Thank You for Your Interest in the School of Sacred Arts (SOSA) 200 Hour Yoga Teacher

Namaste,

Thank you for your interest in the School of Sacred Arts (SOSA) 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training. Choosing to participate in a Yoga Teacher Training immersion is a life-changing undertaking. We are excited that you would like to embark on a yogic journey full of potential and uncharted territory, both inside and out. Please see the enclosed information, as it will provide you with all necessary details required for both the application process and the Teacher Training itself. If you have additional questions, please refer to our website: www.schoolofsacredarts.net

If you are seriously considering our Teacher Training, it is essential that you have a consistent yoga and meditation practice. If you are new to yoga, or your practice is irregular, it is important that you begin now to dedicate more time to yoga.

To apply for admittance to the program, please answer the questions in the application form clearly and honestly. After your application has been reviewed, you will receive a letter confirming your acceptance into the program. Space is limited in this program and early registration is encouraged.

Once you have been admitted, we recommend you begin your preparation for the Yoga Teacher Training by attending classes regularly, or strengthening your daily personal practice. It is also a good idea to expose your self to all types of yoga in a variety of ways.

We are very excited to share with you all that yoga has to teach. Be mindful that by choosing a month long Yoga Teacher Training, you will experience deep personal transformation and be challenged on many levels. We do our best to support you through your process, and expect that each individual is self-responsible and contributes to the overall group experience. Together we will inspire one another, learn together, and share the ancient wisdom of yoga.

Yoga is far from simply being physical exercises; rather it is an aid to establishing a new way of life, which embraces both inner and outer realities. However, this way of life is an experience, which cannot be understood intellectually and will only be living knowledge through practice and experience. ~Swami Satyananda Your First Step: Your journey to becoming a yoga teacher begins today, in your commitment to practicing yoga, breath work, healthy, whole food nutrition, and regular meditation. Doing so will help you align with the natural rhythms of yoga and of nature itself.

• Compassion: Do your best and don’t worry if you don’t understand “what to do” before you arrive. By simply beginning to be mindful and by taking care of your self, in simple ways, you are practicing the essence of yoga.

• Clear Mind/Open Heart: As this journey unfolds, please realize that we will do our best to create and hold space for your transformation. You, too, will be asked to practice self-responsibility, ownership of your emotions, thoughts, and actions, and to consistently study your self as you evolve.

Required Readings:

 Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha - Swami Satyanananda Saraswati (Bihar School of Yoga, published by Yoga Publications Trust)

 Ayurveda, The Science of Self-Healing - Dr. Vasant Lad (Lotus Press)

 Yoga Anatomy - Leslie Kaminoff

 Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – (various translations; most recommend are ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras’ by Sri Swami Satchidananda’ and/or ‘The Science of Yoga’ by I.K. Taimni).

Note: The following books are primarily meant to serve as reference material, both before and after the course. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with them prior to the training; do not feel obligated to read them in their entirety. For those travelling to our teacher trainings, there is no need to bring the books with you.

The program is generally scheduled from Mondays through Saturdays, from 6:30 am – 6 pm, with some evening events. The schedule may vary, depending upon the flow of the training, as well as the needs of the group. A sample schedule is available for your review at http://www.schoolofsacredarts.net/training/

• Your full participation in the program is essential. If you are unable to attend sessions, you are asked to stay in communication with the facilitators and make-up any missed materials as requested.

• There will be practical and written assignments throughout the program.

The full cost of the program is US$3,600. The cost of the Yoga Teacher Training includes the SOSA Training Manual and all instruction and events for the duration of the course, in addition to transport service from the airport and a complimentary visit to Yoga Barn’s Ayurvedic Centre, KUSH. SOSA and organizers/teachers are not responsible for any personal injury or illness, please come prepared with your own health and/or travel insurance.

Payment Process

A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required to secure your registration. The balance of $3100 must reach SOSA one month prior to the commencement date. If not, your place may be offered to someone on the waiting list and you will forfeit the deposit.

