Q&A about Teacher Training: Sun. June 22nd 11:00-11:30am Sat. July 19th 1:00-1:30pm Sat. August 9th 1:00-1:30pm

Dear Yoga Trainee,

Thank you for your interest in the 2025-2026 PranAnanda Yoga Teacher Training course. Check out the information below and when you are set…

1. Fill out both the Application and Ethical Conduct form. [CURRENTLY CREATING UPLOAD]
2. E-mail to [email protected] and ‘cc’ to yourself.

If you don’t hear from me within two weeks, please don’t hesitate to call or e-mail me to get an update.

This is going to be a knowledge-filled and exciting training. It’s very intensive. Be prepared to put in some hard work with an incredible reward at the end! Remember the best students make the best teachers.

See you on the mats!

Hari Om Tat Sat

Joy Wolfe

The training will cover the following areas:

• Alignment/adjustment of basic asanas & Classical Sun Salutation
• Anatomy /physiology – In depth study includes compensation for injuries, medical conditions and body types.
• Yoga philosophy – Sutras, lifestyle, ethics of teaching, etc.
• Techniques of pranayama, basic kriyas, meditation, visualizations, chanting, & breakdown of basic Sanskrit
• Chakras – energetic properties and postures affecting them.
• Hands-on teaching, sequencing of postures, discussion on technique improvement & teaching to different learning styles.

PranAnanda Yoga Certification: PranAnanda is soon (currently processing) to be certified through the World Yoga Federation, an international yoga certification organization founded in India by Swami Vidyanand. He is a renowned Traditional/ Transformational Yoga Master devoted to nurturing authentic Yoga traditions throughout the world and fostering a community of authentic Yoga and meditation teachers, schools, and practitioners. Swami Vidyanand was trained by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (founder of The Bihar School of Yoga) and a follower of Sri Aurobindo.

Prerequisites

• Minimum 6 months of Yoga instruction from a qualified* instructor.
• 100% commitment to the full 200 hours of training, including full participation in discussions.
• Respect for fellow trainees and instructor by showing up on time, listening to their questions and answers with full attention.
• An open heart and mind to grow and learn, even when it becomes challenging.

*A reputable studio/instructor-discretion of director

Training dates:

September 2025-February 2026: Saturdays 1:00pm-5:00pm, Sundays 11:00am-3:00pm

September: 6 & 7, 20 & 21; Chakra workshop: Saturday 13th 1:00-4:00pm

October: 4 &5, 18 & 19; Chakra workshop: Saturday 11th 1:00-4:00pm

November: 8 & 9; Chakra workshop: Saturday 15th 1:00-4:00pm

December: Chakra workshop: Saturday 13th 1:00-4:00pm

January: 10 & 11, 24 & 25

February: 7 & 8, 14 & 15

February: Friday 20th 5:30-7:00pm trainees teach each other (Round Robin), Saturday 21st 1:00pm – 2:30pm trainees teacher each other.

February: Friday 27th 5:30 – 7:00pm trainees teach live class to students (Round Robin), Saturday 28th 11:00am-12:30pm trainees teach live class.

February 28th, 2:00pm, Graduation Ceremony

Only 2 module days can be missed and 1 Pranayama or Philosophy class, BUT all notes and information must be obtained from a fellow trainee.

Requirements for graduation/certification:

In addition to these Teacher Training modules, attending the Pranayama Program and the Yoga Philosophy series is required. You can take these at any point during the year. The Pranayama Program will be offered three times per year and the Yoga Philosophy twice a year.

Also, forty Yoga classes are to be attended and documented (instructor’s name, style of yoga, date attended). At least 20 of these classes are with me on-line or in-person. At least one of each following styles must be attended: Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin. These can be on-line classes. Six of these classes are to be written up (one page only) with focus on what you learned/liked about the class and what you did not like or would not conduct in your own class.

A short paper written about the Hindu deity of your choice (2 pages).

All homework assignments from the Yoga Philosophy series completed.

All homework assignments from the training (e.g. Visualization presentation, sequencing a class around an apex pose)

Teaching two on-line PranAnanda classes in Round Robin format with fellow trainees. Sequencing will be provided. These classes are scheduled into the training on the last two weekends in February.

An open book written exam

A short 5 minute oral exam with me upon completion of course and granted certificate. Specifics (3 chants, adjustments in certain asanas) will be given, it is not random.

Full payment of all modules, workshops, and classes.

