Hello Yogis, 

I hope this finds you well and you are having peace in your life this Holiday Season.

I've been a bit behind on my writings due to a promotion, divorce, and new found single motherhood. Though my life has thrown me some curve balls and I have dropped them a few times I am so very thankful to have the philosophy of the Yama's and NiYama's to guide me as well as my faith. To me faith is something that is so precious and personal it can be hard to put into meaningful words. The yogic philosophy is faith in action. These are a guide for anyone, believer or non believer, religious or non religious. There is no deity in these words only goodness and kindness. As his holiness the Dalai Lama said "My religion in loving kindness". I would like to add that I personally believe all religion or humanity should manifest itself in "loving kindness". 

Brahmacharya:

Brahmacharya is how we use our life force, our energy, to 
be balanced or unbalanced.  When we are out of sorts our life usually reflects this. Things start to look messy literally and figuratively. For myself and the transitions in my life I have worked very hard to keep a clean house, semi clean car and keep the yard tidy. However on the other side of that I have had to let some things go and walk out of the house with it a little messy or let my kids eat frozen lasagna in order to get my work done. Life will hand you opportunities for practicing balance and moderation, as my dear friend and sister soul mate Stacey said to me the other day "We spend our life chasing balance." Yes we do. The most dedicated, honest, and good people will become off balance.This is where we start to practice moderation, moderation in our actions: Not eating to much, drinking to much, getting yourself into unhealthy relations with others, being mindful of your exercise  and sleep. Moderation is good but there is also another powerful tool you can add and that we read about earlier: The practice of Ahimsa or "Kindness" kindness to self,  kindness to others, thinking of what others need and what you need is a powerful way to bring balance into your life.  So if your life throws you a curve ball find ways, even as small as they are to be kind to yourself and forgiving of yourself. Do the special things in your life to counter the stress and you will find yourself returning to that place we all desire as yogi's to be "The present moment, the oneness with the universe and the oneness with the divine we all hold in our heart."

Asteya

So have you ever heard "Yoga meets you where you are"? That's how I felt when I started doing my readings for this post, my studies that is. So the word Asteya means "no stealing"...well that's easy right? Nope..because we are not talking about taking a candy bar we are talking about so much more. We are talking about not taking credit for things you didn't do. Well that's one aspect but I would like to be more specific to my own situation because I truly believe when I meet you here with humility these post are more meaningful and maybe will help someone else as much as they help me to study and to write about them.

My friend Stacey said the other day that she can't "not be friends" with her students. That is her nature, you visit her studio, you are her friend. She refers to she and I as  "peas and carrots", we just go together. I too am not a person who has many walls, what you see is what you get. The person I am with you is pretty much who I am all the time. Now of course I have personal issues, I get mad, sad, angry, and have even been known to "lose it" with certain members of my family.
Are you wondering how does this relate to Asteya? Well so about an hour after the last post I wrote two weeks ago my husband and I split up. Yup, we separated, since then he has gotten an apartment and we are trying to figure out how to raise four teenagers, share our money, and live apart with little hope of being together again. This is flipping hard stuff, I find my self wanting my children's time, worrying about money, worrying about how to be all I can for my family, my business, my career at the Y. I basically am worried that I don't have enough, enough energy, will power, strength, drive, etc...That is what Asteya is, worry about lack of enough. So each day I read this little book on building a "Buddha Mind" a mind of simplicity, abundance, and love, love for self, love for others. I truly believe if we put our energy towards the positive, if we love ourselves, if we believe that if we put "goodness" out there "goodness" will come back...it will.

Meditation: Today I will "Be for myself" I will love myself, believe the universe will provide for me, I will give freely and trust.


Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Namaste,
Courtney

In Humility & Truthfulness. SATYA

Satya - Truthfulness
The second of the Yama's
Yama's are the way we behave towards others, ultimately always coming full circle back to our own behavior and hence how we feel about ourselves.

