Santosha Online YTT Foundational Assignments

Assignment 1: Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now

1. From where does Tolle draw the title of his book (why would he name it The Power of Now)?

2. What are the ways in which Tolle believes people suffer spiritually? In what ways do individuals create their own pain? What does Tolle mean by the false-created self?

3. Were there moments in The Power of Now where you felt an "ah-ah!"? Did you experience a moment of revelation or major insight into your life? If so, what was it? If not.

4. What role do relationships play in Tolle's path to spiritual awakening? To what extent are they hindrances...or aids...or part of the goal?

5. How helpful do you find Tolle's book as it applies to your own life?

6. What guiding principles suggested, by Tolle would you bring into your daily life and why?

The Power of Now is available from most major bookstores (second hand bookstores are a great place to look!) and you can purchase various editions online.

Audiobook: http://www.amazon.com/The-Power-of-Now/dp/B00005AAPL

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment-ebook/dp/B002361MLA/ ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1395372566

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808/ref=sr_1_1? s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395372566&sr=1-1&keywords=power+of+now

Assignment 2: Additional Reading Assignment

These assignments are based on the mandatory reading for our Online course. They will give you a strong foundation for safe and effective teaching, so it is important they are completed before you begin.

Yoga Therapy - A.G. Mohan and Indra Mohan

Read Chapter 2 (pages 1560) and answer the following questions: 1. Why do we do Asana? 2. List and define the five categories that a balanced Asana practice should promote. 3. What are the four types of body positions? 4. What are the four guidelines for breath in Asana? 5. Practice your own movement with your breath being mindful of the four components of the breath: Inhalation, holding, exhalation, suspension. Create your own basic sequence in and out of the pose and record the breath. Be sure to include the four parts of breath and describe journal what you discover.

Gary Kraftsow – Yoga for Wellness

Read the following pages: A. Introduction to Breath (pages: 712) - Summarize the Chapter and explain how you will conceptualize the principles into your teaching.

B. Principles of Adaptation (pages: 1225) - Summarize each chapter. Apply the foundations of each chapter into a teaching situation.

C. Upper back (pages 159165). - Read and summarize. - If you have a student with a pronounced kyphosis (excess curvature) in their spine what safety principals will you apply in your teaching?

D. Lower back (pages 168175) - Read and summarize. - If you have a student with a very pronounced lordotic curvature in their spine what safety principals will you apply in your teaching?

E. An introduction to Extension (pages 8592) - Read, summarize and apply for teaching.

AG Mohan – Yoga for Body, Breath and Mind

A. Chapters 5 and 6 Read and summarize each section. Write points on how you would integrate the principles into your teachings. Present a list of questions for your senior teacher.

B. The problem: Mind (page 5) - Read and summarize.

Assignment 3: Anatomy Colouring Assignment

Colour in the muscles and parts of the human body outlined below. The pages are available to print from the download button labeled “Anatomy Scans” in the Santosha Online Resource Center. Alternatively, if you own a copy of Kapit and Elson’s Anatomy Colouring Book you may colour in your book as per the pages outlined below (page numbers may differ depending on edition)

Muscles • Deep Muscles of the Back and Posterior Neck (p49) • Thorax Muscles and posterior abdominal wall muscles (p50) • Muscles of scapular stabilization and movements of the scapula (p54) • Muscles of musculotendinous cuff (p55) • Movers of shoulder joint/movements of the humerus at the shoulder joint (p56) • Muscles of the gluteal region (p61) • Muscles of the posterior thigh (p62) • Muscles of the anterior thigh (p64)

Bones/Joints • Bones/joints in review (p43) - *DO NOT complete Joints of the Lower Limb 1 - 12* • Bones/joints in review (p36 - *DO NOT complete Joints of the Upper Limb 1 - 13* • Male and female pelvis (p38)

Physiology • Terms of position and directions (p2) • Cavities and linings (p7) • The generalized cell (p8)

Essay question Briefly describe each system and its function (one page written summary)

Assignment 4: Samkhya Philosophy Assignment

The Samkhya Philosophy

The word Samkhya is composed of two words sam, meaning 'correct', 'proper' and 'discriminitive' and ‘khya meaning 'knowing.' So Samkhya encourages an aspirant to undertake a discriminative analysis of creation and thereby realize one's true nature. Samkhya is known as a dualistic philosophy because it gives equal weight to both realities: Purusha, the witnessing consciousness, and Prakriti, the root cause of creation, that is composed of the three gunas.

Both Samkhya and yoga aim at reversing the process of awareness which at present is identified with the senses and the external objects. That awareness has to be dissociated from the objects and redirected internally to experience our spiritual nature.

