“F
or those continually tempered by the heat of tapa,
hatha yoga is like the hermitage giving protection
from the heat. For those always united in yoga,
hatha is the basis acting like a tortoise.”
Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Chapter 1, Verse 10Everyone knows the story of the hare who, in his arrogance, decided
to take a nap while the tortoise slowly plodded his way across the
finish line. This parable is profound and has much to teach the yoga
community too.
Why all the hurry to become a yoga teacher? Traditionally,
disciples would live with their guru in an ashram for 12 years before
embarking on a life of teaching. Nowadays, you can become a yoga
teacher in a few weeks!
What does yoga mean to you? In the traditional sense, yoga is a
spiritual path with many tools to help the separated soul become
one with its cosmic creator. Hatha yoga was seen as a stepping
stone towards a more profound and enduring awareness of the
oneness of being through meditation.
People even assume that hatha yoga means posture or asana
work only. It does not. Asana was seen as the first step towards
the subtle practices of pranayama and meditation so the more we
look into it, we find ourselves getting deeper and deeper into the
rabbit hole.
Don’t get me wrong. I love asana. I practice some asana every day.
There are so many practices you can incorporate into it and make
it a powerful health promoting practice. But there is so much more
to know and experience and as any seasoned practitioner will know,
there is no quick substitute for a slow, fermented vintage wine. Yoga
as exercise may be quick and fun but real yoga takes a long time
and it’s worth the wait.
Integral practice that incorporates many facets of yoga makes for
a richer experience that equips us with a higher level of functioning.
A balanced body and focused, disciplined mind can change your life
and others for the better.
The story of yoga is inspiring and we want to taste its fruits
quickly but the irony is that the deeper benefits can only come about
because of the time, effort and energy that has gone into practice.
We may start off as excitable hares enjoying the yoga vinyasas
that are helping us gain more freedom in our bodies but eventually
we begin to appreciate the value of moving with the slower rhythm
of the tortoise. We gain more clarity and insight into the nature of
things and are less swayed by the turbulent, fickle nature of our
minds and hearts. As the quote above says, yoga becomes like a
tortoise shell that can protect us from the ravages of the changing
world around us.
My first teacher training course was a one-month intensive in
India. I enjoyed the process tremendously and look back fondly on
the 16-hour days, but it did not prepare me to become a safe and
effective yoga teacher. I went on to do two further teacher training
courses after that for another five years or so in total and even then,
the greatest thing I learned was how to ask more questions.
Yoga teaching is a life-long vocation where you never stop being
a student. It is supported by a profound perennial philosophy that
helps you build a greater and more holistic paradigm of life than you
currently know. It touches on the unknowable. A truth that is felt yet
not consciously known is deeply humbling.
Savour it and let it find you. It can only see you if you stand still
for long enough.Tarik Dervish is a yoga teacher trainer for the British Wheel of Yoga
and an ayurvedic practitioner (yogawell.co.uk)Te acher zone
BWY INTEGRATION COURSE
Are you an existing Yoga teacher looking to
upgrade your qualification?Many Yoga teachers who have done shorter
courses are keen to study with the BWY
towards the achievement of a full Diploma.
A BWY Diploma enables you to join one of the
biggest Yoga communities in the country and
gain one of the most respected qualifications
in the profession.Our BWY Integration course is an intensive, one
year programme that enables you to work with
two highly experienced Diploma Course Tutors
in the following areas of learning:- Yoga philosophy including Patanjali’s Yoga
Sutras, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita
and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika - Legal and professional aspects of
Yoga teaching - Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga
- How to create robust courses and lesson plans
- Introduction to the basic principles
of Ayurveda - And a lot more!
The course will be co-run by Wendy Haring
(wendyoga.co.uk) and Tarik Dervish
(yogawell.co.uk)COURSE VENUE: Yoga Junction,
Crouch End N8 9PR
INTRODUCTORY DAY: 24th February 2019
COURSE MEETINGS: March-December
2019 (8 weekends, Saturdays 10-5.30pm,
Sundays 2-6pm, plus a 4 day residential
near Fareham).For further information and application
form please contact: Wendy Haring at
[email protected] or on 07719879798