Viewing a thread - Yoga teacher training question



	Search:



Site Areas	store	\|	articles	\|	forums	\|	studios	\|	vacations

	yoga \| massage \| fitness \| wellness \| meditation

Welcome to the new Yoga.com Forums home!
For future visits, link to "http://www.YogiSource.com/forums".
Make a new bookmark.
Tell your friends so they can find us and you!

Coming soon ... exciting new changes for our website, now at YogiSource.com.

Search | Statistics | User Listing

View All Forums

You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

Yoga teacher training question Moderators: Moderators Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]	View previous thread :: View next thread
Yoga -> Yoga Teachers	Message format

solaris

Posted 2006-01-29 1:10 AM (#42261)
Subject: Yoga teacher training question

I was wondering....as some asanas are very complex and difficult...or nearly impossible for many....if a yoga teacher is required to learn all the various asanas of the particular yoga and to be able to do them at the advanced levels...or do they get certified in a general sense where certain various advanced asanas or levels are not required per say in order to instruct, considering many certifications are only but a few months or within a year.

Solaris

tourist

Posted 2006-01-29 11:57 AM (#42278 - in reply to #42261)
Subject: RE: Yoga teacher training question

Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
5000

Hi Solaris - there is one of the great reasons to have longer teacher trainings! In Iyengar yoga we work on a syllabus system, like music, dance and I don't know what other training. To teach at any particular level, we have to demonstrate knowledge of an pose and how to at minimum work towards a full pose, but not always show "mastery" although, that is obviously best. So for my Introductory I/II cert, I have to be able to teach somewhere in the region of 80 - 90 poses, including shoulderstand (Level I) and headstand (Level II) but in my own practice be working to go beyond those (for example, ardha sirsasana, half headstand and padmasana, lotus). I can teach supta virasana (and was asked to do so in my assessment) but personally I can't do the pose without a pile of props and a building permit

The key is being able to teach it to everyone in the class, even if my student is able to do the full pose when I cannot. Is that helpful?

YogaGuy

Posted 2006-01-29 9:32 PM (#42320 - in reply to #42261)
Subject: RE: Yoga teacher training ques

The short answer is: no, you do not have to have mastery of every pose. You should be a good teacher. What does that mean? You should be able to effectively teach people. You can only do that if you have a good understanding of what you are teaching. The better the understanding, the better you can teach. There are great practitioners who are bad teachers and people that can't touch their toes that are great teachers.

People can't watch you do something like eka pada rajakapotasana and then just do it. If that were true, we could all just rent a video and learn yoga. They have to be instructed, adjusted, helped, encouraged, propped and guided into these poses. People don't just come to watch you do them and try to copy you (usually). What do you have to offer people? Are you a great practitioner? A great teacher? A great spiritual leader? A great meditator? Do you just make people feel relaxed? Why are people going to come to learn yoga from you? What can you teach them? Figure that out and you'll be fine.

solaris

Posted 2006-01-30 12:38 AM (#42338 - in reply to #42261)
Subject: RE: Yoga teacher training question

Thanks!..for replies...this does help.

Solaris

Ravi

Posted 2006-01-30 7:20 AM (#42351 - in reply to #42261)
Subject: RE: Yoga teacher training question

Location: Upstate NY

Om Solaris,

From my own personal experience I can offer my humble opinion. As a instructor I am considered fairly above average considering I am a male ( for some strange reason many women are taken back by the fact I can that I am bring my head to my knees in forward bend.) but I have not mastered serveral key asanas, ( in my book, atleast) eagle being one of them .

But the key factor I teach to my students, is that the beauty of yoga is that you don't have to be all flexible and tie yourself into knots in order to achieve the desired effect, which is "stillness". Strength, flexability and tone all are added benefits of a structured practice. With time and commitment anyone can achieve mastery of asanas.

May all your days be blessed
Om Shanti,
Ravi

Jump to page : 1
Now viewing page 1 [25 messages per page]

Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

(Delete all cookies set by this site)