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| Hello.
Unfortunately, I am feeling incredibly low tonight, as all those little voices of instinct within, scream out horribly.
Having a fitness background already, I took a couple of yoga courses – one home study, and one a ‘pathway’ type course and began teaching beginners classes. This was about 3 years ago, and every week I would study yoga, and plan a safe yet informative class. And I was always on the look out for another yoga course, of more proportion. Finally, I found something, not too far away from me, which was run over 1 weekend a month for a year. The description seemed ideal, and I attended a workshop. The class was like no other yoga class I had been to before, with a lot of chanting and meditation, and discussion of our experiences in meditation. I thought this would be good for me, as I only had touched on other parts of the yogic philosophy lightly. Being a new teacher, it is easy for many questions to form, once you begin teaching a class – and boy did I have questions I wanted answers to.
On the workshop, I asked the course teacher a question regarding The Hero Posture. I asked him about the relevance of doing a half hero type pose, of one leg bending back, as one possible way of working the knees towards the full Hero. Maybe some would argue that this is an ungrounded question anyway, because the best way to do the hero, would be with as many blocks as needed. But we weren’t using blocks here – or any props at all. The point is, is that the reply to my question, was “ell, what do you feel about it? I haven’t come across that.”
Anyway, just brushed it off as my silly question, and decided to book onto the yoga teacher course a month later the following year. I was just so ready to open that new door – and have that extra credit.
I have been doing the course for a few months now, and it seems the tutor cannot answer any of my anatomical questions regarding yoga postures. Although he gets someone else in a few times throughout the year to teach anatomy – to me it just isn’t enough. I don’t feel like I am getting the information I am paying quite a lot of money to learn. What’s worst is that I see people in the class around me, not being corrected out of some pretty bad habits. I expected to be taught a depth of knowledge regarding the yoga postures, whereas “it’s important to stretch out of your lower back” when supposedly covering the cobra in depth, is something I can pick up from a text book.
We spend so much time doing things like feeling for resonance in the body while practicing the mantra OM, that I fear for people in the class who have no teaching experience, how they will cope on the other side. We have done quite a lot of things I would deem quite dangerous – particularly in partner yoga. (One movement involves pushing the ball of your foot into the upper spine area while the person is in bridge pose – holding their hands).
Upon trying to dowse my doubting instincts, it finally hit the last straw today, and I feel I have lost respect. While working in 3’s, one was supine, one pushed hip to floor, while one guided opening leg out to the side. I asked the tutor that people sometimes seem to drop the leg to the floor below hip level, thinking they have achieved the stretch, yet they have lost all rotation in the hip. Surely we need to make sure our leg is rotating above hip level to try to reach our full capabilities. I was stumped that he couldn’t answer this question.
Homework assignments are returned without any comments on them – again, and I find this quite rude. I don’t know if it was even read. Although the teacher is a lovely person, I find myself doubting his integrity quite strongly, and wonder how the course has managed to be accredited by a highly recognised body. I am beginning to feel I want to cut my losses and pull the plug on the course. I have spotted workshops run by a physiotherapist/yoga teacher, and I feel I am going to get what I need there. I am just so disappointed.
If anyone has any comments at all, they would be much appreciated in this situation.
Edited by vegplot 2007-04-07 5:18 PM
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| Come and see me in VA. |
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Expert Yogi
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| veg - sounds like you have a lot of red flags. Could be time to pull the plug o n this one and chalk it up to experience. |
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| It's like University...I remember having quite a few substandard wacked out professors. My advice is just take from it what you can. I think the problem is that most yogis are very creative spiritual, and personable people, but they do not have the thinking style of a doctor/physical therapist. Therefore, you have artists and poets trying to convey mechanics and science...No wonder we see so many blunders. After or during the workshop you can self educate through books and the internet...I think this is so valuable though less satisfying in that you don't get the same traditional guru/student relationship. At least through reading you can read the opinions of many and make a more informed opinion on what you think makes sense.
