Yoga Shakti Teacher Training
& Advanced Yoga Studies

Registered With Yoga Alliance At 200 & 500 Hours

“Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind, at that time the seer rests in his own nature, at other times he identifies with the movement of the mind”

- Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

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Yoga Shakti’s Advanced Yoga Studies and Teacher Training Program is intended for yoga practitioners who seek an understanding and internal experience of the traditional and authentic aspects of yoga.  From the philosophy, practices and underlying concepts of yoga to the history of the ancient Vedic and yogic culture, the course has been designed to help students develop not just into well-rounded yoga teachers, but internally balanced human beings.  Through a process of self-discovery, students learn to incorporate the subtleties of the yogic teachings into their daily lives, enabling them to build inner strength and experience glimpses of the self-realization that is the true gift of yoga.  Yoga Shakti’s community oriented and supportive environment establishes a solid foundation upon which the internal yogic journey can flourish.

Foundational and Advanced Teacher Training The training is divided into two programs; completion of both offers Yoga Alliance registration at the 500 Hour level.  The 200 Hour program, lasting three months, provides a solid foundation in the structure and practice of poses and prepares the student to teach.  Over the course of the six month, 300 Hour program we build on this foundation and delve deeper into more advanced class sequencing, workshop development, and further study in the anatomy and physiology of yoga.  We also explore the more subtle teachings of yoga with Sanskrit, chants and mantras, pranayama and meditation.

By the completion of the course, graduates will not only have learned about yoga, but have become better yogis: human beings capable of being balanced, happy, free and accomplished.  Graduates will also have access to further study tools, mentoring, and assistant teaching opportunities to hone their skills as instructors.  The curriculum’s emphasis on experiential education and practical application rather than memorization of information, ensures that graduates are as prepared for a successful teaching career as they are for a successful yogic life. 

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“My experience with Diana Pipaloff and the Yoga Shakti teacher training program was an unforgettable journey. Diana’s dedication to excellence and preserving the ancient philosophy and practice of yoga has truly transformed my yoga practice and ultimately my life…I found my heart blossoming, my mind opening and my body becoming liberated.

Diana’s loving and nurturing approach to yoga practice and teaching it, combined with structure and discipline is the foundation by which my training prepared me to teach!  I truly feel (it) was the best gift I have ever given myself, and in turn I am able to share that gift with others. That is the greatest gift of all!”  - Shanti W.

200 Hour Foundational Teacher Training

Registered with Yoga Alliance at 200 hours

The foundational training is designed to prepare you to teach beginning to intermediate classes with a solid foundation in yoga poses, Sun Salutes, breath and bandhas. It also provides the philosophical and practical application of yoga philosophy and Ayurveda.

YOGA ASANA
This section covers all aspects of beginner to intermediate poses, and classical and contemporary Sun Salutes. We will delve into their proper structure and practice, alignment, modifications, breathing practices, bandhas, and Sanskrit names.

ART OF TEACHING
Students will learn how to develop sequences for beginner to intermediate classes including adjustments and modifications both for deepening a student’s practice and for working with injuries. Through practice teaching students will also learn how to create the right class atmosphere and teach with clarity, confidence and humility. Additional focus will be on professionalism in teaching yoga and how to establish a successful career as a yoga teacher.

YOGA PHILOSOPHY Beginning with a study of Samkhya philosophy, upon which both yoga and Ayurveda are founded, students will gain the solid philosophical understanding needed to fully grasp the intricacies of a balanced life spiritually, mentally and physically. We will then study the classical yogic text the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali with an emphasis on understanding the mind and the theory and practices of Sadhana Pada (the chapter on practice). Special focus will be given to the relevance and function of the Eight Limbs of Yoga and their practical application in daily life.

