Training Intensive

Foundation Course Content

200+ hour Yoga Alliance accredited

Overview

In Detail

Asana is the typical starting point in yoga.  It is also the area that you will primarily teach.  As you deepen in the other areas your asana and how you teach it will develop.  The poses have the power to open up energy channels, build strength and flexibility, rearrange the nervous system and detoxify the body's inner organs.  In addition to practicing asana you will focus on specific poses.  The ashtanga primary series is our model, including a number of other appropriate asanas.  Alignment, breath, inner focus, benefits, common mistakes and variations are covered for each pose.  You will learn from doing the pose, adjusting it and guiding a student in it, in both group and private instruction.  All the categories of asana are covered: standing, balancing, forward bends, backward bends, twists, inversions  (approx. 50 poses).  Sun salutations are a major component of the practice.  Both the ashtanga (jump back) and classical 12-point will be studied.  The vinyasa element of jump back and through will also be studied.  After working through a number of poses you then learn how to help guide someone in them.

Pranayama

In Patanjali's 8-limb system (ashtanga) pranayama is the fourth, after asana.  Its importance is stated in many classical texts.  It is typically misunderstood and taught badly.  It is an extremely subtle activity with tremendous effects on the nervous system and mind.  The training on this course is grounded in the correct and classical teaching, as taught by the Kaivalyadham, India, one of the few authorities on this subject.  You will learn and practice the preparations for pranayama and six classical techniques.  You will be guided and observed carefully.  You build a practice through daily practice.  Upon completion you will understand the nature of inhale, exhale and retention, correct performance of each pranayama, and how to guide someone in basic breathing practice.   You will also fully study the breath and its mechanisms.

Concentration/Meditation    

These are the sixth and seventh limbs of ashtanga.  Building concentration of mind should be developed in all practices.  You will learn how to harness the mind's focus and energy while in asana and pranayama.  It then will become a direct practice when you sit for meditation.  Meditation cannot be "done", it "happens".  But when is that?  You will have your own experience.  To develop it and help the process you will go through concentration techniques, external to internal.  Often these are called meditation techniques.  To be accurate they are steps to meditation engaging the mind through concentration.  The growth in this area will reveal itself in your practice of the other limbs.  Progress in asana and pranayama is essential and directly affects concentration, the movement of mind. Above all, living it by observing yama and niyama aligns our being which can only then bring it about.

Philosophy

Yoga is summed up in the Bagavad Gita and laid down in the sutras of Patanjali.   Our key text will be Patanjali's sutras.  Hearing and even understanding it will open your practice and give you the basis to teach.  The Bagavad Gita is also covered but in less detail.  Other classical texts such as the HathaPradipika, the Gheranda Samhita and the Upanishads will be presented so you have an overview of the body of literature, their content, and what is necessary for further study.

Teaching

This is a practical course and a lot is learnt through doing.  The first ten days you will work with your fellow trainees in teaching assignments.  The effort of explaining and showing something further embeds it in your consciousness.  From the eleventh day onwards there will be actual students in classes.  You will progress from observation, to assisting, to adjusting, to private instruction to group instruction. 

Your Practice

As already stated, your practice is your foundation.  Daily you will practice asana, pranayama and meditation.  The other elements of the course will gradually be added in to your practice.  What you build as your practice you will understand and then be able to teach.  Your practice will be deepened, cleaned up and encouraged.   What you ultimately practice integrates your personality, develops your mind and ultimately leads to higher states of awareness.

Physical Anatomy

You will methodically go through the anatomy of the human being.  It will be related to the asanas you do and, where relevant, to the higher yogic practices.

Yogic Anatomy

Awareness and understanding of the vital layer of the body can greatly advance your practice.  You will study it and then integrate it in to your practice.  The chakras will be covered in detail, and the nadis, vayus, koshas will all be learnt and understood in the light of the process of yoga.

Chanting

In the vedic system practically every activity is commenced and concluded with a chant.  In addition, devotion (bhakti) is felt and increased through chanting sessions known as kirtan.  From Om on chants permeate the practice.  Usually a yoga class is begun with a chant.  There are some classic chants you will learn, some slokas which are standard, and on occasion bhajans will be engaged in lively kirtans.   The difference between all these will be explained.  There is little to learn just much to experience.

Diet

Much confusion surrounds what, when and how to eat.  We will focus on this controversial topic from an understanding of food's effect on the body and mind in the gross and the subtle.  Food is one of the biggest influencers on our practice.  It is not just about good and clean health but the nurturing of the nervous system and mind.  No change of diet is requested but hopefully through understanding positive changes can be made.  The best way to reform is from an inner resolution.  The food served will be healthy, nutritious and tasty.  It will be vegetarian but the option of fish and eggs will be there for those who still require it.

Injuries and Pains (therapy)

An injury will cause pain but not every pain is the result of an injury.  When the practice is done properly certain pains come as a result of the body opening up, changes in the nervous system, an inner reorganization and the "release" of past actions.  Improper activity, whether in practice or not, will cause injury.  We will go over how to deal and work with both cases.

Satkarma Kriyas

These are cleansing and purification actions.  They prepare the practitioner for deeper practice.  All will be presented and four will be practiced and subsequently learned.

Chakra Focus

We will study the subtle body in yogic anatomy. Here though we tune in to it in a practical way, to this energetic, pranic body. Its functioning and efficiency therein directly affects the grosser physical frame. At the core lies the chakras. How can we stimulate them, energize them, work with them and benefit directly from their opening. Chakra focus and exercises will be brought in to our daily practice for this to happen. It will also serve to turn your attention inwards and grow deeper in practice and understanding of this art and science, this fulfilling and exhilarating approach to life.

Going on to Teach

How to put together a class, what classes to teach, how students will find you, where to teach, the difference between privates and group classes and the answers (hopefully) to whatever other questions you have.

Teaching Special Cases        

Not everyone falls under the category of average health.  Different approaches, as well as compassion and patience, are needed for children, people with disabilities and overweight cases.  Simple approaches will be taught and where possible even practiced.  Some cases will also be simulated.

Sanskrit

The language of yoga is Sanskrit.  Even the names of poses are in Sanskrit.  It is the oldest used language and the base for many.  All language is simply vibration and Sanskrit is the highest and best organized.  Hearing and chanting it has an extremely positive effect on the state of your mind.  You will learn the alphabet, numbers, pronunciation and the chanting of all pose names, slokas and sutras in Sanskrit.  It is taught in a very light and enjoyable way so it ends up being probably one of your favorite elements!

Ayurveda & Yoga

These are sister sciences.  Ayurveda is not well understood by most.  We will only present it from an informative point of view, its relevance and connection to yoga, the different doshas and how knowledge of it can be of benefit to you.  This is an overview,  primarily to dispel any misconceptions and ignorance, giving you the basis to objectively inform others and some insight to if you want to study it further.

Karma Yoga

Translates as the yoga of action but typically taken to mean selfless service.  On occasion, as a group, we will offer our services to help out in worthy activities for the benefit of others.