ŚIVAŚAKTI YOGA TEACHER TRAINING (500+ HOURS IN 2.5 YEARS) AS YOGALEHRER BASIC BDY

INFO EVENING for the teacher training:

At Sarawati Yoga
Am Volkspark 31
10715 Berlin
At 7pm
March 17.
May 05.

OUR MISSION

Are you considering enrolling in a yoga teacher training program? Welcome to the first step of what’s going to be an incredible journey! As you’ve found through your personal practice, yoga has a transformative, healing, and inspiring nature that helps you to live your life more fully. Whether you aspire to teach yoga or you’re simply interested in learning more, a yoga teacher training will elevate your practice — and your life — in ways you never thought possible.

We are happy to introduce the ŚivaŚakti Yoga Teacher Training (500+ hours in 2.5 years) certified as Yogalehrer Basic BDY offered in English, taking place at the Yoga Akademie Berlin. We are a team of international teachers who have pooled together our wealth of experience in spiritual practice, knowledge of yoga philosophy, asana, pranayama, meditation, yoga anatomy, teaching skills, core stability and yoga psychology, to create a teacher training that is comprehensive and is extremely accessible. Through the training, you’ll learn more about yourself as both a student and a teacher, while gaining the tools you need to begin sharing your love of yoga with others. You will benefit from an extensively developed and holistic curriculum which is a result of years of dedication and love of yoga. Welcome to the ŚivaŚakti yoga teacher training at the Yoga Akademie Berlin. 6% of your training’s fee will be donated to a charity project.

There are two strong pillars upon which our teacher training structure is based. The first pillar, or the “Grounding” phase of your training, is based upon expanding your experience in yoga practice. You will explore the asanas, developing clarity, understanding and precision in your approach to alignment. You will learn the art of breathing, practicing powerful pranayama techniques. You will delve into meditation, deepening your awareness in contemplation and stillness. Your very own practice becomes the solid ground, a strong base from which you will teach and share your unique approach to yoga, having mastered your yoga instrument.

The second pillar, or the “Growing” phase of your training, supports your inner growth as a Yogi / Yogini. You will deepen your awareness of self, questioning your values in life. You will reflect upon your ethical behaviour and how you relate to others and your environment. This phase of the training is intended to awaken your higher potential as a human being, transcending past conditioning in order to become more clear and free. This transparency will help you guide your students towards the light of the inner self.

The ŚivaŚakti teaching style uniquely combines the wisdom of yoga through its ancient, classical and holistic practices, with the findings of modern, Western-oriented science. The ŚivaŚakti practice was conceived to bring back the balance between body and mind and to integrate this awareness into all aspects of life. The structure of the practice has 8 limbs that systematically move awareness through the layers of your being. As a trainee, you will learn how to guide your students through this structure and into a deep experience of themselves.

We warmly welcome you to one of our information sessions, which will be scheduled soon. Here we will share more insight about the teacher training and will be available to answer any of your questions.


ŚivaŚakti Yoga

ŚivaŚakti yoga is deeply rooted in the ancient southern tantric yoga tradition, yet embraces the discoveries of modern science. The integration of yoga into everyday life is a major aspect. ŚivaŚakti sādhana is not limited to practicing on the mat, but is practiced in every situation in life. In the tantra tradition Śiva and Śakti represent the polarities of the divine in the universe, in nature and in us. In yoga, these opposites merge. The quality of Śiva is centering, grounding, muscular, rational, introverted, masculine, with the focus on the inside. The quality of Śakti is expansive, growing, organic, feminine, intuitive, emotional, extroverted and unfolding. All these aspects are present in creation. ŚivaŚakti yoga is about recognising and becoming aware of these qualities in us. Through this awareness, we can create an intimacy between the qualities and ourselves, embrace them and understand that one is not more important than the other: they complement each other optimally. ŚivaŚakti yoga celebrates this new-found intimacy and inspires us to experience the fullness of life.