Payments may be made by direct deposit in U.S. dollars to Valiant Bank, Switzerland or via Pay Pal if you wish to pay via credit card or ‘eCheck’ (see below). The PayPal email account is [email protected]

Please be advised, in order to trace your payment, when making a transfer into the SOSA account, you must use your name as the reference or tell us what name you used as the reference. Please email us when you have made your transfer.

IMPORTANT: The final amount received by SOSA must be the exact course fee. You are responsible for any additional fees (i.e. transfer and/or exchange fees) that the bank charges.

When transferring your money please pay directly in US dollars or change your currency into US dollars, before your bank makes the transfer so that we are not charged. Make sure your bank knows this information.

Please note, we also accept payments in Swiss Franks. Please contact us for details, if you'd like to pay in this currency.

Bank details:

US Dollar account: School of Sacred Arts IBAN: CH 290 63 00 01 69 49 01 65 01 Swift code: VABECH22

Bank name and address: Valiant Bank Bundesplatz 4 Postfach 3001 Bern Switzerland

Pay Pal:

We require that an additional 4% surcharge be added to the total amount of any Pay Pal payment made using any Pay Pal transaction or account due to the additional charges levied by this company in order for SOSA to receive funds.

While we strongly advise everyone to use a direct bank-to-bank transfer whenever possible, as it tends to result in fewer fees for both parties, in order to use a credit card, or if someone is away from their country of residence and/or cannot access their primary financial institution, Pay Pal remains the best option. We regret the necessity of this additional charge.

Note: While the ‘eCheck’ option used to result in significantly lower fees (because funds are drawn directly out of the customer’s bank account rather than charged to a credit card or PayPal account), we regret to inform you that PayPal has changed their policy and increased the cost required to use this service, bringing it on par with the cost of using a credit card or PayPal account. Nonetheless, you may wish to utilize this particular approach for other reasons.

SOSA’s PayPal account can be accessed at http://www.schoolofsacredarts.net/contact/ or directly through our PayPal email account: [email protected]

Additional Note: Please be aware that North American banks tend to charge significantly higher fees for bank transfers than do most others, and that even when you pay the actual bank transfer fees required on your end, often a ‘middle man’ bank or other financial service will exact additional fees— unbeknownst to you—that result in SOSA receiving less than the full amount of the required payment. These fees tend to be even higher when transferring money overseas, as will be the case with this transaction.

If you are transferring from a bank in North America, please inquire as to the specific charges that may be levied by such a ‘middle man’ financial service, and compensate for whatever this additional charge will be by adding it to the amount sent. We regret any additional compensatory costs involved.

Refund Policy

Due to the logistics required for planning an international Yoga Teacher Training, we regret that we are unable to provide full or partial refunds. Extenuating circumstances may be considered.

In the unlikely event that the Teacher Training gets cancelled, your money and your deposit will be returned minus an administrative cost of US$100.

Ubud offers a wide variety of accommodation choices. We have pre-selected a few properties to help narrow your choice. Criteria for accommodation selection includes: proximity to The Yoga Barn, room rate, size, cleanliness, comfort of rooms, aesthetic of property exterior, management & staff responsiveness.

We have compiled an additional list of recommended accommodation around Ubud. Please contact us for more details.

Some options within walking distance to The Yoga Barn are:

Ubud Aura - http://www.ubudbodyworkscentre.com/ubud_aura.html Partner guest house/ashram directly next door to Yoga Barn for anywhere between US $30 (single) - $65/night (single or double). Medium sized rooms include fan, hot water & are very clean. Lovely out door pool with fountain. Address: 888 Jalan Hanoman / Pagang Tegal, Ubud 80571 Phone: (+62) 0361 972 956 Email: [email protected]

Tegal Sari - http://www.tegalsari-ubud.com Partner hotel around the corner, 3-star, small rooms, lovely interiors, nice pool, rice field views, hot water, AC $30 - $60 single or double. (Directly next door to Green Field Bungalow). Address: Jalan Hanoman / Pagang Tegal, Ubud 80571 Phone: (+62) 0361 973 318 Email: [email protected]

