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| AHYMSIN Newsletter, Issue - August 2012 | |||||
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Prana Vidya Continuing Educationfor Yoga Teachers and Studentsby Carolyn Hodges  Practice teaching with mentor feedback, hands-on learning about anatomy, guided silence, deepening one’s personal practice, earning continuing education credits. . . . are all components of Prana Vidya continuing education.   “Prana Vidya” is used to describe the Himalayan Yoga Tradition’s style of Hatha Yoga which emphasizes the subtle and meditative aspect of hatha yoga practice. Prana Vidya was also chosen as the name for the continuing education component of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition-Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP). Prana Vidya 1 (PV1) and Prana Vidya 2 (PV2) are each intensive five day retreats and were offered for the third consecutive year at the July 2012 North American TTP. Chuck Linke, Barb Bowie-Aschettino, Dr. Stephen (Stoma) Parker, Dr. Paul Emerson and their dedicated cadre of senior HYT teachers developed the Prana Vidya courses to run parallel to, support and extend the HYT Teacher Training Program.  Prana Vidya 1 was conceived primarily to help students currently in TTP get their practice teaching and anatomy/physiology hours required for the completion of their programs. This year Mary Bowman-Cline introduced the The Anatomy in Clay™ system of learning to a combined class of TTP2 and PV1 students. As Mary describes it, this unique approach brings the hands into the process of learning about anatomy.  Students mold various muscles with modelling clay and then attach them to a 1/4 size skeleton. This helps students learn about a muscle in a three dimensional format. The Anatomy in Clay ™ system uses the phrase, The Mind Cannot Forget What the Hands have Learned ™. Several of the students remarked that modelling the muscles in clay really helped them to visualize and memorize each muscle studied. During the class the students also palpated muscles, exploring and examining them by touching. They took turns palpating muscles as they were contracted and relaxed, feeling how the muscles worked. Rob Diggins, a Level 2 student, volunteered to be live model for Mary who drew muscles on his skin with an oil pencil, again giving another visual cue for the students.   Prana Vidya 2 is an opportunity for students and yoga teachers in the Himalayan Yoga Tradition and other traditions deepen their personal practice, be guided to a deeper state, and learn how to support their students from this deeper state. Participants earn Yoga Alliance continuing education units (CEUs). For HYT-TTP Level 2 students, it also satisfies the requirement for a three day guided silence retreat. This year’s experiential PV2 retreat included Level 2 intermediate components of silence, subtle body practices, bija and special mantras, bhandas and kriyas.   The Prana Vidya courses have been a popular addition to the traditional TTP offerings in North America. Chuck Linke, TTP International Director, notes that acquiring needed mentor contact hours is a big challenge for students, not only in North America but in our TTPs internationally. Offering the Prana Vidya courses in various locales around the world would help TTP students get their student teaching and mentoring hours and also introduce teachers and students from other traditions to the Himalayan Yoga Tradition. Innovative approaches such as Mary’s clay anatomy could enhance the learning of yoga students and teachers no matter what their backgrounds.   A final thanks to all the talented and dedicated faculty of the July 2012 NA TTP. Lead teachers included Chuck Linke and Peter Fabian (TTP Level 1); Mary Bowman-Cline (TTP Level 2); Paul Emerson, Rene David Alkalay and Randall Krause (Prana Vidya 1); and Stoma Parker (Prana Vidya 2). Swami Ma Radha Bharati headed the daily ashram program of meditations, relaxations and contemplative walking as well as contributing as a teacher and mentor. Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati, Sanjay Kumar, Salvatore Zambito, Michael Smith, Brian Hoffman, Jim Nelson and Ron Valle all shared their expertise and the inspiration of their presence.  A special thanks and acknowledgement to the incredible, outstanding students who chose to attend this TTP.
Editor’s Note:We invite you to visit the website of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition – Teacher Training Program (HYT-TTP):http://www.himalayanyogatradition.com/ More information about the teachers training retreat scheduled for 11th – 24th November 2012 at SRSG can be found here: http://www.himalayanyogatradition.com/india.html . Also scheduled: 24th March - 6th April 2013, HYT Teacher Training Retreat, Level 1, at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama. Swami Veda Bharati is scheduled to take a 5 – 7 year vow of silence on 10th March 2013. To read his silence announcement: http://www.ahymsin.org/main/index.php/Swami-Veda-Bharati/one-must-run-ones-life-by-a-spiritual-plan.html To read “Anatomy in Clay” by Mary Bowman-Cline: http://www.ahymsin.org/docs2/News/1202Feb/09.html
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