About the Programs

Click here to see a short video on the Open Source approach and VSBM Yoga Teacher Trainings.

Yoga Teacher Training – Immersion

The 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Immersion follow the guidelines set out by the Yoga Alliance, ensuring the highest educational standards of quality, integrity, and professionalism.

Participants will develop a personal yoga practice appropriate for each individual while learning to foster a connection with their own inner wisdom and voice. Finding this deeper connection to Self will allow the teacher to communicate the practice to others in a dynamic and sensitive way.

VSBM concentrates on exceptional training. We do not operate as a yoga studio running daily classes, but focus on training great teachers. The philosophy of our training is to make the practice of yoga accessible, fun, safe, and honour the traditions of yoga while playing a part in its evolution. The foundation of the program is grounded in an “Open Source” philosophy – all paths that lead to deeper understanding are honourable, and as consciousness is expanding and evolving, our path is open to continuing inquiry and refinement.

As the artist Michelangelo said, in order to make a sculpture he simply had to “remove all the stone that was not a part of the statue”. Yoga practice is as well, a process of revelation. In our methodology, yoga practice is not imposed on the individual – Yoga practice is adapted to the individual. Teachers in training develop their innate, sometimes dormant skills of clear communication and leadership along with a personal practice suited to their individual needs and goals.

It is a tradition of ancient teachers to send their students to another teacher, a teacher who may offer a completely different approach. We bring in guest instructors from a variety of yoga disciplines – Yin, Vijnana, Vinyasa flow, Restorative Yoga and Mantra Yoga. In this way, the students’ faculties of discrimination and inner wisdom are stimulated. A clear understanding of differences in approach allows an honouring of that approach, and even incorporation into one’s teaching of what is helpful.

Participants need only have the desire to embark on what is essentially a life-long discipline, and the energy and time to give full attention to study and practice for the duration of the program. Many students have asked if it is important to have an advanced physical practice in order to teach yoga. The ability to perform difficult postures is not necessarily a hallmark of advanced practice. Advanced practice is the ability to go deeply into even the most simple postures and exercises.

Yoga Teacher Training – Enriched

Much like the Yoga Teacher Training Immersion, the Yoga Teacher Training – Enriched follows, and in fact surpasses, the guidelines set out by the Yoga Alliance. This 240-hour program includes all the fundamentals of the 200-hour program, but moves participants even more deeply into all aspects of yoga practice and teaching. A full 30% more in-class hours (240 compared to 180) of hands-on training gives students the time to truly refine their teaching skills.

The Yoga Teacher Training – Enriched meets the criteria for Student Aid BC, therefore students may be eligible for financial assistance. Also the part-time format allows students to work while attending. This program was designed specifically to make our Yoga Teacher Training accessible to anyone.

Some of the additional content that is included in the 240-hour program includes a video-recorded short-practice class, which assists the students in evaluating their own teaching skills. As well as refined teaching methodology, the 240-hour course expands upon structural therapy, the business of yoga including creating a business and marketing plan and the development of a well-rounded personal practice including asana, pranayama, meditation and mantra. Students get a little more of everything with this format.

One 30-minute practicum class taught to the group will be evaluated, including feedback on strengths and weaknesses specific to each student teacher. Student teachers then have a second opportunity to teach a full 75-minute class toward the end of the program to practice and refine their teaching skills.