IYENGAR® YOGA (UK) Ltd TEACHERS’ HANDBOOK www.iyengaryoga.org.uk ® used with permission of BKS IYENGAR, Trade Mark Owner IY (UK) Teachers Handbook – May 2018 CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 4 Essential Qualities of an Iyengar Yoga Teacher ............................................................... 5 Qualifications of a Disciple ................................................................................................... 6 Guidelines for the Teaching of Asana and Pranayama ................................................. 7 Guidelines on Yoga Therapy ............................................................................................... 8 Classes That Teachers Are Qualified to Take .................................................................... 9 Declaration Form for Students (An Example Resource) ............................................... 11 Teaching Asana to Pregnant Women ............................................................................ 12 Teaching Yoga Classes to Children & Vulnerable Adults: Special Requirements .... 12 Teacher Training in Iyengar Yoga .................................................................................... 13 First Aid Training Requirements for Teachers .................................................................. 14 The Certification Mark ........................................................................................................ 15 IY(UK) Certification Mark (CM) Sub-Licence Renewal (Continuing Iyengar Yoga Education and Professional Development) ................................................................... 17 Use of the Name ‘Iyengar’ by centres or businesses .................................................... 18 Re-Instatement of Full Teacher Membership of IY(UK).................................................. 19 Insurance for IY(UK) Teachers ........................................................................................... 20 Data Protection Act 1998 – IY(UK) Information for Members ................................... 21 Certificate Levels: Syllabus and Restrictions ................................................................... 22 Teaching Syllabus (for each level of teaching certificate) ......................................... 23 Introductory Level 1 ............................................................................................................ 23 Introductory Level 2 ............................................................................................................ 23 Intermediate Junior Level 1 ............................................................................................... 24 Intermediate Junior Level 2 ............................................................................................... 24 Intermediate Junior Level 3 ............................................................................................... 25 Intermediate Senior Level 1 ............................................................................................... 25 Intermediate Senior Level 2.............................................................................................. 26 Intermediate Senior Level 3 ............................................................................................... 26 Advanced Junior Levels 1, 2 and 3 .................................................................................. 27 Advanced Senior Levels 1 and 2 ..................................................................................... 28 2 IY (UK) Teachers Handbook – May 2018 Pranayama Syllabus ........................................................................................................... 28 Resources and Reference documents .......................................................................... 31 Selected Extracts from the Articles of IY(UK) Ltd .......................................................... 32 1. Title and nature of the Association .............................................................................. 32 2. Aims and objects of the Association ........................................................................... 32 Appendices from the IY(UK) Standing Orders .............................................................. 33 APPENDIX A: THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE RAMAMANI IYENGAR MEMORIAL YOGA INSTITUTE ................................................................................................................... 33 APPENDIX E: ETHICAL GUIDELINES FOR IYENGAR YOGA TEACHERS ............................ 34 APPENDIX G: PRINCIPLES FOR INTERPRETING THE TERM “NOT MIXING METHODS” .... 36 3 IY (UK) Teachers Handbook – May 2018 INTRODUCTION This Handbook has been produced in order to inform teachers about the rules and regulations of their Association (Iyengar Yoga (UK) Ltd) and about their role, rights and responsibilities within the Iyengar Yoga community. IY(UK) Ltd is the official Iyengar Yoga Association in the United Kingdom, so is sometimes referred to as ‘the Association’ (or by its old name, ‘IYA’). IYA(UK) has now been formed into a company called IY(UK) Ltd so that it has the legal status necessary to develop as an educational ‘awarding authority’ in the UK and to own the Master Certification Mark Licence necessary to be able to issue individual sub-licences to teachers. Within this Handbook, special attention should be paid to the sections emphasised by Yogacharya BKS Iyengar: the qualities of a teacher, the Aims and Objectives of RIMYI (the parent institute in Pune), ethical guidelines, not mixing methods, yoga therapy, yoga in pregnancy and teaching yoga to children, as well as other important information about the Certification Mark Sub-Licence and teacher membership renewal. Some of these sections form part of the IY(UK) Ltd company Articles and associated Standing Orders and Appendices. The Articles and Standing Orders (rules and regulations) of the Association form a large document which is amended or updated on a regular basis, and the same applies to the Handbook. Teachers should consult these documents regularly (available on-line from the website www.iyengaryoga.org.uk and familiarise themselves with the parts which are relevant to themselves as teachers. If access to a computer or printer is not available, paper copies of all the documents can be requested from the IY(UK) office(email [email protected] or ring the IY(UK) office; see the contact details inside the Iyengar Yoga News magazine. There is much that Iyengar yoga teachers should know and ignorance of the rules is a poor defence if they fail in their duties towards their students, IY(UK) is part of a strong, world-wide community of teachers who can all look to the inspiring and unparalleled example of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar. The same methodologies and programmes of study are followed throughout the world to maintain the high standards set by him. Although this Handbook is to remind teachers about aspects of their training and certification, ultimately it is the continued practice of Iyengar yoga which unites the community and underpins the work of Iyengar yoga teachers. Back to Contents 4 IY (UK) Teachers Handbook – May 2018 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF AN IYENGAR YOGA TEACHER by Yogacharya B. K. S. lyengar 1. Teaching is a difficult art, but it is the best service you can do to humanity. 2. Be strong and positive in your approach. The moment you show doubt in your teaching, you plant seeds of doubt in your pupil. 3. Be affirmative when teaching so as to create confidence in the pupil. Be negative within yourself so that you can reflect upon your work. Work on your own self, quietly at home, to find where you yourself have committed mistakes either in your explanations, or in the method of correcting your pupil. 4. In the art of teaching you have always to work as a learner. Teachers learn from their pupils, as every pupil is different in body and mind. It is the duty of the teacher to bring about unity in the body and mind of each individual pupil with varying traits. 5. You should have the humility to say that you are still learning the art. Never say, I am a teacher so I can teach. That is pride. 6. It is the nature of us all to protect our own bodies. When taking care of the bodies of your pupils, you have to be much more vigilant than of your own body. 7. Outwardly the teachers should be tremendously strong but deeply receptive to the needs of the pupil. Serve the pupil who has come to you, as if serving divinity. 8. Whilst teaching, show differentiation that your pupil is a pupil and you are his teacher. 9. Do not expect too much from your pupils, still generate the interest of the pupil so that you can extract more effort from him. 10. Never fail to admonish your pupil for mistakes or for not putting forward his best effort. Never praise a pupil, telling him that he is very good. The moment you lavish praise, you are praising your own self. This self-laudatory praise leads to the downfall of both teacher and pupil as it creates an attitude in the mind of the pupil that he is a very superior person. 11. Strive to forge ahead with your pupil. Build him up physically, mentally and spiritually by your own actions and example, and not mere words. 12. In the beginning children are dependent upon their parents. When the children mature, wise parents treat them as equals. Your approach towards your pupils should be similar, for you are