FOR CERTIFIED IYENGAR YOGA TEACHERS
SANGHA = COMMUNITY IN PRACTICE TOGETHER
Are you a Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and you love what you do? The Sensitivity Sangha will provide an opportunity to deepen your practice and improve your teaching skills.
The Iyengars are clear: Certified Iyengar Yoga teachers should move from the plane of physicality to the plane of sensitivity. But, what does that mean? How do we bring forth sensitivity in our personal sadhana and teaching? And then, how do we move toward perceptivity? Let us gather to explore these questions together.
This is your invitation to study with a group of peers and the support of a senior teacher. The Sensitivity Sangha will unpack the Level 2 syllabi in a focused and progressive way, paving a path toward Level 3 perceptivity.
The Sensitivity Sangha is a container of support for all CIYT. It will infuse you with positive momentum and confidence. Together, we will explore the asana, pranayama, yoga philosophy and teaching skills that you can use to focus your personal sadhana and teaching.
There is no teacher support program quite like this.
PROGRAM FORMAT:
You are invited to participate in some or all of these offerings. You can choose your own level of participation in any of the following:
Teacher Support: Log-on Wednesdays from 5 – 5:35 PST. This is your time to ask questions and learn what others are doing. Each week we will look at teaching sequences and discuss specific teaching skills for Level 2 and 3.
Weekly Intermediate Class: Attend the Wednesday 5:45 – 7:15 PST class on Zoom taught by Heather. After discussion during the Q&A, this is your time for direct experience of sensitivity, breath observation and the deeper threads of family asanas. This class primarily focuses on the Level 2 teaching skills as they play out in the Level 1 poses and preparations for Level 2 poses.
Weekly Advanced Class: You are invited to the Sunday 9 am class on zoom taught by Heather. Here we focus on the Level 2 and 3 syllabi, exploring the qualities of sensitivity and perceptivity through creative sequencing techniques. This class is an opportunity to become intimate with the families of asanas that start in Level 1 and carry through to level 3.
Group Practice: Practice with the group Thursdays mornings at 7 am PST on zoom. This will be our time for “target pose practice”. Experience the container of support provided by group practice, and the profound transformations that come from sequencing experiments together.
Teaching Group: Participate Saturdays 6 am PST on Zoom for a peer led mixed-levels teaching group. You will get feedback on your teaching and see how others teach the Level 1 – 3 poses. This group is currently led by Annika Sullivan.
Self-study: Regularly receive a small homework assignment that relates to our studies. The format will vary. Sometimes it will be reading assignments, and other times a self-reflection exercise about your teaching or practice.
Teacher Gathers: Meet one Saturday every 4 – 6 weeks with Heather. This is our time to look deeper at the topics that need more time, such as pregnancy and modifications for specific needs. With in-person teaching, this will be your opportunity to bring it all the study elements together.
SANGHA CALENDER
The Sensitivity Sangha is special because we will have weekly and monthly touchpoints. The aim is to give you momentum in your sadhana. The combination of peer-led and teacher-led activities provides regular opportunities for reflection, study of the material and group transformation.
The program started November, with time to ramp up. Most aspects of the programs will started in January 2024.
Wednesday gathers start Nov 1st: register for the 5:45 class to receive the link. Logon by 5 pm for the gather.
Thursday morning group practices and Saturday teaching group starts on zoom January 4th.
Immersions start January 27. We will kick off the full teacher education program with a weekend gathering Jan 27 & 28 at Adeline Yoga. After that, we will meet on Saturday afternoons once every 4 – 6 weeks, rotating between online and in person.
WHO IS THE SANGHA FOR?
Any CIYT who wants a container of support to work on their teaching and personal practice. It can be appropriate for those who are newer to being a CIYT, those who want to become a Level 2 CIYT soon, and those who have already been a Level 2 teacher for some time.
This is not a group geared toward assessment, but a sangha dedicated to exploring the syllabi and teaching skills in a progressive, meaningful way.
If you are already a Level 2 CIYT and want to include Level 3 studies, there are many ways to do this with the support of the Sensitivity Sangha. Please reach out to Heather to discuss.
Do you need to participate in all of the offerings? That totally depends on your aims. You are welcome to decide at what level you would like to participate. For example, recently-certified CIYT or those with no immediate interest in assessment may choose to focus their participation on one or two of the weekly activities. People preparing for assessment should commit to full attendance.
TUITION
You are invited to participate in much of the programming at no charge. Simply register here.
After reviewing your application, we will send you the link for our free Saturday Teaching Study Group and Thursday Group Practice.
For our Wednesday gatherings, register for the 5:45 pm class using your membership or class pass. Log-on by 5 pm to participate in the gather.
For the Sunday advanced class, register using your membership or class pass. If you are not yet a member, or don’t have a class pass, email support@adelineyoga.com and we will get you set up.
Pricing for the weekend immersion will be published based on the decided venue and duration.
“I’m excited for this opportunity to study the Level 2 syllabus in depth with Heather and a group of fellow teachers. This is an amazing opportunity to deepen my personal sadhana, hone my teaching skills, and integrate yoga philosophy on and off the mat. We are all on a unique journey and I’m looking forward to growing with this community.”
– Annika Sullivan
Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Peer Leader of Sensitivity Sangha
“In a recent Iyengar Yoga convention, Abhijata said that the best way to build and enrich a community is to get together with friends and practice. This is exactly what I feel we do at Adeline Yoga.
These gatherings are well planned with asana and pranayama practice, discussions on yoga philosophy and a sprinkling of chanting to make it a wholesome and immersive practice.
I also appreciate the accurate and precise feedback Heather provides during these sessions which helps me grow as a teacher.”
– Ruchi Murlidhar
Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Level 2
ABOUT THE GROUP LEADER
Heather Haxo Phillips (she/her) is Director of Adeline Yoga and a senior certified Iyengar yoga instructor at Level 3.
Heather is a long time mentor and assessor. She currently serves on several IYNAUS committees including the Assessment Committee.
For teaching her additional certifications include: Certified Yoga Therapist (c-IAYT), Relax and Renew restorative yoga teacher and Yoga Alliance E-500 level instructor. She has specialized yoga therapy training which includes scoliosis, musculoskeletal injuries and pain management. One of her asana-related specialties is women’s health.
Heather has a deep commitment to the ancient teachings which includes mantra sadhana (chanting) and Sanskrit, pranayama and yoga philosophy. You can expect to find aspects of this in all of Heather’s classes.
Heather deepens her own practice by studying regularly with other senior Iyengar teachers, Sanskrit and Vedic scholars, and the Iyengar family in Pune.
She is past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California and an active volunteer for the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States.
We welcome you
to Adeline Yoga and the Sensitivity Sangha
Got more questions? Email heather@adelineyoga.com