Give us a call at 205-547-2246 or email us at abundanceyogabirmingham@gmail.com for a consult about having a Private lesson with an instructor in person or over Zoom. We can help you with anything your practice needs, from the very basics to reviewing your alignment or even helping you adjust your practice after an injury.
Available in person and on Zoom. This trauma sensitive class focuses on the sensations we feel during deep breathing, intentional movement and awareness meditation. Props are generously used and encouraged to deepen awareness of sensations and focus on regulating our nervous system for healing. Join Nancy Cunningham, EYT 500, YACEP each week.
Nancy (she/her) is a body positive, fat acceptance activist, co-owner and instructor at Abundance Yoga. She struggled with dieting, weight and the size and shape of her body from the age of 6. The message she got early was that her body wasn’t right and it needed to be changed. Many years of dieting and on and off exercising lead to disordered eating.
Nancy found yoga as part of a recovery journey. She found the practice allowed her to let go and be in the present. She became passionate about sharing it with others and started teaching Fat Girl Yoga, a class designed to reclaim the word fat from being insulting and to reach women that felt like they didn’t fit in yoga. Nancy embraces the word fat and wants everyone to recognize that the size and shape of our body is not good or bad, that foods and what we eat are not good or bad.
Nancy speaks out against diet culture and health myths that have marginalized fat bodies and offers yoga that’s welcoming, affirming and full of permission to be exactly as you are. Nancy is building a community based on love and acceptance. She knows how it feels to be the largest body in the room and to think everyone can do this but you.
Nancy is also our massage therapist, LMT #5592, a graduate of Birmingham School of Massage Therapy and is certified in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular Therapy, Gua Sha and Hot Stone Massage techniques.
Nancy is passionate about functional movement for connecting to our body and appreciating our quality and longevity of life. She has witnessed changes in her own body through pairing yoga and massage and specializes in creating a safe and accepting space to help others in their search for movement and deep relaxation. She believes that pairing the practice of yoga and regular massage can create the healing we all need for deep peace.
Nancy is an E-RYT 500 hour certified and YACEP certified yoga educator. Nancy holds certifications in Chair, Restorative, Yoga for Sensory Disorders, and Curvy Yoga. Nancy is trained in Yoga for Children, Kundalini, Prenatal, Yin Yoga, and Yoga for All. Nancy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in the Science of Health and Wellness and is a National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association certified Wellness Coach.
This Hatha Flow is an intermediate class that features a combination of longer holds aimed at building strength and balance and flowing slowly from one pose to the next. Join Sarah Burland, E-RYT 500 each week to build your strength and mobility in order to tackle more advanced Asanas.
Sarah (she/her) began practicing yoga in 2012 as part of a weight loss journey. She was delighted to discover that yoga empowered her to enjoy physical activity and that it was possible for a plus size body to be strong and athletic.
As she got deeper into her practice, she discovered the mental benefits of yoga and meditation and made them a permanent fixture in her life.
Sarah now focuses on core strength and all over body training. She has a firsthand understanding of physical limitations caused by scoliosis, arthritis, balance disorders, and the loose skin issues that arise from massive weight loss.
Sarah is certified in Hatha, Curvy Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yin Yoga, and has continuing education in Accessible Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Yoga for Scoliosis, Reiki, and Integral Anatomy.
Give us a call at 205-547-2246 for a consult about corporate yoga. We can organize a regular class tailored to your employees' needs, or we can create a special, one-off event. We also commonly work in clinical environs should you need to organize an accessible class for patients. Price varies by commitment, but the average is $150 an hour to account for travel and setup.
TEACHER TRAINING
200 hour Yoga Teacher Training
Abundance Yoga School's Teacher Training focuses on providing instructors in training the tools to create equitable yoga for everyone. This Hatha based training offers a deeper understanding of your own practice while giving you everything you need to lead yoga classes and become a 200 hour registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance.
Learn to help students find their own successful yoga practice that meets the needs of their daily life and give them space to feel home again in their own body.
This training is registered with and meets all the requirements of a 200 hour yoga school training program under the Yoga Alliance standards. You will receive a full access unlimited pass for any regular classes, on-demand items, or online classes at Abundance Yoga for the length of the program.
