"Easeful,
Peaceful, and Useful."
Frequently
Asked Questions:
Teacher Training
How often do you offer the Level 1 Teacher Training?
Level 1 Teacher Training is offered twice a year, spring and fall. The spring
training usually runs from March to June, and the fall training runs from September
to December.
Can you describe the content of the Level 1 Teacher Training?
The Integral Yoga Teacher Training program has been training Yoga teachers for
over thirty years. Our Level 1 Teacher Training prepares students to teach our
Beginners Level Hatha Yoga Class, which is a specific system of asana, relaxation,
pranayama and meditation created by Sri Swami Satchidananda.
Our class emphasizes an inward flow, from the more active asanas to the silent
reflection of meditation - which we teach at the end of all of our classes.
The best way to learn about the content of our training is to attend a drop-in
Integral Yoga Hatha class.
Is your Level 1 Teacher Training certified by the Yoga Alliance?
Yes, our Level 1 Teacher Training meets the standards for the Yoga Alliance
200-hour certification. These are national standards for yoga teacher certification
courses. Our advanced trainings can also be used towards the Yoga Alliance 500-hour
certification.
Is there a prerequisite for this training?
Yes, the two prerequisites for the Level 1 Teacher Training are an active yoga
practice, and familiarity with Integral Yoga. An active practice means that
you feel that you have been practicing long enough to have a basic understanding
of yoga, and have integrated a yoga practice into your life.
Familiarity with Integral Yoga means that you have either taken a number of
classes at the Integral Yoga Institute, or studied with an Integral Yoga teacher
in a different setting. If you do not live near an Integral Yoga teacher you
can purchase a cassette tape of an Integral Yoga class, and practice on your
own. Call our office for more information about purchasing the tape (415) 821-1117.
How do I know if I’m ready to take the Teacher Training?
Teacher Training can be a great way of deepening your yoga practice. But we
recommend taking our other workshops and course classes first before taking
the Teacher Training course. These other classes will help to prepare you for
the course, and help you familiarize yourself with the teachings of Integral
Yoga.
This is a time-intensive course that takes a serious commitment of both your
time and energy. Classes meet about 14 hours a week. But, please expect to spend
at least an hour a day outside of class time on reading and memorization. Plus,
you will need to spend time six days a week on your personal practice of Hatha
yoga, pranayama and meditation.
Some people take the course because they are interested in teaching Yoga. But,
some other people feel that this is the best way of deepening their understanding
of Yoga, even though they don’t intend to teach.
How
do I apply?
If you feel that this is the right time for you to take the Teacher Training
please download the application from our website. Mail the completed application
along with a deposit of $250 to:
Rev. Jivana Heyman
Director of Teacher Training
Integral Yoga Institute
770 Dolores Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
The deposit is refundable if you decide not to take the training up to two weeks
into the training, or if your application is not accepted. Once your application
is received we will call you to set up a personal interview. During the interview
we will carefully describe the content of the training and try to answer any
questions that you may have. We will also ask you about your readiness to take
the training.
How many students are in the course?
We only accept a maximum of 15 students in our training because of the size
of the classrooms and the retreat center. This small class size allows for personal
attention, and an intimate bond between the students.
Do you offer work exchange for the training?
We do not offer work exchange opportunities for the Teacher Training programs.
But we do have work exchange available for most of our classes and workshops.
For more information on work exchange call the Institute at (415) 821-1117.
We do offer payment plans for the tuition which can be discussed during your
interview.
Do you offer advanced trainings as well?
Yes, teachers who have completed a basic teacher training program that is certified
by the Yoga Alliance can apply for our advanced teacher trainings. We offer
advanced trainings twice a year – winter and summer. These rotate between
Intermediate Level, Gentle Yoga, and Raja Yoga (yoga philosophy) Teacher Training.
In the coming years we plan to offer Prenatal, Children’s, and Pranayama
and Meditation Teacher Training.
We also hold annual Teachers Conferences, and Teachers Intensive Weekends. All
of these trainings can be used toward 500-hour Yoga Alliance certification.
How do I get more information?
For more information please call Rev. Jivana Heyman, Director of Teacher Training,
at (415)821-1117 ext. 375. Or email him at training@IntegralYogaSF.org
