Naga Yoga Teacher Training

Course Offerings

These courses are for those interested in becoming yoga teachers. They are also for the continuing education of those already teaching. The Teacher Training can also be taken by those who want a more in-depth study of yoga, regardless of whether or not they choose to teach others.

In 2006/2007, our program staff will include Kara Keating (teaching methodology, techniques, ethics, subtle anatomy, apprenticeship program, Yoga Sutras, Philosophy, meditation techniques) and Craig London, PT (Physical Anatomy)

Requirements for registration and completion of the course: All participants must be attending a minimum of 2 Naga Yoga classes per week (preferably more). Participants must be available for class times and complete reading and listening assignments on their own.

Dates and time of class: Every other Saturday from noon to 4 pm .   Nov 11, Nov 18, Dec 2, Dec 16, Jan 13, Jan 27, Feb 10, March 10, March 24, April 7, April 21, April 28.  I have added two extra Saturdays on for anatomy class. We may need a few more hours than this—so this is a general guideline. There will also be other class times where you may be student teaching or assisting in an actual class. Expect about 10-20 hours of this prior to completing the course.

The 2007 teachers course will include a blend of the following subjects:

1. The Practice and Service of Teaching Yoga (teaching methodology)

This class is designed to give an inexperienced or novice teacher an in-depth knowledge of the art of teaching yoga.

Topics: 1)qualities of a yoga teacher, 2) ethical guidelines (yamas and niyamas, responsibilities, other guidelines), 3) intention, 4) classroom organization (beginning/ sequencing/ending), 5) teaching a class (connecting with students, basics, working with beginners, attitude, voice/language, touch, linking breath to movement), 6) adjustments (observing/improving, verbal adjustments, physical adjustments), 7) demonstration, 8) pacing the class, 9) how students learn, 10) helping students heal, 11) sensitivity

2. Yoga Technique

This class provides a basis for the safe and knowledgeable practice and teaching of hatha yoga, drawing from a variety of traditions. Asana focus will concentrate, but is not limited too, the Naga Yoga series.

Topics: Principles of alignment, bandhas, attitude, breath and movement, ujayi/pranayama, mudras, opening sequence, core-strengthening, sun salutations, standing poses, seated poses and forward bends, twists, backbends, arm balances, inversions, lying down, hip-openers, restorative, savasana, meditation, Sanskrit terminology, health benefits of specific poses, the importance of play and self-exploration

3. Yoga Philosophy-and Ethics

In this class we will be reading and discussing the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras together and determining how to apply them in our lives, our yoga practice, and our teaching practice.

4. Subtle Anatomy

In this class we will study the systems of nadis and the chakra system
Physical anatomy will be taught in a separate class (Anatomy in Action)

5. Yoga Guides Apprenticeship Program

(Practicum)Yoga guides will gain teaching experience through class participation in five areas: demonstrating, observing, adjusting, supervised (i.e., observed) teaching.

Reading List

1. All handouts from John Friend and Doug Kellers books (provided by teacher)
2. Yoga Mind, Body, Spirit by Donna Farhi
3. Yoga Matrix (CD or tape program) by Richard Freeman
4. Light on Yoga Sutras by BKS Iyengar
5. The Bhagavad Gita; a Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley
6. Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch

Hours to complete the course: twenty 2-hour meetings (40 hours total), 20 hours (at least) of participating as classroom assistants and actual teaching (for those who are wanting to teach in the future)

Course fee: $1000.00 payable in full or in several installments

Note: This course is designed for working with a small group of participants. Individual needs and questions can and will be addressed in all classes. Some “Personal Development” exercises are included, so that we are able to better work with our individual personality styles to become the best teachers we can be.

Physical Anatomy: This anatomy course is designed specifically for yogis and yoga teachers. The class will include lecture, visual aids, demonstration, and experiment. Typically this class will be held for somewhere between 10 and 20 hours. The exact hours and fees for this course TBA, expect around $200.00. This year we will also include a field trip to see the Bodyworks exhibit in Seattle or Vancouver BC.

Sample Classes:

Class one:

Topics: Gayatri Mantra (chant)

Qualities of a yoga teacher, intention (handout at class)

Breath & movement, principles of alignment (Farhi book, page 29-56)

(PowerYoga pages 52-56 optional)

Asana: Tadasana (Mountain Pose) (samasthiti) (Farhi book, pages 88-90)

Bhagavad Gita: Introduction and forward

Prana & apana

Class two:

Topics: The eight limbs of yoga, Yamas & Niyamas, (Farhi book, pages 4-20)

Moving Principles, (Farhi book, pages 57-80)

Ujayi pranayama (Power Yoga 37-39) (John Friend handout)

Working with Organic and Muscular energy (handout)

Koshas and Nadis (handouts)

Asana: Introduction to Opening Sequence/ teaching practice

Bhagavad Gita: pages 3-26

Class three:

Finish  overview of the yamas and niyamas.

We will discuss Organic and Muscular energy  (there is a handout) For those of you who have attended my classes often, some of this is not new. However, this is an important concept for teaching.

Koshas (handout & discussion)

Bhagavad Gita: Just make sure you have read the pages 3-26. I would appreciate hearing from each of you what you learned from this reading.

Asana : continuing with opening sequence. Please bring your handout from last week.

Class 4: we will look at the three “A”s. Attitude, Alignment, and Action.  (handout)

please bring your Yoga Sutras book for a look at important words.

please listen to tape 2 (Richard Freeman) side A

Sun Salutation A—details, applications, methodology and modifications for teaching.

Class 5: (three hour class)

Teaching: ethics for teaching, Classroom organizing, sequencing (beginning, middle, end). Begin teaching practice.

Technique: continuing on with Sun Salutations, core discussion

Yoga Sutras: Reading & Discussion of Introduction by BKS Iyengar

Subtle Anatomy: Introduction to the Chakra System

Class 6:

Teaching; working with a class (connecting with students, basics, working with beginners, attitude, voice/language, touch, linking breath to movement), teaching practice

Technique: postures involving weight bearing on arms (review of Craigs class and other subjects), Standing forward bending.

Yoga Sutras: Seven states of wisdom (please read The Themes in the 4 Padas page 11-44 before class if possible)

Subtle Anatomy: Continuing with the Chakra system

Class 7:

Teaching: techniques for running a class (handout)

Technique: Warrior postures 1,2 &3

Pranayama: several techniques to be shared

Class 8:

Teaching: How to structure a simple class (sequencing)

Technique: standing balances

Subtle anatomy: The Gunas (Sankya)

Pranayama continued, mantra

(Note: This is a sample of prior classes, this is not a complete list of all the class assignments or meetings)

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