Weekend + Weekday Booklet - yogaspace.com.au

Hatha Vinyasa Teacher Training Weekend / Weekday Booklet

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CONTACT INFORMATION There are two points of contact in the course, the School Admin and the [email protected] email. All other queries (payment, class attendance, etc) go to the school Admin Manager. Please check your email weekly at least, as many notices will be emailed to you. Training [email protected] School Admin: [email protected] m: 0413 244 217 Online Forums We use online forums for announcements / updates and relevant teacher training information. Be sure to check your year group regularly Forum Login: http://www.yogaspace.com.au/forums/

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CURRICULUM COVERED (As set out by Yoga Australia)

Yoga Philosophy, Ethics & Lifestyle

Study of the sacred and Yoga educational texts. Ethics for Teachers. Yoga as a living practice. Yoga & Buddhist Philosophy.

Anatomy & Physiology

Study of the anatomy & functional physiology of bodily systems.

Yogic Physiology

Study of subtle yogic physiology and energy fields, such as: Nadis, Koshas, Chakras, Gunas etc.

Techniques

Study and practice of Yoga techniques such as: Asanas, Pranayama, Kriyas, Relaxation, Meditation, Chanting, etc.

Teaching Methods

Study and practice of teaching methodologies such as: Principles of demonstration, communication, assistance, correction, adjustments, instruction, teaching styles, student learning styles, etc.

Integrative Practice & Teaching

Assistance in classes taught by qualified teacher, supervised teaching practice, teaching classes & courses. Community service, teaching in a not-for-profit setting.

Specialty modules / Further study

Including pregnancy yoga, relaxation, meditation, active birth post natal yoga, chair yoga.

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COURSE INFORMATION STUDENT ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

We use a holistic assessment process based on the principles of adult learning. The trainees’

activities are regularly assessed throughout the course. Assessment is verbal, written and practical.

If a student is deemed not yet competent in a particular area of assessment, provision is made for

them to further study or practice and a reassessment is undertaken, within the timeframe of the

course. It is important to recognize that the path towards teaching yoga is one of personal growth

and transformation. Depending upon how long you have been practicing, your age and life

experience it is to be expected that some students will be able to complete the course requirements

in the one year timeframe, where others may need additional time, assignments or practicums in

order to be ready to share their understanding of yoga with others. Completion of all assignments,

practicums and designated weekend workshops is required to graduate from the course.

All course requirements are to be completed by 15 months from date of induction

ASSIGNMENTS Assignments must draw together scholarship and writing in the field and are not solely concerned

with your own personal opinion.

All use of other people’s work must be referenced. Try to paraphrase rather than using too many

exact quotations. All assignments should meet the stipulated word length. Please include the name

of the author, and page number if available. Eg; (Reid, 19). Include a list of references at the end of

your assignments.

All assignments are to be typed and submitted via email to [email protected] Please

submit ALL assignments as one PDF at one time.

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BOOKLIST Please purchase: 1. How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali 2. The Bhagavad Gita 3. Paths to God 4. Full Catastrophe Living

The following books are also invaluable on your path towards teaching yoga. Some of these will be

available at the school. Books with a * are recommended.

1. Everyday Blessings: Jon Kabat-Zinn 2. Beautiful Bountiful Blissful: Gurumukh 3. Yoga Kids: Educating the Whole Child Through Yoga: Marsha Wenig* 4. Becoming Vegetarian* 5. Yin Yoga: Paul Grilley* 6. The Sivananda Companion to Yoga: Sivananda Yoga Centre 7. Yoga Anatomy: Leslie Kaminoff* 8. Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: Coulter* 9. Full Catastrophe Living: Jon Kabat Zinn* 10. The Language of Yoga (Book and CD): Nicholai Bachman* 11. The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga: Georg Feurstein* 12. Mindfulness CD’s by Jobn Kabat Zinn for home practice. 13. Wherever You Go there you Are* 14. Mindfulness CD’s (with the Lake meditation on it) 15. Yoga Education for Children 16. The Inner Tradition of Yoga 17. Be Here Now

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PERSONAL PRACTICE

All students must undertake a 5 day a week practice. We encourage you to practice at The Yoga

Space to get the most out of your training, and to practice with teachers who have undertaken the

same training as you. Classes will support you in developing your personal practice. However you

can practice at home or a favourite studio.