AYURVEDA AND YOGIC LIFESTYLE
This course is designed as a thorough foundation of the principles of Ayurveda, the yogic diet and lifestyle and the practical tools to achieve health and balance. Students will learn about the three Ayurvedic doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and gain valuable tools to balance their own unique constitution (body type) in simple and natural ways by establishing lifestyle, yogic and food routines and practices which are best suited to them. By the completion of the course, students will have both the philosophical understanding and practical tools to proactively create health, enhance their immune system, make intelligent food and lifestyle choices and replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones.

EXPERIENTIAL ANATOMY AND BASIC PHYSIOLOGY FOR YOGA
This is a study of both Western and Eastern concepts of human anatomy and physiology as they pertain to yoga practice. Students will learn about the musculoskeletal system through visual study and experiential application of movement in yoga asanas and how to tailor a yoga practice according to one’s innate strengths and weaknesses based on the Ayurvedic body types. There will also be an examination of energetic and structural alignment for enhanced energy flow and the physiology of respiration and breathing techniques.

POST-GRADUATE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
During the 200 Hour Foundational training there are many practice teaching hours. There is no substitution, however, for real in-class experience with real students. The Post-Graduate Mentorship Program is designed to give the newly graduates teacher this experience through the guidance of one of our senior teachers who is specially trained as a mentor.

Through feedback and direction, they will help to improve your teaching skills and gain invaluable real class teaching experience. This 6 week program is an important bridge from the safety and comfort of teaching peers during the teacher training program to teaching to the public.

Over the course of the program, the graduate and mentor will work one on one to further develop your unique and individual teaching skills, and perfect sequencing, presentation and flow. You will meet two to three times per week with your mentor as well as attend their classes. Each week will have a particular topic of study accompanied by the experience of teaching a portion of the mentor’s class under their supervision. Once you have perfected certain segments of the class, you will be guided through creating your own class sequences and have the opportunity to teach them in your mentor’s class. At the completion of the mentorship program, you will have the opportunity to begin substitute teaching at the studio.

This facilitated transition from the training program to teaching to the public will allow you to gain confidence and apply all the knowledge you have gained in a very hands on way. In addition, the valuable insight your mentor can provide relating to your individual teaching style will further help you develop your abilities as a teacher.

300 Hour Advanced Study Teacher Training Program

Registered with Yoga Alliance at 500 hours

The 300 hour program is designed for further your study after graduation from the 200 hour program. At completion of the Advanced Study program, students will be registered at the 500 Hour certification level. This training allows teachers to develop their creativity and intuition in the teaching process as well as further their knowledge of the physical and spiritual aspects of yoga. The goal of the training is to facilitate the development of exceptional yoga teachers capable of applying their wealth of knowledge of the physical, theoretical and experiential aspects of Yoga and Ayurveda to effortlessly and confidently take students into the journey of their practice. Through the invaluable training of the internal practices of yoga, pranayama and meditation you will have the tools to grow as a yogi and the training to share that amazing journey and inspire others. Special guest teacher, Master Yogi Jnana Nanda Bharati, will join us for specific aspects of the training and transport us to experience yoga as the ancient seers intended.

ASANA
Teachers will intensify their own personal practice through the introduction of more challenging poses in the various categories of asana such as standing, seated, back bends, forward bends, hip openers, inversions, spinal twists, bandhas, and arm balances.

TEACHING DEVELOPMENT
Throughout the 300 hour training you will be guided and supported to enhance your teaching abilities and find your inner voice as a teacher. Your teaching skills will be expanded into the ability to teach various class levels and create sequencing that leads to a more advanced practice or a greater internal awareness.

 

Advanced Class Sequencing
By sparking your creativity and intuition you will be guided through creating new class sequences for all levels of practice- from beginning to advanced, and understand how to build a class so that advanced poses can be introduced safely to take your students to the next level of their practice. You will learn how to create customized sequences for private lessons and gain experience creating an individualized class sequence on the spot. You will further learn how to work with injuries and specific conditions and learn how to apply Ayurvedic principles to private lesson development and class design.

