Foundation Course I
This course is designed for those students wishing to explore yoga in more depth than a weekly class may typically allow. It can be undertaken purely for personal development and interest or as a first step towards yoga teacher training.
The course gives an introduction to the authentic yoga tradition of T Krishnamacharya and his son TKV Desikachar. It will cover āsana, prāṇāyāma, meditation, sound and chanting and basic yoga philosophy.
By the end of the course you will:
- have an awareness and appreciation of the teachings of T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar
- have a basic knowledge and understanding of the history of yoga
- have an overview of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra and its importance as the key yoga text
- be aware of a range of āsana and be able to practise them appropriately
- have knowledge and understanding of some prāṇāyāma techniques and be able to practise them appropriately
- know the definition of meditation (YS III, 2) and have explored meditative practices
- be able to plan a simple personal practice
- have explored and experienced the role of sound in yoga
- know the definition of mantra and have practised some mantra
- be aware of some basic principles of āyurveda
- be aware of the basic rules of Sanskrit pronunciation and be able to pronounce key Sanskrit terms from the course