The Embodied Mind 200 hour Teacher Training is underway in San Francisco, the next training will be announced soon.

The School for Compassionate Action Training will also be announced and will begin in the East Bay soon!

 

Work Study Scholarships are available! Please write for details

“The Embodied Mind training at ZaZen studio offered a breadth of opportunity to learn, explore, and practice at the intersection of yoga and meditation wherein the two paths, rendered as one, became a natural sophistication of mindful practice of stillness in motion.”
~ Quynh Anh, 2015

Dates:

Opening weekend: October 29 + 30, 2016
Retreat: November 1 – 6
Weekends:
November 12 + 13, 19 + 20
December 3 + 4, 17 + 18
January 7 + 8, 21 + 22, 2017
February 4 + 5
Closing Retreat: February 16 – 20

 What is the Embodied Mind Teacher Training?

The Vajra Yoga + Meditation Embodied Mind training is not your typical yoga teacher training, nor is it your typical mindfulness training – it is an integration of mindfulness, meditation and embodiment practices: meditation and yoga, yoga therapy and compassion practices, self reflection and self regulation, kindness braided into a variety of empowering ‘in the body’ practices.  Embodied Mind offers an integration of mind and body practices to facilitate being present, sane and clear minded, kind and socially engaged, grounded with the ability to make wise, compassionate choices for your own life, your work, the world.

During the course of the training, you will practice, examine, reflect, and have lively conversation about mindfulness of the body and mindful embodiment (yoga asana, yoga therapy, breath techniques) practices. This training provides the skills to branch outwards – whether the intention is to teach in a studio or integrate this work directly into your profession or community. Your direct experiences and deepened practices will be reflected in a personal and unique way according to what is important and meaningful to you, and where you are in your life.

Limited to 16 people to ensure personal attention and development of community

Some components that comprise the training:

  •  The skills and techniques to practice and facilitate an embodied mindfulness meditation practice
  •  Compassion and loving kindness practices
  • The skills to lead a (very) slow flowing meditation in motion class
  • Yoga therapy approaches for the body combined with mindfulness techniques to be with emotional and mental states
  •  Foundational Buddhist philosophy and psychology
  •  Contemplation, self – reflection and wisdom practices
  •  Visualizations as a vehicle for intentional change and healing
  •  Pranayama – the profound art and science of breath work
  •  Inner and outer alignment and anatomy as co-existing and mutually supportive
  •  Mindfulness – seated, standing, walking and lying down, from the Vipassana and Vajrayana Tibetan tradition
  • Inner alignment – the subtle body or the mirror to the mind – and how it relates to the outer body
  •  Anatomy and alignment – practical, accessible information for safety and ease
  •  Self – care and kindness: how to maintain your practice and wellness while teaching and taking care of others
  • How to design mindful yoga and meditation classes and /or integrate these practices into your psychotherapy sessions, coaching sessions, or into your life.
  • Continuing into the world with community and mentoring support

* There will be a training with the School for Compassionate Action to hone further skillful means to work with communities in need and at risk starting in 2017, please sign up for our newsletter to be notified.

“Jill portrays practice as not being an isolated event that happens on a mat or zafu, but rather something that can continue into your day-to-day life.” ~ Ewan, 2015

“The community that Jill has gathered around her from her Embodied Mind trainings and the Spirit Rock Mindful Yoga and Meditation trainings is really special – I meet incredible people and now have many new friends! “

Requirements for the Training:

To be eligible for the 200 hour Yoga Alliance registered, Embodied Mind Teacher Training you must meet the following requirements:

5 years of a dedicated yoga practice, or a 200 hour teacher training or yoga therapy training from any school or tradition
Experience with meditation and mindfulness with a strong intention to develop a regular practice
The desire to be socially engaged – working in communities that are at risk and underserved
meditation retreat experience highly recommended, and will receive first selection

Non Certificate Training – open to anyone with a desire to deepen your practices:

please fill out this application to be considered for the training

There are several work-study scholarships available, please inquire

We offer partial scholarships to make our training accessible and open. We are dedicated to the inclusion of all races, classes, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, disabilities, cultures, ethnicities, and other social identities

Teacher Training Application here

Cost: $2900 Tuition + Retreat Fee ($550-$900, depending on accommodation choice)

Deposit: A of $500 will reserve your space. The deposit is non refundable unless the training is filled in which case your deposit will be returned minus a $250 processing fee. This $250 fee if forfeited will ‘go foward’ towards our scholarship fund – helping someone without the means to afford the training.

Payments: are to be made with Zazen, please write to Erika at zazen dot com to arrange your deposit and payments.

Payment plans: when needed can be arranged with Erika. erika at zazen dot com

Cancellation Policy: Once a deposit or balance has been paid, cancellations must be made in writing to jill at vajra yoga dot com, however there will be no refunds up to 2 months before the training unless we can fill your space. No refunds will be made for failure to attend or failure to complete the training. No refunds once the training has begun. No transfers, unless agreed upon in writing.

“ I wanted learn more about meditation and specifically how to incorporate into my yoga practice and teaching in an authentic way. For anyone who is seeking the tools to help themselves from the inside, this training is it.”
~ Eliza, 2015

I’ve seen real tangible impacts on my life. I’m more aware of when I need or want to be mindful, whether it’s at work in a meeting or when I’m driving or even when i’m reading!” ~ Jing, 2015

“The training has broken down my preconceptions about what yoga and meditation ‘should’ be, and thus I’m learning to make it my own.” ~ Dena, 2015

To bring a VY+M Embodied Mind Teacher Training to your facility, please write to Jill

The yoga therapy components of our course are based on 35 years of direct experience training students and teaching participants in hospitals, trauma centers, at risk youth after school programs, detention centers and addiction institutes and are not derived from our status as an RYS® with Yoga Alliance Registry.”