Yin Yoga Teacher Training: Mindfulness Module with Josh Summers

4 Day Intensive: Thursday-Sunday 9am-5:00pm, with hour break for lunch

This training will be held at The Grange Hall, 91 Old County Road, East Sandwich MA.

Building on Josh’s popular Foundations Module, the Mindfulness Module emphasizes the practice and teaching of a “Yin” approach to meditation within the discipline of Yin Yoga. This “Yin” approach will emphasize Yin qualities of mind that are developed within the meditative process: allowance, receptivity, gentleness, compassion, reflection, stillness and silence.
Who this is for?

This training is ideal for any yoga teacher or practitioner interested in bringing mindfulness into their classes or personal practice. The Mindfulness Module will develop tools and approaches for working with the inner aspects of teaching and practicing Yin Yoga. The ‘outer’ elements of Yin Yoga (ie. body, poses, sequences) are covered in the Foundations Module.

While Yin Yoga is the ‘form’ within which these practices will be approached, the tools learned here are not limited to the Yin Yoga context.

Can I take the Mindfulness Module if I haven’t taken the Foundations Module first?

Yes. Any teacher or student may attend this training; however, it would be beneficial for students to have a basic familiarity with how to do the Yin Practice prior to attending this course.

Students will also practice a few periods of sitting meditation each day. Any questions can be directed to Josh at moksaman@gmail.com

Please note: Although this course will draw from Buddhist meditation teaching, Josh will emphasize secular ways of understanding these teachings, suitable for modern contexts. This training is not about becoming a Buddhist; but rather this training offers ways to train our minds to better understand our world and ourselves.

Training Objectives:

• Practice and understand the theory of the core aspects of Mindfulness Training: steadiness, presence and wisdom.
• Explore “Yin” aspects and approaches to meditation, developing “Yin” qualities of mind and heart: receptivity, gentleness, compassion, reflection, stillness and silence.
• The Mindfulness Immersion will be structured around the Buddha’s core teaching on Mindfulness -- The Satipatthana Sutta -- The Sutta on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. This text provides a treasure trove of material to share with students in a Yin classroom. Meditative themes will include theoretical and practical approaches to these Four Foundations: Body (kaya), Feeling tones (vedana), Mind-states (citta), and Categories of Experience (dhamma)
• For each category of contemplation (ie. body, mind-states, etc), a variety of ‘yin’ and ‘yang’ forms of meditative tools will be considered and explored
• Working with the Hindrances (Aversion, Desire, Restlessness, Sleepiness and Doubt): strategies and antidotes.
• Develop your ability to hold space, effectively use your voice and explore teaching cues that support the experiential learning and the unfolding insight of your students
• Address approaches to teaching meditation in a secular, non-religious manner
• Enliven your sequencing with new poses and variations
Participants will receive 30 hours of CEU through the Yoga Alliance

Suggested Reading: Seeking The Heart Of Wisdom, Jack Kornfield and Joseph Goldstein

Josh’s Bio:
Josh is a Yin Yoga teacher, a licensed acupuncturist, and a meditation instructor. Josh began studying Iyengar yoga in the early nineties with James Murphy in New York City. Since then, he has spent several years living abroad in India, Taiwan and Burma where he has studied both yoga and meditation. As his interest in vipassana or insight meditation developed so too did his interest in more contemplative forms of yoga practice. With a professional background in Oriental Medicine and a personal passion for the dharma, Josh fell in love with Yin Yoga as a beautiful synthesis of the two interests.
Josh now teaches workshops and trainings throughout the United States and Europe; he also co-teaches a course on Mindfulness and Performance at Boston University. For more information, please visit his website: www.joshsummers.net

Fee: Early Bird $540 by May 1st; Thereafter $590

Cancellation Policy: $50 of the registration fee is non-refundable as a processing fee.If cancellation occurs by April 18th, the cancellation fee is $150. Cancellation after April 18th but before May 4th, the cancellation fee is 50% of the fee paid. Cancellation after May 4th, there will be no refund however 30% of the fee paid will be given as a studio credit which will be valid for 6 months.