Task: Summarise the Samkhya theory in your own words. No more than 2 A4 pages in length. Good sources of information can be found from the following websites: http://www.swamij.com/prakriti-purusha-sankhya.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhya http://ignca.nic.in/ps_04013.htm

Assignment 5: Santosha Breath + Movement Manual

1. Introduction Section A. Read the introduction section of the manual five times. Make sure you understand these concepts: - Dens Point - Asymmetrical Guiding Principle - Classifications of Asana - Bandhas - Pelvic Floor Stability and The Pelvic Floor Anatomy - Alignment of Feet - Neutral Spine - “Roll up” vs. the correct way to come to a Standing Position - Controversial Trikonasana

B. Prepare a list of any questions based on your reading and send in to [email protected]

2. Breath Awareness Read and Practice: • How to Teach students to lay on the mat • Passive Observation • Resting Breath • Belly Breath • Chest to Abdomen Breath with location and feeling - inhale middle of chest sense of expansion , exhale lower abdomen slightly drawing back

If not sure Skype sunny or ask questions asap J

3. Postures Read and Practice Teaching these poses/movements • All Prep Poses Breath + Movement Manual • Neutral Standing Position • Samasthiti • Uttanasana • Dandasana • Pachimottonasana • Simple seated twist • Bhujangasana • Supported shoulder Stand against the wall • Matysara • Savasana

ONLINE YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

Assignment 5: Santosha Breath + Movement Manual cont.

4. Vinyasa Krama Sequences Compare both the Vinyasa Krama Manual and the Breath + Movement Manual for the below. What is the difference between what is noted in Vinyasa Krama Manual and the Breath + Movement Manual in relationship to the below sequences: • Utthita Trikonasana • Virabhadrasana 2 • Pachimottonasana • Uttanasana

Assignment 6: Yoga Teacher Tune-up Toolkit – Q&A

Watch the episodes in the Santosha Online Resource Center and answer the following questions.

Episode 1.1 – Bhujangasana 1. Traditionally how are the legs and feet in this pose? What is the modification for those with lower lumbar issues? 2. Why do we lengthen from the top of the spine when entering this pose? 3. What is the correct position for the hands in this position? The elbows? 4. Where does the exhale originate from? 5. Where do we send the breath on the inhale? 6. Which breath do we move into the pose on? 7. On what breath do we come out? 8. What position do we put our head in when we have released out of the pose? What quality do we bring to this moment?

Episode 1.2 – Progression from Bhujangasana 1. What are the desired qualities of the breath? 2. Why do we draw the chin down in this pose? 3. In the video Sunny mentions steadiness and stillness of the mind. The 2nd Yoga Sutra refers to this as “yoga chitta vritti nirodha.” What is the translation of this Sanskrit phrase? 4. Another important quality is “sthira sukham asanam” (Yoga Sutra 46) What is the translation of this phrase?

Episode 2.1 1. What category of posture is Paschimottanasana? 2. Why do we use the word extension? What part of the body lengthens in this pose? 3. What is the purpose of sitting on a pillow? 4. What is the main inhibitor of the forward movement in the pelvic girdle in this pose? What can you do to counteract this in this pose? 5. Do we dorsi or planter flex our feet when we are in Dandasana to set up for this posture? Why? 6. Take yourself (or another!) through this posture using the correct breath. Write down your experience.

Assignment 6: Yoga Teacher Tune-up Toolkit – Q&A cont

Episode 2.2 1. What are the “levers” you can add to Paschimottanasana? Name another pose which you can add “levers” to, to increase the intensity. 2. What can we do if we have less mobility in the hips to modify this posture? 3. Explain “dirgha” and “sukshma” 4. Take yourself (or another!) through this posture using the correct breath. Write down your experience.

Episode 3.1 – Seated Twist 1. What are the names of the four main sections of the spine, in order from top to bottom? 2. What part of the spine is used in a seated twist? 3. Where do we NOT want the twist to occur? 4. How can we move into this twist using the breath? 5. What is the position of the neck and head during this pose? 6. How many Vinyasa Krama sequences would we typically perform before moving into a held position? Why would we do this? 7. What is the ‘Asymmetrical Guiding Principle’? When is it applied?

Episode 3.2 – Seated Twist Variation 1. On what breath do we twist into the pose? 2. What will affect where our students place their back hand? 3. Is it advisable to use the hand to help force you into the pose? 4. When do we engage pelvic floor in this posture? Why? 5. What is the English word for these postures: Vajrasana, Dandasana, Sukhasana 6. Why do we draw our chin down slightly in this posture? 7. Take yourself (or another!) through this posture using the correct breath. Write down your experience.

Assignment 7: Asana Self Practice Assignment

Please book your session with Sunny or a senior Teacher here before you attempt this assignment: https://meetme.so/santoshayogaytt

Part A - Create your spiritual area of practice in your home – Your Altar This will form a vital link to your self practice and time out from the day to day routine of work, children etc . Set up the space, if you can, with your mat, your meditation pillow, and create “your” altar. Please send in a photo of your Altar and a little paragraph on how you went about the process and how it evolved.

