teacher training

Living Breathing Yoga:
A Fundamental 200 hr Education in Yoga with Jeff & Harmony Lichty
August – November 2013

COURSE OVERVIEW
This course is a fundamental Education in Yoga. It is a period of intense study and practice that will require a strong determination, and personal commitment to explore the philosophy and practices of Ashtanga Yoga.

PART ONE of this course is a 11-day Asana Adjustment Clinic & Yoga Immersion.

August 2 - 11, 2013

This will be a powerful week of practice and learning, which will include a thorough investigation of the postures and adjustments within the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga. We will also be focusing on learning fundamental Pranayama practices, as well as some of the cleansing Kriyas.

PART TWO of this course is a protracted study of 4 weekend Intensives supplemented with 2 weeks of Mysore Practice and Practicum experience.

Weekend Intensives Mysore Week
September 6-8  
October 18-20  
November 8-10 Nov. 11-15
November 15-17  

PLEASE NOTE that the weekends will be held at a separate location.

Each weekend will focus on various aspects of Yoga Theory, Philosophy, History, Anatomy, Chanting, Ayurveda & Diet, along with some supplemental information on the practices of asana, pranayama, kriyas and meditation.

A refinement of the teaching techniques learned during the first week, as well as practical hands on teaching opportunities will given during the weekends, as well as during the Mysore Practice Weeks that follow. This course will give you the foundational knowledge necessary to grow deeply in your personal Yoga practice. Training in the field of Yoga is a life-long process of study and reflection. This period of dedicated study will give you the time to elevate your practice and understanding.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

PART ONE: 11 Day Intensive: August 2 - 11
(This Schedule is Subject to Change)
Friday Aug 2 tba
Saturday & Sunday Aug. 3, 4 tba
Monday – Friday Aug. 5 - 9 5:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday Aug. 10, 11 tba

PART TWO: Weekend Intensives
Fridays tba
Saturday & Sunday tba

PART TWO: Mysore Week Nov 18-22
Monday – Friday 5:30 am – 9:00 am

Areas of Study That Will Be Covered
Techniques: Asana / Pranayama / Meditation/ Kriyas / Chanting
Teaching Methodology: Alignment / Adjustments / Language
Anatomy & Physiology / Philosophy & Ethics / Ayurveda & Lifestyle / Practicum

Tuition
The 200 Hour Teacher Training – Yoga Immersion is $2950.00 CAD (+GST).
Registration includes a 3 Month Unlimited Mysore membership to the Shala.
A deposit of $750.00 CAD is required upon acceptance into the course.
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** The full tuition balance is due by July 12th, 2013.**

Cancellation Policy

Application Process

Prospective Students
This course is for sincere and dedicated students who want to deepen their practice and knowledge of Yoga. This course lays a thorough base for those who have a genuine interest in learning more about the Yoga Tradition and practices, it will also give you the basic skills needed to begin teaching from your own experience.

Prospective students should have a strong interest in growing their personal understanding and practice of Yoga, for it is only from personal experience that you can share with others this ancient discipline.

Students must be committed to their practice. This is the fundamental element of this course. Each student will have direct experience through their own practice of asana, pranayama, kriyas, and concentration-meditation techniques. Only from this cornerstone, can students humbly begin to build their knowledge, skills, and proficiency in the field of Yoga.

Students will receive the benefits of having direct and consistent guidance for their practices. They will become connected to a community of dedicated yoga practitioners who are committed to the practice of Yoga both on and off the mat. From this, we trust that a desire to inspire, lead others, and the ability to share confidently from one's personal experience will start to grow.

Please Keep In Mind
When asked about teacher trainings Sri K. Pattahbi Jois would frequently say, "There are no teacher trainings, only students trainings."

As we teach and practice in the Ashtanga Yoga System of Sri K. Pattahbi Jois, please note that No schools outside of the KPJAYI in Mysore, India, can officially award "teacher-training certificates" in this style of asana practice. R. Sharath Jois, the current director of the KPJAYI, is the only one who can grant students an "official" teaching credential. Students wishing to be "authorized" or "certified" in the system of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois must continue their studies in Mysore with R. Sharath Jois. In every case, where there is a keen interest and desire to grow, further study in India is always recommended.

