by Heather Greaves

As a Yoga Training Teacher I answer questions from potential students. Here are a few questions I received recently and my reply.

    1. Would the teacher training allow for adjustments for my injured ankle?

Most definitely. That is the beauty of yoga. It must be adjusted to suit the individual rather than trying to make the individual fit a yoga pose or technique. I am very passionate about this point. That’s why at Wellwood where I volunteer teaching yoga, I wanted so much to offer a Restorative Yoga class for those who were unable to take the regular yoga class. And that class has started now after about 5 years of wishing to do this.

While my ankle is getting better, I know that the next year i will have to be conscious of this injury to ensure proper healing and i think that it might still need some adjustments.  I can do most basic poses now, but I just want to ensure that i will not be expected to hold poses for lengthy periods without adjustment for my ankle.

The very first principle in yoga is Ahimsa – Non Violence. You can rest assured that you will not be expected to follow instructions that cause injury to yourself or another. As a practitioner of yoga, you will learn how to modify poses to facilitate healing of your ankle. In addition, in the yoga teacher training program it is important that this principle is modeled. We always have opportunities for this to happen. We have even had a few students who became pregnant during the training.

For your ankle, enjoy legs up the wall with entitlement and without guilt.

    2. What is your general philosophy of yoga?

Allow me to share just 3 points.
1. Yoga is like a diamond with many different facets or styles to suit the different personalities and needs. For e.g. Bhakti yoga is the yoga of devotion for those who especially love chanting. Chanting touches the heart.
2. Yoga is a discipline. Practitioners of yoga must practice regularly with patience and perseverance over a long period of time. Results take time.
3. Yoga is both theory and practice. Students of yoga benefit more when they embrace both aspects.

3. What are your feelings about the commercialization of yoga?

As a result of the commercialization of yoga, so many have come to experience the benefits of yoga. The down side is that many who are marginalized are not able to attend classes. The anti-oppression training in my yoga instructor training addresses this point.

    4. How do you think that yoga can positively affect a community?

Here’s an example of yoga working locally and globally:

The Africa Yoga Project uses the transformative power of yoga to empower communities and change lives. By inspiring the global yoga community into active service, AYP delivers effective and innovative programs that foster peace, improve physical, emotion and mental well-being, facilitate self-sufficiency and create opportunities to learn and contribute across the communities of East Africa.

http://web.mac.com/paigeelenson/Africa_Yoga_Project/Vision.html

5. I read that you, in your courses offer “study of the anti-oppression aspects of yoga”.  what does that mean to you?

This 2-hour workshop increases the group of yoga teachers’ awareness of their position in society both as a group and as individuals; and what responsibilities come with the power and privilege of teaching yoga. This knowledge can help teachers create connection rather than separation, relate to others with a sense of equal value rather than reinforce isolation, and have a spirit of cooperation rather than competition.

Within yoga, issues such as  clothing, equipment, language, gender, sexuality, holidays, age, religion, advertising can actually create separation, isolation, and competition. A yoga teacher who is aware of how this can happen in her class can help create a more inclusive society. We discuss these things in our collaborative classroom.

6. What is your spiritual connection with yoga and how does that enter your teaching?

Aah – my spiritual connection with yoga started when at age 21 yoga found me through a book. Distraught, a jilted bride-to-be, yoga soothed my soul. While I practiced the postures and was aware of some yoga philosophy, it was 12 years later that I became a sincere student of meditation, visiting India annually for meditation about 10 times. This connection was great for my mind, and terrible for my body which I ignored.

My teaching of yoga is influenced by this personal experience. Practices for the mind (meditation) must be balanced with practices for the body in whatever form that takes. In terms of my teaching that practice is Hatha yoga. My teaching emphasizes practicing and learning to teach both yoga and meditation. It is the important to pay attention to all aspects of the individual.

Honoring the uniqueness of each individual is another important feature in my teaching. I strive to meet each individual right where they are on all levels, and to show ways that a student can take small steps for improvement, if they are ready and if they so desire.

About the author:
Heather Greaves’ youthful appearance, calming presence, and vitality, makes her sharing the rejuvenating benefits of yoga and meditation authentic. She helps practitioners in helping professions and healing arts, learn the science and art of sharing yoga for wellness in ways that honour each person’s uniqueness and challenges.

