yoga- yoga teacher training in chiang mai, thailand

Asana

Alignment Principles
Integrated and Vinyasa Yoga (with modules on Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga)
Benefits, Contraindication, and Modifications in all
      Categories of Poses: Sun Salutations, Standing Poses,
      Balancing Poses, Backbends, Hand Balances, Inversions,
    Forward Bends, Hip Openers, and Inversions
Effective Sequencing
Assisting & Adjusting
Creating a Personal Practice

Anatomy & Physiology

The Systems of the Body
Applied Anatomy
Injury Prevention

Ayurveda

The 5 Elements
The 3 Doshas
Lifestyle & Diet
Ayurveda Applied to Asana
Conscious Eating

Pranayama

The Five Winds
Daily Pranayama Practice
Chanting
How to teach basic pranayama

Meditation

Insight (Vipassana) Meditation
The Four Brahma Viharas
Daily Morning Meditations
One-day meditation retreat

Philosophy

History of Yoga & Overview of Major Philosophical Trends
The Yoga Sutras
The Bhagavad Gita
The Shiva Sutras
Kundalini Yoga & Esoteric Anatomy

The Art of Teaching

Ethics & The Seat of the Teacher
Class Planning
Classroom Organization
Overview of the Business of Yoga and Being a Yoga Professional
Authenticity & Creativity
Effective Themes & Language
Observational Skills
Peer Teaching

Service & Activism

Creating a Harmonious Kula
Karma Yoga: Offering Your Gifts as Selfless Service

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TEACHING FACULTY OVERVIEW

Sara Avant Stover (Program Director/Head Teacher)
Yoga Alliance certified teacher trainer (E-RYT 500).

Carlos Pomeda (History & Philosophy)
Masters degrees in Sanskrit & Religious Studies.

Kimberly Johnson (Special Guest Teaching Faculty)
Senior teacher of asana, Sanskrit, pranayama & chantin

Yoga Anatomy (T.B.A. Special Guest Teaching Faculty)
Yoga anatomy guest teacher to be announced.

Course Assistant
We will have one highly qualified, yoga teaching assistant

PROGRAM DIRECTOR - Sara Avant Stover

Sara took her first yoga class at age 18 and knew immediately that she would someday devote her life to teaching. By her early 20’s, yoga was such a big part of Sara’s life, that she moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand where she lived for 9 years and served as one of the pioneer yoga teachers in that part of the word.

To date, Sara has taught some 3,000 student in over a dozen different countries. She is a prolific writer whose articles have been featured in half a dozen magazines including Yoga Journal, Yogi Time Business, Pilates Style and Fit Yoga. Sara takes yoga very seriously, but teaches with kind, gentle understanding of the human spirit.

As a student, Sara has been fortunate to study with some of the best teachers in the world including Richard Freeman, Gurmukh, Shiva Rea, John Friend, Sarah Powers, Sianna Sherman, Jill Satterfield, Susanna Nicholson, and Gary Kraftsow. Sara continues to be inspired by master yogini, Sofia Diaz, who teaches spiritual empowerment for women and the balanced dance of the masculine and feminine. Her spiritual teacher, ShantiMayi continues to shine light on her path to full illumination and realization.

Sara has also studied Ayurveda, Reiki, pre/post natal yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Thai Yoga Massage, and Insight Meditation. Sara is now based to Boulder, Colorado, and is very excited to return once again to her second home, Chiang Mai, for this course.

…she inspires your greatest self

"Studying under Sara is like basking in the rays of loving awareness, as she inspires your greatest self to shine through practical use of breath and innovative and creative yoga techniques. She has an innate ability to share information that you can apply not only to your own practices, but to your daily life, encouraging you to be your own teacher and guide. Being under her nurturing guidance is a true blessing."

- Loren Brown (singer/songwriter, yoga instructor)

HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY - Carlos Pomeda

Carlos Pomeda, was born in Madrid, Spain, and having traveled extensively, currently resides in Austin, Texas.

