Foundations Yoga Teacher Training

Established 2015

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JP Centre Yoga

Boston, MA

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Purpose

To provide a comprehensive foundation in yoga practice, philosophy, and teaching skills.

What to expect

An immersive experience blending practice, study, and teaching skills. Students can expect daily asana, pranayama, and meditation; exploration of yogic texts and philosophy; study of anatomy and functional movement; and training in inclusive, direct, trauma-informed teaching. Learning unfolds through practice, lecture, group discussion, and practice teaching, offering multiple ways to engage and integrate the material.

Style/Lineage

A modern, integrative approach drawing from Vinyasa, Iyengar, Forrest, Restorative, Yoga Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Yoga, grounded in classical yogic texts and philosophy while emphasizing inclusivity, accessibility, and social justice.

Additional Information

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Teaching Skills	Offer hands-on assists during a yoga class using a dynamic consent process, appropriate touch, and continuous awareness of the student's response. Lead a yoga class using a variety of teaching tools—verbal cues, demonstration, observation, and hands-on assists—with presence and clarity. Examine how the use of Sanskrit, mantra, and deity imagery in Western yoga can become either a meaningful bridge to tradition or a form of appropriation.
Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics	Examine how a student's anatomy may influence their experience of a pose and determine when modification or a different approach is warranted. Explain how the spinal curves, hip joint structure, and shoulder girdle mechanics influence movement patterns and injury risk in yoga. Explain how fascial continuity means that tension or restriction in one area of the body can influence movement and sensation in a seemingly unrelated area. Identify common physical limitations and yoga-related injuries, including issues of the hamstrings, lower back, knees, wrists, and neck.
Practice Skills	Examine how different breath ratios and retention patterns produce different physiological and energetic effects during yoga practice. Assess a beginner's execution of key foundational poses and provide clear, constructive feedback that supports their understanding and safety. Examine the sequencing logic that prepares the body for backbends, twists, inversions, and deep forward bends and identify gaps in a sample sequence. Explain how restorative and Yin practices affect the nervous system differently from active asana and why they are essential tools for a Level 1 teacher. Build a complete yoga class sequence with a clear arc, appropriate transitions, and choices that reflect the intended level and theme. Explain how yoga practice moves through the layers of the koshas, addressing the physical, energetic, mental, wisdom, and bliss bodies in sequence.
Yoga History & Theory	Assess whether a yoga program accurately represents the historical and cultural origins of the tradition in its curriculum and marketing. Assess a yoga studio or teacher training for how honestly and thoroughly it addresses cultural appropriation and equitable access. Assess how deeply a yoga program integrates the philosophical teachings of the Yoga Sutras into its curriculum and teacher development. Explain how the gunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—influence the quality of a person's mind and energy, and how yoga practice affects guna balance.
Lifestyle & Ethics	Assess your own teaching practice and community behavior for alignment with the ethical principles outlined in the Yamas, Niyamas, and community agreements. Explain how clear boundaries between teacher and student protect both parties and support a safer, more equitable yoga environment. Explain how the yamas and niyamas provide ethical and lifestyle guidelines that extend beyond the mat into daily decisions and professional conduct.
Business Skills	Explain how the yoga industry operates as a commercial space with unequal access, and how a teacher's business choices reflect their values. Identify the primary pathways for building a yoga teaching career, including studio employment, freelance classes, private sessions, and online offerings. Identify the key marketing channels available to yoga teachers, including social media, word of mouth, studio partnerships, and email communication.

AYC allows each school to state and evaluate the competencies each student acquires. Students rate how well the program delivered them.

Program Emphasis

Evaluation methods

Program evaluations

Solo Project Or Presentation
Oral Exam
Written Submission
Direct Observation

Students will be evaluated through a combination of written and oral exams/submission, solo/group projects, and direct observations followed with instructor feedback