Yoga Teacher Training Podcast: Learn Anatomy, Philosophy, Business and More

Brahmacharya comes form the words brahman (the source of which are all a part) and acharya “to walk with” to “follow the lead” or “to lead.” So why is this Yama often defined as “abstinence from sex?”

Today I’ll share about

1. What is Brahmacharya? Is it abstinence from sex? Why?
2. How does Brahmacharya relate to taoist and tantric sexual cultivation practices?
3. What does this Yama have to do with our most valuable asset: our attention?
4. Simple ways to apply Brahmacharya to your life

Want to learn more about the Yoga Sutra - the source of Brahmacharya? Check out the Yoga Book Club where we are reading from the Yoga Sutra together every week, live on Zoom. You can join in to any or all sessions. They are recorded for you to watch on-demand. Join now to get 14 days free, then just $9.97/mo. You don’t even need to own the book to read along with us. Learn more at http://www.yogabookclub.com

What are some natural, holistic ways we can support our immune systems and prevent disease? I reached out to Chris Harrison, a physician / yoga teacher who I met through our mentor Jenn Wooten. Chris has a lifetime of experience in the medical field as well as several years of studying mindfulness and yoga practices. I thought she might have a unique perspective on everything happening. I'm so grateful we got to talk and I think you'll find her insight very practical, helpful and supportive. 

The word I took away from this interview was "nourishing" - what can I do that feels genuinely nourishing for me? I'd love to hear your thoughts on what Chris shares over at the Quietmind Community - a free Facebook group to connect with peers form around the world. You can join for free at http://www.quietmind.yoga/community.

Of course, yoga practice is one of the things Chris mentions, and you can now join me three times a week on Zoom - all by donation. Learn more at http://www.quietmind.yoga/classes

Thanks for listening!
Jeremy

Asteya means non-stealing. A few years ago I became aware of a subtle, unintentional way that I was taking from others. My intention was to be “helpful” and demonstrate care, so I was bewildered when a coach pointed out that my attempts to be caring were actually taking more than I was giving. This took me a while to fully grasp, and it is a common, well intended behavior in helping professions. I’ll share about that experience and how it taught me the value of Asteya in today’s episode.

The Quietmind Yoga Membership is now open! Visit http://www.quietmind.yoga/membership for full length classes, mini workshops and 1-1 feedback to build specific skills in your practice such as nervous system regulation, expanding lung capacity and learning pose breakdowns. $9.97 a month or 20% off for a full year.

Today I’ll share about

1. What is Asteya and why is it the third ‘step’ of yoga, well before asana?
2. The unintentional way that we might be taking from ourselves
3. The unintentional way that we might be taking from teachers
4. The unintentional way that we might be taking from students
5. A simple way to apply Asteya in each pose

What is your truth? How do you distinguish objective vs subjective truth? How do you teachers NOT apply truthfulness in teaching? I’ll share all about this in today’s episode on Satya (Truthfulness).

The Quietmind Yoga Membership is now open! Visit http://www.quietmind.yoga/membership for full length classes, mini workshops and 1-1 feedback to build specific skills in your practice such as nervous system regulation, expanding lung capacity and pose breakdowns. $9.97 a month or 20% off for a full year. Over the next few weeks I’ll be adding practices to embody the 8 limbs of yoga as we learn more in this series.

Today continues our series on applying the 8 limbs of yoga to teaching yoga. Each week I will cover a new aspect of the 8 limbs. This week I’ll share how you can apply the Satya (truthfulness) to your practice and teaching. I’ll share about:

1. What is your “truth?”
2. How do you distinguish objective vs subjective truth?
3. The unexpected way I realized I was being dishonest with myself
4. A simple way to apply Satya in each pose
5. The most common ways yoga teachers DON”T apply satya

Get the free PDF guide for this episode at http://www.quietmind.yoga/cues

How do you teach online when you can’t see your students? How do you know they are safe? In this episode I will share what 3 approaches I have found most helpful and 13 of the most common poses along with cues that you can use to guide any student at any level - even if you can’t see them.

In this episode I share about:

• How you can improve your teaching when you can’t see your students
• A physical adjustment you can make to improve your teaching
• A mindset shift to make about how you’re teaching
• A teaching skill you can use to make sure your students are safe

Shout out to Maria S listening in the UK who reached out to ask about this - she is in a teacher training across the pond and always has great questions! Also a shout out to Satchie Wolfe and Allison Halley in the Quietmind Yoga Teacher Training who brought up this issue in a recent Teacher Training lesson.

Would you like to see a special online course about how to best teach online? With videos and PDFs? Send me a message on Instagram @Jeremy.quietmind - I am thinking about making this and would love to hear if it would be helpful / if you have any questions on this topic?

This is such a pressing topic for many teacher right now so I wanted to make sure we covered it, and I will return to the series on the 8 Limbs of Yoga next week with the second Yama: Satya!

http://www.quietmind.yoga/membership The Quietmind Yoga Membership is now open! Weekly live classes and weekly mini workshops to develop deliberate skills in your practice such as nervous system regulation, strengthening Agni. Over the next few weeks I’ll be adding bonus classes with practices to embody the 8 limbs of yoga as we learn more in this series.