Course Content

Techniques

Asana
The asana style we practice and teach is based upon the Ashtanga - Vinyasa Yoga System transmitted through Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and his grandson R. Sharath Jois. We feel this is the most thorough approach to Yoga Asana, and have found this practice to be entirely transformative. However, the postures themselves belong to no system or school of Yoga. They have their own benefits and each will be studied on an individual basis, and this knowledge can be applied to other styles of practice.

Pranayama
We practice and teach pranayama in the linage of Swami Kaivalyanada and Sri O.P Tiwari, who is one of the few true Yoga Masters still teaching abroad today. These practices come from a long established tradition, the origin of which can be traced back to Patanjali's classical Eight-Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga). Each student will be guided and closely instructed in the discipline of building and maintaining a personal pranayama practice.

Shatkarma Kriyas
There are six cleansing practices taught in traditional schools of Hatha Yoga. These practices are described in several classical texts on Hatha Yoga such as: Hatha Pradipika, the Gheranda Samhita. This course will give detailed explanation of these six cleansing practices, and students will have direct experience of practicing five of the six techniques.

Concentration & Meditation Techniques
Throughout this course there will be periods where we will explore different techniques for concentrating and directing the mind towards one-pointed awareness. These practices will involve direct practices that work with focusing the mind on a single point, as well as some exercises of introspection and self-reflection.

Philosophy & Ethics

History of Yoga
A look at the major influencing teachers, texts, and developments of Yoga over the centuries. This will include a discussion of the different paths of Yoga and the traditional practices of Yoga in its many forms.

Benefits & Ethics of Yoga
A deeper exploration of the spiritual path of Yoga, the psychology and ethics embedded within the practice, and the importance of the student – teacher relationship.

Yoga Philosophy
The two main texts studied in this course will be Patnjali's Yoga Sutras, and The Bhagavad Gita. These are two texts that are absolutely fundamental to any true study of Yoga.

Anatomy & Physiology

Physical Anatomy
A comprehensive study of the human body, its many systems and functions as it relates to Yoga Asana, and the practice of Pranayama. We will teach specific ways to modify and move in and out of postures, and demonstrate how the body is systematically opened through the progression of asanas within the Ashtanga Yoga practice.

Teaching Methods

Alignment
There will be a focus on the internal experience of the energetic alignment of each posture, as well as a study of the principles of external, physical alignment. What you learn in this course can be extended beyond the Ashtanga Yoga System, and applied to all other types of asana practices.

Adjustments
Students will learn hands-on adjustment techniques, as well as how to use language and verbal cues to guide a class or individual students through a series of postures. Students will design and sequence a yoga class.

Teaching
Each student will have a different aptitude for teaching based on the readiness that stems from his or her own personal history and experience, combined with a consistent practice of Yoga over an extended period of time. All students will get direct hands-on experience with giving adjustments and corrections for specific postures, and will have the opportunity to practicing guiding others through a standard class.

Yoga Therapy & Teaching Special Cases
Students will learn how to modify the postures and practice to accommodate many different types of people, and will cover an assortment of different problems or difficulties that are commonly encountered. We will look at the healing benefits of different postures, and how to design a class and teach with a therapeutic approach to the Yoga practice.

Additional Topics

Chanting
Students will become familiar with several Vedic Mantras and Classical Sanskrit Slokas, as well as the traditional Ashtanga Yoga Invocations and their translations. Mantra recitation and chanting is an excellent way to direct the mind inward, and begin to increase awareness of the subtle energy body.

Introduction to Sanskrit
Sanskrit is the oldest known language in the world, and it continues to be used and spoken in India today. Every syllable is thought to be a holy vibration, and learning these sacred sounds is thought to have a positive healing effect on both the body and the mind. Students will learn the correct Sanskrit pronunciation and names for all the postures taught and practiced, as well as how to count a class using the Sanskrit numbers for the vinyasas.

Yoga Diet
Food and diet are an indispensable part of this Yoga practice. The Yoga tradition evaluates food and diet by the effects that has on both the body and mind. We will investigate and explore these teachings, and learn what impact your diet may be having on your practice.

Yoga & Ayurveda
Ayurveda means "life science", and in India it is thought to be the "sister science" to Yoga. Students will learn the basics principles of Ayurveda and how they relate to our practice of Yoga and Diet. We will also examine the philosophical school of Sankhya, which is the underpinning philosophical system shared by both Yoga and Ayurveda.

The Benefits of Studying with Ashtanga Yoga with Jeff & Harmony

Please NOTE: FOOD & ACCOMMODATION IS NOT PROVIDED

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