Click HERE to view photographs of some past graduating classes.
12 to 24 people
Can I apply for the Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training without the intention to take the Apprenticeship and Certifiication?
Yes. This option might be for people who live far away, or who are already certified and are more interested in an indepth training with Tom than certification credentials.
I am interested in this training, but I don't want to necessarily teach Vinyasa Yoga. What should I do?
Based on past experience, not everyone who takes this training winds up teaching vinyasa style. We have many sucessful graduates who go deep into this training, but then specialize in other areas. With some extra hours and coaching, they now teach Gentle Yoga, Yoga for Seniors, Prenatal Yoga, Teen Yoga, Kids Yoga, Yoga in hospital settings. What you will learn in this extensive program can be widely adapted. But our focus is Vinyasa style.
I can't make it to 6 prerequisite yoga classes at Eyes of the World? Can I still take the program?
Probably not.
I want certification really quick and easy. Is Eyes of the World Teacher Training for me?
No. There are lots of places you can go to for that. There are quickie weekend and month long certifications with large class sizes and no prerequisites. There is even one over the web that requires no classes. If you are just doing calesthenics, that might be okay. But lets be honest, the piece of paper that you get will mean very little to you. You will not have the qualifications and skills to make it in the yoga world today. You will have missed the extraordinary transformation that comes with many hours of physical practice and looking deeply into your life. You won't have the experience necessary to really know what you are doing. It takes time to develop your teaching abilities, It takes time to develop your language. It takes time to come to a deep realization about who you are. It requires a senior teacher to thoughtfully mentor your class. Over thousands of years, yoga has been a path of transmission. You receive by osmosis something very special from being with a teacher who has been teaching for a long time. Osmosis takes time.
How long will it take to get certified?
That will vary from person to person. 8 months to a year. This is the very minimum possible. Like fruit on a tree, a teacher's skills must ripen over time to achieve its full sweetness. We have had many people extend the program over two and three years completeing the apprenticeship section later. We usually have a graduation ceremony every September. But many people don't get all their requirements done by then and they graduate when they have completed all the elements.
Does the 150 hour or the 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training count towards a 500 hour certification program with the Yoga Alliance and other accredited instituions?
Yes, definitely. You will receive a letter of completion for 150 hours of Advance Teacher Training in sanskrit, philosophy, anatomy, asana and advanced teaching methods or certification for 200 hours if you complete the whole training. It is possible to get another letter for supplemental hours and trainings with Tom.
When I add everything up, all the study time included, this program seems like alot more than 200 hours? Why?
It is an integrity issue. We want you to be a fully qualified teacher, rather than someone who has attended a minimum standard designated. The Yoga Alliance has set standards and that is what the national requirements are. Many teachers in the past have logged over 700 hours when they get certified. And with out question they always turn out to be the best teachers.
What is the writing assignment?
There is a written essay at the end of the program to help you chew and digest the impact of the transformational and philosophical insights in the program. This is a way of putting your knowledge together.
What are the quizzes and exams about?
Experience in other Teacher Training programs has shown that students rarely study difficult material unless they are preparing for a test. The quizzes are preparation for finals. The final exam questions will be drawn from the quizzes. The tests will focus your attention on specific material you will need to know as a yoga teacher. There is a greater possibility you will retain "hard information" such as the names of yoga postures in sanskrit and the names of muscles and bones if you have studied them many times. Even if you have to reference them in the future, you will be able to access the information easily.
I have taken dozens of classes with Tom. Do I have to take an addtional 36 classes?
No. Full exemptions and partial exemptions are possible for long term students so long as you have taken at least 36 classes. and have a good understanding and knowledge of the broad range of practice at Eyes of the World.