The ŚivaŚakti sādhana practice was conceived to bring back the balance between body and mind and to integrate this awareness into all aspects of life. This can give rise to a new awareness of our divine essence. Using the tantric concept of pañca kośa (5 bodies) and chakras (energy centers), ŚivaŚakti yoga teaches a more holistic understanding of human anatomy that goes beyond the physical body. ŚivaŚakti yoga not only means engaging with one's own existence, but goes beyond that, directing attentiveness to our interconnectedness, through our social, political and environmental responsibility. The ŚivaŚakti teaching style uniquely combines the wisdom of yoga through its ancient, classical and holistic practices, with the findings of modern, Western-oriented science. This style is then further enriched by one’s personal experiences and insight.


The ŚivaŚakti Practice:

Aṣṭāṅga Sadháná is the name for the holistic ŚivaŚakti yoga practice on the mat. In Aṣṭāṅga Sadháná not only body positions are the focus, rather it has 8 limbs that systematically move our awareness through the layers of our being. One begins with mudrā: waking up the ability to observe, accept and arrive in one’s present emotional, mental and physical state. More centered in oneself, an offering is made in the form of a “pūjā”, in which a philosophical theme in yoga is introduced, unfolding it in a clear and tangible way. Here one has the opportunity to deepen their understanding of how yoga can support and enrich everyday life. The pūjā is then concluded and absorbed through a mántra, the vibration of essential sound, one of the most subtle forms of energy. This theme is then woven into kriya, the physical aspect of the practice, pulling attention towards a flow of movement in synchronisation with the breath. This movement meditation activates and mobilises the joints, unblocking physical stagnations so that the body to becomes a clearer conduit of prāna: life energy. In each practice, a specific sequence of standing and seated postures, guided and supported by clear alignment principles, stabilises the body while sharpening one’s attention. These āsana not only balance strength and flexibility, but prepare one to move deeper into more subtle aspects of yoga practice. One is then ready to engage in the practice of prānāyāma, the channeling of prāna through breath awareness and the regulation of respiration. The mind quiets and inner space emerges as one moves inward towards the experience of pure awareness, the inner Self. During niṣpanda, a deep relaxation releases the nervous system while allowing space to fully absorb the experience of the yoga practice. The practice concludes with saṃyama, the chance to sit in meditation, in contemplation with what was offered in the pūjā. A personal connection or vision to this theme or the yoga tradition may emerge, its wisdom taking root and becoming a source of fresh energy, inspiration and guidance for life. The Aṣṭāṅga Sadháná is a well rounded, very balanced practice that celebrates the fullness of life and is a journey from body to Spirit.


The instruction in Aṣṭāṅga sādhana consists of eight parts:

1. mudrā
What makes you happy, gesture, seal. Arrive in the lesson, in the body and in the breath. Let go.

2. pūjā
Offering, inner ritual. inner attitude, getting into meditation.

3. mántra
Vibration, magic sound, sound essence of being. Vocalisation of mantras.

4. kriya
Action, cleaning exercise. Activation of the body through the connection of breath and movement, mobilisation of the joints.

5. āsana
Position, seat, inner and outer posture. The body as a tool of evolution and as a channel for the flow of energy.

6. prānāyāma
Regulation of respiration. Breath as a connection between the body and the inner self, control the vital energies.

7. niṣpanda
Relaxation. Relax the body, turn off the mind. 8. saṃyama Concentration / contemplation, inner vision, meditation.


MODULE DESCRIPTIONS + TEACHERS

KRISHNA KUMAR KRISHNAN - ŚivaŚakti Yoga



The aim of the main module is to establish an understanding of yoga traditions and an introduction to yoga philosophy. In addition to the basic understanding of yoga, we will cover: the Hatha Yoga principles and the Eight Limbs of Yoga (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga), the ŚivaŚakti sādhana will include an exploration of the core essence of Śaiva Siddhānta Tantric Yoga. Also the Tattva Śuddhi, Hathenas and Pranayama seminars will be taught to understand the connections between the gross elements (earth, water, fire, air & space) with the individual subtle bodies, pañca kośa (5 sheaths) and chakras (energy centers). Secondarily, part of the training will focus upon the understanding of the traditional yoga postures (asanas), their technique and variations, as well as the practice of breathing and the progressive practice of traditional kriyas and bandhas. Also this module will provide a wide knowledge of meditation and the effect of mudras.