A Deeper Look Into What You Will Take Away With You
● Learn a teaching methodology that sets a solid foundation for both your yoga practice and teaching,
● Gain a firm understanding of anatomy and its practical application to asana so that you can practice and teach with greater confidence and skill,
● Learn the art of peak pose sequencing, which will empower you to develop safe, smart and creative class sequences,
● Deepen your own mental well being by learning to practice and teach key meditation and pranayama techniques,
● Gain a clear understanding of yoga history and the real-world application of key philosophical texts,
● Learn about the subtle body systems, such as the koshas, chakras and vayus,
● Participate in practices, asana labs, practice teaching, and structured practicums that will radically deepen your personal practice and elevate your teaching,
● Connect with a community of like minded yogis to nourish your passion and dive into your personal growth.
Additional Points:
● This program is perfect for those looking to dive into their passion, as well as those who wish to teach.
● For any level of practitioner; you don’t have to be flexible or able to do fancy poses to take the training. Your personal practice will deepen at the pace that works for you.
This is a Hybrid Training
Some training days will be in person at a space in Birmingham, AL (TBA), and on others you will be joining faculty on Zoom.
Training times & dates
TBA (Starting in March 2026)
Required Reading and reference materials (hard copy):
Yoga Anatomy, Third edition by Leslie Kaminoff
The Heart of Yoga by T K V Desikachar
Yoga for Everyone by Dianne Bondy
Required reading/listening materials (audio copies or hard copies):
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - several translations are available
The Bhagavad Gita – several translations are available
Yoga and Body Image by Melanie Klein & Anna Guest-Jelley
Required listening:
The Yoga History Podcast with Colin Hall
Let’s Talk Yoga with with Arudhati Baitmangalkar
Recommended Online Resources:
Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight | TED Talk
Optional reference books:
Hatha Yoga Pradipika, translated by Brian Dana Ekers
Ashtanga Yoga Practice Manual by David Swenson
Light on Pranayama by B K S Iyengar (free online PDF is available)
Anatomy Trains by Thomas Meyers
Yoga to Support Immunity: Mind, Body, Breathing Guide to Whole Health by Melanie Salvatore-August
Optional reference books (may be audio versions):
The Eight Limbs of Yoga by Stuart Ray Sarbadu & Kevin Kimple
Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith
The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz
Cost and payment options:
Early Bird (until January 30): $3,000
Full Price: $3,500
Payment Plan ($3,500): $500 by February 30, then $375/month
No certificates will be issued until payment has been received in full
Students are required to bring their own mat and any pertinent materials to training. Any missed training may be made up in private or small group sessions with instructors at the instructors' private session rate. Small groups may split the cost.
Tuition & Refund Policy
● An applicant who withdraws from the program before the Start Date is entitled to a refund
of all monies except for their non-refundable deposit.
● A trainee who withdraws from the course within the first 20 classroom hours may be
refunded up to 80% of the full program price.
● After the first 20 classroom hours, there will be no refunds. If the applicant withdraws
from the program for any reason, the applicant will be responsible for paying the full
tuition, regardless of any partial payments that have been made to date.
Yin Yoga is a slower, meditative practice where poses are held for a longer period of time to target the connective tissues and increase flexibility. Join Sarah Burland, ERYT 500, for a gentle stretch to reset your body.
Sarah (she/her) began practicing yoga in 2012 as part of a weight loss journey. She was delighted to discover that yoga empowered her to enjoy physical activity and that it was possible for a plus size body to be strong and athletic.
As she got deeper into her practice, she discovered the mental benefits of yoga and meditation and made them a permanent fixture in her life.
Sarah now focuses on core strength and all over body training. She has a firsthand understanding of physical limitations caused by scoliosis, arthritis, balance disorders, and the loose skin issues that arise from massive weight loss.
Sarah is certified in Hatha, Curvy Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yin Yoga, and has continuing education in Accessible Yoga, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Yoga for Scoliosis, Reiki, and Integral Anatomy.
Gentle Yoga • Breathwork • Meditation
This is a 4-part holiday yoga series designed to support anxiety, grief, and loneliness through gentle asana, breathwork, and meditation. Each session stands alone and builds on the others. Take all 4 or just 1!
Session 1: Easing Anxiety – Creating Space
Session 2: Moving Through Grief – Softening Into What Is
Session 3: Easing Loneliness – Reconnecting With Self
Session 4: Restoring Hope & Joy – Light Returning