Author Archives: Jean-Claude Garnier

The Ashtanga Yoga Institute studio in Brussels

The changing rooms are located at the right of the entrance. There are separate changing rooms for men and women. A shower is at disposal of the students.

The Yoga studio measures 50m2. The oiled oak hardwood floor is laid on beams in order to avoid ankle and tendon problems. The studio has floor heating for more comfort.

For better comfort the studio is also equipped with floor heating, light dimmers and a mechanical ventilation system, which allows optimum ventilation.

On site, you will be able to use different equipment’s for warm-up and yoga practice, such as yoga mats, blankets for relaxation… Of course you are welcome to bring your own equipment if you prefer.

The yoga reception area

 There is a small kitchen (with a fridge, cooktop, dishes and cutlery) for eating

There are some mattresses for sleeping, if necessary

For your pleasure we have of a library with books on Yoga available on-site

For your convenience there is WIFI available on the premises

Become an Ashtanga Yoga professor thanks to the training given by the Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Brussels

The Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Brussels perpetuates the teachings of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Since 1973, Jean Claude Garnier trains students, in Europe and Asia, to deepen their knowledge about Yoga. Some of the students will find a calling and become a Yoga Professor and in turn, transmit the art of Yoga.

The Institute is open to different currents of Yoga. Jean Claude Garnier pursues the transmission of Ashtanga Yoga as taught by Krishnamacharya and his disciples B.K.S. Iyengar, and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

Training and recycling as a Yoga professor, who is concerned ?

  • People who practice Yoga and wish to deepen their self-knowledge in order to obtain a better body and mind balance
  • Those who wish to deepen their approach of the tradition of Yoga
  • Future teachers who wish to teach Yoga in Europe – this requires a commitment to a course of minimum 5 modules
  • Existing Yoga teachers who wish to broaden their personal knowledge with an ancient and dynamic method
  • Yoga teachers who have the obligation to improve and develop their existing skills

How does the training with personal monitoring take place ?

  • You deepen your knowledge of the practice of Yoga: first, second and third series
  • You study Yoga and its philosophy
  • You learn to observe during classes (group and private classes)
  • You progressively assist the teacher during classes
  • You will be supervised as of your first class, in order to answer your questions.

How to obtain a diploma

The Yoga teacher training consists of a set of modules.

At the end of each module there is a practical and theoretical evaluation.

Once you have successfully passed a module, you can move on to the next one.

You need to complete a minimum of 5 modules (A, B, C, D, E, F) and write a thesis which summarizes your studies and research on one of the aspects of Yoga.

This diploma is a requisite to :

  • Practice the profession in European countries
  • Teach in a recognised Institute
  • Register to the national professional database
  • Get an insurance
  • As an asset for your students

 European PDF laws

European Yoga Union: http://www.yogaeurop.com/index.php?categoryid=21

Proto Shiva, of the Indus civilization

Proto Shiva, of the Indus civilization

 Content covered during the training

Theoretical documentation will be given to you at the end of each module in electronic version (with an access to “training”)

 Topics

  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Psychology
  • Pedagogy
  • Professional ethics
  • History
  • Etymology
  • Indian sacred texts

Also discussed: communication, oral and written expression, dietetics, lifestyle…

 Course content of Training Module A

  • Postural practice first & second series (Sádhaná Yoga)

Postural foundations, supports, reviewing and improvement of postures and their variations; breathing techniques in postures (pranayama); development of concentration, letting go, individual work and group work, workshops, first trials of teaching.

 

Theoretical courses

  • Classical Indian Tradition through its Vedic origins
  • Invocations (prayer at the beginning of the class): explanation, its significance and its meaning.
  • Theory and practice of Ashtanga Yoga (Mula Bandha, uddiyana, Ujjayi Pranayama, Vinyasa)
  • Knowledge of anatomy related to postural practice
  • Importance of stretching during Yoga postures
  • Use of Sanskrit during courses
  • Religious festivals
  • The creation of the world (Taittiriya Aranyaka viewed by Veda)
  • The life, work and education of Sivananda, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Ramdas, Yogi Ram Surat Kumar, Sri Yukheswar, Alain Danielou, Krishnamurti.

Check the PDF files to see the content of the other training modules

Admissions

The admission procedures are common to all schools of the National Federation of Yoga Teachers

To enrol in the first year of training you must:

  • Have practiced Yoga for at least 2 years with one or more teachers and have one of the teachers complete a sponsorship record
  • Be over 18 years old
  • Have a general level of education or equivalent vocational training at high-school level.

When and where:

  • India: the longest training (one month)
  • Greece: condensed training (two weeks)
  • Belgium: all year long (10 weekends from September to June / July)

Addressing and coming out of a posture in Ashtanga Yoga practice (Vinyāsa Krama)

In Ashtanga Yoga practice (Yoga Korunta), there is a precise progression, established with a lot of wisdom, in order to address a posture add also to come out of it. This is called Vinyāsa Krama.

The postures are connected one with another by mini-sequences or complete sequences from the sun salutation (Surya Namaskara).

