The Roots of Meditation and freedom
August 14th - 18th
This retreat will incorporate studies in meditation, yoga and practices to encourage a deeper understanding of how to bring these techniques into the classroom and daily life.
We will start every morning with a 2 hour practice. Each practice will share different aspects of sequencing and will be discussed during sequencing workshops.
Topics of study include:
· The history and growth of Yoga from ancient times to the modern day.
· How to use Sanskrit language when teaching yoga; what is the relevance of using the traditional names as opposed to the English translations.
· The 5 categories of Asana: Forward Standing Poses, Side Standing Poses, Forward Bends, Back Bends, Twists & Inversions.
· We will go over the 5 energetic Vayus of the body. The objective is to help students understand subtle alignment in each asana pose. This will help encourage the student to identify alignment issues in practice.
· The yoga sutras of Patanjali and how they represent Yoga as a wholesome practice. Class time will be spent exploring the wisdom of the 8 limbs and how these are practical to daily life.
· Students will learn the practices of 7 Pranayamas and the benefits of Pranayama in the body's physiology. These practices are from the teachings of Dr. Vasant Lad, founder of The Ayurvedic Institute, graciously offers to the Western World.
· Special emphasis will be placed on the limitations between different body types in poses. Understanding this will help students become aware of injury prevention during practice.
. An introduction to Yoga Nidra will be covered during this module. Yoga Nidra is a type of practice teachers can use at the end of their class to help encourage true resting potential in the body. It is a great way to enhance the Savasana experience at the end of class.
Yoga Foundations and Alignment
September 11th - 15th
This retreat focus on foundations of yoga poses, how to cue poses and how to create a healthy well rounded practice.
For teachers who already have their 200hr certification, this module is designed to help teachers strengthen their skills in sequencing and practicing teaching others.
We will also cover an introduction to the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Nidra.
Topics of study include:
· Families of Asana
· What are the different families of Asana and how can this knowledge be beneficial to creating your own sequences. Students will work with each other and present a family of poses in a sequence. Poses that work together when moving from one to the other. We will also discuss how each pose can have several different variations that build onto one another to a final peak pose.
· Asana Clinic
· Students will break down key poses and identify the proper alignment of each pose.
· The art of sequencing. Wave Sequencing.
Students will begin to develop a sequence consisting of 3 Asanas. Scripting a way to move from one pose to the next using the understanding of the 5 types of asana; where the hips align and creating a beginning middle and end of a movement: Left and Right sides.
· Adjustments, Assists & Props
Students will work on different techniques of offering support during a movement yoga class. Small sequences will be shown where the teacher can move from one assist to the next as the student moves from one pose to the next. We will focus on how to come into someone else's space and how to properly offer adjustments with or without touching. Students will work on how to use props effectively and prevent injury.
· The philosophy of Kirtan & how it relates to yoga. Students will experience the practice of singing mantra and utilizing sound bowls as a tool to help relieve tension and clear the mind. Emphasis will be placed on personal expression and the sound of our voice as we teach.
· Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita, Ch.1&2 & Meditation
· "The war within and Self Realization." Students will begin to study the first two chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. The objective is to introduce students to one of the most important stories in Hindu mythology. The story represents the human being's potential and how to attain purpose.
Yoga & Ayurveda
October 16th - 20th
We will continue studying topics in Meditation, philosophy, anatomy and asana practice with an emphasis in the Ayurvedic Science.
As an individual retreat, this module is designed to introduce Ayurveda and how to incorporate the science into our daily lives, our yoga practice and our eating habits.
Topics of study include:
· The Science of Life: An Ayurvedic Perspective. This helps students begin to understand the concept of Ayurvedic Dosha Types. Students will begin to identify the 20 different qualities or “gunas” in the physical body, personalities, foods, time of the day, time of the season etc.
· There will be emphasis on how to incorporate Ayurveda into a daily routine called the Dinacharya.
· A brief look at the way Ayurveda recognizes imbalance in each dosha and how we can identify imbalance early in order to maintain a healthy well-being.
· Students will begin to explore the energetic qualities of foods and spices with the gunas in mind. Individual constitutions will be discussed on how to find balance in our daily lives.
