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Scope of the Training

The scope of SYT training is to enable trainees to give personalized effective guidance to yoga clients to overcome their physcial challenges and alleviate pain so that the deeper practices can bear fruit.  The ideal environment for this work is yoga centers, holistic health centers, and those serving as personal yoga mentors.

It is not a training suitable to those seeking to work in a medical environment.  It is not recommended for those students who have no medical training yet wish to work in a medical environment.  For those who wish to use yoga therapy in medical settings, consult the International Association of Yoga Therapists (www.iayt.org) who are seeking to create standards for medically oriented yoga therapy trainings.

This training is based on the Classical Yoga of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Krishnamacharya’s principle of “adapting to the individual”, and the spiritual teachings of Swami Muktananda. It is both profoundly practical and deeply spiritual.  It will enable you to give a detailed assessment of a client’s flexibility and strength and from that information to create a personalized Structural Yoga Therapy™ (SYT) program.  The program will be co taught by Zoe Kowalchuk (zoe-yoga@ecentral.com) and Mangala Warner (www.nesyt.com).

Prerequisites

This training is for certified yoga teachers and/or licensed health professionals with a grounding in yoga practice as sadhana with a minimum of 2 years of regular practice. Those teachers/therapists who work with a specialty population (pregnancy, aging, arthritis, etc.) need to dialog with Mukunda to decide whether their goals can be met with the SYT training.

Course Overview

Certification consists of 700 hours (300 contact hours and 430 non-contact) over 20 training days spanning a year.
The course consists of:

• 300 hours consisting of 180 class hours in a 20 day retreat program of 9 hrs. per day

• 60 hrs. individual mentoring of personal sadhana every other week for 10 months though email.

• 60 hrs. observing individual SYT sessions & follow-up of all trainees with Mukunda and staff to apply SYT principles to your personal sadhana.


430 non contact hours to include:

• An hour daily SYT practice, required readings - 220 hrs.

• 12 hrs. of study group time per month for 10 months - 120 hrs.

• A case study paper (see SYT Case Study Papers) to develop your capacity to adapt to a client's unique structural situation condition for a final paper - 90 hrs;

Costs for the program

Those who are undecided may attend the first session and pay separately for it. Anyone may attend all or any portion of this training for personal benefit without seeking professional SYT certification; payable at the rate of $15/hr.

Applicants who are Vermont residents may be eligible for a Grant from the Vermont Student Assistence Corporation. Interested students should contact Mukunda.

The Boulder course teaching fee is $5000, those paying in full before registration deadline can deduct $500 from the fee. A second option is to pay a deposit of $2000 before advance registration deadline (for Boulder that is April 15) the remaining balance in installments of $1000 due at the beginning of each month. For Boulder students that would require payments in July, August, and September. Fee for Amsterdam course is 3700 euros. If paid in advance in full by May 15 is 3300 euros. No one will be denied training due to lack of funds, contact Mukunda if you wish to propose other options.

In addition to these course fees, room and board fees vary. See the Accomodations page for motels and housing options some with kitchens. Some of them have double rooms lowering costs to about $45 US per person per night. Housing for Amsterdam training varies from bed and breakfast to more upscale housing from 40-80 euros per person. For details contact Chinnamasta at info@shivashaktiloka.com. SYT certification students will also need to allow for the additional costs of required readings, videos, and an optional scoliometer exam tool. The Structural Yoga Therapy Examination Manual, DVD of the SYT Manual, goniometer tool for measuring ROM are included in the cost of the program.

Certification Requirements for
Structural Yoga Therapist ™

The International Assoc. of Yoga Therapy has begun to create new professional training standards for yoga therapists; tentatively set to be March 2011. It is anticipated that the curriculum for yoga therapists well extend beyond the current 200 and 500 hours for Yoga Alliance registry. This course curriculum follows the guidelines of the Yoga Alliance 500 hr. registry program for teachers, though this is not a registered school. Students can become registered by applying to the Yoga Alliance (under their section D requirements).

Material to be mastered for certification includes -

• Names and actions of 35 surface muscles (kinesiology)

• Range of joint motions in SYT book and examination using goniometer

• Perform an accurate body reading of postural anomalies including scoliosis that may be underlying the client's structural stress or trauma.

• Muscle testing to isolate the strength of major movements and muscles

• In depth understanding of Yoga Sutras chapter 2, application of principles to create individualized sadhana and Yoga Therapy

• SYT Case study, approximately 15-20 pages, of 1-2 clients for an area of specialization. Practical demonstration of your ability to make beneficial recommendations for common Structural problems to restore peace and lessen pain.

NOTE - Certification will be given as a sign of your competency to work with individual clients in the SYT method and a willingness to maintain an ongoing relationship with Mukunda, his staff and other graduates. Not all who attend the course are certified.

Required Reading and Tools

NOTE - Course material are provided at first class. The SYT Examination Manual, the DVD of the Manual, and goniometer are only sold to registered students.

Structural Yoga Therapy by Mukunda Stiles. Buy now

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Mukunda Stiles. Buy now

Yoga Therapy for Knees and Shoulders by Mukunda Stiles. Buy now

Joint Freeing Series - DVD by Mukunda Stiles and Holly Minor. Buy now

Scoliometer - for screening of spinal curvature (scoliosis) - highly recommended, not required.  Buy now

Advanced Anatomy Study

Once you have mastered functional anatomy/kinesiology from SYT chapters 11-16, deepen your knowledge of this subject by learning the specific actions of the 35 muscles presented in the program. A wonderfully clear book for learning origin-insertion-action is Chris Jarney, Concise Book of Muscles. Publishers Lotus, UK and North Atlantic Books, Berkeley). This level of expertise is beyond the scope of the course.

For other Recommended Readings, click here.

Advanced Trainings

The following specialty trainings are open to anyone but specifically for SYT graduates to maintain their on going education requirement.

• Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy - 3 progressive courses - 6 day sadhana covering the AYT book; teacher training; and using AYT in therapeutic settings

• Yoga Bodywork & Ayurvedic Massage - 2 courses - physical manipulation to alleviate sciatica, limited ROM of hips, shoulders and neck (see SYT page 181); energetic bodywork to balance the five pranas and restore our innate healing capacity

• Sadhana from the Yoga Sutras and Vasistha's Yoga - offered in GANESHPURI (near Mumbai) India EACH January

• Tantrik Yoga - pranic energy and devotional spiritual practices

Certified Structural Yoga Therapists

Please see - Certified Structural Yoga Therapists - for details.

SYT Case Study Papers

Please see SYT Case Study Papers for a sample of conditions improved by certified Structural Yoga Therapists.