“பார்ப்பா ன் அகத்திேல பாற்பசு ஐந்துண்டு ேமய்பாருமின்றி ெவறித்து திரிவன ேமய்ப்பாரும் உண்டாய் ெவறியும் அடங்கினால் பார்ப்பா ன் பசுஅய்ந்து ம் பாலாய்ச் சொரியுேம “

“The five senses are wandering like cows without cowherd, it is impossible to tame them. But if the seer guard all of them, it's possible to yield the divine grace within oneself.”
Tirumantiram 2883

Yogamunīśvaradāsa Krishna Kumar Krishnan, grew up in a yogic family from South India. At the age of 7, he was initiatedin to spirituality and Haṭhayoga Sādhana by his father, ācārya y.m.ī.d. Krishnan Ramasamy, who was a priest, astrologer and siddhayogi in a Tamil saiva siddhānta tradition.
At the age of 25, he pursued his higher studies in Aerospace Engineering in Munich, Germany, and worked as a scientific researcher in Madrid, Copenhagen and Berlin. His experience of western lifestyles reinforced his belief in the importance of yoga and mindfulness training. He began exploring applying yogic philosophy as a holistic approach to life, for a balanced, healthy and sustainable life in the modern world. He combines the essence of Siddhayoga knowledge from his father with Kuṇḍalinīyoga, from Yogācārya Paranjothi Subramaniam, with the addition of mindfulness, awareness and meditation techniques from Tibetan master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. He also studied for 4 years at Yoga Akademie Berlin under the guidance of Yogācārya Ananda Leone and became a registered member of the Berufsverband der Yogalehrenden Deutschland (BDY) and the European Yoga Union (EYU). His yoga path has brought him to the realisation that different yoga practices suit different people, and he explores his own yoga practice with acceptance, curiosity and joy. He is known for his sense of humour and dynamic teaching style, and his ability to present the ancient wisdom of Saiva Siddhānta in a fresh and accessible way.

more info: kumar-yoga.com


ANANDA LEONE - ŚivaŚakti Yoga



I would like to inspire you by sharing my forty years of experience on the yoga path and with my passion
teaching ŚivaŚaktiYoga. ŚivaŚaktiYoga is a holistic art created to find balance within our dualistic existence:
one lived in a very busy world, yet also lived in awareness of the inner self whose essential nature is content
and at peace. ŚivaŚaktiYoga is precise, playful, grounded, dynamic, explorative and joyful. The practice
supports you to reconnect with your true nature, finding peace and silence within. My Guru, Dr Swami
Gitananda use to say, “ Yoga is a way of life”. The challenge is to transform life in a field where you can
practice yoga in every moment, I would say “ life becomes yoga”.

“ŚivaŚaktiYoga is the expansion of the awareness in a peaceful quiet mind.”
Yogacharya Ananda Leone

Yogacharya Ananda Leone was born in Brazil from Italian parents, and grew up between the endless love of his parents and the lush tropical nature in South America. It was a very solid foundation in trust, truth, freedom and love. Here, spirituality was very present. His grandmother was a healer, and introduced him to many shamans and all kind of religions. After finishing college, he discovered three passions: dance, ecology and yoga. He followed these passions over the following ten years, traveling between Brazil, Europe and India. When his studies as a forest ranger finished in Freiburg, he was trained as a ballet dancer and performed in South America and Europe.
He started yoga in 1980, and in 1990, he established the Yoga Akademie Berlin. During this period, he traveled to India to study with Dr Swami Gitananda, which became a life changing experience. Living in an ashram with a real master was intense and unforgettable. Swamiji teaches an old, tantric, traditional yoga. After Swamiji passed away a few years later, Ananda travelled all over India to experience other teachers and traditions. On one of those trips, he met Amma, an Indian saint who is the pure manifestation of unconditional love and compassion. In an urge to better understand human nature, he also studied Traditional Chinese Medicine for a few years, as well as Naturopathy and Family System Therapy. Travelling has always being part of his life; as a child in Europe and South America, and in the last few years in Asia. Ananda is always searching for holy places, pilgrimages, temples, healers, masters, and enjoying how rich our planet is through its amazing variety of cultures, languages, traditions, landscapes, values and food.
In Berlin, he created the Yoga Akademie Berlin, Yoga Raum Berlin, Yoga Sky Berlin and Institut für Yogapsychologie, and in Vienna, the Yoga Akademie Wien. Bali has become a very important part of his life in the last years, where he created Bali Bliss, a wonderful yoga resort and a perfect place to recharge and connect with the divine. All of this would not be possible without the love of his wife and daughter, as well as the support of his students and friends.


