Illumina’s 200 hour YA registered Vinyasa Yoga program will open every doorway in your heart to the living path of yoga and give you all the tools you need to successfully dive into the sacred calling of teaching.
Each Weekend Morning Sadhana will introduce and deepen topics covered throughout the training including alignment,both energetic and physical as well as basic principles of connective sequencing.
In each session, a different category of asana (pose) will be broken down with the use of the training manual. Individual postures within each category will be embodied. We will discuss proper cues,correct alignment and cover foundational modifications/use of props for each posture. Key muscular actions will be discussed as well as how the posture relates to the energetic system.
This section will include a detailed breakdown of how to assist each of the postures covered within the context of the training. Students will learn how and when to safely adjust postures structurally and when to offer energetic enhancements. This section will also include a discussion and practice of how to see structure and energy as a teacher.
Students will learn to embody the breath as a gateway between the physical and spiritual practice of yoga. Classical techniques of pranayama will be broken down in terms of technique and energetic effect and students will embody and reflect on each.
Mantra will be defined and explained as a pathway to meditation and connection to divine source. Students will learn the correct pronunciation and meaning of some fundamental mantra and will have the oportunity to practice mantra both in a group setting and individually.
In these sessions, students will learn about meditation and from a practical and esoteric standpoint. Different basic meditation techniques from a variety of traditions will be explored in theory and practice with an eye to understanding how these techniques may serve unique individuals in different ways.
This will be a specialized section dedicated to undertanding how to deeply modify postures,techniques and sequences for the absolute beginner with the awareness to common postural misalignments, challenges and misconceptions.
This is Illumina’s primary philosophy and underlying focus. The art of proper vinyasa (placing in a special way) with strong intention in alignment with lifeforce and the natural rhythms of the universe. Students will explore the philosophy of Vinyasa krama and learn to sequence in a variety of ways, from classical category, to peak pose, to illuminated cycle.
As many individuals as there are, there are equally as many ways of learning. In this section we will explore different learning styles (visual, kinetici, auditory etc.) and how to effectively teach to reach the broadest expanse of possibilities. Positive and affirmative communication methods will also be explored
An exploration of the differences between private sessions and public classes. We will explore ways of crafting unique practices for the individual client. Students will receive sample worksheets to help them understand the needs of the individual and to design a personal program accordingly.
Illumina students will receive a 2 day intensive immersion in the beauty and complexity of the body and will explore the essential components for understanding and teaching from a safe modern biomechanic standpoint.Topics will include the 12 systems and structures of the body, the planes of the body and associated movement, the control systems (endocrine and nervous), compression vs. tension,anatomy of the breath, and basic pre-natal awareness. Practical application and fun embodiment exercises included.
Students will study the landscape of the subtle body (the Chakras, Nadis and Koshas) and will explore the power of these systems in the healing of the whole human system and in bringing energetic depth to the creation of the class. We will also investigate how the energy systems relate to the physical.
Students will independently connect their anatomy learning (physical and subtle) to the physical postures with the worksheet asigned each asana within the manual. Students will also complete a take home anatomy exam and an on site subtle body exam.
Students will learn and discuss the origins, meaning and evolution of yoga through the years. They will learn the contributions of Key figures in Yoga’s passage to the west such as Vivekananda,Krishnamacharya,Iyengar, Jois, Indra Devi and Desikachar.
Tools to guide the new teacher in the practical work of teaching. Included will be legal requirements and the preparation of documents, branding and websites, pricing guidelines and the art of networking.
As described in the Yoga Sutras will be discussed in depth as a key tool in accessing the depth and richness of the full practice of yoga. Students will be required to journal on and speak about their personal relationship to each of the limbs.
Illumina believes that the creative stream of each individual is the pathway to universal truth. This section will show students how to link their individual truth to the universal through theme, light-filled language, and all elements that affect the Bhavana or feeling state of the class.
We will explore this classic and heroic text from the context of the archetype of the inner hero. Students will be invited to read the text as metaphor. We will also explore the different paths of yoga as outlined in the text. A written personal reflection will be required as well as a classroom presentation of themes that resonate within the heart of the student.
We will discuss the ethics of being a yoga teacher through the lense of the Yamas, in particular ahimsa (non-violence) in all the ways a teacher may interact with students.
An invitation to create a dedicated at home practice to support the teacher in training and to anchor key concepts within the asana.
We will explore this foundational text of Ashtanga Yoga in a very personal way. Each student will be required to read the text in advance and write 4 personal reflections, one on each pada. We will discuss each pada as a whole. Students will be asked to present their thoughts on one sutra of choice and explain how they might access the wisdom of the Sutra in the context of class creation.
Students will have the opportunity to step up and guide their fellows through individual asanas, small flows and energetic exercises with feedback from the faculty. They will also be required to practice teach independently at home and log those hours. This practice teaching will culminate in the practical exam where each student will teach a portion of a final class created by a small group of fellows. This final project will bring all of the elements together from physical, to subtle to the sequencing that holds it together.
In this section, we will dive into the many archetypes revealed by the pantheon of deities from the Hindu tradition which inform the yoga practice. Particular attention will be given to how to relate each archetype/deity to the modern human condition and the context of class creation.
”Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.
John Steinbeck
”I want to learn how to hold the paradoxical poles of my identity together, to embrace the profoundly opposite truths that my sense of self is deeply dependent on others dancing with me and that I still have a sense of self when no one wants to dance.
Parker Palmer
Johanna’s yoga journey started when she was a wee tot, dancing to express the things that had no words, writing to find the images that evoke… These loves carried her through years of training as a classical ballet dancer, a degree in theatre with an emphasis on literature and a successful career as an actor, singer, dancer, choreographer in New York and on the road. Her dabbling into yoga turned serious when she discovered Sonic and the expressive joyful, forgiving energy of the space. She graduated from the 200-hour program under the guidance of Lauren Hanna and Jonathan Fields and soon realized that the teachings made sense of everything she ever believed in and brought all her separate pieces together. She’s never looked back…becoming teacher and manager of the 2nd Sonic Space in Westchester almost immediately…guiding that studio through it’s transition to Quest Yoga Arts, Joining The Sonic Training Faculty and ultimately stepping into her home base in NYC as Co-Director in 2009, serving Sonic and all its training programs in that capacity until 2014. In the midst of all that, she was blessed with a 500-hour certificate under the guidance of the incomparable Sri Dharma Mittra and has continued to be inspired through the lineage of Shiva Rea, the wisdom of the Tantra, the Pneuma System and ancient Shamanic wisdom. She is a Reiki Healer and has studied under Guru Dharam Khalsa for her certificate in Kundalini Yoga Therapy. She is married to the most magical man and fellow Yogi, Jim Bell. They reside with their daughter Lucia in Carmel, NY.
Erin recently completed her 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification with Kimberly Dahlmann at Yoga East in Kittery. Erin’s intention and passion is offering service yoga to the recovery population. As a lifelong athlete(gymnast), her body and mind resonate with the way yoga assists with mental, physical and spiritual aspects of life. Her humor, heart and spirit are vibrantly expressed in her teaching.
”You can’t direct the wind but you can adjust the sails.
Anon
All tuition and deposits are non-refundable
