Certified Yoga Teacher Training School

Prana Yoga Teacher College is
Yoga Alliance Registered

Prana Yoga Teacher College is
Fully Accredited by the
Private Career Training Institute of BC

Prana Yoga Teacher College
is a Member of the International Yoga Federation

Home >> Level 1 Programs >> Summer 2008

Level 1 Yoga Instructor Certification Program
In vancouver

July 14 - August 10, 2008

Course-Specific Details Program Schedule Location Accommodation Fees and Registration Level 1 Program Information Program Subjects Program Leaders Program Requirements Graduation Requirements Certification Process General College Information Why Choose Prana Yoga? The Spirit of Prana's Teacher Training Testimonials
	Apply now for Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training We are pleased to be able to offer our one month intensive Yoga Teacher Training Program in Vancouver for Summer 2008 (July 14 - August 10). This program is located at the beautiful Centre for Peace. Full details below.

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Program Schedule

The program runs through July 14 to August 10, 2008

July / August - in Vancouver

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Location

The program will be held in gorgeous Vancouver, at the exquisitely designed and stunningly beautiful Centre for Peace. High ceilings create a spacious setting, and ample windows offer an abundance of natural light and views of the surrounding gardens.

More photos of the Centre for Peace

The centre is located at 1825 West 16th Avenue, with plenty of free parking, close to major transit routes running north/south on Granville, and east/west on Broadway.

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Accommodation

This program is held in Vancouver. Students will be responsible for their own accommodation during the program, however if you are looking please feel free to contact the College and we may be able to help you. Also, please see our accommodation page for some suggestions.

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Fees & Registration

All prices are in Canadian dollars. All fees are subject to change.

In Session

Program Fees

Tuition:

$3,500 CAD Tuition

Required Course Materials:

Tuition does not include required course materials

 

Schedule of Payment

$3,500 due with registration

Registration

Please click here to apply online (or download an application form) or contact us for an application form and then submit your application along with your application fee of $125 CAD (Non-Refundable) to Prana's Administration.

We will then contact you within 7 days of receiving your application (along with bio and fee) and let you know if you have been accepted. At this point you will have 10 days to confirm your enrollment in the program and pay the registration fee (either the first $1000 or, if your program's deadline has passed, the total program cost). Please be aware that these programs are in high demand and we cannot hold spaces beyond this 10 day period. Should you, after the 10 days have elapsed, decide you wish to take the program, you will need to re-apply with another application and fee.

All of our programs in Canada are registered with PCTIA, therefore you will receive a tax receipt for the tuition portion of the program.

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Program Subjects

Anatomy and Physiology

shakti is very passionate about the anatomy and physiology of Yoga. Through her years of teaching she has created unique ways to deliver the information and help her students deepen their interest in this fascinating and very important component of Yoga Teacher training. You will never hear her using complicated explanations or daunting medical terminology that make your eyes cross. You will however, see lots of audio and video presentations as well as hands-on demonstrations of how the body functions inside and out.

Asanas/Postures

Classic hatha postures are taught in precise detail. For each posture students are encouraged to understand the human anatomy, safety precautions and variations of each posture. Learn to move through the postures of yoga with grace and control. Gain the skills to pass these details on to your students. Learn how to modify postures for different needs and body types. Teach with wisdom and compassion.

Variations

The art of teaching yoga is knowing the different variations for the asanas (Yoga poses). By offering the right variation to the right student, you prevent the beginners from hurting themselves and help the more advanced Yogis and Yoginis to still be challenged. By doing so you create a very rich teaching that suits all Yoga students regardless of their abilities. The various Yoga asanas and their multiple variations will be deconstructed and demonstrated in detail.

Building Flows

If individual asanas (postures) make up the vocabulary of yoga, then flows are the sentences and the stories of yoga. You will learn to choose the story you wish to tell your students, a story that is ultimately about themselves. Learn to lead yoga classes that flow like poetry.

Zen Meditation

Dropping one's ego is fundamental to teaching yoga. Zen practice greatly helps the yoga teacher step out of his or her shell and adapt to whatever circumstances present themselves. Thus, teaching comes "from the floor" and not from a script in one's head.

History and Philosophy

An understanding of the evolution of yoga through the millennia aids tremendously in understanding the contemporary practice. Yoga has had a varied and colourful history and has influenced and been influenced by wide-ranging philosophies and world-views. No less colourful are the people who have practiced and taught yoga from Siva and Patanjali to the "yoga celebrities" of the 21st century.

