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Why this training?
This 200 Hour Teacher Training is the entry point to mastering your own yoga practice, while learning to share it with others in a way that brings you joy and transforms lives.
Yoga is more than a physical discipline. It is the science of awakening and sharing your unique gifts in a way that leads to ever greater thriving, purpose and joy.
Body, mind, and breath are the most incredible tools for our quest. Our journey will emphasize skillful integration of these 3 tools to move us towards greater wholeness and vitality. In the end, it is less about finding ripped abs or even inner peace, and more about healing and transforming ourselves on all levels - body, mind and heart - into the brightest beings possible. We then effortlessly reflect that brightness back out into the world through all that we do.
In this journey of self-discovery, challenging one’s own personal practice on all levels of one’s being is the essential foundation. From here we step onto the path and begin walking!
Integration of Tools and Techniques:
We cover the nuts and bolts of the physical practice of asana in a clear, thorough, and systematic way – anatomy, alignment, cuing, sequencing, adjusting – to be able to safely and joyfully offer a group class.
We investigate breath as the link between body and mind to discover the integrating power of prana, the life force.
We experience meditations that grow out of the skillful sequencing of asana and pranayama to reach a new level of perception that blossoms not from the thinking mind but from embodied experience.
In the moment that body, mind, and breath are united as one -
that is the state of yoga,
the true ground of thriving and even transformation!
This training is:
Grounded in Lineage - a Sri Vidya tradition of the Himalayan Masters
A Tantric approach that skillfully works with prana to uncover our hidden potential, heal our wounds, find an inherent source of joy, and become a light to the world
Easily adapted to various styles of yoga, with lots of opportunity to practice teaching in a supportive and mentored environment, allowing each person’s unique spark to shine through
A sweet balance of working with body, breath and mind in an integrated way
Led by an accomplished and passionate teacher, Mary Johnston-Coursey: Mary brings expertise from 45 years of teaching yoga, 50 years of meditation practice, 25 years as a professional dancer, certification in Yoga Therapy through I-AYT, certification in Vishoka Meditation, Level 3 Teacher with American Yoga Council, former faculty of the school of ParaYoga, former faculty of SL Community College Yoga Teacher Training, and ongoing study with Pandit Rajmani Tigunait - a master teacher within a lineage.
Available to all interested students, whether your goal is to teach yoga or to deepen your own understanding of practice. All are welcome.
How does this training compare to others?
This is not a pot-luck! This program offers clear and systematic principles of sequencing that can be creatively applied to any style of yoga you choose without limiting its potential for transformation. You will gain in-depth knowledge of what you are offering and why, rather than a more shallow understanding of many varying approaches.
We are not trying to reinvent the wheel. The lineage of the Himalayan Masters offers us a systematic approach, drawing upon an unbroken and time-tested stream of knowledge over 2,000 years old
We teach the physical practice interwoven with breath and mind, all in service of a deeply spiritual approach to yoga that is geared towards self-transformation, and is also fully compatible with any religious belief
Based on clear principles, our approach can be adapted to fit all bodies, all abilities, all populations
Teachings are spread out over 5 months to support comprehensive integration of material
This course is informed by principles of yoga therapy and alignment-based practice to support the safe teaching of yoga
We systematically introduce the Tantric science of working with prana for awakening and transformation. Tantra has the largest toolbox. The techniques work
This program includes more hours of direct contact with the teacher than most programs (count them!)
Topics covered include:
Anatomy/kinesiology, alignment principles, functional movement
Cuing, use of voice, hands on adjustments
Contraindications for practice, dealing with emergencies in class
Categories of poses and their energetic effects - sequencing for energetic effects
Prana Vayus and the asanas
Energetic anatomy - chakras, nadis, kundalini shakti, prana shakti
Teaching groups, adapting to mixed populations
Dance of Consciousness and Matter - prakriti, purusha, guna, dosha
Pranayama practices and their effects
Meditation - the nature and practice of meditation
Kriya - A Tantric approach to meditation
Designing practices around a theme
Lots of practice teaching!
On teaching contemplative practices - savasana, pranayama, meditation
History and Study of the Yoga Sutras and its application to life
Bhagavad Gita and Dharma - finding our purpose in life
Yoga philosophy and worldview
Mantra - healing for the soul
Getting started as a teacher, survival as a yoga teacher
Expert mentoring and ongoing guidance
Sangha - like-minded community
Requirements for Certification
At least one year of practicing yoga before training begins in order to receive certification as a Yoga Instructor through American Yoga Council.
Completion of all sessions, either through attendance or recordings. Missed in-person sessions must be okayed by instructor. Recorded make-ups must be documented by a journal entry.
Satisfactorily complete all assignments:
readings + written prompts
practice teaching in class and with partners outside of class
journaling prompts
Energetics quiz, Sutras Quiz