Integrative Yoga Therapy :: Yoga teacher training & certification

Yoga Home Study Program

Introduction
The Yoga Home Study Program is a complete course in Yoga with a special focus on the therapeutic dimension. Topics covered include Yoga philosophy and psychology, asana, pranayama, and mudra, as well as an in-depth experiential study of how to apply the psychology of Yoga in daily living. This is a web-based program in which each student works with a personal mentor through e-mail and our interactive website. It is available to all students throughout the world who have an interest in deepening their understanding of Yoga.

The Yoga Home Study Program is designed as a one-year course of study; however, you have the option of extending your studies an additional year. This course gives you a Certificate of Completion and is an excellent foundation for our certification programs.

NOTE: Because this is a non-residential program, it does not qualify as a yoga teacher training program. Please review and be sure you wish to enroll in the Home Study Program. NO REFUNDS will be given.

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Main Areas of Focus

1. What is Yoga?

What Yoga is and the Yoga journey.
The Four Pillars of Yoga.
The Vision of Yoga: perspectives from the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.
The Paths of Yoga: overview of the many styles of Yoga.
Foundations of Yoga: practice as the pathway to spiritual experience.
The History of Yoga: from its ancient roots to the Yoga of today.
The Yoga of the Future: the larger vision of Yoga in the framework of human evolution.

2. Body Awareness

A Brief History of the Body.
The Five Koshas as a model of Yoga and health for all dimensions of the person – an in-depth exploration.
Wellness as the integration of all aspects of our being.
The role of body awareness in Yoga practice.
Body awareness exercises for each of the five koshas.
Working with the koshas on a daily basis.
Facilitating global wellness within your Yoga practice.

3. Ayurveda and Yoga

Yoga and Ayurveda: interrelated branches of the tree of Samkhya.
Ayurveda as a philosophy of wholeness.
Essential elements of Ayurveda.
Ayurveda and asana practice: understanding the interplay of the five elements in Yoga poses.
Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy: using postures, pranayamas, bandhas, and mudras to balance the doshas.
Experiential practices in Five Element Yoga and Healing through the Five Elements.

4. Yoga Asana

Experiential exploration of selected asanas from 10 posture groups.
In-depth discussion and instruction of Tadasana from a yoga therapy perspective.
Posture Cards – quick study guide of over 80 yoga poses.
IYT Posture Sequences – Level I & II classes.

5. Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha:

PRANA: the life force and the five pranavayus.
- Practice, benefits, and contraindications of pranayama.
- The major pranayamas: their effects on each of the koshas and their uses in Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy.
MUDRA: origin; where, when, and how to practice.
- Subtle energy – introduction and explorations.
- In-depth study of selected mudra family groups, including photos, benefits, and contraindications.
BANDHA: what are bandhas?
- When to use and their general benefits.
- Bandhas and Muscle Relaxation Therapy.

6. The Chakras

Overview of the Chakra System.
The chakras as a multi-faceted approach to healing.
The chakras in relation to other aspects of Yoga psychology
Experiential exploration of the entire chakra system, including a script for ‘Healing through the Chakras’.
In-depth exploration for each of the chakras.
Chakra Charts – comprehensive portrait of each of the seven chakras, including asana, pranayama, mantra, mudra, and correspondences to Yoga psychology.

7. The Art of Teaching Yoga and Stress Management

A Yogic perspective on stress.
Patanjali’s eight-fold path as a model for stress reduction.
IYT’s Wellness and Stress Reduction Program.
A whole person approach to teaching: incorporating the five koshas into Yoga teaching.
The dimensions of Yoga teaching, including themes, sequencing, timing, pacing, and adjustments.

8. Healing through Yoga Therapy

Introduction to Yoga Therapy: Yoga Therapy Defined, How Yoga Therapy Differs from Yoga, the Role of the Yoga Therapist, the Path of Yoga Therapy.
Yoga Therapy Sessions for: Body Awareness, Breath Awareness, Releasing Stress, and Yoga for the Immune System.

9. Mind-Body Health

Health as Unity.
Unity and separation at the level of the Five Koshas.
Eastern and Western concepts of health.
Keys to Health.
Basic Benefits of Yoga by System of the Body.
Explorations of selected systems of the body, including:
- Anatomy and Physiology from an experiential perspective.
- How Yoga brings balance to this system.
- Mind-body understanding of dis-ease and health in this system of the body.
- Yoga practice charts for the health of this body system: asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha, guided imagery, relaxation, and meditation.
The Ten Steps to Freedom.

10. Developing a Personal Practice of Yoga and Meditation

The Essence of Yoga practice.
The Vision of Yoga.
Spiritual Path and Spiritual Practice.
Yoga as a ways and means of spiritual practice.
The Results of practice.

What Students Are Saying

The IYT Home Study Program was a wonderful opportunity to dive deeper into the yoga experience I had just become a part of. I learned a lot more about what was truly important at a comfortable pace of learning. I realized that I needed time to listen and explore my body, mind, and emotions. I became more sensitive and compassionate to understanding all the aspects of the practice and a gentle transformation began to appear. I found a balance that I was longing and seeking for. I thank the entire staff and program for bringing me back into harmony with life and a greater sense of overall well being.
–Suzanne S.

I just completed the Home Study course and really enjoyed the experience. I've been teaching for about 5 years and I like to bring a little extra information into my classes, something more than the usual asanas. I really liked the way this Yoga course was written from the viewpoint of using the koshas as a model. This really helped to make things more cohesive for me. There was so much useful information that is starting to make its way into my teaching now, and the text was beautifully written and so full of things that don't come up in regular teacher training. My appreciation goes out to all who made this possible. I especially appreciate my lovely mentor. I dumped a zillion words on her. She was most tolerant and gave me some wonderful inspiration!
-Debbie R.

What I found most appealing was the flexibility to experience the lesson plans on my own time, in my own way. As deep and experiential as this training was, it is something that I continue to process on a daily basis. The training is demanding and rich in information. It does take a commitment, but your personal practice will be enriched two-fold and your students' lives will be touched in different ways from the lessons you will be able to share from such a training. This isn't just about asana, but rather so very much MORE. Shanti & Sunshine...
-Felicia S.

My experience with the Home Study Program was pleasant and satisfactory. In the comfort of my own place, I was able to download and print the study material. The knowledge imparted was just priceless. The supportive, non-judgmental mentorship helped me to easily pace the studying throughout the year. I would strongly recommend the IYT Home Study Program to those interested in deepening their knowledge of Yoga and becoming Yoga Therapists.
- Liliane N.

I wanted to let you know that this course is amazing. I learned so much regarding the aspects of Yoga and the "whole practice" – the chakras, the koshas, and the systems in the body. Even though it is not a personal, hands-on training, I did learn a lot from the descriptions of the poses, the benefits, the sensations to feel, and how to adjust the postures.
- Marianne P.