650YTT Master of Biomedical Yoga Therapy, Meditation, & Allied Health

Yoga Teachings and Philosophy

• Familiarity with the evolution of the teachings and philosophy of the yoga tradition and its relevance and application to yoga therapy, including teachings from Vedic and post-Vedic periods, Samkhya, Yoga, Tantra, and Ayurveda. Examples of concepts and models from the above teachings and philosophy relevant to yoga therapy, include but are not limited to:
  • tanmatra/bhuta/indriya (subtle element/gross elements/ senses);
  • purusha/prakrti (consciousness/material world);
  • pancamaya kosha (dimensions of the human system);
  • guna (fundamental forces of nature); and
  • duhkha (suffering/discomfort).

Yoga and the Mind

• Knowledge of yoga perspectives on the structure, states, functioning, and conditions of the mind, including, but not limited to:
  • drashtr (seer), drshya (seen);
  • antahkarana citta (consciousness), buddhi (intellect), ahamkara (ego), manas (mind);
  • citta vrtti (activities of the mind), citta parinama (structural changes in the mind), vyutthana/nirodha (mind’s potential for distraction and focus);
  • artha (cognition), bhava (mood), svabhava (inborn nature), vasana (residue of experience), samskara (conditioned pattern of thinking and behavior); and
  • states of mind: mudha (stupefied/dull), kshipta (disturbed).
• vikshipta (alternating between distraction and focus), ekagrata (one-pointed), nirodha (focus enveloped/held/ restrained), vaishvanara (waking), taijasa (dream), prajña (deep sleep), turiya (beyond).
• Knowledge of yoga perspectives on distracted/disturbed conditions of mind and their expressions as expressed in such texts as the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, and other texts, including but not limited to:
  • klesha (affliction);
  • lobha, krodha, and moha (greed, anger, attachment);
  • duhkha and daurmanasya (suffering/discomfort and negative attitude/thinking), sarupyam (identification with the contents of the mind or seer taking the same form as the mind); and
  • antaraya (obstacles to progress in yoga).

Yogic Framework for Health and Disease

• Knowledge of the basic perspectives on health and disease from yoga and Ayurveda relevant to the practice of yoga therapy, including the concepts of:
  • panca maya (kosha) (fundamental structure of the human system);
  • subtle anatomy;
  • tri-dosha (effect of the elements on the physical body);
  • tri-guna (effect of sattva [equilibrium], rajas [activity], tamas [inertia]);
  • prakrti/vikrti (dosha constitution at birth/imbalance of the dosha currently expressed in the body);
  • ama (undigested food, emotions, etc. accumulated in the body);
  • agni (internal fire(s) and their contribution to health);
  • prana vayu (prana, apana, vyana, udana, samana);
  • prana prakopa (disturbance of the vayu);
  • surya/chandra (sun/moon);
  • brmhana/langhana (expansion/contraction); and
  • vyuha model: heya (the symptoms), hetu (the causes), hana (the goal), upayam (the tools).
• In depth knowledge of categorising illness, including:
  • Development/evolution of disease (samprapti [pathogenisis]), including but not limited to direction, intensity, onset, and duration and their influence on the ease or difficulty of healing and disease management.
  • Setting priorities: symptoms/pacification (shamana [short term]) and purification/strengthening (shodhana [long term]).

Anatomy and Physiology

• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, including all major systems of the body and their interrelationships, as relevant to the work of a yoga therapist.
• Knowledge of biomechanics and movement as they relate to the practice of yoga and the work of a yoga therapist.
• Knowledge of common pathologies and disorders of all the major systems, including symptoms, management, illness trajectories, and contraindications, as relevant to the work of a yoga therapist.
• Familiarity with commonly used drugs and surgical procedures, as relevant to the work of a yoga therapist.
• Familiarity with common medical terminology.
• Knowledge of how to reference current healthcare information relevant to the work of a yoga therapist, including pathologies, disorders, drugs, and surgical procedures, as relevant to the work of a yoga therapist.

Psychology and Mental Health

• Basic knowledge of commonly occurring mental health conditions—from psychological distress to psychiatric conditions— their symptoms, and common approaches/interventions, as they relate to the work of a yoga therapist.
• Basic knowledge of psychological concepts and terminology, including mood, cognition, behavior, and personality, as relevant to the work of a yoga therapist.
• Familiarity with models of human development, including developmental stages, lifecycles, and personality, and their
• Importance to medical and psychological health and well-being.
• Familiarity with the influence of familial, social, cultural, and religious conditioning on mental and medical perspectives of health and healing.
• Knowledge of the interaction of the body, breath, mind, intellect, and emotions in health and well-being.

Yoga Therapy Tools

• In-depth knowledge of the application of yama and niyama in the context of yoga therapy.
• In-depth knowledge of the range of yoga practices and their potential therapeutic effects for common conditions. Practices may include, but are not limited to:
  • asana (postures);
  • pranayama (regulated breathing);
  • meditation and relaxation techniques such as bhavana (visualisation), mantra (recitation), and ritualised activities such as nyasa and mudra; and
  • vihara (lifestyle modifications) including basic yogic dietary concepts.
• In-depth knowledge of contraindications of yoga practices for specific conditions and circumstances.

Basic Principles of the Therapeutic Relationship

• In-depth knowledge of, and observed capacity for, well- developed communication skills: listening, presence, directive and non-directive dialogue.
• Demonstrated ability to recognise, adjust, and adapt to specific client/student needs in the evolving therapeutic/professional relationship.
• Demonstrated ability to recognise and manage the subtle dynamics inherent in the therapist/client relationship.
• In-depth knowledge of the scope of practice of yoga therapy and how to assess the need for referral to other professional services.

Principles and Skills for Educating Clients/Students

• In-depth knowledge of and demonstrated ability to implement effective teaching methods, adapt to unique styles of learning, provide supportive and effective feedback, acknowledge the client’s/student’s progress, and cope with unique difficulties/ successes.
• In-depth knowledge of and demonstrated ability to transmit the value of self-awareness and self- responsibility throughout the therapeutic process.
• In-depth knowledge of and demonstrated ability to develop and adjust appropriate practice strategies to the client/student.
• In-depth knowledge of how to translate practicum preparation, such as clinical observation of yoga therapy sessions, role playing and case study into effective practicum delivery.