Yoga Teacher Training Schools: School Guide
Get Yoga Teacher Training School Curriculum Insight
Get Yoga Teacher Training School Curriculum Insight
Find Yoga Training Schools | Yoga Career and School Guide
Yoga school can teach you how to take the lessons and benefits of yoga off the mat and into your daily life. Of course, as a yoga teacher, you'll also be learning to share the joy of yoga with others. Each yoga teacher training school is unique, but there are some common principles that can be found at most schools. The following is a quick guide on what you can expect in most yoga coursework programs.
Yoga History, Theory & Philosophy
Yoga is more than just an exercise system. It is an ancient system of guidelines for healthy living that originated in India thousands of years ago. Yoga is not a religion and does not have to come into conflict with other belief systems, such as Christianity, but it does offer practices and recommendations to guide all aspects of physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. The study of yoga is as deep or as superficial as the student wishes to make it, but you could spend a lifetime studying yoga and still not penetrate all there is to know.
In yoga teacher training school, you will receive an overview of yogic history and beliefs. This will probably include some basic Sanskrit terminology and an introduction to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the ancient texts that are the foundation of formal yoga philosophy. You may also learn about the "eight limbs" of yoga, the energy systems known as "chakras" and "bandhas," and the Indian medical system known as Ayurveda. If this sounds overwhelming, don't worry. By the end of your training, you'll understand all of this, and you'll probably be eager to continue studying on your own.
Yoga postures
The postures of yoga, known as "asanas," are consistent through all styles of yoga, though they can be combined and practiced in many different ways. Each asana has both Sanskrit and English names. For example, the simple standing pose known as Mountain Pose is traditionally called Tadasana.
You will learn the proper names and benefits of many different poses in yoga teacher training school. You will learn the anatomy and physiology behind key postures. You will also be taught about indications and contraindications for practicing each posture, which will help you gain the expertise to teach your own students the safe practice of yoga.
Breathing techniques
Breathing techniques, known as "pranayama," are central to the practice of yoga. In yoga teacher training school, you will learn how to combine appropriate breathing techniques with the asanas to maximize the benefits of yoga. You will also learn breathing techniques that are practiced on their own, such as alternate nostril breathing or Nadhi Shodhana—a technique that is believed to balance the two sides of the brain and rejuvenate energy channels. By the end of yoga teacher training school, you will be able to guide others in the correct practice of many simple, but powerful, pranayama techniques.
Meditation practice
Although many modern yoga classes give it short shrift, meditation is a core element in traditional yoga practice. In fact, the first explicit mention of the term "yoga" in Hindu literature occurred in the Katha Upanishad and referred to control of the senses and cessation of mental activity leading to a supreme state of consciousness. In yoga teacher training school, you will learn how to prepare the body for meditation and how to focus the mind in a meditative state. You will also learn about the many benefits of regular meditation, from a calmer mind to lower blood pressure and better sleep.
Teaching Methods & Class Design
After preparing you with all the elements of yoga practice, from yogic postures to dietary recommendations, your yoga teacher training school will teach you how to utilize all your learnings in a class setting. You will learn different ways to communicate effectively with your students. You will learn how to structure a class that has flow and balance. You will learn to integrate breathing techniques and time for meditation, along with a variety of standing, reclining and inverted poses. By the time you graduate from yoga teacher training school, you will have everything you need to inspire others to physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing through yoga.
Learn more about yoga teaching careers to decide whether yoga teacher training school is a good career step for you.
Sources:
YogicMeditation.com, 2010
Yoga.com, 2010
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