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"In each asana, if the part of the body in contact
with the floor
- the foundation - is good, the asana is performed well."
BKS Iyengar
Introductory teacher training
The Institute runs Introductory teacher training
courses, commencing each year in November. The course is approved
by the Iyengar
Yoga Association of the UK (IYA (UK)), which oversees training,
arranges assessments and awards certificates; the qualifications are
recognised internationally.
The purpose of the course is to build a firm foundation in the teaching
of B.K.S. Iyengar's work and lasts for two years consisting of 14 training
days a year, held on Saturdays between 10.00am and 4.00pm. The groups
are small, comprising around ten students in each year. The next course
begins in November 2009 but you are required to attend the final session
of the current group of trainees in September.
Course fees are payable in advance. The cost of the current course is £630 (payable before the commencement of the course) or £225 per quarter payable on 20 September 2008, 14 February 2009 and 9 May 2009.
The closing date for application: 30 June 2009
Before you decide to apply
Before you are accepted on the course, you must fulfil the requirements
of the IYA (UK).
The requirements in brief are:
1. You must have regularly attended the
classes of a fully recognised Iyengar Yoga teacher who must also be
a member of the IYA (UK) or qulified Iyengar yoga teacher from other countries.
2. Your regular teacher must provide
you with a written recommendation confirming that:
-You have attended classes regularly and without break for a minimum
period of 3 years.
-You have covered the introductory syllabus to a satisfactory standard
-You are sincerely dedicated to the subject of Yoga within the Iyengar
tradition.
How to apply for 2009 registration
An application form and
information pack is now available from the Institute. You will need to submit your application to the
office by 30 June, together with the recommendation letter
from your teacher and a £25 non-returnable fee to cover administrative
costs. There will be a selection class on 18 July 2009.
What happens next ?
If you fulfil all the requirements
of the IYA (UK), you will be invited to attend the selection class
on 18 July 2009. The class will involve one and a half hours of asana practice
and a short questionnaire. Your suitability will be assessed on the
following principles:
1. Your practice of asanas must be of
a high standard.
2. Your attitude should be deemed to
be balanced, patient and mature.
3. You should be of good health.
What is involved in doing the course?
Before you commit yourself to the course, you should consider
the following:
1. Apart from your training days, you
will be expected to attend at least one class a week with a registered
Iyengar Yoga teacher, preferably qualified to Junior Intermediate level.
2. You should practice asanas daily,
aiming to spend two hours a day on your practice.
3. You will be given homework assignment.
4. You should observe some beginners'
classes in your first year, and observe/assist in some beginner/general
classes in your second year.
6. You may not miss more than two training
sessions a year.
7. All trainees are required to join
the Iyengar Yoga Association of the UK (IYA (UK)) as members before
the start of the course. All trainees are required to become members
of the Institute.
8. At the end of each year, you will
be externally assessed, normally in a central location outside London.
9. The first term will be a probationary
preiod.
Please note: The workshops are about learning to
teach, not doing yoga practice. It is very different from a normal class
or yoga day. The course is hard work and requires dedication from the
student to succeed. Not all students pass the assessments at the end
of each year.