When the Advanced Vinyasa is scheduled for TTs with Jean (Saturday mornings) all trainees are

required to attend this class. This class is highly recommended to attend as often as possible.

In order to graduate you will need to have practiced 5 times per week every week, except

due to illness or travel. Each practice is a min 60 mins. For example if your course takes

you 60 weeks to complete you must have practiced 300 times.

PRACTICE DIARY Once you commence the course, you are expected to keep a daily practice diary which will be

checked by the coordinator. The diary is not a personal reflection but an account of the hours you

have spent each week practicing asana, pranayama, and meditation.

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WORKSHOPS Workshops will run approx. between May and September for weekend students and approximately

between Term and end of term three for weekday students (school terms). Attendance at all

workshops is compulsory in order to register with the Yoga Australia and graduate from the course.

If there is a teacher training course running the following year missed workshops can be made up at

the discretion of the course coordinator.

PRACTICUM In consultation with your mentor will also choose a not for profit organisation, to approach regarding

teaching free courses. There is a form/info sheet which much be used when approach a NFP. The

time at which you will commence these classes will be decided together depending upon how far

through your course you are. Some examples are:

• Lifeline

• Carers WA

• Princess Margaret Hospital for Children

• Youth Detention Centre

• Women’s Refuge of WA Inc

• Bandyup Prison

• Association for the Blind

• Rangeview Detention Centre

• Asthma Foundation

• Association for the Blind

• ISHAR Women’s Multicultural Health Centre

Please use the Not for Profit document to complete your class plans and follow the guidelines in this

document. Be sure to ALWAYS include your mentor in correspondence with your NFP and to seek

your mentor’s permission before arranging an NFP

MENTORING Teacher Training is an intense period during which new feelings may arise as one delves deeper into

the philosophies and practices at the heart of yoga. Becoming a yoga teacher is not a career choice,

but a path of self-inquiry, surrender and humility. Your teachers will provide feedback on your plans

and teaching practicums. Each trainee will progress at a different rate through the course. In teacher

training transference can often occur in which during the process of resolving personal issues, these

issues are projected onto your class teachers. While we can experience many emotional fluctuations

during intense periods of yoga practice please remain aware at all times of your mutual responsibility

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contract and maintain a respectful attitude towards the coordinator and your class teachers. To get

the most out of your course we suggest you practice with the most senior teachers at The Yoga

Space.

MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR) This is an integral part of the teacher training program. Through MBSR we develop a daily

mindfulness practice and also understand the way in which we might integrate mindfulness into our

yoga and other daily activities. MBSR has a daily requirement of about 60 minutes of homework. It

is a difficult program to undertake, but one which many people find rewarding. Trainees need to fully

commit to the program and the homework as part of their training. Along with attending one full

MBSR course (inc meditation day).

YOGIC LIFESTYLE Yogic lifestyle is one, which is underpinned by the practice of ahimsa, or the non-harming of all

beings. Traditionally vegetarianism and abstaining from alcohol and other intoxicants is one of the

ways in which yoga practitioners practice ahimsa. We encourage all students to examine their use

of alcohol, other intoxicants and what they consume for sustenance. A well-balanced vegetarian diet

provides all the nutrients we need to stay healthy and inspires our students to make healthier life

choices. If you are not vegetarian we encourage you to try a vegetarian diet during the course in

order to experience living according to yogic teachings.

PROVIDE FIRST AID Yoga Australia requires that all yoga teachers maintain a current Provide First Aid and CPR certificate.

Trainees are required to obtain their Provide First Aid within 3 months of commencing their course.

TEACHING Students are not allowed to engage in any paid teaching outside of the course. unless they hold a

previous yoga teaching qualification.

