Interested in taking an Anusara Yoga teacher training? John Friend has done an amazing job of developing this style of yoga and while although it may not be considered one of the “main” styles of Yoga, Anusara has established itself as a very respected style of yoga. The process of becoming a yoga teacher in Anusara can be long and rigorous. At the same time, quite rewarding because of how challenging the Anusara yoga teacher training program is. Many yoga students attest to how it completely changes their lives after taking the course and they become a new person. If you are going to take an Anusara Yoga teacher training, then here is some background information on the style of yoga and how it fits in the industry.
Anusara Yoga is a system of Hatha Yoga founded by John Friend in the US in 1997. Anusara literally means “flowing with grace” and its followers seek to combine a life-affirming Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with their Universal Principles of Alignment. In January of 2010 the philosophy behind this yoga teacher training program was updated to “Shiva-Shakti Tantra” which basically means “Everything manifests as a result of the dance of Divine polarities” John Friend’s approach to yoga is more mystical and spiritual and he understands that yoga movement is a divine union with the One.
Anusara is very new compared to other styles of yoga, and although it draws heavily on both John Friend’s background in Iyengar Yoga and Hatha Yoga tradition, Anusara is an American invention.
Currently about 2% of Yoga Alliance teacher training schools teach in the Anusara method and offer this type of yoga teacher training program. While this could and probably will change down the road, for now at the time of this writing is where it stands.
While Anusara is growing considerably in popularity, especially in major cities like NYC and San Francisco, this particular yoga style has yet to reach many smaller cities and towns. That being said, with the internet and other forms of yoga media growing, Anusara will be sure to reach many other states. More importantly, John Friend has gained wide notoriety in major publications like the NY Times where they wrote a large article about him and Anusara yoga exclaiming him as a yoga marketing guru. John Friend has done a great job with his yoga teacher training programs and has earned the respect he deserves.
For now the only noteworthy teacher of Anusara is of course the founder John Friend. Friend studied Iyengar Yoga for years before branching off on his own in 1997 to create Anusara Yoga. As more people learn this style of yoga and become more proficient and expand their practice and brand as a yoga teacher, then we will definitely see more “known” teachers of Anusara yoga.
While John Friend and his Merry Band regularly tour the world offering workshops and lectures, there is no one studio home base in the Anusara tradition. Once again this style is still fairly new but growing and it is expected that more studios will want to offer this yoga practice to their students.
Anusara yoga teacher trainings are well known for being notoriously rigorous and time consuming, mentally challenging, strenuous, and requiring years of study and hundreds of contact hours with certified yoga teachers. Prospective students can only apply for their yoga teacher trainings once the minimum requirements are met. Certified Anusara teachers might also offer “100 Hour Immersions” that can serve as a starting point for potential trainees. Once accepted into this yoga certification program, the coursework is largely an independent endeavor, meaning trainees work independently and set their own pace rather than in a classroom setting with other trainees.
Anusara yoga teacher trainings are known to be well worth the time and effort that has to be put forth and when you come out of this program, people in the yoga community know that you paid your dues and earned your yoga certification.
What can someone expect if they take an Anusara yoga teacher training?
If you are considering taking an Anusara yoga training, you should expect to spend years practicing in the Anusara tradition by studying with a certified Anusara teacher or John Friend himself, and expect a rigorous course of study that will include deepening your own personal practice and delving into Yogic philosophy. It should be stated that Anusara yoga is ensconced in a spiritual perspective as John Friend truly believes that yoga comes from within and is not just about stretching the body and being limber. To complete this yoga teacher training, would-be teachers must submit teaching videos and a take-home test. The yoga teacher training curriculum, reading lists and the application packet are all available for download on the Anusara website.
If you are interested in studying Anusara Yoga you can visit their website: http://www.anusara.com/
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