Green Field Hotel & Bungalow - www.greenfieldubud.com Partner hotel around the corner, 3-star, small rooms, lovely interiors, nice pool, rice field views, hot water, AC $20 - $100 single or double. (Directly next door to Tegal Sari) Address: Jalan Hanoman / Pagang Tegal, Ubud 80571 Phone: (+62) 0361 975 798 Email: [email protected]

Biyu Kukung - www.biyukukung.net Partner hotel across the rice fields, 2-star, small but charming bungalows, rice field views, outdoor pool, TV, hot water & AC - $65 - $90, single or double Address: Jalan Sugriwa #89 / Pagang Tegal, Ubud 80571 Phone: (+62) 0361 970 529 Email: [email protected]

Puri Padi - no website Partner hotel next door, 2-star, wide spaces with a garden view, medium sized rooms, outdoor pool, TV, hot water & AC - $37 single, $45 double Address: Jalan Hanoman / Pagang Tegal, Ubud 80571 Phone: (+62) 0361 975 010

Please feel free to also check out the following for additional accommodation options: Tripadvisor.com Balispirit.com Bali Buddha (bulletin board) Kafe (bulletin board)

Please note that with longer-term stays, rental rates are often negotiable and very reasonable.

How do I get to Bali? Bali is a small island set amidst the 17,000+ islands of the Indonesian archipelago. It is approx. 3 hours due south of Singapore, and 3 hours north of Perth, Australia. The international airport is called Ngurah Rai International, and the arrival city is Denpasar (DPS).

Do I need a visa? Yes, a visa is required for Indonesia. A visa-upon-arrival system is in place for most countries including Australia, Canada, US & EU citizens. It is strongly recommended that you check with an Indonesian Consulate/Embassy in your country for the current visa regulations.

Upon leaving, a 150,000 rupiah departure tax will be assessed.

N.B. – If your passport is due to expire within 6 months, we advise you renew. On occasion, Indonesia has not allowed tourists into the country, and your airline might not allow you on the plane.

Can I stay longer? You will probably want to! A 30 day visa-on-arrival is available to most countries and is extendable within Bali. However, as the Indonesian visa system is going through an overhaul, please check with an Indonesian Consulate/Embassy closest to you for details. You will likely have to show proof of a ticket to leave the country.

How do I get to Ubud from the airport? We are happy to organize transport from Ngurah Rai International Airport, or you can take a taxi. Either option is approx. 190,000 rupiah (approx. US$25). You will need to send us your flight details including the day, date and time of arrival, airline + flight number + city of departure, ideally 2 weeks prior to your arrival. From the airport to Ubud takes about one hour.

How do I exchange money? Probably best to wait until you get to the airport in Denpasar. There are bureaus where you can exchange cash or travelers cheques, and ATMs are everywhere that take Cirrus and Plus.

Please tell your bank and credit card companies the dates that you will be in Bali or elsewhere, as they might cut off your funds for fraud protection if they don't know it is you. Asia loves Visa or Master Card. Few restaurants and shops take American Express It’s helpful when you change if you can ask for some additional ‘small money’, bills in denominations of 1,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 rupiah. (Pay attention: R10,000 and R100,000 notes are very similar in colour!)

Is Bali safe? Bali is the only Hindu island in Indonesia, and was devastated by the ’02 & ’05 bombings in Kuta. Since the bombings, the Indonesian government has taken the threat of terrorism seriously by increasing security and arresting many. Although the US State Department has placed a travel warning on Indonesia, tourism to Bali is once again being touted by many international travel magazines.

The Balinese people are among the most friendly in the world. As for safety in the streets, there is little violent crime, especially in Ubud. In beach areas one has to take precautions against pickpockets, just as in most beach tourist spots in the world.

That said, if you’re reading this then chances are you won’t be staying at an international hotel or partying all night at a discothèque down in Kuta. More likely you’re staying at a quaint bungalow, home stay or small hotel in the middle of a rice paddy, going to bed early to the chirp of crickets and frogs, and waking up early to go practice yoga.

