Yoga Teacher Training

500 hour level

(Click here for the 200-hour Certificate Program)

Course Objective

This course is designed to:

• Provide a personally meaningful program.
• Increase one's exposure to philosophy and practices of yoga.
• Strengthen one's personal practice through deeper understanding
• Offer teaching opportunities and practicum in a supportive environment.
• Provide opportunities for student mentorship with senior teachers (Yoga Alliance refers to senior teachers as E-RYT or Experienced Registered Yoga Teachers).
• Enhance spiritual learning where students and teachers engage deeply with each other in an intimate setting (Indian Gurukul system).

The Teachings

Yoga is a holistic system for health and well being as well as a ladder towards knowing our higher essence, our deeper spiritual selves. Though it often takes many years of study and practice to understand the subtleties of these esoteric teachings, students will have an exposure to various paths which include Bhakti (Devotional) Yoga, Sacred Sound and Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga and our underlying emphasis on Ashtanga Yoga, the eight limbed system elucidated in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Our core courses draw their theory from various scriptures including the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Siva Samhita and Gheranda Samhita. These source materials serve primarily as guides and supports for personal practice. The scriptures themselves declare that the wisdom of yoga is revealed and experienced best through regular practice.

Prerequisite: a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training certificate from Mount Madonna Center or another Yoga Alliance approved Yoga School.

Our Purpose

• Out of respect to the ancient tradition of yoga and to our own teacher Baba Hari Dass, we hope to provide others with the classical teachings as they have been handed down for thousands of years.
• To offer further training in theory, philosophy, benefits and practices of yoga to asana and meditation teachers as well as to yoga practitioners.
• To inspire students and teachers to continue with the worthy search for self knowledge and eternal peace.

Who Should Attend

This program is for Yoga teachers pursuing registration with the Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level as well as for yoga practitioners wanting to increase their knowledge and experience. You must apply and be approved before you can take YTT 500 program for credit.

Program Details

This program is registered with Yoga Alliance and provides 300 hours of study, which layer upon your previous YTT200 certification (See Yoga Alliance Standards.) Upon satisfactory culmination of the program, a certificate of completion at the 500-hour level is given.

• 200 hours must be taken in residence at Mount Madonna Center (required dates below).
• The balance of 100 hours may be taken at MMC through approved workshops, retreats and independent study projects arranged with the program coordinator.
• The 200 hours are divided into 1) A weeklong intensive, 2) Five long weekends (Thursday – Sunday). The required dates are:
• Feb 18-21, 2010 A Bridge Program (ADDITIONAL COST) is required for those who have received their 200 hour certificate elsewhere. It can be taken as an elective (or not) for those who hold a certificate from Mount Madonna Center.
• April 30 - May 7, 2010 (weeklong)
• July 29-Aug 1, 2010
• October 21-24. 2010
• December 9-12, 2010
• February 3-6, 2011
• April 7- 10, 2011 

Electives (100 hours)

Mount Madonna Center Weekend Programs offer a diversity of yoga, meditation and ayurveda programs presented by a variety of exceptional teachers, giving students an opportunity to focus in specific areas of interest. For MMC YTT 200 graduates, apprenticing in the Summer or Modular 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training is another way to earn elective hours

Elective Courses Approved For 2009

REMEMBER:  You must apply to the YTT500 program FIRST if you want to receive credit.

Weekend/Elective Programs   
Weekends offer a diversity of yoga, meditation and ayurveda programs presented by a variety of exceptional teachers, giving students an opportunity to focus in specific areas of interest. Some classes have recommended readings which will be sent to you upon registration.

4 day Retreats offer extended opportunities for teaching as well as a strong experiential component.

Tuition

The tuition listed below is for the required program modules. Tuition for electives is on a course-by-course basis. Please note that all fees for Mount Madonna Center programs have one fee for tuition and additional fees for housing and meals.

• Fees for electives are on a course-to-course basis. They are not included in the above tuition fees.
• Fees for MMC retreats and MMC Weekend Programs vary. Please refer to Mount Madonna Center Housing and Fees.
• Fees for retreats offered by rental groups, see their websites, as listed above under Weekend/Elective Programs.
• For those joining the program in 2009, there is a one-time non-refundable administrative fee of $200.
• Independent Study. Tuition is $10 per independent study hour for first 25 hours and $8 per hour from 26-50 hours.

Cancellations/Refunds
Please refer to Mount Madonna Center Policy.