Today continues our series on applying the 8 limbs of yoga to teaching yoga. Each week I will cover a new aspect of the 8 limbs. This week I’ll share how you can apply the first Yama: Ahimsa to teaching.

It may seem obvious that you are not harming your students in class, but there is an unavoidable power dynamic at play in yoga classes that has been a source of harm to countless students who have shared their stories in recent years. I will share ways I have found to both hold the seat of the teacher, while guiding students back to their inner authority.

The points I will discuss are: 

1. Notice judgements and comparisons in your practice
2. When negative thoughts arise, cultivate the opposite
3. Rather than assume authority over students, direct them towards their inner authority
4. Use invitational cues rather than authoritative cues — while still using active cues rather than passive cues

"Non-killing being established, in his presence all emnities cease (in others).
If a man gets the idea of non-injuring others, before him even animals which are by their nature ferocious will become peaceful. The tiger and the lamb will play together before that Yogi and will not hurt each other. When you have come to that state, then alone you will understand that you have become firmly established in non-injuring" - Vivekananda

“Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength.” - Sivananda

“Ahimsa is the highest duty. Even if we cannot practice it in full, we must try to understand its spirit and refrain as far as is humanly possible from violence.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“Strictly speaking, no activity and no industry is possible without a certain amount of violence, no matter how little. Even the very process of living is impossible without a certain amount of violence. What we have to do is to minimize it to the greatest extent possible.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“The power of unarmed nonviolence is any day far superior to that of armed force.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.” - Thomas A. Edison

Join the free Quietmind Community at http://facebook.com/groups/quietmindcommunity/

Today begins a new series on applying the 8 limbs of yoga to practicing and teaching yoga. Each week I will cover a new aspect of the 8 limbs from the Yamas and Niyamas to Samadhi.

In this episode I will give an overview of the 8 limbs of yoga, their origins and different interpretations of how you can apply them to your yoga practice and teaching. I’ll also share a helpful memorization trick that I’ve used to remember the 10 Yamas and Niyamas.

This is a solid foundation for yoga philosophy and applying yoga to all areas of life outside of practice. We’ll discuss the overview of the 8 Limbs and touch on Yamas (Don’ts), Niyamas (Dos), Asana, Pranayama, Pratiyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

If you want to deepen your practice more, join the Quietmind Yoga Membership for weekly live classes, weekly mini workshops and 1-1 feedback at http://www.quietmind.yoga/membership

Thanks for listening!
Jeremy

Want to grow a Yoga YouTube channel? Who better to learn from than someone who has created videos with over 1 million views, my friend Joy Scola! I am so grateful to have Joy on today to discuss how to start -- from being uncomfortable to being on camera — to recording your first video — to growing your channel to reach millions of people around the world. It takes some hard work and consistency and Joy shows you step by step how she has been successful so you can be too.

We’ll discuss

Learn more about Joy at http://www.joyscola.com

Join the FREE Quietmind Community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/quietmindcommunity/ to see where I'm teaching online next, including a special class with Joy on Instagram this week! I'm also sharing exclusive offers and monthly Facebook Live Q&As there. It's free to join!

As my teacher Libby would say "now, all previous teachings apply."

This is an uncertain, disruptive time for us all over the world, and I hope you and your loved ones are well and staying safe. Many people are experiencing major losses and challenges with the spread of covid-19 and if you are not directly effected this an opportunity for you to apply all you have learned about yoga to be a loving presence for others and 'teach yoga' by how you show up for them. 

For those of you teaching in studios and in person - which is nearly all yoga teachers - you may be experiencing major transitions in your work. Studios are limiting class sizes and eliminating props. Corporate clients are now working remotely. How can you best navigate this in a traditionally in-person, service based industry? 

One thing I have done over the years is teach over video chat, and I am grateful to have that experience as I have been able to seamlessly transition into working with many of my clients this way. In today's episode I share how you can do the same TODAY with no prior experience and little to no costs. 

You just need 6 things to get started. Listen for more details.

What I don't address in this episode is the actual teaching. If you want to build confidence in teaching check out my free workshop: 3 Mindset Shifts to Build Confidence in Teaching Yoga by clicking here

If you want to learn all about teaching online, creating multiple streams of income and developing teaching skills in 10 core competencies, I offer that in the Quietmind Yoga Teacher Training. Enrollment closes soon at http://www.quietmind.yoga/enroll

Thanks for listening!

What is on a Yoga Certification exam? Every one will be different, but almost all of them will cover similar aspects of yoga: philosophy, anatomy, postures. I put together a free mini quiz for you to test your yoga knowledge at http://www.quietmind.yoga/19quiz -- I'll walk you through the whole thing in today's episode. You can test your knowledge before listening, or after and see how you do. These are some of the same questions I include in the Quietmind Yoga Teacher Training certification exam. Of course, I don't cover everything here, but these are some of the essentials, and a great place to start to make sure you do great no matter which certification you take. 

If you want to learn more, check out my free online workshop 3 Mindset Shifts to Build Confidence in Teaching Yoga at http://www.quietmind.yoga/confidence 

Thanks for listening!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremydevens