Daogandantra Yoga Teacher Training

January 9th to March 4th 2012
Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand

With Teachers: Ashton Szabo (E-RYT 200), Emma Warmington (Anusara Inspired, E-RYT 200), Octavio  Salvado (E-RYT 200)

and Special Guest Senior Certified Anusara Teacher Tara Judelle

 

These dedicated and well respected teachers are coming together to share their unique talents in this intensive eight week yoga teacher training program. With two asana clases daily, we will fine tune the instruments of the body to allow us to fully embody the realizations and understandings of the various techniques taught during the course. The course is designed for those wishing to not only teach yoga, but for those looking for an in-depth experience of exploring reality and consciousness in its various manifestations and forms. These heart opening practices are designed to blast us open to the realization of the divine in all things. This course includes tools and techniques to deeply connect with the power of your own voice through song and story telling. as well as exploring the various realms of the mind through multiple limbs of yoga.

 

Subjects Include:
Hatha Yoga | Tantra Yoga | Yoga Therapeutics
Tantric Philosophy | Bhakti Yoga | Yoga Philosophy
Mahavira Yoga | Bhakti Massage | Physical Anatomy
Vinyasa Yoga | Alignment | Energetic Anatomy
Pranayama Yoga | Shamanic Arts | Chakra System
Mantra Yoga | Kriya Yoga | Story Telling
And Much More!

 

Course Outline
The first month of the course is an intensive yoga course with a strong emphasis on the chakra system. Each week, we will cover two chakras, explore anatomy, alignment, mantra, and more. We learn tools of yoga therapeutics, and see how asana can be used as a tool in healing. There are two asana classes daily, five days a week. Saturdays, additional asana classes will be offered, eventually with the student/teachers having the opportunity to practice teaching on this day. Sundays are a free day.
The second month is a very unique aspect of the course. Each week, we progress workshop style, through various practices that embody the various chakras we learned about in month one. In the lower chakras, we follow the story of Hanuman as we explore Viraja Yoga and the potentials of the human body. As we move up into the heart and throat, we explore Bhakti Massage and move heavily into Mantra. The seventh week, we explore the realms of the mind as we delve into the Shamanic Arts. Daily drummed journeys will take us to places like the Underworld, and connect us to our spirit animals. We also adopt a heavy Kriya Yoga practice, as we use the mind to focus our concentration. Finally, in week eight, we celebrate our embodiment as we develop a strong meditation practice.

Teaching Methodology

We are fully committed to training our students in the art and skill of teaching yoga. Often times, people take yoga teacher trainings in order to deepen their practice, and a lot of the yoga ttc’s out there reflect this. While this course is designed to take people deep into their own practice of yoga, we are fully committed to teaching teachers how to TEACH these practices, not just do them themselves. We will learn effective teaching tools and methods, in order to be successful and confident if and when you decide to teach yoga.

Bhakti Massage

Bhakti Massage was developed through 18 years of massage, bodywork, energy work, and yoga experience. Every student will learn a basic form with which they can comfortably and confidently give a full length massage. Learning massage is an invaluable skill for a yoga teacher to learn, as it brings a new relationship and understanding of the human body. As a teacher, being able to offer massage to our students not only gives the teacher more ways in which they can serve their students, but also another tool in expanding the teachers own practice. Bhakti Massage is indeed a practice that continues to grow the more you practice. Bhakti Massage differs from other massage not only in what is being felt by the receiver of the massage, but because of the process going on inside the person giving the massage. The giver is practicing Bhakti, devotion. They are surrendering over their control (their need to “fix” people), and being moved by spirit to serve the person they are giving to. In these moments when we step aside, and let go our ego, our bodies become a vehicle for the Divine, and miraculous healing can occur.

Bhakti Yoga

The Yoga of Devotion and Surrender.  Coming from the root ‘bhaj’, one of the meanings of which is “participation”, the bhakti yogi or yogini literally participates in the Divine through loving devotion, surrender, service, and worship, ultimately being drawn into mystical union with the Divine.

Chakra System

This course includes an in depth exploration of the chakras. We will discuss both the energetic, psychological and physiological characteristics of the chakras, and how they affect us on the subtle and gross levels.  In the first month of the course, we will cover two chakras a week. By the time of the second month we will have learned a basic working understanding of the chakras, and we’ll be able to more fully apply that knowledge in our practices. The practices of month two lead us through the same chakras, giving each student the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the energies of these chakras.

Energetic Anatomy

Learn about the basic energetic systems of the body. We will discuss the nadis and chakras from the yogic system, as well as the meridians from the chinese system, both in their applications in yoga and in massage.

Kriya Yoga

The Yoga of Action. Once we’ve discussed the energy systems of the body, we’ll learn how to move that energy via various Kriyas and exercises. Exploring not only kriyas from the yogic and tantric traditions, but from traditions like Qi Gong, as well.

Mantra Yoga

Mantra Yoga is a powerful tool for spiritual transformation used by many spiritual traditions past and present. Mantra Yoga focuses on the creative and healing aspects of sound and vibration. Using the voice and vocal thought process sacred sound syllables are strung together like beads on a string, then infused with intention to create specific results in the mind, body and nervous system of the practitioner.

Physical Anatomy

Understanding the human body is an essential tool for any yoga teacher. In this course, we explore twice weekly human anatomy. One lecture a week will focus on theory and the more information dense side of anatomy (names of bones, joints, muscles, etc). The second lecture each week focuses on practical anatomy: we will break down specific poses that directly deal with the parts of anatomy we learned earlier in the week. So not only do we receive basic anatomical information, but we get to directly, and continuously, relate it to yoga and to yoga asana.

Pranayama Yoga

This is the art and science of guiding our breath. Ancient sages recognized the relationship between their emotional/mental/body states and their breath. As the breath goes, so often does the mind and body go. We cover a large range of pranayama practices, giving each student/teacher a vast array of tools to deeper their own practices, and to teach their students how to better use their breath to assist them in their practice.

Shamanic Arts

In addition to our daily yoga, we will explore ecstatic movement and sound journeys (with a drum and rattle) to further explore the realms of consciousness. We’ll explore the similarities found in yoga, tantra and shamanic arts.

Story Telling

Story telling is perhaps humankind’s most ancient form of teaching. We will explore stories from the yogic and tantric traditions, as well as stories from Europe and the Americas. We will learn how to bring these stories into our classes, to help support the processes of our students. We’ll learn about the stories behind the poses (asana), and how they got their names. As well, we’ll discuss comparative mythology, and how to express these stories in ways that make them relevant in all of our lives.

Tantra Yoga

The word tantra comes from two Sanskrit syllables, tanoti, meaning ‘expansion’, and trayati, meaning ‘liberation’. It is primarily concerned with practices and rituals designed to free oneself from the cycles of suffering. We expand ourselves beyond the limited confines of the organism we call our body, and find liberation in our connection to all things. Tantra is about the celebration of embodiment. It doesn’t look to take us to high peak states and leave us there, rather it brings us back into our bodies, into this existence, into this earth. It sees this existence as lila (divine play), the divine dance of Shiva and Shakti. Consciousness and Energy/Matter. It brings in the understanding that this is it. Here, now. It’s not some place over there, not some time in the future, or in the past. It’s Right here. Right now. It’s all available to us in this moment. This entire course will be filled with various tantric understandings and teachings, drawing from multiple traditions and schools.

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinayasa means to link together. This style of yoga asana links various poses together in a harmonious way, in order to fascilitate maximum opening in our bodies. It tends to be a more rigorous style of yoga, but doesn’t necessarily have to be. Not only will we practice this style of yoga often during the training, but we will learn effective tools in sequencing, so you can learn how to develop your own sequences for your own practice and for your classes.

Mahavira Yoga

This style of yoga combines yoga asana with many other styles of physical and energetic movement (martial arts, physical therapy, cross training, qi gong) to fully explore the capacities of the human body. Infused with tantric understanding, Mahavira Yoga sees our embodiment in this life time as an opportunity to serve. Understanding that we can more fully give of ourselves when we are in optimum health, Mahavira yoga explores various ways of reaching our unique optimum. When we are sick, or in pain, it becomes a bigger challenge to give of ourselves. But when we are in good health, and pain free, it becomes much easier to be in this world and serve. Mahavira Yoga is not an escapist form of yoga. It’s not a ticket to liberation that takes you “out of here”. It’s not about peak states or ecstasy. It’s grounded in the here and now. How Full can you be, now? How much can you give? How well can you express yourself with your body? Are you present? Are you living for yourself, or for others? These are some of the questions Mahavira Yoga looks to answer. Always in the back drop of Mahavira Yoga, are the tales of Hanuman, incarnation of Shiva, sent into existence in order to serve all of life.