Hands-On Adjustments
The ability to provide safe and accurate hands-on adjustments is both a science and an art form. Through the anatomy and physiology module of this training, you will gain greater knowledge of the muscles and joints involved with the various poses. To actually provide great adjustments you also need to establish a sensitivity to the student’s body and be able to ascertain when a joint or muscle has been taken to its limit. You will develop this awareness in the training through continuous practice giving adjustments to your fellow teachers and receiving their feedback. This kind of visceral knowledge of the body, its muscles, joints and ranges of motion provides a much deeper understanding of the poses and the flow of yoga sequences and awakens a profound connection to the practice and teaching of yoga.

Workshop Development
As your depth of knowledge and experience of yoga expands, a great way to share this with your students and assist them in furthering their practice is to offer workshops. A workshop allows you to take a specific topic in the yoga practice and develop it further. In this segment you will have the opportunity to learn how to create workshops in all their aspects of development and promotion. You will have a special project of creating your own workshop and presenting it to the group for feedback.

ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
We will delve deeper into the anatomy of yoga poses and learn how to achieve advanced poses by understanding which muscles need to be lengthened and which strengthened. You will learn the benefits of poses as well as how to structure a yoga practice to aid with specific conditions or injuries. This portion of the training will allow you to work in groups with your fellow teachers and present detailed research on particular poses. An anatomy and physiology research paper will be required.

VEDIC STUDIES
The advanced 300 hour program offers greater immersion into the traditional and more internal studies of yoga. The Vedic Studies aspects of the training will provide foundational training in the internal sciences of yoga and offer you the tools to increase your inner strength, develop your intuition and grow spiritually.

As part of the internal and traditional studies of yoga, you will learn the basics of Sanskrit and a variety of Chants and Mantras both for use in your personal practice and in your teaching. You will further learn specific Pranayama (breathing) and Meditation techniques to further your yogic training. Through a daily practice of mantra, pranayama and meditation, you will begin the experience a transformation of mind and spirit and the freedom and inner strength born of that experience

What it means to be a graduate of Yoga Shakti’s 500 hour Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies Program.

There are few experiences in life that open the doors to our inner heart. The art and science of Yoga is uniquely designed to pave the pathway to the inner world and grant us the tools for self-knowing and self-realization. Throughout the Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies Program, you will be taught the practices and self awareness necessary to experience the true teachings of yoga as they have been preserved and passed down through the centuries. You will in turn experience the innate happiness, strength and purpose that can only be born out of self knowing. We can strive to be exceptional yoga teachers only if we walk our talk and inspire our students out of the wealth of our own experience and dedication to the practices of yoga.

MASTER YOGI JNANA NANDA BHARATI’S

unbroken spiritual lineage, or parampara, in the esoteric Shri Vidya tradition can be traced back for over five thousand of years in India. Only a handful of yogis in India are initiated into this tradition, considered by many spiritual masters as the highest path, which incorporates Vedanda, Tantra, and the strict body and mind disciplines of Yoga. Jnana Nanda Bharati has been taught and tested through intense spiritual studies, as well as many tests of his character with his Guru and other Himalayan masters to whom he has been sent for specific training. Accordingly, he is highly proficient in the Vedic sciences of Yoga, Pranayama, Mantra, Tantra, Jyotish, Vastu and others, and is well-versed in a number of ancient texts including the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, upon which he developed the practice of Shakti Yoga.

