The core component of our 650 hour Yoga Mendocino Teaching Certificate which is Yoga Alliance approved at the 500 hour level.

Our 2006 Foundations program has just finished.
Our next 450 hour program will comence in Fall 2008.

Its core content extends over 10 monthly weekend intensives.

Students are also required to complete 65 hours of weekly classes and 25 hours of elective workshops among other requirements that can be done wherever they live.

Participants either need to be graduates of the Basics program or have practiced yoga for a minimum of 5 years before attending.

As with Basics 240, it is not necessary to wish to teach but it is essential that you are willing to use teaching as a metaphor for practice and you are able and willing to commit to one year of intense study.

WHAT IS THIS COURSE?

It is suitable for:
• Aspiring new teachers
• Experienced teachers who have had a more traditional training and want to explore the internal, meditative aspects of yoga to reinspire their practice and teaching
• Advanced practitioners who simply want to deepen their practice and understanding of the story of yoga, and are willing to complete assignments and use teaching as a metaphor for practice.

The core course content will be taught primarily by Mary Paffard, Yomo's Director of Teacher Training and also by Maggie Norton, Yomo's Director of Therapeutics. Baxter Bell MD will be teaching and overseeing our core Anatomy and Physiology course. Click here for bios.

With the participation of our exceptional guest teachers, we consider this an exciting and comprehensive exploration in the practice and teaching of Yoga, suitable for those who are truly interested in the more internal and meditative aspects of the practice and ready for something that will both challenge them in all the traditional ways but also respect and nurture their evolving voice and individual experience.

SMALL GROUP SIZE
The course size will be limited to allow for individual attention and a more intimate group setting, so you are advised to apply early.

CURRICULUM
Advanced Asana
Pranayama
Philosophy
Meditation
Meditation as the Source of Asana
Anatomy & Physiology
Teaching Techniques and Methodology
Analysis, Teaching Practice, Observation and Communication Skills,
Business and Ethical Considerations.

SPECIAL TOPICS
Womens’ Issues Menstruation and Menopause Yoga for Pregnancy
Therapeutic & Adaptive Yoga Back Care
Oscoleosis
Kids’ Yoga
Chakras Observing the Internal/Energetic Body
Non-Violent Communication Community Resources
Yoga in the Workplace
CPR
Silent Retreat Guidance

TRAINING or UNTRAINING?

Is it possible to actually “train” someone in this tradition?

How is a teacher created?

Mary’s philosophy has evolved from the Latin roots of the word “education” or e(out of) - ducare (to lead). No, according to Mary it is not possible to train a Yoga teacher but it is very possible to lead someone with patience, spirit and committment, out into their own radiance and this is the essence of this program....unearthing the inner guru in the teacher and the student.

“The truly well rounded, community based approach of this program facilitates an infinite & fertile ground to explore one’s own experience of yoga under the guidance of exquisitely curious & openly diverse senior teachers. I recommend it to those who seek a non-traditional & richly supportive view of yoga”
–Traci Burleigh

PREREQUISITES

REQUIREMENTS

25 workshop hours at YOMO

15 hours - Attend 6 beginners classes and write evaluation

80 hours - Homework: minimum of 2 hours per week

20 hours - Assisting and observing with recognized teacher

50 hours - Regular weekly class attendance with a recognized Yomo teacher

20 hours - Prerequisite study in Anatomy/Physiology

20 hours - Prerequisite study in Philosophy

10 hours - Teaching practice as a Yomo volunteer

5 hours - Attendance at meditation evenings

COURSE CONTENT

Each weekend will be an intense 20.5 hours and will have a theme (e.g. Grounding and Groundlessness, Deep in the Belly, The Spine); the anatomy, philosophy and guest teachers courses will relate to the central theme.

More information about themes, course structure, biographies of the guest teachers is available on request along with a complete reading list.

The total amount of hours when assignments, practicum and other requirements are completed will amount to 445 hours.

