Our next intake for our 350-hour teacher training diploma is this November and we are excited to be welcoming established triyoga teacher, Tim Cummins, to the faculty for the first time. He will be joining Susannah Hoffman as one of the two lead asana tutors for the training.
Ahead of the application deadline (5th October), Tim shares his views on what it takes to become a teacher, the importance of discipline and how to take yoga off the mat. On teaching, he says: “To become a teacher, I think you simply need to have some knowledge that you want to share with others. In yoga, a good teacher not only shares but also nurtures a desire in their students to penetrate ever deeper into the subject and, ultimately, bring to life in their students what is alive in them.”
Our 350-hour teacher training diploma course is established as one of the leading trainings in the UK. The course takes place over 24 months and covers asana, pranayama, philosophy, anatomy and physiology. It also includes a monthly mentoring and professional supervision programme and is accredited by the British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Alliance Professionals (Yoga Alliance UK) and registered with Yoga Alliance USA.
While requiring dedication and commitment, the diploma is hugely rewarding and provides a solid foundation in many aspects of yoga practice and teaching. This includes an understanding of the deeper aspects of yoga off the mat, its history and its philosophy.
Tim is an established triyoga teacher from the Shadow yoga tradition and is joining our teacher training faculty for the first time this November. On his Shadow yoga experience, he explains: “The system seeks to prepare the person for an effective yoga practice with the use of preliminary work, the Preludes. These don’t take the place of asana, they just prepare the body for asana which is taught to the student sequentially as appropriate. So, as a teacher I’m not in a hurry to get people into advanced postures or rush ahead to internal practices before the individual is ready. This is a traditional approach in an age of impatience.”
With over 20 years of regular practice, Tim brings a broad spectrum of experience to the teacher training diploma. “I have been blessed with exceptional guidance on this journey by truly wonderful teachers, who not only imparted technical information and physical guidance, but also a sense of discipline. This has been the hardest thing for me to learn, but the most important. Without discipline and persistence, you won’t get far on this path.
“As a student and as a teacher, you need to be clear on what you want or you’ll just drift. When you’ve set your sights, stay on course. You don’t have to move quickly but you do need to head in the right direction. My teachers have certainly helped me in that regard and I hope to pay it forward.”
The application deadline for the upcoming teacher training is Friday 5th October. Click here for more information.