DIANA PIPALOFF, BA, CAS, E-RYT 500

Diana's thirst for the spiritual runs in her veins as she comes from a family of yoga practitioners; in 1850 her great grandfather practiced yoga in Eastern Europe. Her father had a very disciplined practice at the age of 15. Her mother also practiced and introduced her to yoga while still in her teens. Prior to discovering yoga Diana was seeking to find a true spiritual path. At the age of 16 she began intense study and practice of martial arts, became vegetarian and searched for understanding in the field of psychology. Through her martial arts training she also began the study of Eastern philosophy. Diana had an intense desire to have a true teacher, an authentic spiritual practice and to experience the mystical truths of the Universe. Her search led her to the practice of yoga. She delved into yoga with passion and devotion, knowing that she had found her path. Her dedicated yoga practice helped her through her BA Degree in Health Psychology from UCI, which she graduated Cum Laude. At this point she followed her heart and made the difficult decision to study yoga and Ayurveda and not pursue a Ph.D. After three years of study and practice she received her Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist Certificate from the California College of Ayurveda. The deep thirst for spiritual growth was not yet satisfied until she met her Guru Jnana Nanda Bharati. From their first meeting Diana knew Jnana Nanda Bharati was a true Yogi, with many years of dedicated and disciplined study with his Guru and other masters from the Himalayas, and an incredible ability to live in and balance the spiritual realm and this world. She is extremely grateful and blessed to be his student. Under her teacher she was initiated into the ancient, most highly respected and deeply esoteric lineage of Shri Vidya and the ancient Bhramanical Tradition, and has been continuing her intense spiritual studies with her Guru since 1999. She has a dedicated daily practice and her path is to continue her studies, live in accordance to the ancient Vedic ways and put her spiritual lessons to practice in her life. She is studying various Vedic sciences such as Yoga, Pranayama, Mantra, Tantra, Jhyotish, Ayurveda, Yantra, Puja and Sanskrit. She can trace Her Guru's unbroken lineage (Parampara) for thousands of years into ancient India. She is fully dedicated to the life transforming work of Shakti Yoga, which she teaches with her Guru and continues to inspire her students to turn inward, grow and find their spiritual self. She is certified at the highest level as a E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance. Diana is the Director of Yoga Shakti Studio & Wellness Center.

LAURA GALUHN, RN, CAS, RYT, PKS

is the director of wellness services at Yoga Shakti Wellness Center and teaches the anatomy portion of the teacher training. She brings an impressive variety of skills and experiences. Apart from her 36 years as an operating room nurse, Laura studied Iyengar yoga for over 10 years with such internationally renowned teachers as John Schumacher and Ramanand Patel. She received her Devi Yoga Iyengar Teacher Training Certificate in 2000 and is also a graduate of the Yoga Shakti 200 Hr. Teacher Training Program. She practices at Yoga Shakti Wellness Center as a Clinical Ayurveda Specialist and Pancha Karma Specialist. Currently Laura practices Shakti Yoga and is studying under Master Yogi Jnana Nanda Bharati.

Tuition & Policies

200 Hour Foundational Training

The full tuition for the 200 Hour Foundational Training is $2,700 with early registration and $3,200 after. Click here to view program schedule for early registration dates. (link to current 200 hr schedule). A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to register

Tuition includes:

1. Unlimited yoga classes for the duration of the training.
2. Course manual.
3. All program modules including Ayurveda and Yoga Philosophy courses.

300 Hour Advanced Training

The full tuition for the 300 Hour Advanced Studies Training is $3,900 with early registration and $4,400 after. Click here to view program schedule for early registration dates. (link to current 300 hr schedule). A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to register

Tuition includes:

1. Unlimited yoga classes for the duration of the training.
2. Course manual.
3. All program modules including Sanskrit studies and the course on Yoga Philosophy and Meditation.

POLICIES

Deposit:
A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to register; full payment must be received prior to the start of the program unless a payment plan has been established.

Payment Plans:
Yoga Shakti offers payments plans. Payment plans must be established prior to the start of the program. All payment plans must be set up on a weekly or monthly basis through automated charges to a credit or debit card. A $50 processing fee will apply to all payment plans 3 months or less in duration; a $100 processing fee will apply to all payment plans over 3 months.

The tuition must be paid in full prior to receiving the Yoga Shakti Teacher Training Certificate.

A $25 returned check fee will be assessed for any returned check..

