intensive Tuition
Your tuition does not include:
travel to Costa Rica
shuttle from the airport to Blue Spirit
$60 gratuity for retreat staff at checkout
massages or other spa services
Register Now
Payment plans available until February 1, 2024.
Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel for any reason and we can find a person to take your spot, we will refund the amount paid minus a $250 administration fee. If we cannot find a person to take your spot, there are no refunds; however, you can transfer your paid spot to someone else or hold what you’d paid as a course credit for a future training.
Frequently Asked Questions
+ What time of day does the course start, and what time does it finish?
It starts with dinner at 6pm on the 13th, and ends at 10am on the 20th. We recommend that you arrive around 4pm on the 13th to have time to settle in before dinner.
+ Will I be a certified teacher after the training is complete?
To be a Qoya Certified teacher, all the 3 course levels must be completed (Intro, Initiation, and Intensive), and you must teach a class for a Qoya Teacher Trainer, either at the Intensive retreat or afterwards either live or via video. To maintain your certication, you must also sign the Qoya Teacher Training Agreement and participate in our Continuing Education program.
+ I am interested in the teacher training itself, but I’m not sure if I want to teach. Is that okay?
If you are a regular Qoya participant, Teacher Training is an amazing way to bring more structure and inspiration to your personal practice, and to go deeper into the fundamentals of Qoya. That said, the focus of the Intensive will be on teaching Qoya to others. We have many teachers who incorporate Qoya into other offerings they have, like workshops, and those who simply wish to offer it to family and friends in a ritual space, without holding formal classes.
+ How do I start?
To recap: the first part, the [Intro to Qoya Online Training][1], can be done online and is a great introduction to the principals of Qoya and teaches you how to start leading your own at-home practice.
The second part, the Initiation to Qoya Teacher Training, is completed by taking 11 Qoya classes online or in person, attending an in person Initiation training, and teaching 11 Qoya classes to friends and family. We want you to be initiated into the powerful and transformational aspects through your experience, and the best way to learn to teach Qoya is by teaching Qoya!
The third part of the Qoya Teacher Training is the Intensive.
+ Teaching 11 classes sounds hard! How do I do it? Can I advertise and charge money?
Some women feel comfortable to teach after completing the online training, but most women find they feel comfortable teaching others after the Initiation training. When you register for the Initiation training, you'll receive access to the Qoya Portal, which contains 11 audio and video classes for you to take. After you've taken them, we recommend that you teach each class to a friend or family member.
Your 11 classes cannot be advertised to the public, nor can you charge money for them; however, you can leave a basket by the door and ask for any donations for space rental and supplies so that your community can support you.
You do not need a large group to constitute a class. A class can be taught to 1 person. You can teach a class to another Qoya teacher locally or via Skype and count that as one of your 11.
The most important thing is that you arrive at the Intensive completely comfortable to teach a class to the group, so that you can focus on the real training of the retreat, which is not about the logistics of the movement, but about the deeper philosophies of Qoya and going into them first so you can then lead others.
+ I have more questions. Who do I contact?
Any questions we haven't covered here? Email us at info@qoya.love.