Hands on Teaching

One of the most critical of the teaching modalities is the practical hands on approach to correcting the postures. Proper adjustment is often critical for maintaining safety of the student. It also allows for taking the more advanced students to the next level of their abilities.

Body Language Communication

Approximately 90% of human communication is non-verbal. The ability to read body language effectively is important to assess the students' level of attention, state of mind and their level of physical comfort. Many students allow their egos to push them beyond their abilities and knowing their limitations. Learning the skills to anticipate behaviour before it happens is an important tool in maintaining safety and cohesiveness of the Yoga class.

Multi-sensory teaching

Recognizing the fact that people absorb information differently, we give the students tools to convey the instructions in a variety of ways to achieve the desired results. We teach how to recognize students who absorb information primarily verbally, visually or kinesthetically.

Pranayama

Breath is the foundation of all yoga practice. Our life starts and ends with one breath and in between life unfolds itself through our breath. There is a great emphasis in our course on breathing and on how breath can be used to cultivate prana (life force) as a bridge to our higher self.

Kriya

Kriya is an ancient cleansing method that keeps both the mind and body healthy. Workshops are offered during the program; which give students a strong foundation to learn about Kriya methods in a safe environment with emphasis on how they can incorporate it in their lives in a practical way.

Small, interactive, dynamic, multimedia environment

There is no one way to teach yoga. The instructions you learn will evolve through your own experiences and the shared experiences of your group. Just as yoga students learn in different ways, so do yoga teachers. Thus, the Yoga Teacher Training is blend of interactive discussions, hands-on teaching, active analysis of yoga classes, and multimedia presentations.

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Program Leaders

shakti mhi provides powerful leadership and empowering tools for teaching as the core program leader with her assistant, and secondary teacher, Daniel Mirecki. Individual courses offered during different seasonal training programs will have additional program leaders and will vary depending on the subject, program location and availability. See the specific program information for details about additional leaders.

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Program Requirements

Each student will be required to purchase 2 books and 1 DVD. Please call our office at 604-682-2121 (or 604-676-8812) to purchase these materials when you register for the program.

Number 1:

"The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga" by Ray Long, MD FRCSC and Chris Macivor.

Cost = $65 CAD plus tax.

Number 2:

"The Enigma of Self Realization," by shakti mhi

Cost = $24 CAD plus tax.

Number 3:

"The Yoga Experience," by shakti mhi

Cost = $15 CAD plus tax

 

Required Reading

A requirement for this program is to read up on a few basic systems in the body:

• muscular system
• skeletal system
• nervous system
• blood circulation

This reading is mandatory for each student prior to the program, as it will greatly help understanding when reviewing the functions of the body during the program. "Know Your Body: The Atlas of Anatomy" by Emmet B. Keefe is highly recommended for this reading, as it covers all the required reading material in a way that is clear and easy to understand. The book can be purchased from Prana's online store for $15, or from Amazon online.

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Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate from Prana Yoga College's Teacher Training Program students must completely fulfill the following requirements:

• All classes must be attended except with a medical reason, which may be verified with a doctor's note or a request in advance confirmed by the office. Students are required to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to commencement of class unless they are on Karma duties that require them differently.
  
  
• To practice the spirit of yoga and as preparation for becoming a teacher, students will be expected to relate to teachers and fellow students with respect, politeness, compassion, and patience. To support and cooperate with each other during the program.
  
  
• Comfortable, loose clothing is suitable in the program. At all times students are required to dress modestly and tidy (no see-through clothing, sports bras, or shorts for men). At the time of teaching that will be indicated by the teacher in advance, students are required to wear white clothes. Avoid wearing jeans, belts, heavy accessories such as necklaces etc., as well as perfumes and greasy hair products.
  
  

A wondrous foundational course taught with clarity and precision so that it seems the teachings flow naturally from within one, having always been there.

Monty Larson
• Students must be prepared for each class by bringing a binder, writing material, and an anatomy book unless specified differently.
  
  
• Students must be ready for the teaching assignment (mini yoga) the details of which will be given in advance. The students will be expected to know the appropriate instructions, different variations for the postures, anatomy relating to the posture being taught, safety issues, and contraindications as well as appropriate voice projection and body language. Students will be required to participate in a hands-on practicum throughout the entire duration of the program.
  