JENNIFER MANN - Teaching Skills



What does it mean to be a yoga teacher? How do you cultivate the skills necessary to guide a student into a
safe experience that is simultaneously physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually engaging? How do you pass on the ancient, wisdom of yoga in a way that authentically expresses itself through your heart, your expression and unique voice? The art of teaching, like all art forms, requires a lot of practice! It requires that you try, try again, and slowly with practice you gain more self-trust and ground under your feet, patiently growing into the role of a teacher/guide.

In these modules, you will practice making class plans, choosing engaging themes, developing your teaching
style and how to highlight the aspects of yoga that are meaningful to you. You will experiment with efficient
sequencing, practice seeing misalignments and handling challenges in the classroom. You will practice giving
support, giving demonstrations, creating a positive and uplifting atmosphere, and lots of practice speaking
clearly and confidently. You will learn how to teach all 8 limbs of the Aṣṭāṅga Sadháná, and how to speak
about philosophical, anatomical or spiritual themes, in your own words. You will be mentored through this
entire learning process that eventually culminates in your leading 5 teaching demonstrations. You will be able to use these tangible skills and your grown experience when teaching your first classes after the education.

Jennifer Mann has collected experiences as a yogini, yoga teacher, professional dancer, choreographer, modern/ contemporary dance and improvisation teacher, as well as a partner and mother. She has taught yoga for 20 years and dance for 28 years, offering yoga, modern/contemporary dance and improvisation at schools, studios, businesses and dance companies throughout Europe, USA and Asia. She organises international retreats and workshops, teaching at festivals such as Bolzano Danza, Italy and The Dance Alps Festival, Austria. In Berlin, she can be found in Yoga Sky, yellow yoga and Marameo. After her graduation from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, USA, Jennifer moved to Europe where she embarked on a career as a freelance artist with various choreographers and companies.
Her yoga teacher studies began in the USA with Iyengar yoga teacher James Bryan, and then continued on with a four year certification program at the Yoga Akademie Berlin with Yogacharya Ananda Leone, the founder of ŚivaŚaktiYoga. She is a certified member of the the Berufsverband der Yogalehrenden Deutschland (BDY) and the European Yoga Union (EYU). Jennifer recently furthered her practice and study of Yin Yoga, completing a series of intensive studies with Josh Summers. She is certified to lead the Group Motion Workshop, an improvisational evening focused on the universal language of movement and collective healing. She is also actively following the practices and guidance of the spiritual master Sri Mooji Baba. Jennifer greatly enjoys guiding others on a journey towards the Self.

more info: mannasana.de


JULIE BLUMENTHAL - Yoga Anatomy and Physiology



Explore how your body works, how yoga works with your body, and why!” Starting from the musculoskeletal
system and its function and form, we'll dive into the details of our glorious vessel, from planes of movement
to common misalignments, points of sensitivity and optimal practice in asana; from the nervous, endocrine
and circulatory systems to their context in injury management, subtle body practice, teaching methodology,
stress management and more. You'll learn how yogic tools can restore balance to both joints and spirit, and
how individual variation from pose to pose and body to body informs the choices we make as both teachers
and students. Most of all, you'll find a new respect and admiration for the amazing body that carries you
through your practice and through the world.