How to Create the Altar

Find “the“ Space Choose a place for your altar that is quiet and private. It could simply be the corner of your dresser , behind the couch —what imbues an altar with its energy is the spirit you bring to it. Lastly, place your yoga mat and pillow in front of it to set the space apart from everything else. Perhaps something to separate it from the rest of the room, if the room is small.

Set an Intention Close your eyes and think about your intention for creating an altar. Maybe it's to inspire you creatively, express gratitude, or wish someone healing. Most important is to create a sacred space that reflects back the energy of your yoga and meditation practice. And don't be afraid to change it up—swapping out old pictures and flowers for fresh inspiration. Continue to add pieces as they come into your life and speak to you.

Make It Your Own Sacred Area No matter what you choose to put on your home altar, make sure it feels your own. Altars are a place for healing, love, connection to your practice and the divine — so make sure the things you cherish are an integral part of your sacred space.

Choose a deity from the Indian tradition - or your own life - that holds great significance Choose a deity for your altar that helps inspire you to be your best self. Hanuman may remind you to be a good friend and servant of love, Shiva to dance with the mysteries of life, or Ganesha to be a remover of obstacles. If you can not connect to a Deity, perhaps it may be Buddha, or The Dali Lamai, Gandhi or Mother Teresa. Chose something that has significance to you.

Family Photos While meditating/ practicing , you may find it comforting to see the faces of loved ones smiling back at you. It will also help you appreciate the long, but beautiful, journey through life.

Words of Wisdom Hang or place words of wisdom that resonate with you on your alter. Seeing these words so often will allow them to sink in and become an integrated part of your psyche.

Lights and Candles Lights symbolize an offering of energy and love. Decorate your altar with candles or other forms of light, calling energy and love into your home and heart.

Incense Holder Find the perfect Incense holder and fragrance ( many to choose from ), which you find most appealing – the fragrance will be associated with shifting your state of mind to connect inward, to peace and harmony, so if you use the same Fragrance , each time you use this at any time, you will naturally be at peace!

Fresh Flowers Incorporate more of your senses by adding fresh flowers to your altar—you'll be able to smell the sweet nectar throughout meditation and prayer.

Prayer Beads (Malas) Traditionally, malas, or garlands of prayer beads, come as a string of 108 beads (plus one for the "guru bead," around which the other 108 beads turn like the planets around the sun). A mala is used for counting as you repeat a mantra. Malas are used based on preference but, in general, touching or counting the beads lightly can help bring you back to yourself. Keep your Malas in their bag or container and take them out when you practice.

Part B - Create your own 30-45 min self-practice sequence Come up with the List, the poses you will be practicing. Choose the poses from your Breath and Movement Manual. Follow the sequence below: 1. Breath Awareness - List exactly what you will cover in terms of connecting to breath: - Passive observation - Belly breath - Resting Breath - Introducing Chest to Abdomen 2. Prep Poses 3. Standing include Neutral Standing 4. Seated only 5. Reclined ( Hips ) 6. Arm Balance 7. Core - Navasana with lower back on floor! ( note 5,6,7 can be placed in any order .. Ie 7,5,6 or can be combined) 8. Twist 9. Back Bend 10. Inversion 11.Seated Forward Fold 12. Savasana 13. Meditation 14. Pranayama

• Clearly outline the intentions of the poses and why you choose to do these poses/sequence. • Indicate the stage of Breath Development you are working in and in what poses you will be practicing this and how you will place the stage into the Asana – Note generally you will be working in location and feeling to establish a good connection to breath. • Please include the Pranayama techniques you will practice and why.

Part C – Other points to consider with your ongoing self Practice • What you will choose to do during your Moon cycle and why? • Which meditation practice(s) or practice you will use and why? • What it is you need to embrace or change in your life? • How much time do you have available to practice in a week? • Is your practice a morning practice or evening? • How you will continue your spiritual practices?

Part D – After you have practiced your sequence at least 3 times, answer the below:: • How did you feel before after and during your practice ? • Did you have any awakening moments ? If so what were they ? • Was there any pose you changed or adapted or modified, if so why and how? • What did you learn from this sequence ?

