Breathe Yoga Advancement and Teacher Certification January, 2014

In considering advanced studies of yoga, you are embarking on a journey that will transform your understanding of this ancient practice by immersing yourself in this rich discipline.

At Breathe Yoga, we deeply honour the traditions and philosophy of our ancestors and integrate these teachings into a curriculum that is applicable and of relevance to today’s Western yoga student.

Breathe’s Philosophical Approach to Teacher Training & Yoga Advancement 

(In addition to the information on this page be sure to click on the side bars on the above right for more info on teachers and dates etc)

The Breathe Yoga Teacher Training Program draws on the rich tradition of Ashtanga vinyasa yoga for its comprehensive and logical series of postures (asanas). Inspired by the alignment and precision elements of Iyengar yoga, the Breathe program also places a strong emphasis on the structure of each yoga posture to enable students to comprehend each posture at its root level.

Ultimately however, our own bodies serve as our wisest teachers. At Breathe we therefore place a strong emphasis on trainees developing a strong, disciplined yoga practice. While trainees are not expected to have highly advanced practices upon entering the program, committing to growing your own yoga practice is an essential component. Regular attendance in class is therefore mandatory.

Combined, the study of these rich yoga traditions and a disciplined yoga practice enables us to gain a deep insight into asana and the body, thereby providing the aspiring teacher with the tools to structure a logical, safe and flowing sequence of postures for his/her classes.

Who should apply?

Students who are passionate about yoga and who wish to advance their yoga studies for their own benefit or to become teachers are welcome to apply.  

Students should be beyond a beginner level in their yoga practice by the time the teacher training program begins in January but contrary to popular belief you do not need to have a highly advanced practice to apply.  Your passion for yoga and  strong desire to delve deeper into yoga are the most important elements in applying and  entering into higher studies of yoga.  Should you choose to teach yoga, you will teach at the level that you yourself are practicing or lower.  As your practice advances, you will begin to teach more advanced classes.

 The Curriculum

Technique & Methodology

• Yoga postures and logical sequencing in a vinyasa style
• Posture alignment principles
• Learning to modify postures for students at different levels and those with injuries
• Safe assisting techniques to enable students to go deeper in a pose
• Proper breathing (pranayama) techniques
• Meditation
• Pre-Natal Basics – how to modify for pregnancy
• Basic sanskrit names of poses
• Observe senior teachers in live classes for technique and student response
• Assist teachers in live classes by providing hands on adjustments to students
• Practice teaching with feedback and assessment by faculty teachers

Anatomy and Physiology

• Functional anatomy and the anatomy of poses
• Chakras

Yoga History and Philosophy

• Historical roots of yoga
• Yamas and niyamas
• Yoga ethics and etiquette of teaching
• Modern Yoga

The Business of Yoga

• Effective ways to gain teaching experience
• The importance of specialising
• Learning to market and start your own classes
• Applying for work as an instructor
• Teacher insurance

Personal Practice

• Students are expected to attend a minimum of 4 classes per week: one mysore, one full Ashtanga primary series class and 2 classes of your choice. Please check our schedule

What Makes the Breathe Program Unique?

At Breathe our focus is on providing the highest calibre training available through:

A FACULTY OF THE VERY FINEST TEACHERS
The Breathe Teaching Faculty is amongst the very finest, experienced senior teachers in Canada who, combined have 40 years of teaching experience.

VALUE FOR MONEY
Upon acceptance into the program and payment of tuition, teacher trainees are  given an unlimited pass for drop-in yoga classes* – this means potentially months of free yoga classes.  Also once accepted,you are given a reading list before the workshops begin to bring your theoretical knowledge of yoga beyond a beginner level on your own time. This means that all trainees enter with a base knowledge, leaving time to study more complex and advanced topics during valuable workshop time with senior teachers.

 ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH FLEXIBILITY
At Breathe we understand that trainees need to balance their yoga studies with life – we therefore offer training days only on Sundays from January – March and make accommodations for students schedules where possible throughout the program.

SMALL TRAINEE TO TEACHER RATIO
As we admit a limited number of trainees into the program – all teaching faculty members therefore are able to provide effective personalised feedback and suggestions. Breathe offers on-line assistance to trainees through regular communication and updates

Optional Continued Education Training

Teacher Trainees will have the option of adding a Specialised Training Component in a particular segment to enable them to offer classes for students with specific needs. Options for training include: Pre-Natal Yoga, Yoga for Seniors or Yoga Basics for Absolute Beginners (separate cost)

Applying

Applications for the 2013/2014 Program are being accepted now and early application is highly recommended as Breathe admits a limited number of students into its program. A $100 non-refundable application fee must be submitted with the application.

Furthermore, beginning in September students who are accepted into the program may begin attending drop-in yoga classes at Breathe on an unlimited basis at no cost as soon as their tuition is paid in full (that could mean several months of free yoga!) and may begin logging their required personal practice hours (some conditions apply).

Tuition

Tuition for the Breathe 300+ hr training program is $3400. Upon acceptance into the program, a $500 non-refundable deposit is required with the balance of payment due before the start of the workshops beginning in January.

Applicants are eligible to receive several free months of yoga upon acceptance into the program (please see Applying above). Payment plans may be considered for applicants with special circumstances — please ask about our payment plan.

Tax Deductible Tuition

Breathe Yoga Studio is recognised by the Federal Government as a Private Training Institute.

Breathe is pleased to announce that it is one of few yoga studios whose Yoga Teacher Certification Program that has been recognised by the Canadian Federal Government as a
credited professional educational program providing students with the skills to enable them to work in a recognised occupation.

This means that those enrolled in the Teacher Training Program may not only have confidence in the high calibre of the program, but also claim their tuition and text books as a tax credit.

Download the Application Form

* from September on