• Philosophy
• Content
• Dates
• Cost
• Director
• Testimonials
• Register
• FAQ’s

"Teaching yoga is one of the greatest services you can render, and is one of the most honorable occupations you can have. To help someone relieve some of their suffering and see them rediscover the happiness and love in their life is one of the greatest possible rewards." ~ john friend

Yoga Teacher Training Programs - 2012

YOGA FOR THE PEOPLE - SOL YOGA TEACHER TRAINING (SYTT) - MARCH - OCT 2013

Philosophy

Yoga for the People Teacher Training is designed to transform your life and the lives of others by deepening your understanding of the entire system of yoga and giving you the tools to effectively teach to all levels of students.  Anyone can benefit from the teachings of yoga and a good teacher has the ability to meet people where they are with expertise and encouragement.

Yoga for the People Teacher Training will require you to dig deep & work hard. Tapping into your unique teacher within will be the underlying effort as you accumulate over 200 hours of training - learning & putting into practice thousands of years of wisdom.  You will explore the vastness of yoga through study of many styles and philosophies. Together with fellow trainees, you will learn, practice, teach, play and have fun together. After 6 months of intense and joyful work, you will graduate as a budding teacher with the tools and confidence to teach soothing Gentle yoga or challenging Vinyasa yoga. Your style will embody the wisdom of the sages and the uniqueness of you. Whether you decide to teach or not, you and yoga will be transformed for the better.

Content

The focus of training will include: 

• Yoga Asana, alignment, benefits, safety, Sanskrit
• Modifications, variations, prop usage & teaching yoga to various levels
• Pranayama (breathing techniques)
• Meditation
• Yoga philosophy & history – 8 limbs of yoga, Sutras, Bhagvagita, Koshas, etc
• Ayurveda – sister science of yoga
• Yoga anatomy & physiology
• Teaching methodology: structuring & sequencing a well rounded class
•  Verbal & hands on assisting & adjusting
• Chanting & Bhakti Yoga
• Chakra System & energy
• Teaching special groups (prenatal, seniors,etc).
• Ethics & Business of Yoga

This program is Yoga Alliance Approved and upon completion of all requirements, you are eligible for application to the Yoga Alliance for 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) status.  Additionally, you can apply to any 500 hour yoga teacher training program for continued education.

Dates/Requirements

Dates for 2013 Training: Registraion NOW OPEN! limited space.   

8 Weekends from March – October 2013.  Fri 6:30-9:30pm / Sat & Sun 8-4:30pm
2013 DATES: MARCH 15-17  /  APRIL 19-21  /  MAY 3-5  /  MAY 31-JUNE 2  /  JULY 12-14 / AUG 16-18 /
SEPT 27-29  / OCT 25-27

Requirements

• Complete Participation in all required sessions.
• 4 Wed Night Teaching Circles 6:30p-9:30p (dates TBD)
• 35 Yoga Classes (30 at Sol Yoga, 5 from other studios)
  *this is less than 2 classes per week & you may begin this requirement upon registration.
• Additional assignments will be given throughout the course of the training
  

Cost

$2500 if you register by December 31, 2012
$2800 after Dec 31
Plus books & 35 yoga classes
Application & deposit deadline Feb 15, 2013 (or until program is full)

$625 (or $700 after dec 31) deposit due with application
2nd payment of $625 (or $700 if late) due by Jan 15, 2013.
Remainder due by March 1, 2013
***if suffering financial difficulty, extended payment plan may be available at a higher rate. email us.

Register

Possibility 1: register for our full 8 weekend teacher training program. The 2013 program will be open for early registration in late 2012. $2500 (that’s $12.50 per hour for 200 hour program! Wow!)  For full program registration,  email dorcas@solyoga.org for application & mail with deposit of $625 to Sol Yoga,256 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701  *Note - there are minimum requirements for participation listed on application).

To register online, email dorcas@solyoga.org for application & make your deposit online by following this link.

Possibility 2: develop your yoga practice on the specific topics that interest you. Join us for part day sessions, workshop style, with no requirements or application. See workshops descriptions & rates listed separately.  Visit our 'workshops' tab on our full schedule.

