Yoga - deepening your practice

[Northernlass99]

Been practising yoga for a while, been on some retreats, do classes twice a week plus home practice.

Have this idea that I would like to become a yoga teacher at some point in the future but not at the moment. What is the next step - is there something I can study to deepen my practice? How do I make the jump to being more serious about it (apart from signing up for a 500 hour course at £5k!).

If you are looking to deepen your practice then going into the philosophy would be a very good place to start. Firstly studying and understanding, then exploring it both on your mat and off. That's a lifetime's work in itself.

If your aim is to become a teacher then I would recommend researching different schools/styles to find one you're comfortable with. Obviously, there's no "standard" qualification for yoga teaching so you will need to consider what you will learn and whether that suits the type of teacher you want to be.

Some studios do intensive courses for people wanting to go deeper but not ready to become teachers. I know the studio I practise at in Newcastle do a three month one.

I've found Iyengar yoga very good for understanding the details of alignment, to the extent of knowing more than some teachers of other classes I've been to (particularly one who I think had god a qualification by distance learning!)

Agree also reading. I've read BKS Iyengar Light on Yoga, also Donna Farhi Bringing Yoga to Life.

My local studio runs a 200 hour Foundation Course which I've always thought sounded really good.

Thanks. Yes I'd really like to go more into the philosophy. Thanks for the recs. Any other pointers re delving into that side?

I agree about Iyengar, I'm really glad I did it as it helped so much and I learnt a lot but its not my preferred style to practice regularly.

Yeah a three month course sounds like the sort of thing, I'll see if I can find anything like that. Trouble is I am in Kent and I'd probably have to go to London, so its tricky to just randomly pick something.

Umm, well I am an Iyengar teacher actually so erm, all my recommendations will come from there I am afraid. Though I think Iyengar has an unfair reputation for being a specific "style", all teachers are different and there is a massive amount of variation even within Iyengar yoga.

There are a couple of amazing Indian teachers due to be visiting Kent in the next 6 weeks. Firooza Ali will be there in May, as well as being exceptionally good at teaching postures she has an MA in Philosophy so philosophy is interwoven with her teaching. www.kentyoga.org.uk/item/1167489

The alignment of Iyengar yoga leads in to the philosophy but it's implicit rather than explicit. Once you've experienced it, you have to learn how to "read" it if you see what I mean. But it is very difficult to study alone.

The Bhagavad Gita is a good place to start, I recommend Eknath Easwaran's translation and commentary. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a key text - Edwin Bryant and Gitte Bechsgaard have written excellent commentaries (though not cheap). Light on the Yoga Sutras by BKS Iyengar is also a good place to start with studying the Sutras.

The first yoga sutra is (translations differ!) "Now begins the practice of yoga" - so questions of what "now" means, why now and not in the past or the future, what is yoga, what does practice mean, what does beginning mean, why do this practice of yoga etc are all ideas to explore both theoretically and on the mat, and in life.

That's the simplest of them as well - keep going and you'll always be questioning why you're doing what you're doing in the way that you're doing it...

Oh - one good way to get into the philosophy (because it is heavy going) is if you can get together a small study group. Maybe meet once a month to talk about a chapter of a few ideas from your reading. Getting other people's understanding can help with new perspectives and show the breadth of possible interpretations...

I’ve just started the British Wheel of Yoga foundation course online. It’s for deepening your practice and learning about all aspects of yoga including the philosophy. I have a tutor but you can do the course as classes. It’s good for deepening your knowledge or afterwards you can go on to do the BWY diploma course to become a yoga teacher.

I did the British Wheel 60 hour foundation course (face to face) a few years before embarking on standard 200 hour training, it was invaluable.
Look at British Wheel of Yoga site and also Independent Yoga Network they both list teachers/ schools that are offering courses. Often at local studios or based in village halls etc. I’m sure you won’t have to go to London.
Best of luck!

Thanks all, that’s really great info.
Thanks Lord for the info on events in Kent and the reading suggestions.
Will also look up the BWY 60 hour course as that’s about the level of committee I am looking for at the mo.

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