He received formal, traditional training in yoga during almost 18 years as a monk (swami) of the Saraswati order, 9 of which he spent in India, at the Siddha Yoga ashram, studying and practicing under Swami Muktananda and Gurumayi Chidvilasananda.

During this time he learned the various systems of Indian Philosophy and immersed himself in the practice of yoga. He combines this traditional training with his academic backgkround which includes to Masters degress: one in Sanskrit, form U.C. Berkeley (where he taught) and another one, in Religious Studies, from U.C. Santa Barbara.

As a teacher, Carlos is known for his love of the India yoga traditions, his insight, his humor, his deep empathy with his audiences and his ability to convey the deepest scriptural teachings in a way that is clear, meaningful and applicable.

Studying with Carlos is a truly delightful and enlightening experience. Visit his website www.pomeda.com.

…a world-class teacher

“Carlos Pomeda is a world-class teacher of Eastern Philosophy who has tremendous ability to convey the essence of the depth of the yoga tradition in a way that is deeply meaningful and transformative.”

- John Friend (founder of Anusara Yoga)

GUEST FACULTY – Kimberly Johnson

Kimberly Johnson has been immersed in the study of yoga for over fifteen years and has been teaching for the last ten. She teaches in the lineage of Krishnamacharya having deeply explored Viniyoga, Iyengar Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga.

Her greatest yoga influences are Richard Freeman, Rodney Yee, Erich Schiffman, Gabriella Giubilaro and Trish O’Reilly. She enjoys guiding students to an experience of their own wisdom through the path of self-inquiry. She loves all aspects of yoga and is continuously awed by the power of asana, pranayama, and chanting, eagerly sharing the gems she finds.

Kimberly believes that the heart of this practice lies in a continual return to self-inquiry. She brings her clear observations, honed through dancing and Structural Integration training, rigorous study of Advaita Vedanta and Sanskrit, and an incurable love for India and yoga tradition to her classes. She has taught in New York City, San Diego, Chicago, Boulder, and comes to you most recently from Rio de Janeiro.

ANATOMY INSTRUCTOR – Ellen Heed

Ellen Heed has a gift for translating the complex language of western anatomy into usable, practical concepts that yoga teachers can successfully integrate into their teaching. Students learn names of bones, muscles, and connective tissues and how to locate them in their bodies. Why and how we are different from each other becomes the basis of how to use Yoga as a tool to develop our strengths and strengthen our weaknesses

During her anatomy intensive, Ellen will give teacher trainees new tools to communicate the benefits of Yoga. Ellen studied yoga intensively with Ana Forrest for 12 years and designed this class specifically to address the needs of Yoga Teacher Trainees. This class satisfies the 20-hour Anatomy requirement for the National Yoga Alliance.

TEACHING ASSISTANT – Jo Ibbett

Jo is a lover of all things that create community and laughter! Her back ground is in art and design so she loves her Yoga practice and teaching to be creative and to explore the self through the many forms of yoga, with her favourites being mantra and pranayama. She also has a background in Massage, and with a passion for anatomy loves to study the beauty of the body from the inside and out. Her Hatha influences are greatly inspired by Anusara, Chakra, Vinyasa and Acro forms of Yoga. Above all she loves singing and Kirtan!

Sample Daily Schedule

This intensive course is four weeks total; each week includes six full days training, and one day off (Sunday). We will have “karma yoga” ½-day excursions to offer selfless service in Chiang Mai and a full-day meditation retreat on Saturdays.

Course Arrival Day: 31 May (anytime after 12:00 p.m.)
Course Departure: 27 June (anytime before 12:00 p.m.)
*airport transfer provided
**no need to arrive early/leave later unless you so choose

Days Off: Sundays are days off for exploring Chiang Mai

The following is the basic schedule, which may vary as needed.