Total course hours are 450.

click here for detailed schedule

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

SATURDAY
8:00am - 12:00pm Advanced Asana Practice
1:00 - 3:00pm Anatomy & Physiology
3:00 - 4:30pm Seeing and Understanding Bodies
5:00 - 6:00pm Inversions and Meditation, Group check-in

SUNDAY
8:00 -9:00am Pranayama
9:00 - 10:00am Discussion
10:00am - 12:00pm Teaching Asana
1:00 - 2:30pm Philosophy
2:30 - 4:00pm Restorative Pose and Meditation, Closing

click here for detailed schedule

CORE FACULTY:

Her website is www.maryyoga.com

Mary began her yoga journey in Europe in the early 70’s. She has been teaching in rural northern California, the Bay Area and other parts of the US and internationally since 1985. She completed the 2 year teacher training at the Iyengar Institute in San Francisco and is very grateful for the important and fundamental information about the human body that was gleaned during her early years with the Iyengars and many of their senior teachers all over the world.

Her yoga path deepened to a different level in the early 80s with the beginnings of her Vipassana practice. Her quest is to unearth the inner guru in herself and her students.

In recent years, the breath, belly, and the chakras have provided powerful mirrors in her exploration of the spirit in movement and stillness. Mary has lead a teachers program in Ukiah since 1994 and was part of the core faculty of the Piedmont Yoga Studio’s Advanced Studies Program 2000 -2001. Part of her work is involved in helping the Cuban Yoga Association and she believes passionately in the importance of evolving community - internationally, locally, and internally.

MAGGIE NORTON: will be teaching and overseeing approximately 50 of the core hours.

Maggie has studied yoga for 27 years and graduated as a certified teacher in 1983. She has studied in the UK., USA, and India, notably with B.K.S. Iyengar and Angela Farmer. Maggie's yoga practice and teaching have also been strongly influenced by mindfulness meditation and her work as a massage therapist.

As Director of Therapeutics and Medical Liaison at Yoga Mendocino, Maggie has

worked with chronic pain patients in clinical settings, facilitates workplace yoga and burnout prevention programs, and leads Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction courses. Working from within, she encourages a practice of deep exploration and awareness to allow for the possibilities of expansion and ease of movement in each student. Maggie brings a strong sense of compassion and curiosity to her teaching and invites both a mindful and playful approach to practice.

Her upcoming website is www.artsofflesh.com

Convinced that her relation to spirit begins with her flesh, she brings to her teaching a long background in movement, art, activism, ritual, meditation, bodywork, and life and love as spiritual practice. Her most primary influences have been Mary Paffard, Angela Farmer, the work of T.K.V. Desikachar, her cats, and the wilds of Mendocino county. Traci currently works for the Mind Body Awareness Project, in San Francisco, as Director of Development, creating new options for “at-risk youth” in pursuing their dreams and goals.

VISITING TEACHERS:

Richard is a contributing editor at Yoga Journal, for which he writes two regular columns and occasional book reviews and articles. His work has also appeared in Yoga International, Ascent, and Shambhala Sun. He's the author of The Yoga of Breath (Shambhala, 2002), a beginners' guide to pranayama, and Yoga for 50+ (Ulysses, 2004), an instructional manual for older beginners. Currently he's working on another pranayama book for Shambhala.

Richard has been teaching yoga since 1987, and is now one of the core faculty members for the Advanced Studies Program at the Piedmont Yoga Studio in Oakland, California.

JUDITH HANSON LASATER will be teaching an all day session on Sunday 2/5/06 which will include asana in the morning and reflections on teaching in the afternoon.

Her website is www.judithlasater.com

SUSAN BRANUM will be leading 2 Saturday afternoon sessions on 3/11 and 4/1 on Experiential Anatomy and Working from the Core.

Susan was founder and director of Back Room Yoga and Bodyworks in San Francisco before moving to Napa, where she was owner and director of Yoga in Motion. She teaches Yoga and Pilates courses emphasizing developing a knowledge of the Inner Body through experiential anatomy, partner-work and hands-on assistance.

ELISE MILLER will be teaching a day on Oscoleosis on 4/2/06.

Her website is www.elisemilleryoga.com

teaches classes and workshops specializing in back and sports-related injuries and is a faculty member at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco.

