8 Limbs Ashtanga Yoga - Teacher Training

8 Limbs’ Teacher Training comprises almost 3000 hours of practice, tuition, assisting, observing teachers, supervised teaching and (if ready) teaching your own classes.

The trainers are Monica Gauci (Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology & Teaching Skills) and Gregor Maehle (Philosophy, Yoga History, Pranayama, Meditation, Chanting & Sanskrit), bothdirectors of 8 Limbs. The training is taught within the setting of an establsihed yoga school enabling apprentices to practice the hands-on skills and adjusting techniques learnt under the supervision of experienced teachers. Apprentice are also given the opportunity to teach ‘real’ beginners to yoga.

The training is presented over a 3 year period enabling intergration of the material and the firm establishment in a daily practice. Exams are held at the completion of each module.

1st year program

Anatomy & Surface Anatomy -

Getting to know your body, learning the landmarks and how to locate muscles and skeletal structures
How structure determines function – developing a professional respect for the design, potential, and limitations of the human form
A closer look at the spine, the spinal cord and the flow of cerebrospinal fluid
Study of the stabilising and supportive abdominal and pelvic diaphragms and girdle

Physiology

Homeostasis: from cell to tissue to organ to organ system
Coverage of all the organ systems of the body

Kinesiology

Understanding the science of movement, the action of each muscle and how they work to perform and maintain the various postures
The relationships and effects of the musculoskeletal kinematic chain
Muscle testing as a diagnostic tool to determine corrective asana

Adjusting Techniques

The theory and tuition of hands-on adjustments and corrections of the 1st year postures
Practical application via assisting 1 class per week in the Early Morning Intensive or evening Ashtanga classes, under the supervision of an experienced teacher

Teaching Beginners Level I

Technical enquiry and an indepth analysis of the alignment and precision in each posture of the Level I course
How to breakdown the execution of a posture, enabling beginners to safely perform even the most complicated postures with precision and integrity
Effective teaching and comunication skills
Yoga chikitsa of each asana (therapy)

Teaching Observation

Trainees are requested to observe a minimum of two Beginner’s courses taught by an 8 Limbs’ certified teacher (21 hours)

Teaching Practicum

Trainees teach their first Beginner’s course under supervision with detailed and personal feedback towards improving their teaching skills
When ready and if available, apprentice are able to teach their own waged Beginner’s courses at 8 Limbs during the 2nd and 3rd years of their training.

2nd year program

Yoga History

The historical context of the various classes of scriptures, schools and systems of Indian philosophy, vedic stages of life and stages of mind
The entire history of yogic, vedic and tantric thought as one 10000 year old living organism
The need to reverse (re-live backwards) the history of human society during the involution of the individual yogi

Yoga Philosophy

Chanting and Study of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra
- Learning the proper pronouciation of Sanskrit
- Chanting as a meditation technique
- Understanding the meaning of the sutras and their integration into daily life
Samkhya, the ancient mother of all Indian Philosophies and it’s relevant scriptures
Monistic Vedanta as an alternative view to dualistic Yoga and the reciprocal critique of the two schools
Tantric thought, offered as a bridge and synthesis of dualistic and monistic teachings

Teaching Beginners Level II

asana

A detailed study of each new asana and its teaching
As above for Level I

Adjusting Techniques

The theory and tuition of hands-on adjustments and corrections of the 2nd year postures
Practical application of adjusting via assisting 2 classes per week in the Early Morning Intensive and/or evening Ashtanga classes, under the supervision of an experienced teacher

Rehabilitation

The theory of the fundamentals of yoga and how they work towards rehabilitation, with a focus on rehabilitation of the spine
Practical exercises to build stability in cases of trauma

Assignment

The independent research of a structural/functional topic of the human body

3rd year program

Pranayama and Mudra

Learning the traditional yogic techniques of extension of breath and life force

Meditation

Practicing of traditional yogic techniques of the inner limbs

Teaching Mysore-style/Talk-through classes

A detailed study of each new asana and its teaching
As above for Level I & II

Teaching Private classes

Trainees are given a one-on-one private via video taping of their own practice giving them first hand experience of a private lesson as well as the personal benefits to their own practice

Adjusting Techniques

The theory and tuition of hands-on adjustments and corrections of the 3rd year postures
Practical application via assisting 2 classes per week in the Early Morning Intensive and/or evening Ashtanga classes, under the supervision of an experienced teacher

Note

We are currently restructuring our training to make it more accessible for international students. Please register your interest by sending us an email from the ‘Contact Us' page and we will keep you updated regarding any new developments.