For insights into power and privilege or the benefits of yoga meditation, contact Heather through http://www.yogatogo.com or email heather@yogatogo.com

What is one thing that every yoga teacher trainee must do?

Keep up with your homework and assignments on a regular basis. There is far more theory than one would expect so leaving things until a few days before classes is definitely not a good idea.

What is one thing that every yoga teacher trainee must avoid?

Taking on too much when teaching a session during practicum.

Is being a yoga teacher just trendy or is it here to stay?

I believe that Yoga will become even more mainstream over the next 20 years or so. Qualified and dedicated Yoga teachers will continue to increase in number and in demand. I see Yoga moving into the school system as a way to help children understand themselves, quiet their minds , increase their ability to focus and concentrate and also as a way of teaching empathy and compassion for others. Another benefit will be helping children understand and deal with their emotions.

I think there will also be an increase in the demand for Yoga teachers in the older group of our growing senior population.

So no Yoga teachers are here to stay, I think.

Can a yoga teacher still be successful if they are in a crowded niche?

Yes I think so.

One of the things that Yoga has taught me is that finding inner peace, awareness etc comes from inside and is not dependent upon external circumstances.

For sure some environments are not as helpful/conducive to the practice of Yoga but this then becomes a teaching space for being right here right now and in the moment and remaining in touch with your self remaining connected to your inner quiet space. I had a group of my students in my home for one session while I was having my bathroom renovated and at first I was feeling negative about trying to have a class amidst the noise of men ripping down walls etc. I gave myself over to the experience and the most wonderful thing happened. We completed our class and even had a wonderful Savasanna.  The students all said that although they heard the background noise, they were able to stay focus on the inner space they had created and after class reported feeling relaxed and energized.  I also feel more energy for daily activities. Yeah for Yoga!!

What has the yoga teacher training done for you?

Yoga has given me so much over the years even though for much of that time and until the last 2 years my practice has been an on again off again one.

It has given me a feeling of really living in my body instead of my brain.

I feel stronger in my body and more confident in my ability to withstand physical as well as emotional, mental and spiritual challenges that life brings.

I have also been given a chance to work with amazing people who are my teachers and my students and whose presence in my life has given me more meaning in my life.

Most of all Yoga has set me on a Spiritual path which I have been seeking most of my life. I have been able to integrate my own meditation practice with my Yoga and feel my connection to my Source and my Purpose.

 Cheryl Fenn is a retired Registered Nurse, Reiki Master and Reflexologist. Cheryl taught in the Nursing and Practical Nursing program at Mohawk College before her retirement in 2007 after 27 years with the College. She is very excited to begin her Yoga teaching practice starting in the spring. Her areas of interest include working with the Zoomer age group, Seniors and Children and Meditation practice.

Just a few days ago, I witnessed more yoga enthusiasts completing the 200 hour yoga teacher training program to become certified yoga teachers. It is always very humbling to watch the changes that occur to us all as we journey together practising, practising and practising.

Here are the words of one of those recent graduates about her journey:

“In my journey through the IYT teacher training I have:

* learned about the amazing physical health benefits of yoga

* unlocked a door to meditation

* became fascinated with Ayurvedic medicine

* enjoyed experimenting with mudras

* strengthened my knowledge and ability level of asanas

* learned how to really be present

* learned how to structure a yoga class

* have enhanced the ability to laugh through my challenges

* to always do your practice alone even within a large group

I would like to share this knowledge and the feeling of peace that is possible thru the practice of self respect thru yoga.”

This is Judith’s final musings on what it means to be a teacher.

“To be a yoga teacher suggests that it is vital to respect both your learner and yourself equally and to think about how everyone fits into a global vision of health and spiritual integration.  Therefore it is important to incorporate these three key elements into the yoga facilitation and to remember yoga teaches that all personal experiences have value. Harmony. teacher=learner. An ethics of care also surfaces.

