Rising Lotus Yoga Foundational Teacher Training

Established 2008

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Rising Lotus Yoga

Program Instances

Hybrid

Dates: TBD

200 hours • TBD

Led by

Claire Hartley

CYT-L3

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Purpose

The purpose of the Rising Lotus Yoga Teacher Training is to develop knowledgeable, confident and adaptable yoga teachers who can teach safely and effectively to a wide range of students, in group class and one-on-one formats

The program combines a deepening of personal practice with practical teaching skills, yoga philosophy, applied anatomy, movement science, sequencing and real-world teaching experience.

What to expect

Students can expect an immersive and highly experiential training that combines personal practice, academic study and hands-on teaching experience. The program begins by helping trainees deepen their understanding of their own bodies and movement patterns through asana, functional anatomy, breath mechanics, motor-control learning and Structural Vinyasa principles.

Trainees study common yoga postures in depth, learning how and why poses work, how to modify them, and how to make practices accessible to students with different bodies, abilities and experience levels. Training also includes sequencing, therapeutics, use of props, meditation, yoga philosophy and the Yoga Sutras.

As the program progresses, the emphasis shifts from being a student to becoming a teacher. Trainees develop skills in observation, communication, voice, presence, sequencing, presenting dharma and teaching groups. Practice teaching takes place in a supportive environment where students can experiment, receive feedback and gradually develop their individual teaching voice.

The final portion of the program emphasizes integration and real-world teaching experience through independent practice teaching and, when available, mentorship and classroom assisting with experienced Rising Lotus teachers.

Style/Lineage

Rising Lotus Yoga is a mixed-lineage school rooted in the broader tradition of Hatha Yoga and informed by multiple contemporary approaches to asana and movement. Rather than adhering to one prescribed style, our program encourages students to understand the principles underlying the practice and to develop an intelligent, adaptable approach to teaching.

Additional Information

Trainee competencies are evaluated through a combination of open-book and closed-book written examinations, oral anatomy and movement assessments, written homework, individual and group sequencing assignments, supervised practice teaching, graded demonstrations, video submissions, Dharma presentations, mentor-assisted teaching, and independent teaching hours.

Core competencies

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

Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics	Demonstrate and describe movement through the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes and identify the major bones of the skeleton, accurately connecting skeletal structures to movement. Analyze stability and mobility demands in movement and apply biomechanical principles to identify and reduce common compensatory movement patterns associated with inefficient alignment, stability, mobility, or loading. Analyze basic forms of stretching and their relationship to stability and active range of motion, including situations in which stretching may be inappropriate and how stretching may influence pain patterns. Apply the Beighton Score as a basic screening tool for possible generalized hypermobility by accurately performing the assessment, recording results, and recognizing when findings may warrant additional professional evaluation. Apply knowledge of key core muscles, including the diaphragm and transversus abdominis, by locating relevant muscles and using appropriate hands-on palpation to assess basic muscular engagement and tone. Explain spinal load sharing and organization by describing the natural curves and basic structure of the vertebral column and explaining how the alignment of the feet, pelvis, rib cage, shoulder girdle, head, and neck influences load distribution through the spine.
Practice Skills	Develop and practice a personalized breathing routine incorporating supine 90/90 and crocodile breathing to support core engagement and intra-abdominal pressure, and apply appropriate breathing rehabilitation techniques to identified breathing patterns or deficiencies. Organize and describe common foundational āsanas by documenting their basic forms, primary actions, and distinguishing characteristics. Demonstrate appropriate positioning of major joints in common yoga āsanas and apply this understanding across different planes of movement and postural variations. Apply principles of movement, breathing, and biomechanics to personal practice by identifying individual pain or compensation patterns and exploring appropriate movement strategies to reduce unnecessary joint and muscular stress. Develop and maintain a regular meditation and self-observation practice that uses attention, discernment, and awareness to identify and reflect on habitual patterns.
Teaching Skills	Demonstrate appropriate modifications of common yoga postures using a chair by selecting and applying chair support that enhances accessibility, stability, safety, or functional movement. Plan and lead up to twenty independent yoga sessions, demonstrating appropriate sequencing, cueing, observation, pacing, and class management, and document each session with sequence notes and relevant student feedback. Create cohesive yoga sequences around a stated intention, movement theme, or apex pose by selecting appropriate warm-ups, organizing related pose families, and progressively preparing students for increased complexity. Apply concise, affirmative, and anatomically appropriate verbal cues for basic āsanas by naming the pose, teaching from the foundation upward, coordinating breath with movement, allowing time for student response, and progressing from gross to subtle actions. Apply appropriate modifications and props to common āsanas by adapting instruction, variations, and support according to the needs, abilities, and circumstances of the students present. Teach foundational āsanas to a group using clear, concise, and appropriately sequenced verbal instructions that demonstrate confidence, accurate cueing, and responsiveness to student needs. Apply hands-on assisting principles by prioritizing consent, observation, stability, appropriate use of props, minimal effective intervention, and respect for student boundaries and autonomy. Develop and teach an assigned āsana with clear, accurate instruction and an appropriate philosophical or dharma theme, demonstrating meaningful integration between the physical practice and teaching theme.
Yoga History & Theory	Explain foundational teachings of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, including the definition and purpose of yoga and the eight-limbed framework traditionally associated with rāja yoga. Explain foundational concepts of yogic psychology, including puruṣa and prakṛti, the guṇas, kleśas, saṃskāras, abhyāsa, and vairāgya, and apply these concepts to personal practice and everyday experiences. Compare the aims and practices of haṭha yoga and rāja yoga by examining the relationship among āsana, prāṇāyāma, subtle-energy practices, and meditation as described in traditional yoga texts.
Lifestyle & Ethics	Apply the ethical principles of the yamas and niyamas to personal practice, teaching relationships, and contemporary situations involving responsibility, honesty, non-harming, self-study, and the appropriate use of power.
Business Skills	Develop a basic framework for working with private yoga clients by establishing processes for identifying client goals and needs, conducting intake, creating an appropriate teaching environment, maintaining professional communication, and establishing clear booking and cancellation policies. Develop a basic strategy for building a sustainable yoga-teaching practice by identifying a professional niche, communicating services clearly, applying educational marketing approaches, and establishing consistent career-development practices.
Other	Participate in theater games and experiential exercises that develop confidence in leading others, demonstrating increased comfort, presence, spontaneity, and ability to facilitate simple activities with reduced performance anxiety.

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

Oral Exam
Written Exam
Group Project Or Presentation
Case Study
Written Submission
Other
Direct Observation
Solo Project Or Presentation

.We have an open book test at weeks in that is administered through google forms

At 11 weeks they have a written in person test, which I have included here.

We use google classroom, they have weekly homework to complete and they upload it there. We go over the homework as a cohort and we go over the homework individually and mark up thru google docs. The coursework is often adjusted slightly week to week to engage with what the cohort is having trouble understanding and to engage them with different styles of learning according to who's having the biggest issues.

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Program Faculty

Featured Faculty

Claire Hartley

Over two decades of experience teaching. Creator of Structural Vinyasa, a bio-mechanically focused practice to improve joint control, stability, motor control and movement freedom.

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