Are there any health concerns I need to be aware of? It is recommended that you visit your GP, personal physician or a travel health clinic 4 to 8 weeks before your departure to Indonesia. Recommended vaccinations often include hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus and polio. Bali is not a high-risk area for malaria and the tablets can be considered controversial, we recommend that you do some research and make your own decision on this. Dengue fever is another mosquito borne illness to be made aware of.

You might want to bring a prescription of Keflex, or another type of oral antibiotic that can help with stomach ailments. Even though you will be eating in good restaurants, there is always a chance that you can get Bali Belly - a mild dysentery that passes in a few days.

What if I need to see a doctor? There are plenty of international medical clinics in Bali - especially in Ubud and Kuta. Since the Bali Bombing, the Indonesian government spent $$ on improving the local hospitals and many more private ones have opened since. If you have a minor illness or ailment, you will be just fine. These clinics usually do not accept health insurance, but they do not cost much.

Should you need specialized care in a dire emergency, you would need to be evacuated to Singapore. It is always wise to purchase travelers health insurance with evacuation coverage. Check out SOS International medical clinic.

What about sanitation? Any hotel or home stay will have bottled or filtered water available, and 99% of restaurants on the island use bottled water for all cooking purposes. Nevertheless, it is advisable to drink and brush teeth with bottled water. Food carts and local markets carry a greater degree of risk.

What is the weather like? You can expect pleasant day temperatures between 20 to 33 degrees Celsius or 68 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. From December to March, the West monsoon can bring heavy showers and high humidity, but usually days are sunny and the rains start during the night and pass quickly. From June to September the humidity is low, and it can be quite cool in the evenings. During this time of the year, you'll have hardly any rain in the coastal areas. That said, Ubud is in the mountains and has a unique microclimate where you can expect cloudy skies and showers throughout the year. Sometimes you’ll even need a sweater or light jacket after the sun sets!

What kind of clothes will I need? If you visit between November and April a rain poncho or umbrella will come in handy, and both can be purchased inexpensively here. As this time is Bali’s summer, the rains tend to be warm and humid, but a light jacket can be useful for evenings. May through October is typically dry season and winter. Comfortable sandals are a must, and should be easy to take off as most Balinese do not wear shoes indoors. Same day laundry service is inexpensive and plentiful, so you’re better off to pack light. Don’t forget your swimsuit.

Although the Balinese are used to western tourists, they are still a modest culture, so walking down city streets with no shirt on will likely get you a sideways glance or two. Anytime you go into a temple for a ceremony or tourist attraction you MUST wear a long sleeve shirt, pants or preferably sarong that cover your knees. Women and men have separate requirements, and the Balinese are only too happy to explain the rules and outfit you accordingly if you’re minus an appropriate item or two.

What else might I need for the Training? Yoga mats are provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. As far as training materials, bring what you feel will enhance your learning experience, but for the most part, anything you need you can buy here, including notebooks, highlighters, yoga clothes, etc. If you have completed your required readings, bringing your books with you to Bali is optional. We also encourage that you bring a water bottle for refilling. Hydration is a must, and by brining your own bottle, you can help Bali manage its plastic bottle issues.

How do I get around? If you’re here for a short time, and only staying in Ubud, you can easily get along by walking everywhere … this is one of the charms of Ubud. (Just watch out for uncovered sections of sidewalks, and please do your best to avoid stepping on the offerings the Balinese leave at the entrances to their family compounds and businesses!).

If you’re here for longer and wish to do some independent island exploration, both bicycles and motorbikes are available for rent. A motorbike should run you 20,000 to 50,000 rupiah per day … everything is negotiable. Make sure you get a good helmet … roads are narrow, often full of pot holes, dogs are everywhere, and the Balinese like to drive like stock car racers! While driving, repeat this mantra: “Slow and Go, Slow and Go … Om.”

If motorbikes aren’t your thing, there are plenty of drivers ready and willing to take you anywhere. We know a number of great ones … honest, friendly and English speaking. Feel free to ask.

Should I rent a car? It is not necessary, nor advisable, to rent a car in Bali. A car and driver can be had for $30-$40 per day. Inexpensive transportation is readily available.

Please download the application form from our website or email us directly at [email protected].