Yogiraj Julie Blumenthal has been teaching yoga since 2003, in Berlin since 2007, and as a primary teacher trainer and specialist lecturer since 2012. Her primary lineage is ISHTA yoga, melding the influences of Hatha asana and pranayama, Tantric non-dualistic philosophy, and Ayurvedic life science to serve and celebrate the endless possibilities of yoga, and the uniqueness of each individual student. Other sources of inspiration include master teachers Angela Farmer, Kofi Busia, Glenn Black and Max Strom, as well as her kirtan teacher Jai Uttal. A specialist in Tantric meditation, restorative yoga, and yoga anatomy, she brings the humour and insight of all these influences into a practice that is non-dogmatic, full of curiosity and wonder at the remarkable human form and the spirit within it. She is grateful every day for yoga, and the opportunity to share it.

more info: julieblumenthal.com

DORETTA DOW - Core Stability & Restorative

What does it feel like to be engaging the core muscles? How can I tell when I am not engaging them? How
can I help others explore ways of breathing and moving which gently strengthen these muscles? This seminar will be experience-based and slow-paced, allowing each person to develop their own embodied, subtle understanding of core stability.

Doretta Dow, born in 1961 in the USA and raised in beautiful Maine, moved to Berlin in 1987 where she has been teaching yoga since 1995. She is a BDY yoga teacher (Yoga Akademie Berlin 1993 -1997), trained in Pilates (2004), certified in TriYoga Basics (2006), is a Heilpraktiker in für Psychotherapie (2010) and a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist (2014). The longer she teaches and practices yoga, the slower, deeper and more subtle it becomes.

more info: dorettadowyoga.com


AMANDA STONE - Yoga Psychology



What does Svadhyaya and self-study mean as a yoga teacher? In this module, we will explore how we
undertake and deepen self-awareness and apply this to our yoga teaching. We will particularly look at power, privilege and responsibility and issues of difference and diversity. As a psychotherapist and yoga practitioner, I will facilitate a trusting and open exploration of the challenges we face as teachers in contemporary society. This session will be mix of discussions, reflexive sharing and questioning, and yoga exercises.

Amanda Stone Nash is a highly experienced psychotherapist and coach based in the UK, with a private practice for adults working face to face and by phone and on-line, supporting clients in English in many countries. She is a professionally accredited psychotherapist with AHPP (UK Association for Humanistic Psychology Practitioners) and works with their code of ethics. She graduated from Spectrum Therapy Centre in London where she studied humanistic, integrative and format ive psychology part-time over seven years. She continues to have regular professional development training in therapy and psychology and to work with a qualified BACP supervisor. Amanda is also an accredited yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance International (200 hours). She has attended numerous yoga trainings and classes in India, Bali and Europe and has run training sessions for yoga teachers on developing self-awareness as a teacher, and on working with boundaries and groups.
Amanda is a regular coach for charities and social change organisations who work on environmental and community campaigns, and has coached over a hundred leaders in the UK, Africa and Europe. She has been a consultant and Director for a number of international charities including Greenpeace, ActionAid, Unicef and Free Tibet UK, advising on campaigning and publicity. Her commitment to continuous study means she has trained in many spiritual traditions and in mindfulness, writing therapy, art therapy, nature therapy and voice therapy. She recently completed a MA in Gender & Culture at Swansea university with a dissertation on identity and stereotypes and is currently writing a book based on this research.
She previously worked as a counsellor for a leading UK mental health charity and with a children’s counselling service working in primary schools. She was also employed as an online coach and psychotherapist for headteachers and academics. Her early career included various senior leadership roles in marketing and advertising agencies in London and Singapore, working with clients across Europe and Asia Pacific and leading on various corporate social responsibility projects. Amanda was born and lived in Australia until age seven and then lived in Malaysia and England. Her work and studies have taken her to live in many countries and she feels this has inf luenced her open and enquiring attitude to life.


BRIDGET WOODS KRAMER - Anusara Yoga



Bridget teaches with warm hands and open heart Anusara Yoga. Based on Kashmir Tantra, Anusara combines the joy of the spiritual path with precise alignments in the asana practice. Bridget will introduce us in to the universal principles of alignment, used in the asana, the muscular and organic energies, the inner and outer spirals and the main loops, helping us to connect the inner and outer body creating a deep relationship with ourselves.

