Exclusive Teacher Training
I, Anke, strongly believe in my knowledge and expertise as a yoga teacher. Teaching has always felt like something I needed to do. It also felt like a gift for as long as I’ve been doing it. As soon as teaching turned into really teaching yoga, it made all the difference to me. I then started to understand the synergy of the process of teaching, learning and teaching.
After all these years of teaching my drive has resulted in high-quality lessons. My intention to treat all students equally and trust their bodies to follow the path to expression, integration and healing characterises my classes. These insights led me to realise that I want to pass on what I have to offer. As in the traditional way that yoga originally was taught, in contrast to the mass industry that yoga has become, I decided to only offer a training on a one-to-one basis. I train students to become yoga teachers or help yoga teachers to deepen their insight and enhance their skills. Integrity and self-enquiry are the main elements in this process. I am a thoughtful observer and use feedback as a key for a following step in the student’s learning and growing process. I combine this with a focus on the conscious application of the student’s strengths, qualities and dedication.
Organic and Unique
Are you aware that for you a “one-size-fits-all” yoga teacher training doesn’t meet your expectations for high quality? Are you dreaming of becoming a yoga teacher and want to realise that dream with creativity and optimum support from a professional trainer? Then my approach might be suitable for you! Please continue reading to understand what I offer and the approach I choose. My goal is to guide you to accomplish a unique result that will develop organically.
My Approach
I choose to work with inspired students and only on a one-to-one basis. A nurturing dialogue, mutual respect and consideration of your strengths and weaknesses are pillars of the training. The dialogue will be a combination of my observations, the current specific focus and the transferral of my knowledge. This will continuously and repeatedly be the stepping stone for re-defining your development process as a yoga teacher. It will enable you to learn from the inside out and apply your personal pace without the burden of curricula or examination requirements.
- You can start the training at any time.
- You can make a well-founded decision what class frequency suits you best. If you wish, I can advise you in that matter.
- When appropriate and depending on the content we are working on, Skype classes are an option.
- Classes can be scheduled to our mutual convenience. I am available at the times that are marked in our weekly schedule as ‘Private classes’. As an exception I am available on Fridays as well.
Practicing & teaching yoga
We start with checking your level of experience in relation to
- yoga practice (and if applicable your teaching experience)
- principles of teaching.
This will cover the class content, structure of content per class, didactics with effective instructions regarding foundation, class focus, choosing a suitable approach to teach beginners vs. more advanced students and non-verbal support.
Follow-up
We will repeatedly cover the following subjects during the classes. Their relevance depends on your experience, progress and what your current focus is.
- the practice of yoga with its elements asana, pranayama and meditation
- the application of a method based on integrity and wholeness
- independent yoga practice for self-development and as a foundation for teaching yoga
- the integration of yoga philosophy as a substantiation of the yoga method and principles.
I will integrate the subjects mentioned on our webpage “Exclusively for yoga teachers” to a greater or lesser extent. This will provide you with an in-depth foundation, enabling you to teach yoga with integrity.
Philosophy & anatomy
Theory and Self-study
In addition and independently, you will study the following:
- books that will give your insight in yoga philosophy
- books about yoga and subjects that are related to yoga and that you are interested in
- the theory about the bandhas (e-book, I will supply the link to the internet source)
- basic knowledge of anatomy for yoga teachers (online resources, books, DVDs).
From theory to practice: starting as a yoga teacher
I will teach you to bring the theoretical knowledge you acquired into practice and teaching:
- the integration of yoga philosophy and the process of raising awareness in daily life
- the integration of the bandhas (as a foundation for teaching yoga holistically)
- the application of your anatomical knowledge in your classes when guiding students
- the uniqueness of every human body and how to adapt accordingly
- variations of yoga postures in response to individual physical abilities and restrictions
- the possibility of implementing yoga props and tools to assure the ‘yoga’ quality of every posture you teach
Your growth process towards becoming a yoga teacher
Start Teaching
The knowledge you gain by yoga self-practice and during our classes will enable you to start teaching yoga shortly after the start of the training.
You can teach friends, family and acquaintances. Besides that, you are welcome to observe Chris and me teaching classes at Yogashala.
Teaching under supervision
Once we conclude that you are more comfortable in conquering the challenge of teaching and you feel ready for a next challenge, we offer the possibility to teach at Yogashala under supervision.
Certification and Accreditation
If you want to learn teaching yoga with the intention of wanting to teach those around you at first, I’d encourage you to start doing that as soon as you feel confident enough. There is no other person in the world who can decide for you when you’re ready for it based on certainty and confidence. I can add my advise after carefully observing the practice you apply to your body, listening to the questions you ask during our training and clarifying with you the intention of why you want to teach yoga. (I’m saying this because it is completely irrational that one can attend a yoga teacher training without ever having practiced yoga before. And a lot of people seem eager to teach yoga because it appeals to them for the high demand of it and its fashionable and mainstream character that was forced upon it in the last 10-15 years.)
In The Netherlands, teaching yoga is a free profession, therefore a certificate is not needed. To us, it is about authenticity, execution and quality being respected and delivered. These are the pillars our business thrives on.
I’m not a believer in certificates, hours of training, courses etc. before someone is literally ‘allowed’ to carry a title or carry out a profession (of course there are exceptions to that belief, i.e. a surgeon needs a proper theoretical and supervised practical training!). Oftentimes certifications and accreditations are a money-making machine and make the world turn how it turns these days. I’d be happy if some of that changes due to more and more people realizing their true strengths and gifts, a genuine exchange of knowledge between people and an attitude that embodies passion and inspiration without needing the confirmation by holding a certificate and / or an accreditation.
You will ultimately learn the most by teaching.
This will also define how fast you’ll develop the skills to master the challenge. As we all know, practice and repetition are the keys to success.
Any yoga practice that brings about balance (wholeness) is a unique experience and can therefore not be compared with somebody else’s experience. To experience this and teach it will empower you to support your students with conviction and confidence. You should combine this by continuing to learn from the best yoga teachers.
This is what my students are saying:
Anke’s ideals about teaching each student in a personalised trajectory and therefore reaching much deeper in her teachings and students needs than most ‘Instagram 4-week Yoga Teacher Training’, grabbed me immediately.
I have cherished Anke’s positive and nourishing attitude since our first conversation and appreciate her respect towards my personal needs and journey, as well complete lack of judgment throughout our process.
I have always felt that her lessons carry just the right amount of information for the moment and audience. Besides that, Anke delivers them in a way that just makes so much sense! All of this I can thoroughly feel in my own practice, which I come to enjoy more every time I implement Anke’s guidance. ~ with gratitude to Catarina Loureiro, Wageningen