Functional Hatha as Yoga Therapy 60 hours, with Grace Tempany

Functional Yang Yoga through a therapeutic lens

Philosophy: 

• Functional Yoga origins and Yoga Therapy origins - the same? 

• From Krishnamacharya to Paul Grilley’s Functional Sutras. 

• The history and evolution of yoga therapy, and how things have greatly changed since “teach what is appropriate to the individual” (Krishnamacharya)

Physical Layer - Anatomy: 

• Paul Grilley’s 14-10-7 Model extended

• Compression as the starting-point.

• Upper Body Muscle Explorations

• Upper Body Joint ranges of motion

Asana Labs: 

• Bishnu Ghosh’s 26&2 - An Intro

• Additional hatha pose breakdown through the Grace Tempany Method TAPAS & NIDRA lens (approximately 40)

• Functional Sun Salutes 

• Paul Grilley’s yang flows

Energetic Layer - Somatic Breathwork: 

• Pranayama

• Nadi shodhana

• Breath retentions

• Kapalbhati

Teaching Skills: 

• Goniometer tests for range of motion assessments

• Deconstructing traditional “universal alignment” cues

• Functional style yang teaching principles
  

Teaching Practice:

• Group

• 1:1

• Creating sequences from Yang to Yin to an energetic curve

Functional Fascia Flow and Myofascial Release Training - 40 hrs with Kristín Kristjansdottir

Myofascial Release in Movement through an empowerment lens

• Fascia Theory deep dive

• Introduction to Tom Myers’ Myofascial Meridians

• Myofascial Release with props (Balls, Blocks, Pillows…)

• Myofascial Release in Movement (How do we target Fascia in our Flow/Yang practice)

• Moving Beyond Asana/Yoga:- Expanding the container within: Introduction to Fascia and Voice (as extension of breath) : How do we communicate what we find within?

Our language is based on what we know, what we feel. Is the traditional way we look and practise our asanas creating boundaries around how we teach and sequence our classes? By experiencing more of our body and our being, can we find more words to communicate from within/what is within? Our core challenge within this training is how we will we create yoga teachers who know no boundaries, and thereby create new language for Yoga.

In Module 2 of The Art of Yang, you will dive deeper into the world of Fascia to expand your understanding of the interconnectedness of our body and our being. Using Myofascial release techniques you will further your understanding of anatomy and have space to move beyond the traditional way of creating shapes, using play to explore the feeling/felt sense within. To break free from the mold of traditional strict alignment-based teaching, we will explore bringing our own voice into our yoga practice to explore the physical and mental benefits.

Fascia is the body wide network of connective tissue designed to support, hydrate, protect and communicate. An essential component of our interoception and proprioception systems, in this module you will have plenty of practical opportunities to hone both. This module truly is an exploration of the fascinating world of Fascia. 

As a teacher you rely on your voice to communicate to your students and hold space, but how much do you know about your voice? Your voice communicates who you are, where you are at. Your voice is you - but how much of it do you ultimately use and reveal? 

Traditionally not included in any yoga trainings, this module offers an understanding of how important your voice is as a teacher. You will have the opportunity to discover and explore your own voice, understand how your voice affects the fascia, and how your voice and your yoga practice can come together to deepen your connection to the core of your being.

Join us to discover how Myofascial Release can help you unleash your unfiltered voice and legacy into the world!

Day 1

• Fascia theory / what is Fascia

• Myofascial release with props

• Hmm Breath

Day 2 

• Myofascial Meridians

• Myofascial Release with props

• Introduction to Fascia Flow (PNF/Dynamic Stretching)

• Sigh of relief

Day 3

• Intro to Voice (drawing, discussion, communication)

• Fascia Flow (Somatics)

• Voice and visualisation

Day 4

• Fascia and Voice.

• Yoga and Voice explorations. 

• Sequencing for Fascia

• Finishing discussion

I have not completed the Art of Yin. Can I just do The Art of Yang?

In a short answer, no. The Art of Yang is Module 2, building on and beyond teh foundations established in The Art of Yin. Because all the teaching at FYI is functional (not based on universal alignment notions, and speaking to feeling over form), it stands out in the yoga industry at large. It is not possible to enter into The Art of Yang without having established a foundation in functional and therapeutic principles.

Is there any recommended reading for The Art of Yang?

You will be provided with a manual for each module, verbal cues, and a clear functional guide for the yang practices that we are looking at. Should you want to do some extra reading in preparation, I can recommend the following. The first 2 on the list would be a good place to start. The last three are dense, and I will present the essentials to you during Module 1 anyway, so only dive in if the desire is strong! :-)

• Yin Yoga: Principles and Practice by Paul Grilley 

• Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice, by Mark Singleton  

• Your Body, Your Yoga,  Bernie Clark.

• Your Spine, Your Yoga,  Bernie Clark.

• Your Upper Body, Your Yoga, Bernie Clark.

How much does yoga therapy come into this?

We can say that functional yoga and yoga therapy have the same roots - Krishnamacharya’s “teach what is appropriate to the individual” is what inspired the branch of study known as yoga therapy today. However, as a field, yoga therapy has I think become very focused on the physiological. 

FYI and the Grace Tempany Method aspire to bring more of the emotional and psychological to the fore. We speak a lot in yoga about transformation, but we cannot change anything we do not first accept. Self-inquiry and inner work are therefore cornerstones of all FYI trainings. You are supported to engage in your own personal journey as you embark on and proceed through the training.

Please note that this training is in no way a replacement for personal therapy, but I can say with certainty that it is a hugely complementary somatic addition.

How much does anatomy matter in this course?

The anatomy you are taught is functional and target area focused. Essentially, it is variable. You will learn that we are not all carbon copies skeletally. The approach to the teaching of anatomy can be summed up by Paul Grilley:

“When you learn to see the body as 14 skeletal segments. being moved by 10 myofascial groups, you will be able to skillfully adapt the 7 archetypal poses to suit the skeletability and flexibility of each individual student”

This is to say that the anatomy you learn immediately serves a purpose. There is no learning for learning's sake. Every single joint, bone, muscle, or myofascial group we look at is applied to poses, be they within the yin or yang practices.

How can you teach to the individual when you have 15 students in a room?

A lot comes down to your skillset, and language is by far the most important of these teaching skills. We can never know for sure what our students are experiencing, but we can help them become empowered practitioners with our cues to feeling and excellent questions. This is why language is a central focus within Functional Yoga Integrated.

What does it mean to be a Functional Yoga Teacher within the Grace Tempany Method?

To be a functional teacher is to teach to feeling, with the experience of each individual at the centre of the teaching, and to teach through a therapeutic and trauma-aware lens. To be a functional teacher is to embrace your personal practice as your own greatest teacher, and to confidently yet humbly guide your students to connect on a much deeper level with themselves and those around them

How is The Art of Yang different to most other yoga teacher trainings?

The Art of Yang is functional first and foremost. “If you’re feeling it, you’re doing it” - everything you will be taught can be distilled to this. Functional Teaching means teaching to the individual, teaching to feeling over form. This can be a departure from most rigid, universal alignment teachings, but nearly all students resonate hugely with this approach within their own experience, and speak to feeling much more confident in their teaching post-training.