Bridget Woods Kramer began her yoga practices in India in 1975, and embarked on an intense program of study to become a senior teacher. Interweaving her visionary background within the fitness industry together with her love of meditation and yoga asana, Bridget teaches with enthusiasm, sensitivity and insight, conveying yogas potential to support us in living and serving with love. You’ll enjoy an inspirational and dynamic, yet playful class with a mix of flow and strong alignment principles, entwined with yoga philosophy.
Bridget teaches regular Anusara® classes in Cornwall and at triyoga in London as well as offering workshops, teacher training’s, immersions and retreats all over the world; awakening and inspiring a most diverse and creative student body. Her steady enthusiasm, humour, depth of knowledge and humility sets a shining example, and her many students are devoted to her tireless effort and rich understanding. With great Love, Bridget acknowledges Gurumay i Chidvilasanda as her principal teacher and offers gratitude and love to John Friend. Other great influences have been Shandor Remite, Chuck & Maty (Yoga Works) Gabriella Guibalaro, Donna Holleman, and Lisa Walford, Rodney Yee & Patricia Walden & of course Krishna Das.

more info: bridgetwoodskramer.com


Termine

ŚivaŚakti Yoga Teacher Training (500+ hours in 2.5 years) certified as Yogalehrer Basic BDY

Time Schedule of Weekend Seminars (1 WEEKEND - 16 TU)
Fridays:        18.00h - 21.00h (3 hrs)
Saturdays:    10.00h - 13.00h (3 hrs) + 15.00h - 18.00h (3 hrs)
Sundays:      10.00h - 13.00h (3 hrs)

320 TU / 240 hours of all seminars, spread out over 20 weekends
40 TU / 30 hours of monthly once online philosophy study (15 sessions)
13 TU / 10 hours of online book club study (5 sessions)
93 TU / 70 hours of 1st year chakra retreat / Ananda
93 TU / 70 hours of 2nd year pañca kośa retreat / Krishna
80 TU / 60 hours of 5 teaching demonstrations
1.5 TU / 1 hour Reflection Week (2 sessions)
1.5 TU / 1 hour Sadhana Week (2 sessions)
27 TU / 20 hours included in the preparation of a thesis + final examination

TOTAL 669 TU / 523 hours (1 TU, Teaching Units = 45 Minutes)

Cost

Extra costs:
● Books and reference materials
● Accommodation and meals during the retreats, plus travel expenses to-and-from the retreat location.

Teachers
1. Krishna Kumar Krishnan - ŚivaŚakti Yoga
2. Jennifer Mann - Teaching Skills
3. Ananda Leone - ŚivaŚakti Yoga
4. Julie Blumenthal - Yoga Anatomy
5. Amanda Stone - Yoga Psychology
6. Bridget Woods Kramer - Anusara Yoga
7. Doretta Dow - Core Stability

1st-year pillar “Grounding”
2nd-year pillar “Growing”

Monthly Yogasutras of Patanjali Study by Krishna (15 sessions)
1st Saturday of the month or
3rd Saturday of the month if the date clashes with regular WE seminar or public holiday

Book Club by Jenny (5 sessions)
Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith - after Ananda’s Chakra Retreat
Bhagavad Gita 1 (Chapter 01-06)
Bhagavad Gita 2 (Chapter 07-12)
Bhagavad Gita 3 (Chapter 13-18)
Joy of Living

Surya Namaskar by Krishna & Jennifer
Surya Flow
Rishikesh Surya Namaskar
Aruna Surya Namaskar
Vedic Surya Namaskar

Homework
1st summer: Yamas and Niyamas diary (10 weeks)
2nd summer: Dharana Practice (8 weeks)

List of Books
1. Tree of Yoga by BKS Iyengar
2. Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by BKS Iyengar
3. Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith
4. The joy of Living by Yongey Minygur Rinpoche
5. Bhagavad Gita (defined later)
6. Mastering Pranayama by Radhika Shah Grouven
7. MetaAnatomy by Kristin Leal