Edited by shalamOM 2007-04-07 8:19 PM
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| So sorry to hear about your experience. Seems to me (as it does to the other respondees here) that you've learned your lesson over and above the required amount already: to trust your gut instinct on things. Yes, a student needs to have an open mind to be able to receive new teachings and ideas, but it's also a student's obligation to question those teachings when they don't strike them as valid, appropriate, etc. As a teacher trainee you are supposed to be receptive, yes, but not a sheep. Time to move on. Now as for the underlying question (one that I get a lot as well) is that how can a program like this exist and no one else is criticizing its validity as you obviously believe it needs to be? Simple: you don't know. And better yet, don't make that your issue. Do what you believe is true for you and you won't have the demon of self-doubt gnawing at you. Like I said, I know from what I speak. Trust your gut. |
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| Thanks for your replies - they are really helping ease the frustration, and even anger (not very yogic) I am feeling today - even after sleeping on it. Seems like many of you are based in the USA, where there appears to be much more choice, and chance of finding quality training. It seems good training is so limited, in Northern England, UK, where I live. |
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| Dear VP: on the other hand, (though I am not sure), whatever limited good training is available may be more worth to you than confusing too much training as available in USA. Do not think you are missing much. Just do what you get. |
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| Hi VP,
check out Brian Cooper at Union Yoga in Scotland. His teacher training program is excellent and you'll have all your questions answered:
http://www.briancooper.eu/
http://www.yogaalliance.co.uk/
Jonathon |
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| Brian Cooper is certainly a wonderful teacher, from everything I have read, and I have been drawn to his teaching course. What has always deterred me, is I have never been particularly drawn to the ashtanga technique. I have always believed I would have a problem teaching this style to the general joe public. Even in my the hatha class I teach at the moment, a modified version of the Sun Salutation is very challenging for many. I am not the most bendy of people either, and I have often wondered if I am up to the standard of such an athletic approach to yoga. ( The approach I take to my yoga class is that I teach people what particular yoga postures can do for them, modify heavily using blocks/straps/blankets, sequences, give them an introduction to pranayama, relaxation and meditation. Those that reach a good standard, and are thirsty for more, I usually recommend they try a yoga studio, where they can take their studies further.) |
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| Brian teaches the Ashtanga Primary series and selected poses from the secondary series on his 200 hour course as a framework for introducing the correct alignment and sequencing. Many UK Ashtanga teachers where taught by him, though many other students who attend his training have no intention of teaching the Ashtanga way. He is also certified by the Iyengar and Sivananda associations so really teaches a strong Hatha approach in the true sense of the word.
I completed his 200 hour TT last year (which involved flying into Scotland from Dubai every month) and begin his 500 hour TT in August.
I really can't recommend him enough.
Jonathon |
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| I have a private message in my inbox from a 'guru.v' who appears to be new user, and has no posts on the site. The message is "what is your age, sex and location?" It has been sent today twice.
Do you think this is spam?
Edited by vegplot 2007-04-08 3:13 PM
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| vegplot - 2007-04-08 3:06 PM I have a private message in my inbox from a 'guru.v' who appears to be new user, and has no posts on the site. The message is "what is your age, sex and location?" It has been sent today twice. Do you think this is spam? LOL, consider yourself initiated into the club! Yup, that user's been littering quite a number of inboxes the past couple of weeks. Thought the moderators took care of eliminating him/her... |
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| Listen to your inner voice. Just like people match up to teachers they like, students match up to trainings they like. Maybe other people enjoy this training and it works for them, but don't keep pouring money into something YOU don't believe in. Good luck. |
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| How wonderful that you've discoverd this so quickly in your path. You must be very grateful to these folks for giving you a lesson it takes others years to get.
Culpability is, of course, shared. It is up to us to be better shoppers unless we find joy in being poor ones. Examining a curriculum, to me, is a critical function when approaching a potential yoga training AND plopping down several thousand Yen. But even this evaluation can be challenging. After all, if you are just going in then you really don't have much of a point of reference for discernment. Best to take a couple of trainings and their respective curriculi and put them side by side to see what you're really buying. And even then there's no guarantee.
Beyond that, it is possible the trainer does not place an importance on functional anatomy. I don't think it's that uncommon though it may, depending on your perspective, lack integrity.
Edited by Sam Skara 2007-04-09 1:21 AM
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Advice