Yoga Philosophy

Learn the philosophy behind many various forms of yoga. Learn about yoga’s roots, and how it has evolved over the millennia. we will explore tantra’s yogic roots, and how it grew from and along side, this ancient tradition.

Yoga Therapeutics

Yoga Therapy is not learning how to heal, it is learning how to facilitate the body’s own natural healing abilities.  It is the simple and profoundly effective application of good alignment.  Using Anusara’s deeply therapeutic Universal Principles of Alignment as our guidelines, we learn how to bring the body back to it’s Optimal Blueprint or ideal position.  This Optimal Blueprint encourages the maximum flow of energizing and healing forces through the body which in turn switch off the misalignment alarm signals we experience as pain.  Many physical issues can be resolved simply by bringing the body back into it’s ideal alignment and we will look at conditions such as sciatica, lower back pain, shoulder injuries, knee & wrist issues, neck pain, headaches and other common issues, to learn how we can help bring relief to those who are suffering.   Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), restorative hatha and pranayama techniques will also feature in this element of the course.

** A portion of this module of the course will now be taught by the amazing Tara Judelle, Senior Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher **

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Location
Serenity Residence
Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand

The training takes place at the beautiful and secluded Serenity Residence, on Koh Pha Ngan in Thailand. The layout of the property gives one the feel of being in the Mediterranean. We have our own private beach to relax on and swim at. We will also often have our Bhajans at the beach. Our yoga place over looks the ocean, and facing west, we are treated to some amazing sunsets. The land is tucked in between Had Yao and Had Salad, and is extremely quiet. For more information on Serenity Residence, visit http://www.serenity-thailand.com

Tuition
$3960 USD w/ Accommodation
$3480 USD w/ Shared Accommodation
$3000 USD w/out Accommodation
(Limited Partial Scholarships are Available)
* Prices does not include food or travel
** Discount for Pyramid and Agama Students

Upon acceptance of your application, a $1000 deposit is required to save your space in the course. The full amount for the course is due December 15th, 2011. If you withdraw from the course before this date, 50% of  your deposit will be returned to you. If you have paid in full and withdraw after this time, your money will be returned to you minus the full deposit. Once the course has begun, a 50% return on the course fee (minus the deposit) will be returned if you withdraw from the course during the first week. After the first week, no refunds will be given.

- Early Bird Special! Pay in full on or before September 15th, and receive a 10% discount. -

(Early Bird Special does not apply to those already receiving the student discount)

** Discount for Pyramid and Agama students: This discount applies to students who have completed a teacher training program at Pyramid Yoga or Agama Yoga, or to Agama Yoga students who have completed up to month six. Those who are eligible can receive their 10% discount all the way up until the full amount is due (December 15th, 2011). They are still required to place the $1000 deposit to save their space in the course.

Click here to find out more about our Scholarship Program

Accommodation
The course takes place at the beautiful Serenity Residence. We have private villas and shared villas available. There are limited rooms available at Serenity Residence, so if you’d like to stay on the land, we advise early registration. If you choose the shared villas option, you will be paired with a roomate of the same gender. There are also plenty of other places to stay nearby in Had Yao and Had Salad. If you choose not to stay at the Serenity Residence, and want to find your own accommodation, email ashton@daogandantra.com for a list of places to stay near bye (all in various price ranges).

Application
Email ashton@daogandantra.com or leave a comment here on the webpage including your email address, and we will send you the application.

Teacher Bios
Ashton Szabo (E-RYT 200)
Emma Warmington (Anusara Inspired, E-RYT 200)
Octavio Salvado (E-RYT 200)
Tara Judelle (Senior Certified Anusara Teacher)

Assistant Teachers:
Harry Werber
Rosie Matheson