Intention
— to share the philosophies and practices of the Himalayan Tradition | to touch your heart, transform your life, and empower you to carry the light of a living Tradition.
Śakti Sādhanā interweaves Tantra, Yoga, and Sāṅkhya philosophy.
These ancient spiritual systems are as practical as they are profound. Their collective purpose is to guide, grant you access to the inherent sacredness of life, and elevate our relationship to our Self and reality.
The combined wisdom of Tantra, Yoga, and Sāṅkhya sheds light on everything from the most practical and worldly, to the most subtle and sublime. In order to fully understand and experience the scope and ultimate promise of Yoga, we draw from the wisdom of Sāṅkhya and the worldview of Tantra — creating one of the most life affirming and all inclusive spiritual systems ever developed and the light of a living Tradition.
What makes this training unique?
The best teachers begin as the most sincere students and dedicated practitioners.
Rooted in the Tradition of the Himalayan Masters, Śakti Sādhanā draws from ancient wisdom to create a holistic approach to modern practice and life. It is designed to first develop your personal practice, then prepare you to embrace your role as an ethical, impactful teacher with the capacity to carry the light of a living Tradition.
Śakti Sādhanā introduces the philosophies and methodologies of this Tradition and teaches the fundamental systems for sharing them in a deeply meaningful way.
Every module in the training is mindfully crafted for an immersive experience combined with practical, effective teaching methodology. The modules are woven together in a wise progression to deliver knowledge, appreciation, and direct experience of the teachings and techniques of the Tradition.
Your Guide
Natalie Backman
lead teacher
Tantric Yoga has given me an entirely new lease on life.
I was once anxiety-riddled, validation-seeking, victim-identifying and doubtful of my worth. After more than a decade of highly dedicated practice and study I now experience life as beautiful and meaningful, and myself as joyful, peaceful, steady (most of the time), and grateful to be alive.
My relationship with Yoga and Tantra spans twenty plus years and I've been devoted to sharing the teachings of this Tradition for the last twelve. In that time, my experience of Yoga has evolved from physical exercise to a holistic reintegration with my soul. The teaching of Tantric Yoga is integral to my life's purpose and has become my personal spiritual path.
I am a lifelong student of the Himalayan Tradition, profoundly grateful to receive the ongoing guidance of Pandit Rajmani Tigunait along with the other senior teachers at the Himalayan Institute, and the support of the unbroken lineage of the Himalayan Masters.
I share a modern approach to Traditional Tantric Yoga interweaving āsana, prānāyāma, deep relaxation, mantra, meditation, and more. Also certified in Yoga Nidra and Vishoka Meditation®, I endeavor to provide a means for true and thorough transformation. I teach only what I have embodied through direct experience, and guide with the intention to facilitate remembrance of your most sacred Self.
All I do is an offering to the Divine Mother.
It would be an honor to guide you through this journey of healing and help you lay claim to yoga's promises: ultimate freedom and lasting fulfillment.
Jai Mā!
The Contents
Explore the historical context of yoga from the Vedas to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali to begin to answer the question, what is yoga, precisely? How does it look in theory and in practice? How can we embrace it as a lifestyle, rather than merely exercise on a mat? In this module you will also be introduced to the Himalayan Tradition and what it means to study under the guidance and support of a living lineage.
Module Two | The Beauty & Methodology of Tantra
Tantra is an ancient body of wisdom, a worldview, and a system of techniques which help us to maximize our experience of being human. Embracing the truth that all of creation is sacred, Tantra is that which moves us toward an embodied experience of this truth by helping us manage our energy, accelerating our progress, touching our hearts, and protecting us along every step of the path.
Module Three | Wise Progression—Sequencing for Practice & Life
How can we maximize the various components of a complete Tantric Yoga practice (postures, breath, relaxation, meditation + more) for the most impactful practice? In this module we will learn more about each of these various components and discover wise ways to select and sequence them in order to create a truly transformative experience for our students and ourselves.
Module Four | Anatomy & The Six Categories of Āsana
This module is an examination of the major bones, muscles + joints involved in the asana practice, as well as an understanding of the nervous system and how we can access it through the body, the breath, and our mind's power of concentration. We will discuss the difference between the form and the function of the various categories of yoga postures, how to optimize safety by offering modifications appropriate for a wide range of students.
Module Five | Your Subtle Body
We are more than flesh and bone. Tantric Yoga gives us tools for understanding, uncovering, and utilizing our subtle nature to help us maximize our practice, and our experience of being human. In this module we will explore the kośas (layers of the Self), the nadis (energy channels), cakras (energy centers), our prāṇic field, and more. We will also play with effective ways to weave subtle body techniques into the complete practice.
Module Six | Prāṇaśakti & Prāṇāyāma
Meditation is the pinnacle of the complete Tantric Yoga practice. Why? How can we develop a meaningful meditation experience which nurtures and nourishes us and makes us eager to come back for more? First, by developing a meaningful relationship with the Divine in Her form as Prāṇaśakti.