We all were nurtured as helpless babies and helping students find inner truth and the unconditioned self from that ethics of care perspective as a yoga teacher can be uplifting. Everyone that comes to learn in the class has a story and I hope to encourage the learners to share their stories and reflect on their worth. This will help them find that special place in the world they live in. I like the words of Michel Marriot who suggests Life’s journey is circular. The years do not carry us away from our forefathers…they return us to them.“

Yoga is a philosophy of life and a process of transformation. It is both theory and practice. There are many types of yoga. The main ones are: Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Karma Yoga (action), Raja Yoga (meditation), and  Hatha Yoga (forceful). Each path has its own disciplines.

Most of the yoga practiced in the West is Hatha Yoga. Historically, there had been a lot of disregard for the body, and attention to transcending the body. Tantra changed that, acknowledging the importance of the body in spiritual growth. The aim: to have a healthy body of light, able to hold the powerful energy of the “serpent power”.

The traditional path of Hatha Yoga developed out of the Tantric concerns for a healthy body. Disciplines include moral disciplines, diet, rituals, purification techniques, postures, breath and prana control, seals, locks, meditation/ visualization and ecstasy. The names associated with Hatha Yoga are Goraksha Natha (1150 AD) and Matsyendra Natha (1000 AD).

T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) was the guru (and father) of T.V. Desikachar and the guru (and brother-in-law) of B.K.S. Iyengar, and also the guru of K. Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009) and Indra Devi (1899-2002). These individuals are responsible for Hatha Yoga in the West.

The esoteric explanation (not literal meaning) of Hatha is ha the sun, and tha the moon. Yoga is the union of these two forces within, with the result of bliss.

Teacher trainings in Hatha yoga cover a wide variety of styles from the gentle Kripalu, through to the precision of Iyengar, to the dynamic Ashtanga. The student of yoga will likely choose to teach the type of yoga he/she practices.

To find a Yoga teacher training that suits your needs, begin by visiting the official website of the style you are interested in.

Here are a few:

• Iyengar
• Kripalu
• Ashtanga

What style of yoga is Integrative Yoga Therapy (IYT)?

Rather than a style of yoga, Integrative Yoga Therapy is a process. A graduate from the IYT yoga teacher training program will be able to select and arrange yoga techniques in a way that the yoga classes fulfill a particular aim.

For example, the teacher decides on “Breath, the Heart of the Class” as the theme of the class. Which inspirational poem, mudra, pranayama, relaxation, meditation and affirmation will be selected? And what order will they follow?

I practiced Ashtanga yoga as well as hatha yoga, can I study in this program?

Yes, you can.  The Integrative Yoga Therapy yoga teacher training program will prepare you to teach yoga for total wellness.  Students practicing all styles of yoga have completed this training successfully.

Can I teach regular yoga classes with this training?

Yes. In addition to offering yoga classes to the general public, graduates teach yoga-based wellness programs in hospitals, businesses, universities, clinics, and complimentary health care settings.

How much time is required for home study?

There are 3 parts to the home study: reading and answering at least 2 questions, journalism, and practice.

Reading - One chapter of the manual is covered each month. Chapters include The History of Yoga, Ayurveda and Yoga, Stress Management, and Meditation, Imagery, Relaxation and Yoga Nidra. How quickly you integrate the material and answer questions will depend on how familiar you are with the topic.

Journaling – What prepares you to be an effective yoga teacher is your own personal experience and journey of transformation as a student of yoga. As you explore the topic for the month, you capture and share whatever you are comfortable sharing of that experience. Sharing may include creative drawings.

Practice – The foundation of yoga is practice, practice, practice. For this time is required. The yoga techniques are learned systematically and by actually doing them. Developing a daily practice brings many benefits. As you begin to appreciate the value of this, creating practice time becomes part of your flow. In addition, practice teaching to family and friends starts you on your teaching path.

How much time are you willing to devote to get the most of your teacher training? Some find 4 hours a week adequate.

I have just discovered yoga and got so much benefit  that I want to share it with others. Am I qualified to take the training?

You must know the basics of yoga before you can train to be a teacher.  While in training, you will learn the names of the poses and how to perform the pose correctly. Sometimes students feel they can never teach like their teacher, and are intimidated by this. This program assists teachers in developing their own unique vision and mission, along with the maturity and insight to clarify this vision.

Take the support of family and friends as you can dedicate the time necessary to complete the program thoroughly.