Diploma of Yoga Teaching & Life Skills
Australian government accredited course code: 30848
The Diploma of Yoga Teaching is core Shanti yoga™ teaching practicum. It provides you with the knowledge, training and authorisation to teach, and the sheer joy of sharing, the path of classical yoga with others. It allows an intense personal development that prepares you for your role as a teacher by including actual experiential practice, homework, reading/preparation assignments prior to each practicum, assignments and an examination during, and in internship, which includes required components such as teaching, assisting and service if one aspires to become a certified Shanti Yoga Instructor.
Teaching rides on your learning, openness, passion and genuine communication. Your specific level of authorisation as a Shanti Yoga teacher will be based upon you meeting the prerequisites for that authorisation: i.e. your performance during training. You are invited to
• explore the classical yoga approaches to health and wellness
• practice
• study
• learn to teach a series of 55 minute core Shanti Yoga classes
with your peers and give and receive feedback towards blending the ancient principles of classical yoga with the modern precision of safety and strength for dynamic and inspiring classes that strengthen and streamline the body, enhance posture and body awareness, reduce tension and stress and support the abdominal and lower back care in better overall health and wellbeing.
The uniqueness of this course is the wonderful blend of the healing, physical aspects from mat work and on the meditation cushion, with the sublime, deeper teachings and practices handed down through some of the most esteemed teachers of classical and traditional yoga. This allows for a smooth cultural blend of the West with the East. Additionally, the pioneering techniques of Shantiji through asana (postures) woven together in a rich tapestry with pranayama (yoga breathing), mudras (seals and gestures), bandhas (locks), vinyasa (yoga flow) and yoga nidra (deep relaxation or yogic sleep) add a whole new dimension to your learning and teaching experience.
The aim of the Shanti Yoga™ teacher training education is for you to be an accomplished and qualified yoga practitioner (600 hours, Cert IV in Yoga and Life Education) and teacher (a further 600 hours, Diploma in Yoga Teaching and Life Skills) with a program and style compatible with your environment. Thus yoga teacher training is a great self-directed leaning experience through which you will gain the tremendous benefits of yoga, which include the ability to relax and calm yourself at will. You will then be able to translate this into an effective teaching methodology for your students as you move towards becoming an accomplished teacher.
In this course you will
- learn how to structure and effectively teach a class
- cultivate the skill and sensitivity required to fulfil the varying needs of your students
- learn the art and science of yoga and its related disciplines
- cultivate the communication, facilitation, learning and teaching skills to effectively share the yoga world view
- practice teaching under tuition, supervision and guidance
- enhance your own personal growth as a human being and a yoga teacher
STUDY UNITS
- History and Philosophy of Yoga
- Yoga Health: Ayurveda, health, nutrition and lifestyle
- Yoga Relationship and ethics
- Yoga Body: Anatomy and physiology & postures, asana.
- Yoga Breathing, pranayama.
- Yoga Relaxation, nidra.
- Yoga Concentration, dharana.
- Yoga Meditaion, dhyana.
- Yoga Sound: mantra, kirtan, Sanskrit.
- Self Mastery, mastering success and yoga leadership.
COURSE COMPONENTS
THE DIPLOMA OF YOGA TEACHING AND LIFE SKILLS presents comprehensive training in teaching the world's most ancient and holistic mind-body health practices. Modules are well organised and fit in perfectly with the requirement as set out by the standards of rishis (sages), making it a completely fulfilling course. The modules are carefully chosen to give you a thorough knowledge of the essential components for teaching a yoga class and include:
GUIDED TRAINING & PRACTICE DURING CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE of the traditional yoga practices such as asanas, pranayama, nidra, concentration, meditation, mantra, chanting.
To role model teaching styles, classroom dynamics, how these practices will work for you when you teach in the community, practices are conducted are in an environment where the general public are also present. Attending class in a relaxed, non-pressured, supportive, group environment with like-minded people will further consolidate your personal practice of yoga, pranayama, and meditation, greatly increase your concentration, patience and general feeling of wellbeing, thus enabling you to impart this more authentically to others. This presents a platform for on-going and continued evaluation re. your yoga skills, attendance, attention, concentration etc. Please note: Even though personal private practice is highly recommended, no contact hours for the course are allowed for personal, private practice.
MENTORING and MICRO GROUPS
Personal guidance and a one-to-one feel lay the foundations for study, practice and also lessen the distractions that divert the mind from the serious path of yoga teaching.