  
• During class students are required to take part in group assignments and demonstrate learned material. As well, students will need to complete an anatomy and general knowledge exam. They must also participate in practice classes as well as yoga classes, meditation classes, pranayama classes, workshops etc... and follow the teacher's request for helping to arrange class space.
  
  
• Students are immersed daily in the practice of yoga, meditation and pranayama (breathing) which moves powerful energy throughout the body. This means that the body needs to be clean to avoid circulating toxins in the body. To ensure complete safety, there will be no alcohol or drugs permitted during the program.

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Certification Process

Prana Yoga Teacher College is fully accredited by the Private Career Training Institute Agency (PCTIA).

As well Prana Yoga is certified by the Yoga Alliance, which is the leading organization setting international standards for yoga teacher training.

200 hour - Yoga Instructor Certification

Completion of the following requirements entitles the successful student to "Instructor" status.

With "Instructor" status one is able to facilitate yoga classes of all-levels.

1 month intensive program consisting of 200 hrs:

• Anatomy
• Teaching Method
• Practical Teaching
• Yoga Philosophy
• Pranayama (breathing)
• Lifestyle
• Meditation
• Karma Yoga

Students will be sent their certificates within one month from the date of successful completion.

General College Information

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Why Choose Prana Yoga?

• Learn a unique flow style of yoga, suitable for all levels; not just the physically fit and advanced
• Learn extremely precise and detailed teaching linguistics
• Master completely safe, injury preventative teaching instructions
• Have ample opportunity to practice teaching skills in front of live students
• Discover your own unique learning patterns through Neuro Linguistic Programming
• Learn how to learn with ease and joy with a non-performance, non-competition based approach.
• Learn how to create simple yet complex yoga flows to guide those with different needs and abilities
"shakti opens doors leading into brilliant cathedrals, never before experienced in the mind, as well as beyond the limitations of the mind. The essence of the teachings are echoed in gentle whispers during my daily strolls. Her, as well as Daniel's teachings are subtle and oh so powerful for the beginner, and seasoned yogi. The teachings are unique and inspiring. Thank you."
~ jaia la ferme - prana 500 hour graduate 2007
• Learn to teach asanas (postures) with ultimate balance between the physical and the spiritual
• Discover relevant and in depth mechanics of human anatomical systems
• Explore the true essence of yoga that only begins with the asanas (postures), with Prana's non-religious but highly spiritual and grounded approach
• Expand your knowledge far beyond yoga to understand simple yet groundbreaking scientific discoveries: from quantum physics, evolution, human behaviour, to DNA and much more...
• Challenge yourself and your self-beliefs about the nature of existence
• Develop your own spiritual journey
• Discover the many facets of a yogic, holistic lifestyle
• Learn to use different teaching methodologies and discover those that suit your personal style
• Benefit from continued mentorship and after-course support

Prana Yoga Teacher College is North America's first and only PCTIA accredited post secondary yoga teacher training, with internationally recognized professional teaching credentials. Prana has a quarter century of experience teaching uncompromised classical hatha yoga with no trendy westernized influences and hundreds of graduates around the globe.

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The Spirit of Prana's Teacher Training

If the aim of yoga is anything other then Realization, i.e. perceiving reality through the higher self and not through the lower self (ego), then the true spirit of yoga is lost.

The majority of people in the West are unaware of the real aim of Hatha yoga (the physical aspect of yoga). Practicing the asanas (the postures) for the purpose of having a strong, flexible and healthy body is like being enthralled with the side effects of a medicine without being aware of the real healing which occurs as its primary aim. The asanas create a bridge connecting the small self (ego/mind) with the higher self (the internal knower or internal watcher). Teacher training with shakti mhi is designed for those willing to commit to the path of inner growth or self realization. Although the training deals directly with learning the asanas in great detail, aspects include the physical, mental and energetic. The fundamental spirit of the training is about mastering the mind, letting go of the ego and freeing oneself of all concepts. If your goal for taking the yoga teacher training is for gaining a new profession for the purpose of making a living only, shakti mhi's program may not be the one for you. If you are willing to start or continue on a spiritual journey that may lead you to a better place by mastering YOUR mind (as opposed to changing the world or the minds of others), you may find the Yoga teacher training with shakti mhi is a great environment to become a true yoga teacher as opposed to a mere yoga instructor.

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Testimonials

"shakti is an amazing teacher. The way she is able to break down the asana and let the students teach the class, enabled everyone in the class to learn to their potential."

