Sharing yoga knowledge that deepens anyone’s practice, and imparting the craft of teaching yoga, is the work Colleen and Rodney are most inspired to do. Come and join them and their illustrious faculty at the beautiful Yoga Shanti studio in Sag Harbor, New York, for a training that will change your life.
The Yoga Shanti Teacher Training Program will take place over the course of 8 months, one weekend a month, from October 2013 through May 2014 at Yoga Shanti. Weekends will include Friday afternoons/evenings and all day on Saturday and Sunday. The program consists of 184 hours of classroom time plus the following requirements to make up a total of 300 plus hours of study: structured home practice course through Gaiam Yoga Studio; supervised observing and assisting in public classes taught by Program Faculty; attendance in a specified number of community yoga classes; and homework including keeping a daily practice journal and completing writing assignments and required readings.
The program curriculum includes focus on practice of asana, pranayama, and meditation; teaching methodologies, sequencing, and effective manual adjustments; anatomy and kinesiology; yoga history and philosophy; basic Sanskrit and chanting; student teaching and evaluation; and plenty of discussion and interaction.
The program is geared toward students with a minimum of two years dedicated yoga practice, although we encourage all interested and dedicated students to apply! The program involves an actual 300 hours of study, and successful completion of the program will qualify the graduate to register with the Yoga Alliance at the 200-hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) level.

Lead by Colleen Saidman Yee and Rodney Yee, guest faculty includes world renowned and esteemed Yoga teachers Richard Rosen, Richard Freeman (to be confirmed), Heidi Fokine, Manorama, Susan Lippy Orem and Sinead Fitzgibbon teaching anatomy.
| November 8-10 (Fri to Sun) | Colleen & Rodney ~ Welcome and Introduction, Program Overview, Home Practice, Focus on Standing Poses |
| November 22-24 (Fri to Sun) | Colleen & Rodney ~ Yoga, plus Anatomy and/or Sanskrit |
| December 13-15 (Fri to Sun) | Heidi Fokine & Kari Harendorf ~ Yoga, Teaching Skills plus Anatomy and/or Sanskrit |
| January 10-12 (Fri to Sun) | Richard Freeman ~ Fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga, Philosophy |
| February 7-9 (Fri to Sun) | Richard Rosen ~ Yoga, Pranayama, History and Philosophy |
| March 21-23 (Fri to Sun) | Colleen & Rodney ~ Yoga, plus Anatomy and/or Sanskrit |
| April 11-13(Fri to Sun) | Colleen & Rodney ~ Yoga Asana |
| May 15-18 (Fri to Sun) | Retreat at Menla Mountain Retreat Center ~ Practice Teaching |
| July 2014 | Graduation Ceremony |
The following is the schedule for the first weekend. All weekends will follow the same general format.
| Friday | |
| 4-4:30 | Pranayama: Setting up |
| 4:30-4:45 | Welcome |
| 4:45-6:30 | Asana |
| 6:30-6:45 | Break |
| 6:45-7:45 | Program Overview |
| 7:45-8 | Question and Answer |
| 8-8:30 | Meditation |
| Saturday | |
| 8:-8:30 | Pranayama: The Foundation is Savasana |
| 8:30-9 | Pranayama Discussion and Questions |
| 9-9:15 | Break |
| 9:15-12 | Asana: Practice and Sequencing – Standing Poses |
| 12-12:30 | Discussion of Sequencing |
| 12:30 -2 | LUNCH |
| 2-2:15 | Digestive Restorative Pose: Reclined Cobblers |
| 2:15-3:45 | Technique: Fundamental Alignment of Standing Poses – Stride and Foot Position and Basic Action of Legs |
| 3:45-4:45 | Observation: Seeing and Understanding Bodies |
| 4:45-5:45 | Manual Adjustments: Basic Concepts |
| 5:45-6 | Question and Answer |
| 6-6:30 | Meditation: Finding Your Seat |
| Sunday | |
| 8:-8:30 | Pranayama: Direction of Breath |
| 8:30-9 | Pranayama Discussion and Questions |
| 9-9:15 | Break |
| 9:15-12 | Asana: Practice and Sequencing – Standing Poses |
| 12-12:30 | Discussion of Sequencing |
| 12:30 -2 | LUNCH |
| 2-2:15 | Digestive Restorative Pose: Reclined Cross-Legged Pose |
| 2:15-3:45 | Technique: Fundamental Alignment of Standing Poses – Basic Position of Pelvis |
| 3:45-4:45 | Observation: Seeing and Understanding Bodies |
| 4:45-5:30 | Manual Adjustments: Downward Facing Dog |
| 5:30-5:45 | Question and Answer |
| 5:45-6 | Meditation: Finding your seat – Basic Modifications |
The final weekend of the Teacher Training will be a 4-day retreat with all students and faculty held at Menla Mountain Retreat Center in Phoenicia, New York . The retreat will begin on Thursday afternoon, May 15th, and go through early Sunday afternoon, May 18th. Basic accommodations (shared lodging) are included in the tuition. If you choose to upgrade to a single or double room with private bath, an upgrade fee will be applied.
Required Reference Books:
Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama by Richard Rosen
The Mirror of Yoga by Richard Freeman
Anatomy Book (to be determined)
Other Possible Readings to be Assigned:
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
The Upanishad (recommended translation to be announced)
The Bhagavad Gita (recommended translation to be announced)
Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
Yoga Props: Yoga Props for home practice: yoga mat, strap, two blocks, three blankets, bolster, and chair.
Students are required to sign up for the Gaiam Yoga Studio and work through the 12-week series. Before the first class, students must complete at least the first 3 weeks (bare minimum 2 weeks). Sign up through this link and get the first week free: Gaiam Yoga Studio.
Full tuition for the program is $5250 ($4750 with $500 Early Bird Discount until Sept 1, 2013). A deposit of $250 is required for application, this is non-refundable if you are accepted into the program, but it will be applied towardsyour tuition. There will be a link for you to pay this deposit once you have submitted the online application.
Upon acceptance into the program, the full balance payment will be due. We do offer payment plans (either 3 or 6 installments) for students who wish to defer payment. These plans incur an administration fee and are set up using automatic payments from your credit card on predetermined dates. Details will be provided upon acceptance to the program.
We can provide a list of hotels and restaurants offering discounted rates to Yoga Shanti Teacher Training Students. One local hotel has offered off-season rates to Teacher Training Students of $65 a night.
Applications will be accepted until September 30th, 2013. A limited number of students will be accepted, and admittance into the program will be granted in order of receipt of applications. A $250 deposit is required with submission of the application (this is non-refundable if you are accepted into the program). The deposit amount will be applied to your tuition. You will be notified of your acceptance (or denial) into the program within two weeks of our receipt of your completed application.
Lisa Olsen
lisas@yeeyoga.com
575-770-2379