Module Seven | Playing with Prāṇa
What is the nature of the life force known as Prāna? How do we develop sensitivity to it, increase our access to it, and work with it to expand our capacity for growth and evolution? This is where the magic begins, taking the practice from one of a purely physical experience to one in which we can sense that we are not, and never truly have been, alone.
Module Eight | Living Your Dharma
Live In Person in Tuscany
Dharma is one of our soul's four primary desires. It is the desire to fulfill your unique purpose in this lifetime. In this module we will begin to discover what this purpose is, what may be standing in your way of fulfilling it, and how to overcome those obstacles. This Tantric approach to self-discovery, rooted in the wisdom of the Vedas, has the potential to be truly life changing.
Module Nine | Āyurveda & Your Personal Practice
Āyurveda is the sister science of Yoga. Where Yoga is primarily oriented toward spiritual endeavors, Āyurveda is oriented toward health through balance of the various bodies. In this module we will explore a selection of approaches to maintaining this balance such as diet, self-care, prescriptive approaches to asana, pranayama and meditation, and more. In this module we will discover how you can customize your personal practice to complement your ritual of self care, heal and nourish yourself in highly specific ways, and commit to a dedicated practice that evolves with you and accelerates your progress on the path.
As we discovered in Module One, Yoga is so much more than a physical practice. It is a spiritual path. In this module we will entertain one of the most elusive elements of yoga, Īśvara Pranidhāna, trustful surrender. We will also enjoy the bliss inducing practice of bhakti, and the swiftest path to samadhi (enlightenment), Mantra sādhanā.
The Commitment
We gather live one weekend each month — not including the integration months — for 12 months total.
In addition to the live gatherings you will have access to lecture content and self-guided assignments which you can navigate at your own pace between our gatherings.
We will practice together — live via Zoom — every week as a community.
You'll have a one-on-one mentorship session with me every month of the training.
2026 — 2027
23 - 25 October | What is Yoga?
13 - 15 November | The Beauty & Methodology of Tantra
December | Integration — No Live Weekend Gathering
8 - 10 January | Wise Progression - Sequencing for Practice & for Life
5 - 7 February | Anatomy & The Six Categories of Āsana
5 - 7 March | Your Subtle Body
2 - 4 April | Prāṇaśakti & Prāṇāyāma
7 - 9 May | Playing with Prāṇa
15 - 20 June | Living Your Dharma In Person in Tuscany
July | Integration — No Live Weekend Gathering
20 - 22 August | Āyurveda & Developing Your Personal Practice
24 - 26 September | Tantric Meditation & Mantra
Gathering Times
Fridays
9-11am PT / 12-2pm ET / 5-7pm GMT / 6-8pm CET
Saturdays & Sundays
4am-11am PT / 7am-2pm ET /12pm-7pm GMT / 1pm-8pm CET
Community Practice Every Sunday
9am-10:30am GMT / 10am-11:30am CET
Community Practice Every Wednesday
9am-10:30am PT / 12pm-1:30pm ET / 5-pm6:30pm GMT/ 6pm-7:30pm CET
In-Person Portion in Tuscany
15 - 20 June 2027
We will gather as a blended community, Śakti Sādhanā and Embodied Śakti, to enjoy our in-person retreat at Ebbio. Embraced by the nourishing nature and culture of Tuscany, immersed in the Himalayan Tradition’s sacred practices and philosophies, this week will provide a fulfilling completion to our time together in the container of the trainings and establish a foundation for the development of our ongoing relationships.
Daily Practice
Mantra
Meditation
Āsana
Prāṇāyāma
Scripture Study
Contemplation
Conversation
Kitchen Alchemy
Quality time together
creating delicious
culinary delights
with products straight
from the garden or
right off the trees
Quiet Time in Nature
timeless moments
free of the pressure of productivity
quiet stillness
playful silliness
nourishment
long meals in good company
vegetarian
countryside cooking
farm to kitchen
kitchen to table
table to bellies
Self-Discovery
uncover your life's purpose
find meaning in belonging
embrace what brings you joy
learn to serve, selflessly
move toward freedom's embrace
Connection
with people
animals
nature
yourself
and everything in beteen
Apply
Join this intimate teacher training, deepen your own practice, and learn how to guide opportunities for profound transformation.
Apply now, then I will be in touch to schedule your consultation!
Investment
€3,000
In Person Portion in Tuscany is an additional €1,000
Payment can be made in full or in monthly installments
Payment Plan
A Deposit of €500 will confirm your commitment.
Monthly payments commence at €210.00 euro for twelve months.
Cancellation
Deposits are non-refundable, but are transferrable to another training if requested within 30-days of the start of training. Once the training has commenced, all payment plans must be honored, until the training is paid in full. No reimbursements will be made if — for any reason — you are unable to complete the training.
