The information below is specific to the ongoing Teacher Training Program that began in March 2009. Our next Teacher Training Program starts in 2010, with the Immersion Program. The Immersion is an in-depth training to learn the details of the poses taught in the Anusara system, and includes the Universal Principles of Alignment, Loops and Spirals, anatomy, pranayama and meditation, the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, and the Tantric philosophy that underlies Anusara, and is open to all interested students and teachers.

The Immersion Program is the first half of the Teacher Training Program, and 96 hours of the Immersions are required to participate in the second half of the GOH Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Program that begins in 2011.

THE PROGRAM
Teaching yoga is both an art and a science. In order to teach with confidence and skill, it is important to understand the poses, their benefits and applications, as well as to know yoga history and the philosophical systems upon which yoga is based. With over 40 years of experience teaching yoga as their full-time profession, Betsey and Jaye will facilitate taking both your practice and your teaching to the next level.

The emphasis of this program is learning to teach the poses in the Anusara method, which includes heart-oriented languaging and Universal Principles of Alignment. It is a comprehensive training for Anusara teachers to fine-tune their teaching skills and understanding, and for experienced students who want to pursue teaching. The YTT prepares participants to teach over 60 fundamental poses, based on the Anusara method of hatha yoga. Each weekend focuses on a specific group of poses, analyzing in-depth the art of teaching these poses safely and effectively. It includes the following topics:

- preparations & warm-ups
- effective communication and heart-oriented language
- variations for injuries and different levels of experience
- sequencing and teaching progressively
- common misalignments and hands-on adjustments
- anatomy as it relates to asanas
- relaxation and basic restorative poses
- practice teaching
- yoga philosophy, including Classical Yoga, Vedanta, and Tantra Philosophy

The program includes monthly written homework assignments, quizzes on Sanskrit and readings from assigned texts, and practice teaching skills. Students come away with a strong foundation in the philosophy of yoga, skill in seeing and adjusting poses, an ability to articulate pose instructions clearly and succinctly, and language skills to inspire students to express their poses from the inside out.

SCHEDULE & LOGISTICS
The course meets Fridays, 6:30-9:00pm, Saturdays 10:00-5:30pm with a 90-minute potluck lunch break, and Sundays 9:00-1:00pm on the following weekends:
March 6-8
April 3-5 ~ *Anatomy weekend with Martin Kirk
May 15-17
June 26-28
July 24-26
Aug 21-23
Sept 25-27
Oct 30-Nov. 1

Attendance at all Teacher Training weekends is expected. All missed sessions must be made up, at the student's expense, through a combination of attending other Anusara teacher training sessions, additional homework, and meeting with other YTT participants to go over missed material and get the notes.
Participants will attend 3 outside yoga classes in 3 different methods of hatha yoga, at their own expense, and submit a report of the experience. In addition, all YTT participants will apprentice for 12 weeks in GOH classes, with a variety of instructors over the course of the training.
Students who successfully fulfill the requirements of the YTT will receive a Certificate of Completion from Garden of the Heart Yoga Center. All classroom hours count toward Anusara certification. This training program also meets RYT-200 standards and students may contact the Yoga Alliance for registry at the RYT-200 level at the completion of the program.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION
To apply for the Yoga Teacher Training Program, participants must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of a minimum of 96 hours of an Anusara Yoga Immersion Program. See the website for more information on Immersion Programs.
- Minimum regular home practice of one hour four times per week, for at least one year, and continuing throughout the program
- Completion of at least two Yoga 2 courses, or the equivalent
- Enrollment in a Yoga 2 class or higher throughout the program
- Desire to help students develop and unfold their potential through yoga
- Demonstration of a high level of studentship through words and actions.

A separate application process is required for the Teacher Training Program. Complete the YTT Application Form (PDF) and send in with the deposit, and a Recommendation Form from your primary teacher. Forms are also available at the yoga center. All forms are due February 27.

TUITION
The tuition for the Yoga Teacher Training Program is $2000. A $400 deposit is required to reserve your space. Final payment of $1600 is due on February 23, 2009. An optional payment plan is also available in 5 payments: $400 deposit to register and $425 at the beginning of each of the first 4 weekends (March-June).
The deposit is refundable through February 23, 2009 minus a $100 administrative fee. No refunds are given after February 23, unless your space can be filled from a waiting list.

REGISTRATION
To apply for the YTT complete an Application Form and give a Recommendation Form to your primary teacher, available at the yoga center or download a PDF. Send deposit, payable to Garden of the Heart Yoga, and the Application Form to Betsey Downing, 6708 The Masters Ave., Bradenton, FL 34202 or turn into the front desk. Anyone not accepted into the program will have the deposit returned. Class size is limited to 30.


INSTRUCTORS
Betsey Downing, Ph.D., E-RYT-500, has been a yoga practitioner since 1972 and a meditator since 1974. She is one of Anusara Yoga's earliest certified teachers, and has studied with John Friend as her primary teacher since 1994. Her early influences were Sivananda yoga, Joel Kramer, and then Iyengar yoga for many years. Betsey leads workshops and teacher trainings nationally, including teaching at the Omega Conferences in Miami and New York. She holds a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia, and is listed in the World's Who's Who of Women. Betsey's teaching is vibrant with her passion for yoga and special expertise in progressive teaching. Her goal is to create an opportunity for students to connect with their power and wisdom ... and to touch the sacred.
Jaye Martin RYT-200 began yoga in 1998 and is now a certified Anusara teacher. He has studied Anusara yoga with John Friend and Betsey Downing, and Ashtanga yoga with David Swenson and Vickie Sorenson. Jaye danced professionally for over 10 years with the Joffrey Ballet in New York and with the Sarasota Ballet for six seasons. He holds a BA in music and plays the clarinet with the Venice Symphony and the Sarasota Concert Band. Jaye is also an avid gardener and landscape designer.
Martin Kirk is a Senior Certified Anusara Yoga Instructor who has apprenticed and studied extensively with Anusara founder John friend since 1994. He travels nationally and internationally offering inspiring workshops, Immersions, Anatomy, Therapy and Teacher Trainings. With a Masters Degree in Biomedical Engineering, Martin has a special gift for anatomy and therapeutics. He is the author of the highly successful book, Hatha Yoga Illustrated and is co-writing Anusara Yoga Manual of Anatomy and Kinesiology (published by John Friend) due spring 2009. Martin and his wife Jordan live in Scottsdale, Arizona. Visit their website at www.kirkyoga.com
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