Teacher Training Info Session

Are you passionate about Yoga? Would you like to deepen your practice and be able to teach others? Come learn more about our teacher training programs: one of them may be perfect for you.

Join us on Thursday, February 2nd, at 6:15p in North Park and on Saturday, February 18th, at 12:00p in Normal Heights

Learn about our Spring 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Program. Meet our program director and find out how to take your yoga to the next level.

Please email us at pilgrimageyoga@gmail.com if you plan on attending.

200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher Training

Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga is offering two complete teacher trainings in 2012 designed to expand your knowledge, practice, and understanding of yoga. Attendance is required at all workshops (make-ups are available) for Yoga Alliance certification. What people are saying…

Enjoy this brief, informative video about our Yoga Teacher Training Programs

2012 TEACHER TRAININGS

SPRING 2012, 3-month program

• March 9 2012 – June 8, 2012
• Workshops take place on the following nine weekends: 3/9, 3/16, 3/30, 4/13, 4/20, 5/4, 5/18, 6/1, 6/8. There are no workshops on other weekends.
• Each weekend workshop will be held on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays.

FALL 2012, 3-month program

• September 7, 2012 – December 7, 2012
• Workshops take place on the following nine weekends: 9/7, 9/14, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 11/9, 11/16, 11/30, 12/7. There are no workshops on other weekends.
• Each weekend workshop will be held on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays.

COST: $2400 three months prior to start, $2700 after

OUR TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

with Sujantra McKeever, Studio Founder

It is both a great honor and a great responsibility to run a yoga teacher training program. Here at Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga we take that responsibility very seriously. We do everything we can to ensure that your experience of learning to teach yoga is fulfilling and comprehensive. Our goal is to offer you the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to teach yoga.

Our program is also ideal if your main goal is to deepen your practice and understanding of yoga. Nearly half of those who take our training do so primarily to expand their knowledge and practice. Some graduates go on to teach, while others choose not to. The training is for you.

Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga’s 200-hour teacher training is certified by Yoga Alliance, the only nationally recognized purveyor of Yoga instructor certifications in the United States.

Q: How much experience do I need before taking the program?

We recommend 6 months of regular yoga practice prior to beginning the teacher training. Regular practice would be considered either two studio classes a week (at Pilgrimage of the Heart or any studio of your choice) or a similar amount of practice on your own.

An Ancient Art

Yoga is an ancient art that has been passed on from person to person for thousands of years. In the modern world yoga has taken on another unique manifestation: it has become an extremely popular form of mind-body exercise. As of 2012 over 20 million Americans are now practicing yoga and another 20 million are thinking about trying yoga. This creates a wonderful opportunity for you to teach and share yoga with others.

The Western world is realizing not just the health benefits of yoga but also the mental and emotional benefits. In our teacher-training program we offer students the full range of yogic understanding so that you can play a significant role as a yoga teacher and practitioner in the years to come. You will learn all the components of yoga including yoga philosophy, breath control and meditation.

Q: What if I am not sure if I want to teach or not?

Our training offers you the opportunity to both deepen your knowledge and practice and learn to teach. Half of those who are in our programs do so only to deepen their practice. Yoga is a journey of transformation and you will experience that transformation during our training.

Your Unique Goals

There is no “right” reason for practicing yoga. Each individual that embarks on the path of yoga does so for his or her own unique reason. At our studio we honor and respect all the reasons and motivations that conspire people towards yoga. We hold forth the same attitude when it comes to our teacher training. Whether you primarily wish to deepen your practice or want to become a full-time yoga teacher our program is designed to help you reach your unique goals.

Our program will prepare you to teach all styles of yoga. You will learn the fundamentals of yoga, which you can then apply to teaching all styles of yoga including traditional hatha yoga, gentle yoga, power yoga, vinyasa flow, and hot yoga. We also feature a special workshop where you explore the fundamentals of teaching yoga to children, prenatal yoga and yoga for seniors.

Best of all: from all that you learn you will be able to create your own unique yoga style and flow. You will learn the principles of pose/counter pose, the principles to sequence a yoga class, and the emotional benefits of the various poses.