· Chakras and Energetic Anatomy
· Learning Asanas that are specific for maintaining good health and flow of chi and Prana.
· How to Use the 5 energetic Vayus to understand the true nature of a pose and how the pose can target different organ systems.
· Students will continue to study the way energy moves through the body and how to maintain balance between the 5 vayus. What poses are best for Ayurvedic Doshic imbalance.
· Using the Vayus in practice.
· Chandra & Surya Namaskar
· Students will learn the Chandra Namaskar and the Mantra to each 16 aspects of the Moon and 12 Aspects of the Sun.
· Yogic Philosophy & Meditation- we will continue studying the story of the Bhagavad Gita Ch. 6-7
· Students will study the principle of selfless action and the importance of practicing meditation. Students will work on journaling and spending time in meditation.
· Restorative Yoga
· How to set up the space for restoration and relaxation.
Students will spend time working on different restorative poses and how they benefit the joints, muscles and balance within the body. We will cover the contraindications of the poses and how to prevent injury.
· An introduction to the energetic body and Ayurvedic Marma Points.
This is an introduction the Subtle body and Energetic Anatomy. Students will learn the basic Marma points to offer during Savasana.
Advanced Yoga & Teaching Techniques
November 6th - 10th
This module will be focused on the practice teaching in a yoga in our local communities. This is the final module of a 4 part teacher training and students will practice teaching a full class and receive constructive feedback from their peers.
As an individual retreat, this module is designed to encourage confidence in in the classroom and connecting to a personal purpose of what we want to offer our local community.
This is an excellent retreat for yoga teachers to deepen their personal practice and dial in their teaching techniques.
Topics of study include:
· Working on the first full class sequence
· Students will start to work on a full class sequence. We will work on how to write out a sequence on paper so others can follow. Emphasis in this class is to help students pick a peak pose and create sequencing that can properly prepare the body for the pose.
· The Asana Map
Students will work on creating an asana map from the 4 styles of yoga taught during teacher training. Attention to alignment will be the main focus.
· Cueing and Assisting
· Students will continue working through short sequences offering assists and practicing cuing with each other.
· Ashtanga Yoga and the personal practice
· This discussion begins with the basic background of Ashtanga and how the sequencing is designed to help student’s build up to harder poses. The class focus will be on creating a home practice with simple sequences, the challenges of maintaining a personal practice and ways to organize our day with yoga in mind.
· Bhagavad Gita
Attainment: This is the final series of discussions on Hindu Philosophies. These chapters in the BG discuss the attainment of a consistent practice. The discussion will be based on what does it take to integrate a consistent practice into the every day life.
· Ethics of a Teacher & the Business Aspect Students will discuss the many aspects of Yoga business in the modern western world locally and globally. We will discuss the importance of maintaining proper ethics within the classroom and how to establish a good relationship between student and teacher. There will be further discussion on the proper ways of offering adjustments and assists. Making sure students understand the boundaries between student and teacher.
· Yoga Anatomy
· Exploring further the bodies anatomy and physiology and the effects yoga practices have on it; breaking down the anatomy of shoulders and knees, as well as talking about the physiology of our organs to give us a deeper understanding on how yoga can heal ailments.
· Sequencing Workshop & Full Class Prep
· Student Practice and Sequencing Workshop.
Students will finalize the details of their full class and prepare for the student led practices.
· The Art of Teaching
· What does it take to become an effective teacher?
· Students will take the time to go over teaching tips, questions of style and the responsibility of teaching.
· What does Yoga mean to you?
· Students will spend time looking into their personal philosophy of yoga and what parts of the training have resonated with their personal life. Presentations can include excerpts from books used in the training, poems, movement expression, and mythical stories of the asanas as examples. This is to help each individual student share with their TT tribe their experience and what yoga means to them personally.
· Alignment Principles in Vinyasa Flow
· How to acquire alignment when the body is moving from one pose to the next.
Using the full class sequence we worked on earlier, students will practice the moves in small groups and become aware of the alignment principles within each asana and how the body shifts from one pose to the next.
· How to prepare the class and create space.
Students will explore the different ways to set up a classroom and make their students feel welcome and comfortable.