Director

Dorcas Quynn McWilliams, E-RYT 500 is founder & director of Sol Yoga and has been a teacher for over 15 years. After 20 years in martial arts, she discovered her passion in yoga and has been immersed in the practice ever since. With a blended professional training of Vinyasa & Kripalu Yoga Styles, from renowned yoga teachers worldwide, Dorcas offers a wide spectrum of yoga to her students. Since 1999, she has taught to thousands of people of all levels and believes strongly that yoga can be accessible and enlightening for everyone.  With joy, lightness and warmth, Dorcas is honored to guide students toward reaching their full potential as teachers of yoga. 

Other great staff and guest teachers will join us throughout the program.

Testimonials

Faq’s

SYTT FAQ’S – many of these questions have come directly from inquires about our program. Please feel free to email us with other questions (and you might see them added to the list!).

How much training do you have to have before starting the program?
We require at least 1 year of regular yoga practice. On average, our past SYTT graduates practiced 3 times per week for at least 1 year prior to the start of this program. But you may qualify with less, if you have recently fallen in love with Yoga and have been practicing VERY frequently. 

What is a typical training weekend like?
With about 20 hours of training each weekend, they are jam packed and schedule oriented.  We vary the learning environment to include lecture, hands on experience, yoga practice, group activities, etc. Sometimes we sit for long periods of time, other weekends we practice a lot, it just depends on the nature of the topic we are covering (meditation vs. Vinyasa yoga!). Most of the time, we snack during training or have a ‘working’ lunch, so you should come prepared for a full 8.5 hr day.

How many books were required and are there tests related to reading these books?
There are about 10 required books.  There are informal and formal tests and much of the information does come from the books, but we usually discuss it as well.

How much time is required for studying?
That is really up to you.  The people that get the most out of this program maximize the required books, complete all assignments and make a considerable out of class effort to learn about yoga. For most weekends, there are homework assignments ranging from reading, short papers, class planning, creative projects, etc. There is ample time to complete these assignments between weekends.

What do I do with my certification once I have completed the program? Will you work with Sol Yoga?
Many people choose to start teaching immediately and for those people, Sol Yoga offers many opportunities including mentoring & hands on assisting programs as well as opportunities to be on our regular class schedule.  Others choose not to teach at all or wait to start teaching, which we also support!

Am I fit enough and do I have an advanced enough practice to handle YTT?  
The perception that teacher training is largely a physical training is a myth.  Rather, one of the biggest complaints is that it’s really hard to sit on the floor and pay attention to all the information being presented. There will certainly be periods of intense physical practice and advanced posture clinics, but as always, in any yoga class at Sol Yoga, you must adjust to care for yourself.  You will learn to embody this concept so you can teach it to your students.

Did we have to learn a lot of Sanskrit?
Sanskrit names will be offered, and there is a suggested book to help with memorization and pronunciation, but there is not a strong emphasis or requirement that you must master it. 

I don’t think I could ever stand in front of a class and teach.  
On the first night of training, you can never imagine the growth you will experience.  We don’t throw you into the fire immediately! You slowly begin teaching, with partners, in small groups, and in teams. You create classes on paper and get written feedback and over the course of 8 months, you slowly build your abilities and confidence.

I LOVE yoga but honestly don't know If I want to teach, therefore I'm not sure if I should spend the money.   
If you read the testimonials of actual participants in the program, you begin to see how the benefits of the program extend well beyond teaching yoga.  In fact, the intention of YTT is to benefit your personal practice, which influences your teaching. Many start out doing it for themselves and then realize they are good at teaching and become teachers in the end. And if not, you always have the certification should you change your mind. It’s well worth the investment.

Don't you have to be an advanced yoga student to be a good yoga teacher?
No. Not in the sense that you can do tricky poses and flashy sequences. If you teach from the heart and care for your students, you have the greatest potential as a teacher.

What kind of yoga will I be qualified to teach when I graduate from this program?
This program prepares you to teach gentle, non-flow, Hatha yoga as well as Vinyasa Flow Yoga.  You will learn to teach yoga to all levels and abilities as well as some specialty groups.

Is it a big deal if I miss one of the weekends?

Yes, it is. It is difficult to make up weekends as massive amounts of material are covered. Additionally, you lose the continuity of the program, which is crucial to the experience. We have made exceptions for things like weddings and births and in these special cases; there is a makeup policy in place.