Q: What kinds of trainings do you offer?

We currently offer two trainings per year. In the spring and fall we offer 3-month trainings. All of our trainings are certified by Yoga Alliance, the most respected certification program in the world. Costs for the trainings are given at the bottom of this page. Our price includes all books and materials you will need.

Q: Do I have to be super flexible to teach yoga?

No, but you do need to care about people and to want to help them learn and grow. Flexibility is only one aspect of yoga.

In our training you will learn to guide people into postures through verbal cues and the demonstration of the postures. If there are postures or variations of the postures that you cannot do you can verbally cue your students into those postures. To effectively guide others in yoga you do need to know the basics of anatomy, which you will learn in our training.

Our Studio is Alive!

Another wonderful element of our teacher-training program is the fact that you are training and learning in the environment of a thriving yoga studio. Each week hundreds of individuals come to Pilgrimage of the Heart to learn and practice yoga. It is in this inspiring and uplifting environment that our teacher training is held. You will see the positive effect of yoga in the lives of our studio members and this will help you learn how to offer yoga to others.

Principles of our Program

Our program is built on three principles: (1) the study of ancient knowledge rooted in modern science; (2) highly qualified teachers offering you outstanding instruction and guidance; and (3) a strong community of support.

Through this program, you will receive training in the fundamentals of Yoga philosophy, Yoga postures (asana), anatomy, breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation. You will learn to teach over 40 postures.

Q: How does the teacher training work?

The backbone of our program consists of 24 6-hour workshops, homework, flashcards for learning to teach over 40 postures, developing your own practice of yoga, learning breath control and meditation, observing during studio classes, assisting in studio classes, taking classes, and working with your mentor. Three months of studio membership and all textbooks are included in your tuition.

Q: What is the mentorship program? No other programs offer that.

This is one of the unique elements of our program. You will spend 8 hours (you and your mentor can decide on how to divide up the time) working one-on-one with a mentor of your choice. You will choose your mentor from the participating teachers on our staff. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions, work on your teaching skills, and discuss spiritual philosophy or anything else that you wish to explore with the help of your mentor. This reflects the ancient mode of teaching through which the wisdom of Yoga was passed on through one-on-one exchanges.

Q: Is there homework?

Yoga is an art and science that has evolved over thousands of years and involves plumbing the heights and depths of human consciousness. The more you read, study and practice the more you will be able to know and teach the essence of Yoga to others. Our program involves homework assignments that include reading, journaling and study questions. The more time and energy you put into your study, the more you will get out of the program and the more confident you will be as a teacher.

Q: It all sounds good. What is the next step?

If you have never been to our studio please come in and try some classes. We have a great special: 2 weeks of unlimited yoga for $25.

The next step is to sit down and chat with one of our program directors: Brenna, Linda, Sujantra or Nikole. You can call the studio at 619-640-4438 to make an appointment or stop by the front desk to schedule an appointment.

During your meeting with a program director, we will answer any questions you have and offer you information that will help you decide if this is the best program for your needs. If you decide that it is, you can schedule a time to get the application process started.

As a wise philosopher once said: “The longest journey begins with the first step.” We look forward to serving you along your journey in becoming a Yoga instructor.

PROGRAM CONTENT

Spring 2010 Yoga Teacher Training

Program Requirements*

• 24 Yoga Teacher Training Workshops.
• 10 Meditation classes. Classes offered on Monday evenings, Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Weekend workshops also available.
• 8 Hours of one-on-one mentorship meetings.
• Assistant teaching: assisting a teacher and offering adjustments to yoga students during class.
• Public yoga classes: participating, observing and taking notes during and after each class.

Program Highlights

• Yoga Alliance certification.
• Three months unlimited yoga at Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga Studio.
• Mentorship Program designed in line with traditional Indian yoga instruction. Trainees work one-on-one with the yoga teacher of their choice.
  
  

  Summer 2010 Yoga Teacher Training

• Skill-building to teach and adjust 40 postures.
• Skill-building to teach meditation, breathing techniques, and chanting.
• Hands-on adjustments in yoga studio classes.