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ASSIGNMENTS

BOOK REVIEW: Read the Bhagavad Gita / Paths to God. Submit a 2-page book review, which outlines what you feel to be the central message of the Bhagavad Gita and how we might integrate the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita into our daily lives. INTRODUCTORY Assignment 1 What is the meaning of the word ‘yoga’? (500 words) Assignment 2 What is the role of a yoga teacher? (500 words) TEACHING Assignment 1 Using one of the yamas or niyamas as inspiration, write 2 short scripts for using during a guided relaxation. You will use this when leading through a relaxation in the weekend workshops and in a community class. Assignment 2 Outline/describe the history and practice of Yoga, as you would explain to a beginner. This will be given as a short 5 min talk at a workshop or prac class. Assignment 3 What are the contraindications and recommendations for pregnancy and menstruation? Refer to some of the conditions specific to each eg; endometriosis, pubic symphisis disorder, sciatica, heartburn, insomnia. Make sure you explain your recommendations. YOGIC PHYSIOLOGY & PRANAYAMA Assignment 1 Choose 4 pranayama practices and describe the practice of the particular pranayama technique along with the energetic effects and benefits of the technique. (500 words) Assignment 2 Out of these four techniques choose one technique (in consultation with the course coordinator) and practice it regularly for a month. Describe your experience / the effects of this technique. (200 words)

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THE YOGA SUTRAS & HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA Assignment 1

• What are the yamas and niyamas? Give a description of the different aspects of both (300 words).

• For both the yamas and niyamas describe how they can be / are implemented in your everyday life (300 words)

Assignment 2 What are the eight limbs of yoga? Provide a description of each and discuss how they might relate to your own practice and future teaching. (200) Assignment 3 Book Review: Hatha Yoga Pradipika (200) YOGA PHILOSOPHY Assignment 1 Discuss the dates, authorship, and summary of main teachings of the following:

• Vedas (100 words) • Ramayana (100 words) • Mahabharata (100 words) • Upanishads (100 words) • Tantras (100 words)

Assignment 2 Describe and elaborate on the path and practices of these yoga traditions, drawing upon the Bhagavad Gita as one of your references for each type of yoga:

• Jnana Yoga (200 words) • Bhakti Yoga (200 words) • Karma Yoga (200 words

Assignment 3 Book Review: Full Catastrophe Living: What is full catastrophe living? BUDDHISM & MEDITATION Assignment 1 What do you understand to be the relationship between the practice of hatha yoga and the practice of meditation? (200 words) Assignment 2 After attending meditation day, reflect upon your experience. (200 words) AYURVEDA Assignment 1 Explain the Tridosha System of Ayurveda. (400 words) Assignment 2 Bring an Ayurvedic dish to the final weekend workshop to share.

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CRITICAL ESSAYS Assignment 1 The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali have little to do with the contemporary practice of yoga in the West” Read Mark Singleton’s article on the Teacher Trainee resources page and respond to this statement. Use additional references on the Teacher Trainee resources page to inform your argument. (500) Assignment 2 What is Tantra and how does it differ to the path of Classical Yoga as set out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras? (500) Assignment 3 Both in India and outside of India yoga is being used to market anything from new cars to yoghurt. The yoga market is thought to create revenues greater than Coca Cola in the states. What do you see to be the business of yoga and the relationship between materiality and spirituality? As you begin to teach how will you keep the essence of yoga at the centre of your teaching and maintain an ethical approach to the business side of yoga? (500 words)

TEACHING PRACS

Not for Profit Teaching • Teach 3 x 8 week not for profit courses

Please refer to the NFP teaching document ROUND ROBINS: Students participate in between 2-4 ‘round robins’ where you teach a short part of a sequence while being observed by a mentor and the mentor and fellow students give feedback. Yes it is daunting BUT it is why our grads are AMAAZING! They have been given feedback on their teaching by an experienced teacher.

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Graduation Checklist Have you: Been enrolled for a minimum of 12 months (from induction date) Attended MBSR 100% (inc meditation day) & meditated daily? Attended ALL workshops Taught 3 x 8 week NFP placements using the NFP planning documentation? Submitted ALL assignments as PDF Cooked an Ayurvedic dish Participated in ‘Round Robin’ teaching pracs and been told I am ready to graduate by my mentor?