Ashtanga Yoga_Adho Mukha Svannasana _suryanamaskara_A

 

 

In Ashtanga Yoga, the postural work and the Viniyasa have equal importance. At first, we see the postural learning with a simple chain/sequence. Once the postures are known comes the sequences/chaining teaching (the complete Viniyasa).

Srivatsa Ramaswami, old student of Shri T. Krishnamacharya

Srivatsa Ramaswami, old student of Shri T. Krishnamacharya

«Integrating the spirit, body and breathing functions . . . A yogi will know the true joy of the yoga practice . . .Vinyāsa Krama yoga strictly follows the most complete
definition of classical yoga ».
Srivatsa Ramaswami

There are two important factors.

  1. All the postures (āsana) are in an unchangeable order.
  2. As beautifully taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, there are a precise number of synchronised breathing and movement transitions that connect each position (āsana).

The process of Vinyāsa Krama produces an intense internal heat (tapas) that allows purification, and elimination of toxins in the muscles, the organs and the mind. The result is a light body that breaths profound peace, strength and joy.

Practice of Yoga mālā is a true precision work (from latin prae-cisus), in other words «without scission», without division of breathing, movement, concentration, rhythm etc. It is a work of reunification, of unification.

Focused gaze in the Yoga asana (Drishti)

In the Ashtanga yoga practice, the eyes are kept opened. In the same way, like when we drive a car, a motorbike or a bike, we look at the road in the direction where we are going, otherwise… we have an accident.

The gaze in Ashtanga Yoga is the path towards plenitude…

«Oh yogi, do not practise the āsana(s) without dhristi…»
Vāmana Ṛṣi Yoga Korunta

Drishti, is the concentration/focalisation of the gaze on a point on the body during the execution of a posture which is held during several breaths.

The benefits of Drishti in the asana practice :

  1. Develops concentration
  2. Improves the direction of the nervous flow
  3. Gives movement to the connective tissues (tissues that envelope our muscles, also called fascia)

The first verse (sloka) from Yoga Korunta mentions the 9 drishti :

  1. The tip of the nose « Nasagrai »
  2. Between the two eyes (3rd eye)   « Nétriore ma diai »
  3. The navel « Nabit chakaam staté wad chã »
  4. The middle of the hand « Hastha grai »
  5. The middle of the foot « Padãyour grai »
  6. A point situated in the horizontal right « Parsvai yur ho béyur hãpi »
  7. A point situated in the horizontal left « Parsvai yur ho béyur hãpi »
  8. The thumbs, hands together in prayer « Angusta ma diai »
  9. Look at the sky (gaze upwards) in the vertical line of the eyes « Urdhva drishti hi » 

  ” The yogi focuses his/her visual energy between the two eyebrows, with equal time in the inhale and in the exhale that go through the nose, master of his/her sensitive, mental and intellectual faculties, the Wise (noble-minded) reaching towards liberation, his/her ultime end, is separated from desire, from fear and from anger; he is freed forever.”
Bhagavad Gītā, V, 22/28

Breathing adjusted to the Ashtanga Yoga practice Ujjãyi Prãnãyãma

During the entire practice of the postural « sādhanā » in Ashtanga Yoga, we use a type of breathing called « Ujjãyi prãnãyãma », « the breath of the ocean ». There are many variations of the Ujjãyi.

The breathing (prãnãyãma) is always synchronised to the movements.

For a beginner, the inhalation and exhalation must have the same duration.

For an advanced yogi, the inhalation is a little longer.

The breathing methodology in Ashtanga Yoga :

  1. A continuous and uninterrupted flow
  2. Always breathing through the nose
  3. Opening gently the larynx region (Jālandhara)
  4. It should produce a soft sound (Ujjãyi)

Thereby the breathing sound (Ujjãyi) is obtained via the positioning of the throat (Jālandhara)

Jālandhara is the glottis control in the ujjāyī type of breathing; it is the positioning of two muscles of the thyroarytenoid laterals, which provokes the characteristic sound of the ujjāyī.

The specificity of the Ujjāyī lies in « control » partial opening of the glottis, in order to control/stop both the air coming in and their going out.

Diapositive94

Nota :

It should not be confused with the uninterrupted breathing (Jālandhara bandha).

 

Abdominal control, Uḍḍiyāna

In the yoga tradition, there are several muscle positionings (Bandha).

The first control is « Mūla », the pelvic floor, the base.

The second control is « Uḍḍiyāna », the abdominal floor .

  1. At the end of the exhale, (when your lungs are completely empty)
  2. Stretch the space between the iliac crests and the ribs
  3. Stretch the transversals, the obliques (inner and outer) and the lower abdominals

Not to be confused with the position « Uḍḍiyāna bandha» that is not a breath, but a stop to the breath.

The best position to learn and deepen uḍḍiyāna & mūla bandha

This ” abdominal control ” can be experienced very easily in the posture « Adho Mukha Svānnāsana » (the dog position with the head down) in sūryanamaskara. This position is held during five deep breaths.

Together « Mūla Bandha & Uḍḍiyāna » represent a safety system that protects the body thanks to its actions on the lower body fascias (reciprocal tension of right and left fascias).

This set participates to controlling the energy in the body (Prāṇa)