Your Teachers

Nikole Fortier – Yoga Asanas & Teaching Skills – Nikole has a 200 hour certification from UCSD training with Arturo Galvez in the Iyengar & Astanga traditions, and recently completed a 100 hour interdisciplinary flow certification from Yoga One with Amy Caldwell & Diana Beardsley. She’s been blessed to have studied with many amazing teachers, and often credits her students for teaching her most. In her classes, she likes to incorporate chanting, pranayama, Sanskrit, philosophy, still and moving meditation through asanas with emphasis on the breath so that students can experience the spectrum of transformational yoga expressions. Foremost, she encourages students to practice loving kindness, truth, peace and acceptance on the mat as these qualities invariably translate into life.


Sujantra McKeever – Philosophy, Meditation, and Teaching Skills – Sujantra was born in San Francisco in 1962 and moved to San Diego in 1980 to attend UCSD. He is the founder and owner of the Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga Studio. He first became interested in hatha yoga as a young boy and used his practice of asanas (the yoga postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques) as a stepping stone into the “inner aspects” of yoga: concentration, meditation and contemplation.

Sujantra has authored five books on eastern philosophy, success motivation and meditation. Two of his books were used by major universities to teach wellness, stress reduction and comparative religion. Over the past 20 years, he has delivered over one thousand lectures on meditation and yoga in over 25 countries.

Sujantra opened the Pilgrimage of the Heart studio in 2006. In each of his yoga classes, Sujantra offers the complete yoga experience by teaching all eight aspects of yoga and exploring the relevance of this ancient art in our modern lives. He teaches Beginning / Gentle Yoga; Yoga for Children and Hatha Levels I and II, which includes Sun Salutations, shoulder stand and headstand. He encourages students to practice both at home and at the studio.

Sujantra has studied meditation with spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy since 1980. Sujantra is an ACE certified Group Fitness Instructor.

Haunani Chong – Anatomy – Haunani Chong is a Licensed Acupuncturist in the State of California and designated a Diplomat of Oriental Medicine by the NCCAOM, the highest level of accreditation in the United States for the practice of Eastern Medicine.

Haunani spent her undergraduate years at Whitman College focused on pre-medicine and sports medicine. She spent four years as a student athletic trainer and worked as a rehabilitation assistant in the summers.

She has over 3,000 hours of study on the theory and Chinese Medicine in relation to human structure, energy systems, organ function, and meridian theory. She has an additional 500 hours of training in Ayurveda, the holistic individualized medicine from India.

As an Anatomy and Physiology instructor for the YTT, she offers the perfect compliment of western, traditional chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Haunani has taught at Pilgrimage of the Heart for over 4 years and practices Traditional Chinese Medicine here in San Diego.

Visit Haunani’s website at haunanichong.com.

Brenna VanNorman – Special Populations

Rachel LaBarre – Special Populations – For Rachel, Yoga is a discipline of self-discovery. In every class, Rachel aims to leave students filled with the joy and peace that she experiences through her own yoga practice. She offers a blend of challenging, empowering and creative postures that reflect her knowledge and deep understanding of the body & the human experience. By encouraging introspection and self-inquiry, she hopes to help people connect to their own True Self.

Rachel is a native San Diegan who began her yoga practice in Boulder, Colorado while attending CU in 2004. She has her 200-hour yoga teaching certification through the Pilgrimage of the Heart. With a degree in Fine Art, Rachel sees yoga as a form of creative expression and an exploration of the Self. Just as a painter uses paints and brushes to create beautiful works of art, yoga uses the body and breath as tools to bring Beauty, Light, and Joy into the world.