Cancellation Policy:

Refunds are available for cancellations made one month (30 days) prior to the start of the program for any tuition paid above the $500 non-refundable deposit. For cancellations made after 30 days prior to the start of the program, the $500 non-refundable deposit is forfeited; the remaining balance can be transferred to a future Teacher Training Program.

NO refunds or credits are available for cancellation within two weeks (14 days) prior to the start date of the teacher training course; the tuition may, however, be transferred to another student with a $50 processing fee.

Yoga Shakti reserves the right to modify this policy without prior notice, at its sole discretion as deemed necessary.

CERTIFICATION

Upon completion of the program graduates will receive a Yoga Shakti Yoga Teacher Certificate registered at the 200 Hr or 500 Hr level with Yoga Alliance, according to the program completed.

For graduation each teacher trainee must meet the following conditions:
- Complete all required hours of the training
- Pass all written and practice exams with a B or higher
- Have all dues paid in full
- Demonstrate knowledge, ability to practice and ability to
teach the asanas covered
- Demonstrate competence in the areas covered in the respective 200 hr or 300 hr training including teaching ability, class sequence development, professionalism, knowledge of anatomy & physiology for yoga, appropriate adjustments and modifications and a proper attitude.
- Complete all required reading and writing assignments from the Teacher Training manual and supplementary reading.

Commitment and Attendance:

The Yoga Shakti Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies Program is designed as an experiential study in the oral tradition of the ancient yogis. It is imperative that you are present for each and every hour of the training. Tardiness, absenteeism and early departures will not be tolerated and may jeopardize your graduation and certification status. Respect your practice and your study by fully dedicating your time, your energy and your mental focus to the program.

How it all began...

In the ancient Vedic times when sacred chants and fragrant offerings filled the sunrise hour yogis came together under a banyan tree and learned and practiced together with their teacher. They studied the ancient texts and brought the timeless teachings to life through their own practice, discipline and humility. This was a school, a Shala of yogis.

In my late teens I began practicing yoga and a deep thirst for a spiritual life stirred inside my heart. My body felt better than ever and a certain peace settled on my mind. And yet, something was missing. With time I found that my mental peace had limitations and after years of practicing yoga and even eating raw foods, there were some things that had not changed. There were habits and negative emotions inside of me that seemed persistent no matter how much yoga I did. The realization that I had not truly transformed weighed heavily on my heart. I did not lose hope in yoga. What I deeply and intensely desired was an inner knowing of truth, an inner peace and happiness that is born out of knowing I am in truth and I believed that this pathway existed in the science of Yoga - I just had to find the way to it. I searched, asked questions of big name teachers, scholars and philosophers and was just left feeling hungrier for the real thing. I felt as if I was skimming over the surface of this great ocean, yet not being able to dive in.

One day when I least expected it I met an Indian man who promised to teach me Sanskrit. When the auspicious time came he sat me down for a while and I felt as if my entire blueprint was being scanned. After several questions I knew I was in for it. He could see right through me and within those first moments he knew more about me than I had come to realize in my years of striving. I felt simultaneously completely transparent and yet totally accepted. An astounding realization came upon me that after all these years I had found my teacher. I truly felt one of the yogis of the ancient Vedic times had been transported from underneath the Banyan tree and placed here in front of me. In the years that followed I went through a rigorous Yogic training, began a daily practice of meditation and other yogic disciplines, and for the first time in my life I began to truly experience the internal transformation, happiness and freedom that I craved. Through the inspiration of my teacher, Master Yogi Jnana Nanda Bharati, the Yoga Shakti Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies program was born so that sincere students of yoga can be trained in the ancient tradition of yoga and experience a glimpse of the internal transformation of yoga.

"Get up! Wake up! Seek the guidance of an Illumined teacher and realize the Self. Sharp like a razor's edge is the path, the sages say, difficult to traverse." Katha Upanishad