Brian Baty

"My training in Thailand with Prana Yoga was one of those life-enhancing experiences that you hope for in a lifetime. At 45 years old I thought that those kind of physical and mental milestone events were all past and gone. I was pleasantly wrong.

Having been a western trained physician for almost 20 years I found the medical and physiologic aspects of the practices particularly fascinating. Most doctors don't realize that before medicines and surgeries, people used yoga and breathing exercises to treat their illnesses. This aspect has been lost in modern medicine, especially the attention to the energy one is supposed to feel when one is alive. I suspect "modern" man would be physically and emotionally better off with a few less pill and a lot more yoga.

I used to travel the world doing charity medical work. Now I also travel the world and teach yoga. I can't think of anything more balanced.

But the best part about completing yoga teacher training is that I have become a better yoga student."

Dr. Erik Fleischman
Physician and Surgeon
Medical Director - U.S. DOCTORS FOR AFRICA

"I came to Thailand and Prana Teacher Training Course to deepen my practice.....I got more than I bargained for. Now I feel compelled to teach. It was a journey never to be duplicated"

Tonya Hartz

"I came here looking for new direction in my life. I leave feeling joyous and light hearted for the first time in a long while. I feel I have been gifted with new and wonderful tools with which to lead a more grounded, focused, and peace filled existence. I now feel excited and prepared to share my love of yoga with others who might also benefit from its healing essence."

Heidi Neil

"A spectacular month drenched in learning, poses, and sunshine on the beaches of Thailand. shakti is an inspiration. She cares so much to facilitate each individual's growth in their yoga practice and their emergence as a star teacher. Her vast knowledge not only about the physical principles and background of yoga but also the yogi's way of life allows all of her students to experience, feel, learn, incorporate and adjust thoughts and leave the training as a different human. Thank you shakti for sitting with me for that special time. Namaste."

Ms. Barbara Crompton
CEO and President
The Yoga Group and The Fitness Group

"This was so much more than a yoga teacher training course. It was a journey into ourselves through meditation, mindfulness, and an introduction to zen. shakti is an inspirational teacher who has helped me to truly understand how to integrate yoga and its principles into every aspect of my life. I could not recommend this course any more highly. But come with an open mind... and prepared to change your life!!"

Rich Litvin

"A wondrous foundational course taught with clarity and precision so that it seems the teachings flow naturally from within one, having always been there."

Monty Larson

"This course has offered me an overwhelming life experience and a new chapter to be added to my walk in life here. It offers me an insight and totally different dimension of yoga. Thanks to both shakti & Daniel, both spiritually and physically. You both have certainly shown me what life is really about."

Pfeiffer Chan Ailee

"I have not only learned the basics of how to teach yoga, but had an absolutely amazing personal journey!"

Rebekka Walker

"I picked Prana because of the zen philosophy integration to yoga and how yoga is more than the physical asanas. This course met and exceeded these expectations. The training was an experience for me as an individual as much as it was about being a yoga teacher. Thank you."

Kenneth Krause

"This course is an experience of a lifetime, come to it with an open mind, a lot of energy, and you will come out with a perspective of life that will rock your world."

Oliver Stubbs

"This course is one of a kind. Truly genuine and life changing. The atmosphere is amazing, and I was challenged everyday."

Rachael Cody

"The Prana Yoga Teacher Training is so much more than becoming a teacher. Set in the beautiful jungle, what a more perfect place for such a journey? Deepening our practice, we learn a different approach to life through our yoga, meditation... affecting change around us beginning within us."

Dana Crudo

"This course is an excellent foundation in yoga theory and practice. It equips students with everything they need to start teaching, and plants the seeds of hunger for more learning, experience, and life."

Karen Brennan

"I came with no expectations, but this experience was better than anything I could have imagined. I've learned so much, not only about teaching yoga, but also about myself and dealing with life. I'm ready to take the lessons I've learned home and begin sharing them with others!"

Megan Dorrah

"I found the course to be challenging, thought provoking, well organized, and thoroughly enjoyable. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to partake in such a unique and wonderful experience. I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on life"

Niki Ainslie

"I had completely underestimated what was involved with and what would be gained from the August Teacher Training Program at Prana Yoga & Zen Centre. The demands on body, mind and soul were such that it helped to jump start me physically and reactivate my mind. It reminded me that the calm and centeredness for each one of us definitely comes from within and that it is attainable. This is only achieved with due diligence - and work. The camaraderie was an unexpected perk! A group of individuals from different paths in life coming together - tentative at first - bonding - then learning to love each other for their differences, truly was soul soaring!"