Assignment 8: Sequencing Assignment

Design a four week course – 1 x 1.5 hours class. Detail the Intention: • Who you are teaching • Your desired goals • Age of students • Physical Limitations/ Mental stability / Lifestyle / illnesses or other

Part A - Come up with a list of the poses you will include in your four week sequence 1. Breath Awareness - List exactly what you will cover in terms of connecting to breath: - Instructing students to lay on the mat and what to look for - Passive observation - Belly breath - Resting Breath - Introducing Chest to Abdomen

2. Prep - Must have at least 8 movements. Must include the below foundational principles. Read all of the Principles in your Breath = Movement Manual, as these must be woven into your teachings. Also please include these aspects in the prep phase : - Vertebrae exploration – exploring and isolating the movements of the spine - PG exploration- teach students to isolate the movement of the Pelvic Girdle - Shoulder Girdle – where it is, can you initiate movements from here? Bringing awareness - Dens – locate , displace, then create, bringing awareness of location how we move from this place - Scapula- bring awareness to the Rhomboids and the movement of the scapula as we open the chest - Wrist – any pain, if so in which movement , what can we do for our students? Roll up mat, (lessen the angle of the wrist), use fists, fingers… - External rotation of shoulders relevant to all poses where hands are foundation – it is very important to create external rotation at shoulders in our practice. How do we do this? What needs to be done for our students? - Movement of spine in all 4 directions. Location of Breath in movements. How the Exhale can be completed and what is provided from this in relationship to a pose.

3. Standing x 1 include Neutral Standing 4. Seated only x1 5. Reclined ( Hips ) x 1 6. Arm Balance x 1 7. Core - Navasana (with lower back supported on floor) X 1 8. Seated Twist x 1 9. Back Bend x 1 10. Inversion – Off wall supported shoulder stand 11.Seated Forward Fold x 1

12. Restorative 13. Pranayama - Choose which practice you will do: i.e. Nadi Shodhana, Humming breath, Ratio Breathing - simple?

Part B – Posture notes Complete for each pose chosen the below information - noting the section clearly i.e. standing. Keep it simple!! - Name of Pose - Teaching Cues, Notes - Intention of Pose / Benefits - Number of Repetitions - Variations/ Modifications - Cautions relevant to your group - Transition (how will you transition after the pose/ movement) - Pregnancy - what is relevant to know - Progression - list how you will progress i.e. more reps

Part C - Breath Development For each pose list what your intention will be for developing the breath for 5 poses in the class, be sure to include your standing pose. Be sure to include: - Conscious awareness of breath – “I am breathing in, I am breathing out” - Location of Breath for inhale / exhale - Cultivating a feeling of Breath "My inhale allows me to open to receive " - My exhale provides a stable base - My exhale allows me to let go - Lengthening Exhale - Cultivating the qualities of the breath - Dirgha and Sukshma

Part D - Stick Figures Provide stick figures for the following sections showing breath: Pick four Prep poses • 2 x Standing Poses • 2 x Seated • Reclined (not mandatory) • Arm Balance (not mandatory) • Core (not mandatory) • 1 x Seated Twist • 1 x Back Extension • 1 x Inversion • 1 x Seated Forward

Assignment 9: Pranayama/ Breath Development Assessment

Task:

• Decide which practice you wish to teach from the list below and create a 10 minute script to teach the practice. • Practice this and then teach to a partner. They will then provide feedback. • Email your script and a brief description of your experience and the feedback provided. • Read your Manual/Books for further notes and information, don’t just google it!

1. Resting Breath, Belly Breath, Complete Exhalation 2. Chest to Abdomen Breath 3. Sama Vritti, Vishama, Vritti 4. Nadi Shodhana (Mental and with Mudra) 5. Bramari Breath 6. Bija Seed Chant

Assignment 10: DVD / Online class Analysis Assignment

Observing other teachers’ yoga classes and watching yoga DVDs can be a great source of inspiration for our own teaching. Paying careful attention to the techniques of others can help us to refine our own style and techniques as well as providing the opportunity to tune in to subtle aspects such as mood, pace and tone.

Task:

Choose a yoga DVD or Online class to watch critically. Think about what makes the class effective or ineffective and answer the following questions:

1. How would you describe the mood of the video? It is upbeat or calming, for example? What sets the tone for the class?

2. Does the teacher adhere to the classic sequencing pattern Breath Awareness, Prep Poses, Standing etc… If not where does she or he deviate from this pattern? What is the effect of the deviation?

3. What techniques or ideas does the yoga teacher employ that you might incorporate into your own teaching? Make a detailed list and describe when or why you might use these techniques.

4. Is there anything that you would change (mood, tone, pace, etc)

Daily Reflection Log

As you move through the training it can be very beneficial to check in with yourself everyday. This log acts as a prompt to help you reflect and observe – you may start to notice patterns emerging, and even shifts occurring in how you respond and react to the world as you get into the habit of observing your thoughts and reactions.

We highly recommend keeping up the practice of completing this log after each day in a journal or notebook throughout the training. You do not need to hand this in.

My Intention for today is……

How was I kind to myself today?

How present or in the moment was I today?

What did I notice today that inspired love or kindness?

What breath work did I do today and how do I feel?

What upset you or triggered a reaction/response?

Set an intention for the following day :)