07:00 - 9:00 a.m.	Meditation, Pranayama & Led or Self Practice
09:00 - 09:15 a.m.	Journaling
09:15 - 10:00 a.m.	Breakfast
10:00 - 1:00 p.m.	Program Session
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.	Lunch
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.	Program Session
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.	Led or Self Practice
6:30 - 7:30 p.m.	Dinner
7:30 - 9:00 p.m.	Evening Gathering/Film/Guest Speaker

Requirements

Students who are interested in participating should bear in mind that this will be a physically and emotionally demanding intensive. It will require steadfastness, commitment, perseverance, cooperation, and surrender. This program may not be right for everyone.

Interested students must:

Have a deep desire to learn and personally explore the deeper dimensions of yoga.
Be willing to live harmoniously in community for four weeks.
Have a minimum of 2 years of a dedicated yoga practice.
Be willing to forgo most other personal or professional commitments for the duration of the program.
Have read the required readings prior and completed accompanying written assignments prior to the start of the course.
Have completed the application in full.
Have submitted two reference contacts: one must be from your yoga teacher, and another from a non-family member-a friend, employer, and a second yoga teacher.
Have participated in a personal and/or telephone interview prior to the start of the course.

Please Note: LYI reserves the right to decline any applicant who does not meet the requirements detailed above.

Reading List

Below are the texts to be read in full prior to the start of the training.
Corresponding written reflections (writing assignments) will also need to be completed for the first three books on the list before the teacher training course.

Reponses should detail your personal reflections on each book, and how this information can be applied to your practice, your life, and your teachings.

Please Note: These books are not available in Thailand and should be read prior to the course, so students must bring the required texts with them to the training.

Anusara Yoga Teacher’s Manual, John Friend
A Path with Heart, Jack Kornfield
The Breathing Book, Donna Farhi
Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar (Reference)

To purchase your course books:
The Living Yoga Teacher Training Required Reading

The Venue

Sattvic (peaceful and pure) surroundings help to create a calm inner world as well. Taoist Master Mantak Chia’s world-renowened Tao Garden Health Resort offers us such surroundings. Comfortable, serene, beautiful, and full of prana (vital life force), this venue will nourish you in all ways during our inward and outward journey together.

FOOD
The deeper you get into your yoga and meditation practice, the more you will discover how the food you eat affects everything from your asana practice to your ability to concentrate to your emotional state.

During the course, you’ll have the luxury of eating organically-grown, lovingly-prepared meals, much of which is grown right on the resort grounds.

Three delicious meals are served daily in buffet styles, and all food is designed specifically for health and wellness. You’ll enjoy curries and brown rice, pastas and stir fries, homemade breads and fresh juices daily.

ROOMS
Tao Gardens is famous for… well, it’s gardens! The entire resort is built right into the lush green foliage typical of Thailand, and all rooms have lovely garden views and terraces so you can enjoy the quiet beauty and mountain air. Rooms are very modern with hot water, air conditioning, and all the amenities you need for your stay.

FACILITIES
During the course, we’ll use two different yoga studios and we will occasionally use the outdoor pavilions as well. There is a movie screening room we’ll use in the evenings, and meditation gazebos available for private practice during free time. The setting is extremely tranquil and ideal for deep study and practice.

On the resort, there is a steam room, a swimming pool, a full spa, a lake, a farm, tennis courts, a gym, and a medical clinic. There are even bicycles you can use to take a leisurely ride around the village. You will find that it is truly a paradise.

Yoga Master Class eBook

Interviews & Articles by Sara Avant Stover

Instant Access. Free Download!

Privacy: Your email address is kept 100% private.

About Chiang Mai

"One of the many questions Thais may ask a foreigner visiting Thailand is ‘Have you been to Chiang Mai yet?’ underscoring the feeling that Chiang Mai is a keystone of any journey to Thailand".

Joe Cummings, The Lonely Planet

In 2005, Chiang Mai was rated by Travel & Leisure Magazine as "The Fifth Best City in the World". Located in northern Thailand, about 700 km/450 miles northwest of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is renowned for its delicate balance of culture and modernity.

A cosmopolitan crossroads, the City boasts an eclectic mélange of more than 300 temples standing beside the latest technology. Outdoor enthusiasts appreciate the city’s surroundings: fertile mountains, valleys, rivers, forests, and pleasant winter temperatures.

