Yin Yoga’s Modular Teacher Training Explained
Whether you are an experienced Yoga practitioner or a novice, Yin yoga, will enhance any other yoga practice as well as initiate beginners to a path of introspection. Our training draws practitioners to a more contemplative aspect of yoga that prepares the mind and body for meditation.
On the physical level, Yin yoga focuses more on the connective tissues, developing flexibility like no other type of yoga, which will prepare the meditator for longer sitting practice. Yin yoga is a new name for a traditional way of approaching yoga practice. We hold the posture in a relaxed manner for a longer time, allowing us to cultivate concentration or one-pointedness in the mind. In other words, relaxation is the way and observation is the key to this practice.
This differs from the traditional Yang Yoga practice, where pushing your body to achieve the poses with more ease is the part of the practice. Yin Yoga cultivate surrender and acceptance flexibility is bound to come as a by-product but the heart of the practice is the quality of relaxation. The 30+ poses of the practice are meant to be held for longer time in a relaxed manner.
When we set out on our journey to teach this practice to professionals and practitioners across the world, we had a very clear intention of how we wanted to convey our teacher training. We have specialized in delivering a methodology of teaching that is both functional and systematic. Providing yoga teachers with the necessary tools to share the Yin practice to a group, as well as to individualize Yin yoga for the needs of each student.
There are three main themes in our Yin Yoga Teacher Training Yoga Alliance for 2019: Anatomy, Energetic and Meditation.
We have other additional modules to enhance your training experiences, such as Qi Gong and advanced studies on Buddhist or Yogic scriptures. Each module addresses different subjects, but have in common Yin Yoga as a platform of practice and study. We advise our forthcoming students to take each module in chronological order, but depending on their experience in the field of yoga in general and Yin yoga in particular, we allow them to pursue the module of their choice. Beside Yin teacher training we are offering workshops as well. Our workshops are "Yin Yoga Foundation", "The Art of Sequencing" and "The Tao of Yoga".
Each of the training modules will provide a wealth of knowledge and practice, culminating in a much richer understanding of not only the practice of Yin Yoga but the philosophies and the heart of this practice..
Anatomy & The Functional Approach Training Module 1 - 50 Hours
In this first training module, we will practice the 30+ plus main poses and their variations as well as to learn and familiarize ourselves with the different transition poses. Sharing the narrative and the art of sequencing a class.
Our methodology for this anatomy module is defining a functional approach of the practice and teaching. We will look at the 14 skeletal segments of the body, which will locate the points of compression taking place in every Asana. Then we will develop an understanding of the 10 myofascial groups becoming our targeted areas in every poses. To finally come to the 7 archetypal Yin Yoga postures and develop their different variations to suit the needs of every practitioners.
We will gain a thorough understanding of tension and compression as a restriction and stimulation for the practice, we will finally develop a keen sense of introspection using the 9 levels of awareness, known also as the 9 levels of functional description.
Meridian Training Module 2 – 50 Hours
In this module, we will practice the meridian series as they relate to the 5 elements (earth, fire, water, wood and metal) and the 3 bodies. We will apply the Chinese theory of meridians to the Yin Yoga Asanas enhancing the flow of Qi/Prana to rejuvenate and revitalise the internal organs and restore the natural balance homeostasis of the body. To familiarize ourselves with the concept of meridian we will use meridian tracing method to memorize each meridian location.
Once we have a solid grasp of the location of the 12 meridians in the body, we will use this knowledge to stimulate the Qi by employing Shiatsu techniques along the meridians and Qi Gong practice.
We will learn the 5 elements Qi Gong practice and Wuji standing meditation, which are the Taoist approaches to well-being. This module will encompass the essential understanding of the theory behind traditional Chinese medicine, understanding the flow and formation of Qi, a study of the 5 elements, identification of the 3 treasures of TCM (Qi/Energetic, Jing/Physical and Shen/Spiritual).
Meditation and Philosophy Module 3 – 50 Hours
This module will take us into the philosophy and metaphysics of Yoga, along we will develop a concentration base meditation called Samatha as well as using the Yin Yoga practice as a platform to merge Asanas, Pranayama and Dharana.
This module is based on the road map used by the great sage Patanjali, known as the codifier of Yoga. We will study and unpack every Sutras in the first chapter the (Samadhi Pada) of Patanjali Yoga Sutras, we will chant and memorize the most significant Sutras, to contemplate the meaning behind the words, giving us a direct insight into the psycho/spiritual aspect of the Yoga practice.
The aim of this training is to share with you a methodology based on the classic text of Raja Yoga, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, as well as developing a systematic approach to meditative quiescence.