David Charles

"shakti's journey alongside our group of 11 women in Thailand was much more than admirable, it was a gift to have her each and every step of our understanding; an honor. The course was intensive, and being in remote Thailand only added by taking us from our daily lives and patterns. I believe that most of us faced new challenges and faced our true selves, even the less desirable bits.

The course is comprehensive, intense, sometimes a grind, sometimes light, sometimes a delight. In the past, I have traveled a lot, by myself and to some far away corners of the planet, paid a lot of money and found this to be much the best investment in myself and my (mostly future) students, overall."

Carol Hutchinson

"The Yoga Teacher Training Program at Prana, with shakti and all of the other teachers, was definitely one of the most enlightening experiences that any schooling has ever offered to me. The curriculum was precise, thorough and very detailed...All of shakti's lessons about life and how we look at our lives and the world around us, were very eye opening and insightful. It was the best learning experience ever!"

Sunny Trim
Vancouver Corporate Yoga

"I participated in the Yoga Teacher Training Intensive in Thailand with shakti Mhi, and it was one of the most incredible and beautiful experiences of my life. It was through experiencing shakti's style that I first fell in love with yoga, and the course deepened my love and respect not only for this ancient practice and the true teachers we have sharing this with the world, but especially for shakti's ability to convey the true art of yoga into every area of life. She demonstrates that yoga is a metaphor for life; it is all encompassing. Through humour, storytelling, challenges, and her own indefinable way of expressing her love and passion for truth and yoga, I learned so much; and I learned that a true yoga teacher is one that never stops growing, learning, and whose only concern as a teacher is the students. A yogi lives yoga in the truest sense: through humility, compassion and honor. Who you think you are disappears in that. This is bliss.

I resonated very deeply with shakti's teaching style, not only as a yoga teacher (and she is amazing), but also to experience for myself how wonderfully the course is structured and how she shares her knowledge in such a way that not only was I learning, I was living the learning. As a student I experienced first hand what it is to teach a class full of students and I was humbled. I loved it. For anyone who wants to deepen their practice or wants to share their love of yoga with the world, go for it. Take the Yoga Teacher Training with shakti Mhi. You will laugh like you have never laughed and you will explore and experience who you are beyond thought, body and mind. And this will carry over into your life and enrich it deeply, and in that, enrich the world."

Xell Calderer

"My one month intensive with shakti became the catalyst that would bring change, balance, and clarity to come swirling into my life. Aside from learning the essentials that would enable me to be a part of the community of sought after highly qualified yoga teachers, I learned things about my own self that before, I may not have had the strength to face. Being in a group that would stay together for 30 days or so in an intense environment, being enveloped in the world of yoga, the world of shakti was a grace that I have been blessed to experience. I have watched not only the transformation of my own being but of those with whom I shared this time in my life, allowing me a deeper understanding into the human condition, spirit, and heart. shakti possesses this amazing awe-inspiring quality that I have come across rarely in my lifetime. It is a centeredness, a clarity, a vast and passionate knowledge for what she is teaching that she in turn passes on to you. Straight forward, without the unnecessary drama that we so often find ourselves drowned in, she will help you to get to a place of such beauty, strength, and lightness, by simply allowing you to see that it is all within you. You are the teacher, we are all teachers, equally so. This is how we came to one another with humility and the desire to learn, not knowing that in turn we would walk away filled with a new understanding, and a lightness haloing our every step. Whether one comes into the teacher training with the plan to become a teacher of yoga or to simply supplement their own practice, it will be a time of knowledge, richness, laughter, and peace."

Avneet Pannu

"The teacher training program was an amazing experience and journey. The program offers so much more than learning safe teaching methods; it also encourages self discovery and personal growth. It was a memorable and life changing experience for me. I highly recommend the course for anyone wanting to explore themselves and become a competent yoga teacher."

Shannon Klak

"My experience at Prana Yoga College was life changing. shakti empowered us with a vast knowledge of yoga and the aim of yoga. We can only become great teachers with the detailed and accurate instruction given to us. I couldn't have left my family behind for a month for a better reason!"

Shamshad Tarmohamed, London, England

"There was never even one moment in 28 days of this amazing course that I didn't enjoy."

Krissy Sulic

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