Prerequisites

A positive attitude. We’re serious! A sense of openness & a desire to learn are truly the most important things you can bring to this training.

At least one year of consistent yoga asana practice (2-3 times per week), and a basic understanding of vinyasa yoga.

Trainees are required to take 5 vinyasa classes (from 5 different teachers), and 5 non- vinyasa classes (such as Kundalini, Iyengar, Yin, etc) prior to the training, and take notes on these classes. Include in your notes what you loved about the class & teacher, what you didn’t like, their musical choices, how the teacher entered the room & engaged students prior to class, sequencing, adjustments, language, how the teacher moved about the room, did they demo, how your body felt during & after, and anything else that struck you. Please bring these notes with you to training.

A basic familiarity of Ashtanga Vinyasa, Primary Series. You don’t need to memorize the entire sequence, just be familiar with it. This is not an Ashtanga training; however, understanding of Ashtanga will create a strong foundation for you to build on. Take Tony Lupinacci's modified half primary, on FigFlix at least 5 times. Write down your experience with these classes – including how the sequence felt in your body, the flow of the sequence, which poses challenged you, and any other feedback. Bring these notes to training – we will collect them upon arrival.

Watch the complete Anatomy Snax series on FigFlix.  This is approximately 5 hours of video content, broken down into 5-10 minute videos. This series is included in your program payment. Once we receive your program deposit, we will send you a link to access this series. 

Ability to communicate in English

Like all great things in life, the more you put into this training, the more you’ll get from it. That starts before you arrive. Below is a list of required reading, as well as a list of optional recommended reading. Trainees are asked to read the following books prior to arrival at the training, and write a one-page commentary on each book. Please realize this is not “traditional” reading material for most people, and some of the books might take quite some time to digest. Please email finished commentaries (all attached as word docs or google docs, in one email, with the subject line: YTT book reports, trainee name) to om@thesacredfig.com prior to the start of the training. Support local bookstores and buy them on bookshop.org.

A New Earth. Eckhart Tolle

Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice. T.K.V. Desikachar

Daring Greatly, Brené Brown

Bringing any of these books to the training is entirely optional. Upon arrival, students will receive The Sacred Fig Reader, which will serve as the master course curriculum & guide.

Recommended Reading

They’re quite varied in subject matter – so you can choose areas of your particular interest. Again, these are recommended, but not required, and listed in no particular order:

Breath. The New Science of a Lost Art. James Nestor (This should be required reading for all yoga teachers.)

The Meaning of Namaste. A wonderful article from the editors of Yoga Journal. 

Yoga Anatomy, 2nd Edition. Leslie Kaminoff & Amy Matthews (This is a standard text to introduce yoga teachers to the basics of anatomy.)

Reflections on the Art of Living. A Joseph Campbell Companion. (Take what you like out of his ideas ~ he has some really great ones! ~ and leave the rest. This book used to be required reading on our trainings, but due to some of his dated language around gender, we’ve made his work suggested, not required.)

Rising Strong, by Brené Brown. (Dives into vulnerability, shame, and worthiness)

Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice. Mark Singleton (demystifies where the yoga postures came from, and how old they actually are)

Mastery, The Keys to Success & Long-Term Fulfillment. George Leonard (Attain a higher level of excellence in your daily life. Who doesn’t want that?)

The Science of Yoga: The Risks and The Rewards. William Broad. (a lead science writer for The New York Times – and lifelong yoga practitioner – examines centuries of history and research to scrutinize the claims made about yoga for health, fitness, emotional wellbeing, sex, weight loss and healing.)

Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar (This serves more like an asana reference manual, not really one to read cover to cover)

Four Chapters on Freedom (A great commentary on The Yoga Sutras. This is just one, there’s a lot out there)