Because of the abundance of high quality amenities at low prices—not to mention the friendly and laid-back ambiance—visitors in Chiang Mai often stay longer than planned.

Thai massage, exotic fruits, delicious foods, spas, and quality arts and handicrafts, are a few of the treats appreciated by many. There is no doubt that Chiang Mai’s charm is irresistible.

Thai massage, exotic fruits, delicious foods, spas, and quality arts and handicrafts, are a few of the treats appreciated by many. There is no doubt that Chiang Mai’s charm is irresistible. Many foreigners choose to make their homes here, as Jonas and Sara have! This is truly the beloved capital of the north, by foreigners and Thais alike.

Applying for the Course

Class size is limited. This course will fill up with a waiting list. We encourage to you apply now to secure a space for this unprecedented event.

Apply Online Now

Investment

Thailand is a very affordable destination, so we are able to offer you an exceptional teaching team, stunning facilities, and amazing food at a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere in the world. For current exchange rates, please visit: www.xe.com

Course Tuition: 115,000 THB
Room & Food (double room): 56,000 THB

Total Investment: 171,000 THB*

*Includes: all tuition fees, airport transfers, shared room, 3 meals daily, and all course materials (except required reading books).

Deposit: 20,000 THB, due immediately after acceptance.

Remaining Tuition Balance: due within 2 weeks of acceptance (no later than 1 May, 2009).

PAYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS: 20,000 THB deposit is required upon acceptance to reserve your spot. Remaining tuition is due 1 April at the latest. All deposits are 100% non-refundable. Remaining balance is only refundable up until 60 days before course, after which time, it is 100% non-refundable.

Is Thailand Safe?

Thailand is an extremely safe, peaceful country, and we take care of everything! From the moment you arrive in Chiang Mai, we’ll pick you up at the airport and bring you to the resort. Your food, accommodation, and all materials are provided, so there is nothing to worry about at all.

Travel: Most students fly to Bangkok, and then get on a 1-hour
flight to Chiang Mai (usually less than $60). Chiang Mai does have an international airport, so it is possible to fly direct from cities in Asia such as Kunming, Hong Kong, and Seoul (Korea). It is also very easy to travel on an overnight bus or train from Bangkok (10-12 hours).

Vaccinations: There is no malaria here, so vaccinations are not
needed

Visas: You’ll be given a free, 30-day visa upon entry at the airport, but if you wish to stay longer than 30 days, please apply for a tourist visa at the Thai consulate in your home country and they’ll give you a 60-day visa for a small fee.

Water: Filtered drinking water will be provided free of charge throughout the course.

Prescriptions / Doctors: Chiang Mai has over 100 pharmacies where you can get most-everything you might need. The hospitals are also modern and provide excellent care. We also have an extensive list of alternative medicine practitioners, including Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, not to mention the numerous gifted healers on site at Tao Gardens.

Student Reviews

“Besides Madonna, you are now my role model! You are by far the best yoga teacher I've ever met and a beautiful, shining, inspiring spirit."

Claire van der Poel (Filmmaker, Amsterdam)

“Your gentle voice, your beautiful presence, your clarity and insight, not to mention your the personal attention you gave to me, and to every person in the class... created an atmosphere of warmth and integrity that in my experience, define the difference between a mere instructor and a true teacher."

Carline Favell (Hakomi Teacher & Therapist)

"After years of my own exploration of various forms of body/spirit work, Sara awakened a new sensitivity in my movement and stillness. She is truly a gifted spirit."

Benjamin Brown (MD, Acupuncturist)

"Sara is a wonderful yoga teacher who’s teachings inspired me to practice with love. She helped me to believe in myself."

Edwina Morgan (Australia)

Closing Notes

This course will fill quickly with a waiting list. Please apply early to reserve your place. Apply Online Now!

For any questions related to the course, please write to our course coordinator, Lucas, at: lucas (at) fourmermaids.com