Elise has successfully used yoga to minimize the effects of her own scoliosis and sees clients privately with scoliosis and other back related problems. She has published numerous articles on scoliosis and other yoga related subjects in Yoga Journal and other national magazines. She has recently produced the video/booklet Yoga for Scoliosis, Yoga for Backcare booklet, and a new addition of her book, Yoga, Anytime, Anywhere. Elise's joyous personality and ease of communication endear her to students with a teaching style that is down-to earth, precise and nurturing.

Ike has practiced yoga since 1970. He took his first yoga class from his then girlfriend and now wife Judith Hanson Lasater. Judith and he when on to helped found the Yoga Journal. He engaged in active legal trial practice in the San Francisco financial district for twenty years prior to 1999, including co-founding and co-managing a law firm for the last fourteen of those years.

Since then, he has offered workshops, consulting and mediation assistance using NVC. He served for six years as a member of the board of directors of the Center for Nonviolent Communication, the organization founded by Marshall Rosenberg to transmit his work.

See www.WordThatWork.us for more info.

CERTIFICATION - BEYOND THE CORE HOURS

If you wish to receive the 650 hour Yoga Mendocino Teaching Certificate (YMTC), it is necessary to attend a 100 hour Summer Intensive Program 2005 or in 2006, OR have completed a 200 hour complementary teachers program.

For the Yoga Mendocino Teaching Certificate, you will also need to be assessed by two recognized YOMO teachers who will evaluate 2 classes taught by yourself after you have taught for one year. This assessment requires a separate fee of $450.

Yoga Mendocino is an official school with Yoga Alliance for our 650 hour YMTC course which has been designed in accordance with their guidelines.

FINAL REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR YMTC CERTIFICATE

These requirements can be completed over a longer period than the 2 years and if you are not interested in being officially certified by us, they can be waived.

YMTC - YOGA MENDOCINO TEACHING CERTIFICATE:

All teachers at Yoga Mendocino are required to have the 650 hour YMTC certificate which is officially recognised by Yoga Alliance. We only refer or employ teachers who have this qualification or are in the last stages of its completion under our supervision.

FINAL REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR YMTC CERTIFICATE
(These requirements are essential before we can give you the 650 hour certificate. Once you have received the certificate, it is a very simple process to apply to Yoga Alliance for your 500 hour certificate as we are an official school.)

- Evaluation by senior teachers of 2 classes - You need to have been teaching for one year & a minimum of 100 hours to apply for these evaluations

- Attendance at a silent Vipassna/Zen retreat* of your choice of 5-10 days (if you have attended a retreat like this within 3 years of the start of the program, this requirement is waived)

- Signed the Yoga Mendocino Educational and Ethical agreements for teachers

-Current CPR certificate.

These requirements can be completed over a longer period than the 2 years and if you are not interested in being officially certified by us, they can be waived.

TUITION

It may be possible to pay in 2 installments at a higher fee, i.e. 2x $1800.

This fee covers all tuition costs for the 10 weekends and the Friday dinners. Participants are responsible for any other class fee/workshop payments beyond the 210 core weekend hours.

OTHER COSTS*

12/4 is a silent retreat day with Abhayagiri Monastery and is a dana based event – not included in tuition fee (date to be confirmed).

Course books fee:
$200 approximately
(less if you already have texts ).

A separate $450 fee applies for those wishing to be assessed for the Yoga Mendocino Teaching Certificate after the completion of Foundation course, one year of teaching and a silent 5-10 day meditation retreat.

ACCOMMODATIONS

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

To apply, complete the application form and send it with a $20 administrative fee to:
YOMO, 206#A MASON STREET, UKIAH, CA 95482

All applications should be in by 5/1/05.
All applicants will receive notification of status of application by 5/15/05 and full fee will be due by 6/1/05 by those accepted on the course.

RETURN TO TEACHER TRAINING PAGE

Further Education Weekends

Summer Intensives

The Basics

Anatomy with Baxter Bell

Foundations in Yoga

The Faraway Program

YMTC Certificate