Optional: Assisting me in two in-person classes, doing hands-on adjustments while I teach.

Payment:

Over the years, on average it is not easy for most trainees to plop down 3k in full or even three 1k payments. So, this year I’m offering trainees to pay for EACH module individually.

Each Saturday is $100, and each Sunday is $100. The Chakra Series is $160. The Pranayama Program is $99. The Philosophy of Yoga is $199.

Interview with me (going over application and any questions) and shipment of Training workbook = $100

9 weekends x $200 = $1800

Last 2 partial weekends in February = $100

Chakra series = $150

Pranyama Program = $99

The Philosophy of Yoga = $199

Oral exam & certificate = $100

Total: $2,448.00 (*does NOT include purchase of books or outside classes)

Scholarships

ONE student each training will be offered the training at $1,500.00 (4 installments of $375.00)

To apply (this is based on NEED), I will trust that you genuinely need financial assistance; write a ONE page essay about why you’d like to take the training. Email the essay to me at [email protected] with SCHOLARSHIP TT in the subject line by August 2025 .

Required Books

Light On Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda

The Science of Breath by Swami Rama, Ballentine, & Hymes

The Anatomy Coloring Book by Kapit & Elson

Optional: Yoga the Iyengar Way by Mehta, Theories of the Chakras by Motoyama, Yoga Anatomy by Kaminoff, DVD- Yoga Unveiled

*Abebooks has many of these yoga and spiritual books at discounted prices. Also, ThriftBooks.

A Few Closing Comments

This training is closer to 250 hours than 200 hours. I tend to over train, so your comfort zone with teaching is larger. Half of the Pranayama Program and The Philosophy of Yoga is applicable to the future 500 hour PranAnanda Yoga Teacher Training. Training for teaching Yoga does not stop at 200 hours. It is a lifetime commitment to be a perpetual student and keep your knowledge fresh for your students.

This IS an intensive training that is heavy on anatomy. Yoga is an Eastern tradition, but we are living in a Western society. If a student walks into your class with a torn rotator cuff injury, you don’t want to ask an uneducated question like, “Oh, how is your leg feeling now?” Also, I want you to have the grounded confidence that if you do NOT understand someone’s injury or disease you will know how to do some light research about it.

“I’m not everybody’s cup of tea, but I am someone’s shot of whiskey.” I love Yoga, I love anatomy and physiology, I love the intricacies of Pranayama, I love Sanskrit, and I’m on the life-long journey of unfolding the Sutras. I won’t be teaching sequencing with music or goats. There can be a time and place for those, but not in this training.

There will be no room for politics in this training. Once you go down that rabbit hole, it isn’t Yoga anymore. MANY present day famous Yoga instructors have politicized their classes and have TWISTED THE ANCIENT YOGA TEACHINGS to their agenda. This is wrong, and will not be tolerated. EVERYONE (political tendencies, gender, race, religion, all of it) is welcome in this training. IF the topics do come up outside of class/training, or during the breaks; I beg of you to be respectful of each others beliefs, listen, learn, and stay open; even if you disagree. Our differences are what makes this world beautiful and colorful. Keep in mind, we ALL have our very own idiosyncratic karmas, samskaras, and many pathways to God that make our journeys very different and unique.

Along the same lines, if your DO decide to embark on the Yoga training journey…hang onto your seats. The moment you make this decision, THE UNIVERSE WILL TEST YOU. “Are you sure you want to do this? OK, I’m going to throw a lot of your ‘stuff’ (issues, insecurities) at you.” This isn’t to scare you or to insinuate it’s going to be a purging, crying, snot fest; it’s just a heads up that you will be challenged in some very creative ways by Source. The beauty of ‘trial by fire’ is that steel becomes one of the most resilient metals on earth by being tempered in those flames. That’s why we do Yoga in the first place, right? We bend, so we don’t break. Breaking is sometimes OK too. We get to piece ourselves back together into our truest Self.

Last note, I absolutely LOVE teaching these trainings. The world needs more GREAT Yoga instructors. Everyone and their mother is ‘certified’ nowadays. Some are good, some not so much. I’d love to have the opportunity to help you on the path of truly changing the world for the better through this beautiful practice. It is an honor to teach these trainings, and I never want to take that for granted. Aaaaand selfishly, I learn a TON from each individual trainee with their different backgrounds and perspectives.

Any further questions, please attend one of the Q&A sessions listed at the top of the page.

Hari Om Tat Sat