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

What do you do after yoga teacher training? How do you start teaching classes? Should you take more trainings? I sat down to discuss all of this with recent grad Allison Halley, who you heard on episode 17 "How to Know When You're Ready for Teacher Training." In the short time since then she started teaching weekly classes and is already near the completion of her second YTT with me through the Quietmind Yoga Teacher Training.  What has been most helpful for her as a new teacher? What obstacles has she overcome as a new teacher? How did she build the confidence to create several blogs and online videos already since her training? Excited to share this awesome interview with you! Jeremy

Saucha means cleanliness and it’s the first of 5 niyamas (disciplines) - things we aim to do to achieve the 8 limbs of yoga. Recent research in quantum physics has fascinating implications for how our minds shape our environments and vice versa. Practicing saucha means being mindful of the ‘cleanliness’ of your mind just as much as the cleanliness of your body. To perceive more clearly rather than through samskaras (patterns) or kleshas (afflictions of the mind).Today I’ll share about What is Saucha? How to navigate confusion, anxiety, overwhelm, fear and insecurity How to navigate psychological concept of “learned helplessness” I already live a pretty ‘clean’ life, how is Saucha relevant to me? Simple ways to start practicing Saucha todayWant to learn more about the Yoga Sutras - the source of the Niyamas? Check out the Quietmind Yoga Membership where you can practice along with several classes including an upcoming series on the 8 limbs of yoga. http://www.quietmind.yoga/membershipLook forward to sharing more next week as we continue this series on the 8 Limbs of Yoga philosophy!Jeremy

Aparigraha means “non-grasping” and is the final “don’t” of Yoga Philosophy. It asks us to be aware of where we grasp to results, behaviors and anything external that may ultimately lead to suffering and disconnection from our true self.Today I’ll share about What is Aparigraha? Is it healthy to practice non-attachment? Is that unrealistic? How can we practice aparigraha?Want to learn more about the Yoga Sutra - the source of Aparigraha? Check out the Quietmind Yoga Membership where you can practice along with several classes including a series on the 8 limbs of yoga. http://www.quietmind.yoga/membership

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 What is Brahmacharya? Is it abstinence from sex? Why? How does Brahmacharya relate to taoist and tantric sexual cultivation practices? What does this Yama have to do with our most valuable asset: our attention? Simple ways to apply Brahmacharya to your lifeWant 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/classesThanks 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 What is Asteya and why is it the third ‘step’ of yoga, well before asana? The unintentional way that we might be taking from ourselves The unintentional way that we might be taking from teachers The unintentional way that we might be taking from students 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: What is your “truth?” How do you distinguish objective vs subjective truth? The unexpected way I realized I was being dishonest with myself A simple way to apply Satya in each pose The most common ways yoga teachers DON”T apply satya

Get the free PDF guide for this episode at http://www.quietmind.yoga/cuesHow 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 safeShout 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:  Notice judgements and comparisons in your practice When negative thoughts arise, cultivate the opposite Rather than assume authority over students, direct them towards their inner authority 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/membershipThanks for listening!Jeremy