To talk about what the “Mentorship Program” is, we have to go all the way back to the beginning, to the nature of knowledge, experience, and the best way to pass them on through something like a “training.” You see, we think that the Western systems of teaching are limited. With so much structure and focus on classroom logistics, we Westerners have maximized efficiency while sacrificing individuality and subtlety. This may be suitable for the rudiments of a subject, like beginning classes in math, science and even yoga, but once a student grows past the early stages, she must be shepherded by a thoughtful and individual teacher. Only with personal attention and instruction can a student make real progress and find her own identity, passion and vision.
So we are adopting a method of teaching that is closer to the way yoga has been passed down traditionally, with individual attention and consideration. With the goals of yoga in mind, each student will be assigned slightly different variations of the physical practices, based on their ability; different breathing practices, based on their experience; different sensory and mental practices based on their awareness and understanding; different historical and theoretical readings based on disposition and desire; and different teaching techniques based on skill, alertness and experience.
It is difficult to answer questions about “what does the mentorship entail?” because it will entail something different for each student. One student may focus on studying sutras and retaining the breath, while another may focus on strengthening her feet, balancing the nervous system and speaking loudly.
We hope that any confusion this causes up front while people are trying to understand if this program is “right for them” will be balanced out by the unmatched quality and specificity of the mentorship.
As always, please ask us if you have any questions!