SUPERVISED PRACTICUM & TEACHING METHODOLOGY
Practicums in learning how to teach are sessions for you to put into practice what you've already leaned in your foundational education from your Cert IV in Yoga Education and Life Skills studies, and you will be required to deliver the work to fellow students, Advanced Diploma students and other Shanti Yoga teachers. These session are not open to the general public. Here you'll gain invaluable practice teaching skills; receiving technical and delivery feedback about what you're doing right, and what you can do just that little bit better; observing others teaching and giving feedback and advice; early leadership skills which will train you to share the Shanti Yoga inspiration; and the chance to talk over anything that comes up during the session. Best of all is the opportunity to work with existing yoga teachers and your peers. These sessions also consist of you being assessed as competent or not as yet competent for your Diploma or Advanced Diploma qualification, are logged in, and they also count towards ongoing professional development for your professional association membership. Please note: Teaching without permission, qualification, outside your scope, or risk taking can bring on instant expulsion.
ASSIGNED STUDY WITH ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Embedded in the course are the ethical conduct (yamas) and observances (niyamas), the postures (asana), the breathing exercises (pranayama), relaxation (nidra), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), physical and subtle (psychic) anatomy, the seven major energy centres (chakras), seals (mudras) and locks (bandhas), philosophy, scriptural study, pedagogy, Shanti Yoga teaching methodology, yoga lifestyle, satsangand kirtan.
Tutorials and lectures in yogic history, philosophy, ethics, health, lifestyle guidelines, relationship, communication and leadership, audio visuals, readings and so on are conducted weekly on a Monday afternoon (1-2pm), Tuesday evening weekly (8-9pm) and monthly on a Friday night (6.30-9.30pm - attendance is optionally, but highly recommended). These topics and practices are thoughtfully chosen to support your teacher training process and are directly relevant to the subject of yoga (its practice, living and teaching).
You are also required to study the materials that are provided and submit the appropriate assignments. The assignment process could include a written report, class discussion, class presentation, test etc.
LIVING THE YOGIC PATH - yoga immersion
In addition during your course time on the mat and tutorials, you are invited to attend, at no extra fee, 4 week-end, residential, time-out retreats which include shared accommodation, delicious Ayurvedic, home-cooked, vegetarian meals, reflective time, program and yoga duties, so that you can live your yoga. These restore the body, expand the mind and refine your power for positive thinking in the post modern age.
20 contact hours is allocated for each retreat, i.e. 80 contact hours in total for the course.
Massages, wellness treatments, single room upgrade and special diets are available as optional extras.
PRACTICUM ASSESSMENT is based upon your knowledge and ability with
- Functional Physiology, which is highly contextualised to the practice of yoga (A&P)
- Yogic Physiology, based on an integration of both paradigms: Western sciences and the tradition of yoga
- Teaching Asanas (postures) level 1, providing a sound practice of teaching the third limb of Yoga.
- Teaching Asana Sequences (level 1), the orderly groupings of asanas that become 'units' within a practice.
- Asanas for Pregnancy
- Teaching Pranayama (level 1)
- Teaching Yoga Nidra (level 1)
- Yoga Concentration
- Interpersonal skills
- Occupational Health and Safety - the principles and practices that are relevant to the teaching of Yoga.
- Yoga Ethics, Leadership and the Professional Yoga Teacher
OUTCOMES
From this Course you will
• Develop a fulfilling practice routine for your own evolution in Yoga, one that enables you to handle the vagaries of life
• Cultivate a confidence and capability to be able to teach effectively in a yoga class or individually
• Earn an internationally valid certification which allows you to teach worldwide.
• Develop a fulfilling practice routine for your own evolution in Yoga, one that enables you to handle the vagaries of life
• Cultivate a confidence and capability to be able to teach effectively in a yoga class or individually
• Earn an internationally valid certification which allows you to teach worldwide.
• Learn the essentials of Ayurveda, the science of life and health
• Gain the ability to address and correct at a basic level, the various health concerns that crop up from time to time.
• Have a solid foundation to further your learnings in any path of yoga and ayurveda that you personally feel drawn towards, whether it’s an intensive, physical oriented approach or the spiritual and philosophical path or simply the scientific and research oriented learning.
• Gain the ability to address and correct at a basic level, the various health concerns that crop up from time to time.
• Have a solid foundation to further your learnings in any path of yoga and ayurveda that you personally feel drawn towards, whether it’s an intensive, physical oriented approach or the spiritual and philosophical path or simply the scientific and research oriented learning.
COURSE DURATION
The course duration is 1200 cumulative hours of study and practice. Participants are required to meet the prerequisite, Cert IV in Yoga Education, which accounts for 600 hours, leaving 600 hours to complete.
STUDY OPTIONS
ONE ACADEMIC YEAR
The Diploma of Yoga Teaching and Life Skills is conducted over one academic year. Practicum is conducted monthly, one Saturday every month, from 2-5pm. There are 4 weekend residential retreats for the course. Course commitments (Austudy and Cricos) are 20 hours a week.
CORRESPONDANCE
FIRST AID TRAINING
The Shanti Yoga Health Institute strongly recommends CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and first aid training for all yoga teacher trainees (YTT). However, CPR and first aid training hours cannot be counted toward satisfying the minimum YTT curriculum hour requirements.
