cYs Professional Practitioner Programmes offer authentic training in the
Art of Practice, Study and Teaching in the approach of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar.
The Viniyoga of Yoga Teaching and Yoga Therapeutic Healthcare Programme Prerequisites
Involve a prior completion of 250 contact hours in the Art of Personal Studies Core Level Modules drawn from within two primary areas of Yoga Practice and Study:
- Yoga Practice Techniques and Theory Study Workshop and Course Modules
- Associated Yoga and Lifestyle Texts Study Workshop and Course Modules
The 250 Prerequisite Core Level contact hours break down into:
1. Yoga Practice Techniques and Theory Core Level Study Modules – 150 hours
2. Associated Yoga and Lifestyle Texts Core Level Study Modules – 100 hours
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Why have Personal Study as a prerequisite to a Practitioner Training?
One of the aims of the Art of Personal Studies Modules is to empower students in the art of how to practice rather than the more usual methodology of what to practice.
Equally, I feel that learning to teach Yoga is not the same as learning to practice Yoga. Plus one could suggest that learning the art of how to teach is not only different from learning what to teach but is a more demanding training on all levels.
These days there is lots of talk on what is involved in training to be a Yoga Teacher,
however little talk on what is involved in training to be a Yoga Student.
Thus I feel that it is important for the student to be skilled in the twin arts of Yoga practice and Yoga study prior to becoming involved in professional training to add the skill of teaching others, especially individuals or in addition groups.
Also, these days the burgeoning ‘fast track’ priorities to accumulate prospective trainee teachers, coupled with their own desires to become a Yoga teacher, quite often before being grounded in personal practice let alone Yoga Study, will only further obscure this distinction.
“Training to learn how to teach Yoga is not the same
as training to learn how to practice and study Yoga.”
Once we have learnt the skills required to be a student we can add the necessary teaching and therapeutic healthcare skills to offer Yoga intelligently to individuals.
“Like everything, Yoga must be presented intelligently.
It should be spoken of carefully and offered according to the aspiration, requirement
and the culture of the individual. This should be done in stages.
Systematic application of Yoga – be it concerned with physical exercises,
deep breathing, relaxation, meditation, lifestyle, food, studies – is the need of the day.
This I believe – is what the word Viniyoga represents.”
– TKV Desikachar
In other words, the Practitioner Training Programme does not add any further personal Yoga Practice or Yoga Study skills, instead, it is purely focused on the art of applying what you have learnt to others within a variety of situations and for a range of conditions.
