Join us in the south of Portugal for a week bursting with information and practice. Whether you are a practitioner interested in deepening your practice and knowledge, an aspiring teacher or a seasoned one, this course is sure to give you some new perspectives on asana and meditation practice.

You will get a solid base of functional anatomy and learn how to adapt your (and your students’) asana practice to make it more accessible, rich, fulfilling and safe.

We will explore basic concepts of yoga philosophy, chakra theory and chakra meditation techniques and how all of this is relevant to our modern lives.

Paul and Suzee Grilley, pioneers in the functional approach to yoga and founders of Yin Yoga, will give a live online presentation and a Q&A.

The training will be led by Ehud Neuhaus, assistant to Paul and Suzee Grilley. Ehud has been studying with and assisting Anat Geiger and Marcel van de Vis Heil in the Functional Yoga Teacher Training since 2013. Together with Anat and Marcel he founded the online platform The Fat Yogis, home of functional yoga. These days Ehud is teaching weekly (online) classes and (teacher) training programs.

This is a 50-hour program, recognised by Yoga Alliance. No examination is required. 

All of the TFY Teacher Trainings are structured around three pillars: Anatomy, Philosophy and Practice.

Anatomy

Understanding the body is understanding the poses

Anatomy study is much more than learning the names of bones and muscles. By understanding how bodies can and cannot move we become able to practice and teach the poses safely and efficiently.

We teach functional anatomy, scientifically proving that bodies are unique in their structure and constitution, which means that poses may look different on different people because of this uniqueness. When you know what a pose should be doing for you – the function of a pose – you will be able to adapt and adjust it to suit your body and the bodies of your students. This leads to a practice that is safe, creative and delicious for everybody.

Philosophy

Observing your mind is the only way towards real change

Yoga philosophy is not a purely intellectual exercise, nor the study of ancient and stuffy texts that bear no relevance to our modern lives. In fact, it is quite the opposite: yoga philosophy brings inspiration, guidance, insight, understanding, comfort, support and freedom to our lives. It touches our heart and soul, reminding us of truths we already know but have forgotten.

Fundamental to this process is the practice of meditation, which has a place of honour in our own personal practice and in our teachings; regularly taking some silent time within ourselves is the key to becoming aware of ancient patterns of behaviour that hold us back from being who we actually want to be. That’s why it is said that yoga is the science of Self-realisation: realising who you truly are will melt away sorrow and suffering.

Practice

All theories can sound great on paper but they are only valuable when they are practiced. Our teacher Paul Grilley says it well “if a theory inspires you to practice, it is a good theory. If it doesn’t, it is not”.

That’s why our trainings are a mix of both; we study anatomy and then test the premises in our own bodies and on our colleagues’; we study philosophy and then observe our own minds during asana practice and meditation.

Then we take what we have observed in practice and study it. What can we learn from our experience? In this way, yoga is always alive, meaningful and true. Both to ourselves and to our students.

This training offers an intense program of functional anatomy, technique and analysis of the yin yoga poses, theory of the chakras and their relevance in our lives, meditation techniques, exploration of yoga philosophical concepts and lots of practice.

What you will learn

Anatomy

• Skeletal variations
• Target areas
• Functional analysis of postures
• The 14 skeletal segments
• The 10 muscle groups
• The 5 archetypal Yin Yoga Asanas and their variations
• Assisted Yin

Chakra Studies

• Chakra theory
• Chakra meditation
• The cycle of samsara
• The concepts of karma, samskara, vrittis and vasanas
• Pranayama and bandhas
• Bija mantras

Who is it for

All students with a basic practice of (yin) yoga are welcome.

Planning 

Dates for this program are November 17-24, 2024

Day schedule is as follows:

Sunday 17th

Monday to Saturday

Sunday 24th

The Location

Essencia Retreat Center
Portugal

Located in the South of Portugal in the middle of nature, Essencia Retreat Center is an off-grid Eco Village.

Price 

Triple shared room: €1750,-
Double shared room: €1850,-

The price is including 3 nutritious vegetarian meals a day, filtered water and herbal teas (except for arrival and departure days, 1 meal) and 3 month of The Fat Yogis membership.

Flight tickets and transport to the retreat center are not included in the price.

Register

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