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

“I love the relationships we built with each other and with the Pilgrimage staff. I am very happy that I took the training, as it gave me a new approach and understanding of yoga. I grew in the last three months unimaginatively.” -Marina Kolaric

“This program has completely changed my life. I feel renewed sense of Love and Lightness in my life.” -Melissa MacDonald

“I feel that the curriculum at Pilgrimage is an excellent training for a future yoga teacher of for a student who really wants to learn about the yoga he’ll never learn in a class setting. Above the training itself, I think the community Pilgrimage has established makes it so special. Because of the compassion and friendliness at the front desk and the teachers, any individual could walk through the doors and feel special, unique, and individual.” -Anonymous

“This program is unique in that it encourages students to truly live, and truly live, breathe, and experience yoga, both on and off our yoga mats. I love that this program integrates all aspects of yoga: philosophy, meditation, asana, anatomy, and pranayama. Exploring and connecting each of these themes has helped me to develop mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I feel prepared ans inspired to continue to seek and learn, as this program has helped me to cultivate a strong foundation for my yoga practice as both a student and a teacher. Nikole, Sujantra, and Courtney are phenomenal teachers who sincerely care for and love their students. Their support and guidance throughout the program has helped me to discover and embrace the light in others, and within myself. This has been an incredible journey, and I feel truly blessed to have had this opportunity to learn from so many genuine people.” -Kristina Banas

“Thank you for such a beautiful experience at PoH TT. My time in the training was unimaginably transformative and I am so blessed to have had such incredible teacher and receive support from all the instructors and staff at the studio.” -Donatella Lopez

“I especially loved the sense of community-seeing the same faces at meditations, kirtan, asana practice and just around the neighborhood. I loved the willingness of all staff to support teacher trainees by answering questions and helping out. I especially liked that everyone learned my name and remembered who I was, which made me feel like I belonged. Overall, I felt like everyone here was supporting my experience and cheering me along the way.” -Chandra Beal

“One of the best aspects of Teacher Training at PoH was the sincerity of the program. It was designed to create an authentic yoga teacher and not a mass-produced robot-teacher. My teachers were honest, precise, knowledgeable, ans deeply interested in my growth as a student.” -Anonymous

“Thank you so much!! I feel so blessed, and am immensely grateful for all of your love and support. PoH is a truly beautiful community, and I am so happy to be a part of it. Thank you for inspiring for inspiring me along my journey.” -Kristina Banas

“It was very nice to feel fully supported throughout the program by the entire staff at PoH and by my fellow would be teachers. I think that was one of the biggest strengths of the program for me, and it comes from Pilgrimage having wonderful people on their staff that understand how to create a supportive and caring learning environment. Thanks You!” -Anonymous

“As we come to the close of our teacher training, it is bittersweet. I arrived in San Diego with zero friends, much confusion about my path in life, and mixed emotions about where I was in life. The TT has given me confidence in myself that had been missing for a while. It was the first time in a long time, that I was doing something for me, for my spirit, for my journey.” -Anonymous

“I feel that the quality, personal support and sincerity exhibited by the teachers, as well as the staff at Pilgrimage of the Heart stands out in my mind as a model of Teacher Training.” ~EJ

“I have learned SO MUCH and have been inspired and supported beyond what I ever could have imagined by all of my teachers and fellow students in this program.” ~NS

“I think what I liked best were all the amazing teachers and people I’ve met. They all just overflow with love, joy, acceptance and sincerity. I have never felt so at home” ~JD

“Sujantra is a knowledgeable, kind soul, and I enjoyed getting to know him while learning philosophy. The philosophy workshops were very interesting, as they help provide personal growth, and encourage thought on a deep level.” ~AJ

“Thank you to all teachers and staff at Pilgrimage of the Heart Yoga Studio for a great experience– Infinite Gratitude.” ~CM

“ This program has been amazing. I really appreciate the heart-centered approach the studio has in teaching yoga; that is what drew me there in the first place. I felt like this program helped us integrate this heart-centered philosophy into our own yoga teaching styles.” ~LM

“Thank you all so much for all of your help, all of your lessons and all of your love. I am so very grateful. Namaste.” ~LM

“I loved all of the people involved in this Teacher Training. You provide a caring, safe environment in which we were encouraged to explore and to learn. I felt comfortable asking questions knowing that everyone is very knowledgeable, experienced and helpful.” ~RL

“I am thrilled that I got to have this experience at my home studio. In case it isn’t clear, I love this place and I love you guys.” ~KC