Continuing Education Training Course

Accessing the 8 Limbs, an Advanced 50 hour Teacher Training

January 15 - 22, 2011

with Ron Reid and Marla Meenakshi Joy

About the Program

"Seek the wisdom that will untie your knot.
Seek the path that demands your Whole Being.
Leave that which is not, but appears to be.
Seek that which is, but is not apparent". -Rumi

This training is for anyone who has already completed a 200 hour Teacher Training program, and who is interested in advancing their skills on both a practical and contextual level.

Through the classical Yoga philosophy according to the sage Patanjali , we will explore the practice on many different levels and implement the profound depth of the total practice to allow the unfoldment of higher states of awareness.

Much of the guidance we seek as teachers is contained within the 8 limbs philosophy and presented in this training in an accessible, tangible way to facilitate an integration of philosophy and practice, hands-on healing and application.

This course is open to all levels of students.

Course outline:

-Daily personal practice (Mysore):

Developing a strong personal practice is one of our best resources as teachers. The real source of our inspiration as teachers is the continued development of our practice on many different levels.

-Ahimsa and the Art of Hands-on adjustments:

Learn the main principles in giving correct, alignment-based adjustments to your students. An adjustment needs to be effective, safe, and "enhance" the quality of breath, alignment and experience of the asana to the practitioner.

We will cover how to support a grounding approach to each pose (to create a balance of energy), nourish the opening of the pose, and bring back a sense of trust and safety to the art of the hands-on approach.

-Yoga Therapy (Yoga Chikitsa):

Learning to "read" bodies, access what physical issues they might have through observation, and learning specific actions to aid common injuries.

-Functional Anatomy:

Deepening the understanding of the general muscle actions needed in poses. By learning anatomy and alignment we can be guided towards a repertoire of actions and adjustments that can facilitate a much deeper and safer practice.

-Psychology of Teaching:

Expanding our range of ethical practice and teaching and taking it off the mat into our lives.

-Exploring the Yoga Sutra's in philosophy, psychology, chant and meaning:

We will focus on learning some key yoga sutra's, and learn proper Sanskrit pronunciation for chanting, and application for our daily lives and for use in classes. (This includes a chanting CD of sutra's covered that you can take home with you to continue your practice).

-Meditation:

Exploring various vedantic meditation techniques.

-Restorative and Yin Yoga:

Striking the balance between the Solar, heating practice and the Lunar, cooling practice helps to balance the Autonomic Nervous system and provides alternatives in our own practice and helpful cues for our students when needed. (This includes alternative poses for students who are pregnant, injured and who have a specific common condition.)

About the Teachers

Ron Reid

Ron Reid has been practicing Yoga for over 30 years and teaching since 1988. He is co-owner and Director of the Downward Dog Yoga Centre in Toronto, Canada (www.downwarddog.com)

Ron has studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sharath both in India and North America and was one of the first Canadian teachers to be authorized by Pattabhi Jois. In addition to regular classes at Downward Dog, he conducts workshops and teacher trainings in Canada, the U.S., Europe, the U.K. And Asia.

Ron is one of Canada's top teachers, approaching teaching in an inspired, informed and non-dogmatic way. He places the needs of the students ahead of the demands of the practice. While continuing to teach and practice the ashtanga vinyasa system as a foundation, he endeavors to blend tradition with innovation, and to balance precision with grace. Students will find his refined approach to practice both challenging and rewarding.

Ron is also an accomplished musician and composer and performs with his partner Marla Meenakshi Joy under their group name "Swaha." (www.swaha.ca)

Meenakshi (Marla Joy)

Meenakshi (Marla Joy) first traveled to India in 1988 to study meditation and the philosophy of the Vedas with Swami Shyam, as well as other learned scholars in the Himalayas. She is a Certified Meditation and Yoga Philosophy teacher from the International Meditation Institute in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, Himalayas.

She was involved in Downward Dog's first teacher training program in 1999, as both a teacher of Philosophy and Sanskrit, and a student. She has over 500 hours of Teacher Training with both Ron Reid, Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty, among others, and is a Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher.

She currently teaches Ashtanga Yoga, Swaha Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yogadance, Meditation, Yoga philosophy, Sanskrit, and Chanting privately and in yoga studios in Canada, the U.S. The UK, Europe and Asia. She has been teaching Sanskrit and yoga philosophy, as well as Restorative Yoga in Teacher Training courses since 1999.

She has been a practicing Shiatsu Therapist since 1993, and has a healing and informative touch. She also leads Kirtan (call-and-response chanting) with her band SWAHA, with inspired musical compositions with her partner/keyboardist, Ron Reid. She has produced four CD's of Sanskrit chanting entitled "Prayer's", "Salutations", "Vishnu's Dream", and "Bolo!" www.swaha.ca

The Daily Schedule

The program begins at 5pm on the first day of the retreat with a group welcome and departure is at 12pm on the last day.
The schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the teacher.

7 - 9 am	Yoga practice taught either in the Mysore style where students are guided individually to progress through their practice or lead practice all together.
9 - 10 am	Workshop
10 am - 1 pm	Brunch buffet
3 - 6 pm	Workshop
6 - 8 pm	Complimentary herbal steam room available
6 - 8 pm	Dinner buffet
7:30 - 8:30 pm	Meditation and more...

This will be Sunday through Friday, and on the departure day, Saturday; classes will be 7-9am Mysore/self-practice, and 9-10am Workshop.

Plus 5 hours of homework, essay writings to be handed in.

Please arrive by 4pm for a program welcome on the first day. Departure is by 12 noon on the last day. You are welcome to arrive early or stay on, check our residential stay rates

The rate is inclusive of: