Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if this is the right training for me?
For those of you who have not had any personal introduction or recommendation to us here at Inspira Yoga, we appreciate that it may be very difficult for you to choose from the many yoga schools that are currently offering trainings. Every year more and more new schools are appearing and it is a difficult task to select the training that is right for you from merely reading a website.
We hope that you select us to train with because you resonate with our approach and that you recognise that we offer more than just a yoga teacher training. Our trainings allow yoga enthusiasts to truly embody and embrace the spirit of yoga in their lives. During the training there is a lot of personal internal processing that takes place, a different perspective is cultivated that supports a more holistic and yogic lifestyle. A lot of our students lead very busy lives in London and they say that the format of 6 weekends over a year with a final intensive week in Southern Spain makes it really accessible for them whilst working and gives them the chance to really absorb all the training and consolidate everything in the amazing final week in our stunning cortijo in Andalusia.
After reading through all the information on our website should you wish to connect with us on a personal level we would love to arrange a Skype call, a phone call, or come along and try a taster of our current teacher training. Contact us here or via email at inspirayogauk@gmail.com and we will get in touch 🙂
Why choose Mark and Raquel?
Mark and Raquel have successfully trained over 1,000 students to become teachers. With a long standing reputation for quality teaching and a training format that has organically evolved over the years, you can be sure that attending Inspira Yoga teacher training means that you have chosen both an integral and experienced yoga school.
Inspira Yoga is credited for the relaxed and easy going atmosphere with a real family feel cultivated by the teachers on all of our yoga teacher training courses. We offer a down to earth presentation of authentic yoga teachings, bringing ancient wisdom into a relevant and digestible format that students can easily understand and apply to both their practice and daily living. With a comprehensive and practical approach we guide students to awaken their inner teacher as their main source of inspiration, guidance and wisdom for self-practice and for teaching others. The training is definitely challenging and requires a lot of dedication and focused study which we aim to achieve with lightness, warmth and smiles all around
Who is this course for?
This course is not just for people who feel they may want to teach yoga. The course allows you the time and space to take a break from your normal routine and touch base with the deeper levels of your Being. In doing so you are able to transform yourself and your life on many levels. This course touches every aspect of your life; how you live, what you eat, what you think, what you do, how you feel about yourself and the world and will help you to make realistic changes towards a more holistic and yogic lifestyle.
- Do you want to discover new ways to navigate through life?
- Do you want to create positive changes in your daily living?
- Do you want to become self-empowered to maintain a healthy body and mind?
- Do you want to develop a more intimate and loving relationship with yourself and the world?
- Do you have a burning desire to learn about yoga and share it with the world?
There are many reasons to join Inspira Yoga teacher training. Whatever your reason, as long as you have the fitness (physical and mental) to meet the challenges that the course presents and you are willing to give yourself 100% to a very intensive and rewarding learning experience, please come and join us.
How much yoga experience do I need to be able to do a Teacher Training?
Our 200 hour Level 1 training is suitable for yoga practitioners from all levels of ability, beginners, intermediate and advanced. The course is structured in such a way that each person starts at the same point and works their way systematically and consistently to the end. We encourage students from all backgrounds with different levels of experience to join the course. We believe that a seasoned practitioner can learn as much as a less experienced practitioner and vice versa. Having students with different levels of experience on the course ensures that the classroom environment is reflective of the type of students that will make up your class when you go on to teach. An integral part of the course is breaking down asana to their absolute basics with an emphasis on integrity and alignment. Similar to the way that yoga is not just asana, other areas such as philosophy, anatomy, Ayurveda, classroom management, yoga lifestyle etc. are also integral to developing yourself as a yoga teacher.
What style of yoga will I be learning to teach?
Yoga is a vast subject area with many traditions and styles. Our program is based on a systematic and progressive learning approach designed to get trainees teaching safely and effectively in a relatively short period of time. For the 200 Hr. training, we use the Modified Ashtanga Primary Series as a foundation to ensure students have an in-depth knowledge of approximately 40 postures when they graduate. However during the course we will be teaching vinyasa flow, yin yoga and restorative yoga so you can learn and experience different styles to motivate you to teach the style of yoga that most resonates with your practice. This method of ‘teaching to teach’ is followed through at an advanced level for the 300 Hr., adding a suite of additional asana from the Ashtanga Series to that already completed at the 200 Hr. Expect to practice teaching traditional ashtanga yoga with vinyasa for your trainings and also for development of your personal practice. We use Iyengar techniques for alignment and adjusting. Our teachers are experienced in many different styles and come from various lineages and therefore we ask students to arrive with an open mind and heart ready to get the most from the course.
Will I have the opportunity to actually teach on the course?
From week one of the 200 hour training, our trainees begin teaching in pairs, and from the middle of week two begin to practice hands on adjustments always under the supervision of senior teachers and assistants. By the end of the course trainees will have experience of a number of hours of smaller and whole group teaching, with a corresponding increase in teaching skills, knowledge and most importantly, self-confidence. We believe this is one reason why a large number of our graduates go on to teach immediately after graduation.
Will I be qualified to teach when I graduate and at what level?
Our aim is to ensure that students who graduate from our trainings can always lead a high standard and professional beginner-intermediate class with confidence, ease and safety. Graduates who attend all classes, complete all assignments and pass all assessments will be issued with a Certificate and are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance USA to become an RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) at the 200 Hr. level. You will graduate with the skills and the hands-on practice to manage and teach a student group safely and with confidence. Most graduates without prior teaching experience go on to start teaching beginners classes immediately when they return home. Trainees who are 100% committed during the course and afterwards with their own practice have a very high success rate as teachers.
I want to join the course to deepen my practice, is this okay?
Many students join the course with this objective in mind and they invariably get as much out of the course as those who have enrolled with the main objective of becoming yoga teachers. However, as it is a teacher training course, the curriculum is geared towards teaching and all trainees are expected to achieve learning outcomes regardless of personal goals. Our TTC is not a retreat and we place strong emphasis on becoming a working teacher after graduation. However in many cases we have had students who just wanted to deepen their knowledge in different yoga techniques and they have loved the course.
Certification?
To receive certification trainees must attend 95% of classes. Should you become ill during the course you will be required to let us know so we can call a doctor if necessary and we can arrange for you to make up any missed classes.
Is there an exam at the end?
Throughout the training period trainees are assessed for competency through practical assignments to ensure they are meeting the learning objectives of the training. There is a final multiple choice exam at the end which only covers areas specifically taught during training and is very student friendly 🙂
Will I have free time?
For our intensive course the classes start at 6.30am and finish between 6:30pm and 7 pm every evening. There are also appropriate breaks built in for meals and rest and 1 full day off per week.
Sample daily schedule for our intensive course:
Week Days
- 06:30-10:00 – Kriyas, Asana, Pranayama & Meditation (taught class)
- 10:00-11:00 – Breakfast
- 11.00-13:00 – Lecture
- 13:00-15:45 – Self catered lunch
- 15:45-16:00 – Lecture
- 16:00-18:00 – Teaching methodology and teaching practice
- 18:00-19:00 – Chanting, yoga nidra, open discussions ( 3 to 4 evenings per week )
- 19:00-20:00 – Self catered Dinner
For our 1 year course the London classes start at 9am and finish around 6pm every evening. There is a short break in the morning and afternoon as well as an hour for lunch.
Sample daily schedule for our 1-year course:
London Weekends (there will be 6 of these):
Saturday
- 09:00-11:30 – Asana, Pranayama & Meditation (taught class)
- 11.30-13:00 – Lecture: What is yoga?
- 13:00-14:00 – Lunch
- 14:00-16:00 – Lecture: Yamas & Niyamas
- 16:00-18:00 – Teaching methodology and teaching practice
Sunday
- 09:00-11:30 – Asana, Pranayama & Meditation (taught class)
- 11.30-13:00 – Asana structuring and sequencing
- 13:00-14:00 – Lunch
- 14:00-16:00 – Lecture: Yoga anatomy and physiology
- 16:00-18:00 – Teaching methodology and teaching practice
Final Week in Spain:
Daily
- 06:00-10:00 – Asana, Pranayama & Meditation (taught class)
- 10:00-11:00 – Vegetarian Breakfast
- 11.00-13:00 – Lecture
- 13:00-15:00 – Vegetarian Lunch
- 15:00-16:00 – Lecture
- 16:00-18:00 – Teaching methodology and teaching practice
- 18:00-19:00 – Chanting
- 19:00-20:00 – Vegetarian Dinner
Syllabus * Yoga philosophy * The 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga *Yoga history & the different paths of yoga *Yoga living, lifestyle & diet * Asana, Pranayama and Meditation practices *Yoga asana methodology *Teaching skills *Introduction to basic adjustments *Structuring and Sequencing *Yoga Nidra *Anatomy and physiology *The subtle body, chakras and nadis *Beginner kriyas *Basic principles of Ayurveda *Healing & massage *Chanting *Establishing yourself as a yoga teacher *The business of Yoga & Ethics
How many students are on the course?
We like to keep the course numbers low and try to maintain a ratio of 1 senior teacher per 4 students. When we have 3 senior teachers per course we limit the number of trainees to 12 to give a very personal, tailored and hands on training.
What type of students attend the trainings?
Our trainees range in age from 18 to 70 and come from all over the globe… Mums, dads, partners, male, female, all professions, all individuals! Amongst our training groups you will meet peers from Europe, Australia, South America, India, Canada and America. Some of our trainees have been practicing for 20 years and some for six months. Basically a great blend! We are very proud of our graduate teachers who are teaching successfully all over the world.
How do I get to Orgiva by public transport?
The bus company Alsa goes to Orgiva, check them out to find routes and up to date timetables – https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/home
How do I secure my place on the yoga teacher training course?
Please complete the forms on our website and pay your deposit or email us directly at inspirayogauk@gmail.com. It will be processed within two working days and we will notify you of the outcome by email. In the unlikely event you do not hear from us, please check your spam filter or contact us. The approval email will include lots of information so read it carefully and let us know if you have any questions. Please read our Terms & Conditions before submitting payment.
Should I bring my own yoga mat?
For hygiene reasons you will need a yoga mat of your own during the 3 week intensive course. During our 1-year course, mats will be provided at the yoga studio in London if you would like to use them, however, you will need to bring your own mat to Spain at the end of the course.
What is included in the Teacher Training fee?
3 week Intensive Course: the cost of training, training manual, daily breakfast and early morning tea, accommodation, transfers from Orgiva but not the airport.
1-Year Course: the cost of training, training manual, food in Spain, accommodation in Spain, transfers from Orgiva to the farmhouse in Spain but not the airport.
What should I budget for food?
You can expect to pay approximately 40-60 euros per week during the intensive course.
I am not familiar with the Ashtanga asanas can I still attend?
We will be studying a broad range of asanas including postures that are not in the primary series. We hope all trainees will experience the training as an opportunity to broaden their practice and understanding of asana and many other yoga disciplines. As we introduce the different principles of asanas (breath, bandhas, dristhi) students begin to recognise that the dynamics of what is going on inside an asana is always the same and it’s just the outside shape that changes. So at the end of the training it will not be so daunting in the future to attempt new and unfamiliar postures with your new found knowledge of the fundamentals that you will learn. Whilst we do not expect you to be a regular Ashtanga practitioner we do recommend that you have at least attended ashtanga or vinyasa flow classes to become familiar with a flowing practice or if that is not possible you should practice independently using a self-practice dvd.
Self-Practice
Nowadays, yoga is usually taught in a class scenario where everyone is different physically and emotionally, so classes are a great place to experiment and play, not a place to practice ´advanced yoga´.
