Yoga Teacher's Training Course (TTC)

05/01/10 to 05/31/10

Taught by Swami Sitaramananda • Krishna Darshan • Swami Pranavananda • Swami Padmapadananda • Mahashakti •

Course Details

This 4 week course, which offers a profound personal experience, will allow you to transmit the knowledge of yoga to others. The spiritual essence of yoga is learned through a combination of repeated practice and inspirational lessons. Among the many benefits that students report are greater spiritual awareness, a sense of connection with the divine, a new-found sense of self-discipline, enhanced self-esteem, improved power of concentration and increased strength and flexibility.

Curriculum

• Hatha Yoga Theory
• The Astral Body
• The nadis (energy channels) and chakras (energy centers).
• Yoga Asanas
• The Sun Salutation and the 12 basic yoga postures.
• Advanced Variations
• Effects of asanas on the physical and astral body
• Proper posture alignment
• Deep relaxation
• Release of blocked energy
• Pranayama Kapalabhati, Anuloma Viloma (alternate nostril breath)
• Advanced pranayama exercises
• Meditation
• Twelve Guidelines for Meditation
• Benefits of Meditation
• Mantras and mantra initiation (if requested)
• Yoga Philosophy and Psychology
• The Four Paths of Yoga
• The Five Points of Yoga according to Swami Vishnu-devananda
• Psychology of the Spiritual Aspirant
• Law of karma
• Vedanta philosophy
• How to Teach
• Teaching the sun salutation and the 12 basic postures
• The Basic Class
• Teaching beginners and intermediate students
• Adapt teaching to special groups
• Anatomy and Physiology
• The effects of hatha yoga on major body systems
• Yogic Diet and Nutrition
• Ethical, health and spiritual reasons for vegetarianism
• Bhagavad Gita Study and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita, which is the most read classical scripture. It gives universal teachings on how to do your duty and conduct yourself in the battlefield of life.
• Kirtan
• Positive emotional effects of chanting
• Correct pronunciation and mental attitude
• Mantra and sound healing
• Practice of opening of the heart to the divine
• Kriyas
• The six classical Yogic exercises for purifying and detoxifying the internal and external body.

Daily Schedule

6-8am Satsang: Silent meditation, chanting and lecture
8-10am Yoga Asana Class
10am Vegetarian Brunch
11am Karma Yoga or Free Time
12-4pm Philosophy Classes
4-6pm Yoga Asana Class
6pm Vegetarian Dinner
7-8pm Karma Yoga or Free Time
8-10pm Satsang: meditation, chanting and lecture

Pre-requisite

There are no pre-requisites other than a sincere desire to learn classical yoga practice and philosophy.

Certification

A teaching certificate from the International SYVC is awarded upon successful completion of this immersion course. The International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center (SYVC) has trained over 24,000 yoga teachers to date since 1969.

Cost

Cost of the one month TTC certificate program, including all classes, instruction, course manual and meals, is as follows:

Tent Space (bring a tent) $2,400
Dormitory Cabin (up to 4) $2,960
Double Cabin $3,125 - Single $3,675

If you should choose to take the Advanced Teacher Training Course immediately following in June, there will be a discount of 200 USD off of the total cost.

Click here to learn more about the course.

Arrival and Departure

The course will begin at 11am on Saturday, May 1 with orientation, and will end with graduation on Saturday, May 30 at 10pm.

Please plan to arrive at the Yoga Farm at least one day before the start of the course and to leave at least one day after the course completion.

We recommend that you spend at least a few days at the Yoga Farm before the start of your course. This allows your body and mind to rest, re-energize and be nourished by the ashram environment. You can then bring your study feeling relaxed and refreshed. You may also wish to stay for some days after the end of the course to allow the learning from your study to integrate more fully into your consciousness within the supportive environment of the ashram. If you decide to arrive early and stay longer, please register for the Yoga Vacation Program for those additional days. Please see the calendar of events for guest programs on offer around the time of your visit.

What to Bring

Textbooks:

(Recommended)

Essentials of Yoga Practice and Philosophy by Swami Sitaramananda

(Required)

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnu-devananda

The Bhagavad Gita

Other: Slip-on shoes, loose comfortable clothing, writing materials, meditation shawl or blanket, yoga mat, flashlight and tent/camping equipment if you plan to stay in a tent.

All books and materials are available in our boutique.

Registration

To reserve a place for this course, please register online or email yogafarmregistration@sivananda.org. Then please call to give us your credit card deposit and confirm your reservation.

A deposit of $300 is required. Please note that in case of cancellation, no refund will be given. A credit note for other programs at the Yoga Farm (valid for one year) will be given.

About Swami Sitaramananda
Swami Sitaramananda is a Yoga and Meditation teacher for more than 25 years. She is presently the main teacher of the Yoga Teachers Training Courses offered at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm, Grass Valley, CA where she is serving as the director. She also teaches at other Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashrams & Centers in India and Nassau, Bahamas, Asia, as well as Centers along the West Coast USA, including her birth country, Vietnam. She is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnu-devananda. She was nominated by her teacher as Goraknath acharya (spiritual teacher, one of the holders of the lineage) in 1989. Her lectures are based on the four classical paths of yoga as well as the 5 points of Health.

About Krishna Darshan
About Krishna Darshan Krishna Darshan, who hails from Uruguay, is a direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda and has been a yoga and meditation teacher for more than 24 years in South America, Europe and USA. He has been the main Hatha Yoga instructor in numerous International Yoga Teachers Training Courses and has an in depth knowledge of the practice of Hatha and Raja Yoga and Vedanta philosophy. He is an able yogic sadhana counselor and he is Jyotish teacher and consultant, certified by the American College of Vedic Astrology (ACVA) and he has been teaching Vedic astrology courses at the Sivananda Ashrams and centers. In his long practice, study and teaching of Yoga and Vedanta philosophy, Krishna has come to recognize the value of Vedic astrology as a tool to give better counseling and guidance to those on the spiritual journey. He has written numerous articles on Yoga and Jyotish. Some of these can be read on his website: www.9graha.com

About Swami Pranavananda
Swami Pranavananda took the vow of Sannyas in 1995. He is a gifted teacher who is the main hatha yoga teacher at the ashram and teaches the Anatomy and Physiology section of our Teachers Training Course. He co-directed the San Francisco Center for five years. A talented musician, he enjoys leading kirtan and bhajan chanting sessions during satsang.

About Swami Padmapadananda
Swami Padmapadananda was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and began his yoga practice in 1970. He is a senior disciple of Swami Vishnu devananda and was initiated as a sannyasi in 1979. He was named after a disciple of Sankaracharya, Padmapada, the "lotus-footed one". Noted for his heart and humor, he is by nature a 'Bhakta', one who is easily drawn to Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion). Swami Padmapadananda has directed Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers in Israel, London, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Yoga Ranch in upstate New York. He presently directs the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in San Francisco. He is part of the teaching team of the Yoga Farm, where he conducts various programs during the year.

About Mahashakti
Mahashakti, who hails from Uruguay, is a Yogini with 15 years of experience in teaching Yoga to all age groups. She has been assisting numerous International Yoga Teachers Training courses in South America, Europe and USA . She graduated from TTC and ATTC in South America. Mahashakti is also an expert in teaching Yoga for children. She has been the director of the Children's Yoga camp at the Sivananda ashram Yoga Farm for 10 years. The Camp offered a comprehensive residential Yoga program for children from ages 7-14 years old. Mahashakti taught children successfully , not only to do their asanas with joy , but also to learn the healthy and philosophical foundation principles of Yoga Life.