Traditionally Hatha Yoga practices were passed down orally from guru to student on a one to one basis making each yoga practice unique to the practitioner. In most cases the student was encouraged to leave the master and continue on their own after a period of time. This has been the case up until very recent times particularly with Vini Yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa.
Here at Inspira Yoga we give you the knowledge to practice safe asanas at all levels and teach you how to sequence a self-practice class.
Facilitating space to open up, to feel your body and mind, and customise a practice according to how you feel at that time that changes from day to day. One of our main focuses is to guide you towards deepening into a strong self-practice and a more yogic lifestyle. We create a space whereby each person is invited to appreciate and nurture their own individuality, developing a self-practice that reflects how and what one is feeling in each and every moment so that the sequencing of one’s practice or teaching becomes more spontaneous and explorative.
Asana
The style we teach is a joyful, creative and intelligent modified Ashtanga Primary Series flow, which can be easily adapted to different levels of ability and different tempos. At the end of the training, you will not only be qualified to teach the modified Ashtanga Primary Series but will also have the tools to create other styles like Vinyasa flow and a more restorative yoga.
Also taught on the course, we focus on Sthira Sukha Asanam, firm-steady-pose, inner silence, ease of breath, union of mind-body-spirit, and a sense of connection within and without.
With this method you will be able to guide your students honouring the different levels of abilities and limitations, always respecting the traditional spiritual aspect of yoga which comes from connecting the physical aspects of asanas with the more subtle aspects of ourselves such as the breath, mind and the emotions.
Pranayama
Physical well-being. Lightness of heart. Clarity of mind. Inner and outer health and fulfilment. Weight loss. Purpose, intention, and direction. If you could produce these sorts of results without any cost, equipment, office visits, travel, or special talent, would you be interested? If all it took was 30 minutes a day, would you take the next step?
Pranayama is the art and science of yogic breathing techniques, and these techniques will reliably produce the benefits listed above. Things that sound too good to be true—the latest fad diet, get-rich-quick schemes—usually are. But yogic breathing exercises actually deliver the benefits they promise.
It should come as no surprise that breathing is one of the most important and intricate activities we engage in. In many ways, our conscious life begins with our first breath and ends with our last.
The word “inspiration” from where we take our name ´Inspira Yoga’ refers to both the act of breathing in, as well as, the state of being filled with spirit and energy.
The aim of both yoga in general and pranayama in particular is to help us participate in the nearly unlimited intelligence of the life force so that we can share in its capacities. Instead of fighting nature, we gradually become able to partner with it. When the ancient seers began their study of the potential of being human thousands of years ago, they soon saw that working with the breath could yield impressive results toward greater aliveness, self-expression, and power. The breath is one of the easiest doorways into the capabilities of the human nervous system because it touches every aspect of our being: physical, physiological, psych emotional, and spiritual.
On the Inspira Yoga 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training, we will progressively teach you basic pranayama techniques in order to create an experiential awareness in the trainee and provide all the necessary tool to share these transformative teachings.
Meditation
Meditation helps one become calm, develop concentration, get a balanced perspective on life, and cultivate unshakeable happiness and spiritual magnetism. The spectrum of techniques we share during the training are based on the highest ancient yogic practices of India. Including breath awareness, antar mouna, yoga nidra and, dynamic meditation to mention but a few.
Students will practice and teach extensively during the training, with ample guidance and feedback from instructors to prepare you to teach meditation skills to anyone.
Philosophy
At Inspira Yoga, the ancient teachings of the East are taught in a modern way suitable for the Western mind so students can flourish in their practice and naturally gravitate to a more yogic lifestyle. We have no bias to any particular spiritual teachings and teach in a non-dogmatic way which embraces many spiritual traditions and paths.
Studying the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we focus on the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. The eight limbs illuminates our understanding of what yoga is and how to practice. We like to think that the ‘real’ teachings come from all those who participate in the training discussing, sharing, exploring and debating yoga practice and yogic lifestyle in the animated philosophical sessions that take place each week.