One of my greatest weaknesses and strengths is my natural gift of "satya".  My husband refers to it as "Your an open book!" (This is not always said as a compliment).
I'm honest to a point of showing my innermost secrets and therefor "freaking" some people out, or maybe it could be said that I sometimes cross boundaries that make people uncomfortable because I am so honest about myself, my past, my frailties. It wasn't always this way for me though. As a child I had a rough way to go and I often lied to cover up the truth about who I was and were I came from. Somewhere down the line I realized that I didn't need to have false bravado or be more than I truly was in others eyes, that people would actually like me better if I was just me, all the garbage, scars, ugliness that I had to offer along with the good (it took me a long time and quite frankly a lot of counseling and a lot of yoga to find the good stuff). That ugliness wasn't me of course, it was not the real me. It was the stuff I carried around like a big heavy bag. I was "I", a person just like you. A person with the same feelings we all share:  loneliness, happiness, sadness, anger, jealousy, love, kindness, and every other verb we can come up. That's just it, those words are action words, we are nouns. We are tangible, we are existence. People change, people grow. Honesty comes from first being honest with yourself and then with others. I can promise you the people you want to have in your life will love you more for the real you, if they cannot except you for who you are it's because they cannot except who they are.

Mediation on Satya: Today I will come from a place of love and be truthful with myself and others. I will honestly take the time to ask myself what I want and what I want my life to look like. I will act out of that place with love and honesty.

Namaste: The best in me salutes the best in you.
I bow in humility and respect.

Courtney

Yogic Philosophy Made Simple and Applicable

Yama's and Niyama's in your life and  work life:
The Yamas and Niyamas are a common sense path in yoga for daily living in this world. 
For the next 10 post I will apply them to daily life and work life.


Yamas:
• Ahimsa (non-violence),
• Satya (truthfulness),
• Asteya (non-stealing),
• Brahmacharya (celibacy) and
• Aparigraha (non-covetousness)


Niyamas:
• Shaucha or purity,
• Santosha or contentment,
• Tapa or austerity,
• Swadhyaya or self-education and
• Ishwar-Pranidhan or meditation on the Divine


 Yamas generally refer to how we treat others, however when going deeper it comes full circle to how we treat ourselves effects our actions with others. In life I am doubting anyone reading this is a violent person. However when we put our life under the microscope we can see more clearly how we can apply this. When you go to a restaurant and the waitress is frazzled, do you decide not to leave a tip, or are you rude or angry with him or her ? When you shop at the Holidays and the lines are long, do you get agitated with the people working in the store and the other customers? 


We teach people how to treat us, in our behavior we illicit reactions from others. Not to absolve others from their behavior but to open our eyes to how our actions effect others reactions to us. As my sweet Granny used to say "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Well that simple statement was Ahimsa, it was my Granny's Southern philosophical statement on non violence. 


Each day I struggle with not being disappointed with myself and the things I want to be, do, look like, accomplish, etc...
I'd like to save more money, lose some weight, be more patient. However, in focusing on those things I am only serving to make myself feel bad. So in my mind I will say "I have saved $500, and we have a retirement account. I'm only 10lbs heavier than I was in high school and I have had four pregnancies." Today instead of getting angry when my son was late for school for the 6th time in three weeks I said "I love you Honey" (as he walked out the door to get in his car, knowing the school would inflict the proper consequence).
When we are kind to others and to ourselves we feel a sense of pride and accomplishment for being patient and kind. When we are angry and frustrated we feel defeated. By following the philosophy of Ahimsa we build others up to succeed and build ourselves us for success. 


Application: 


Others: Today when you face people smile, say something kind, think of how they feel. Consider that the person who is angry, rude, or disrespectful could have more on their plate than they can handle and be extra kind to them despite their behavior. 


Yourself: Take time, five minutes or five hours to do something nice for yourself. For me it will be brewing a cup of tea and taking a nice short walk and doing a little yoga before work. 


Meditation: Take a deep breath in and silently say to yourself "I am", as you exhale say to your self something positive, such as "love, peace, joy, happy, beautiful, successful." Repeat several times. 


Peace and Love.

Pricing - Just do it

So this makes me a little crazy and I believe it's a bit of information that could really change people's profit's for the better.
I see a service I am interested in and I go to the web page and there is no price.  So I have no idea if I can afford the widget or service this business has to offer.
I go with my gut when it comes to business and it has never let me down. Put yourself in the customers shoes. When you are looking to purchase or use something if you can't find a price do you give up?
So I will give an example from tonight that made me think of this. I'm on FaceBook (FB), someone local I adore has a business that I think I might like to use. I'm thinking I can spend a specific amount. They do not have a web page and on the FB page there no information about how the service works or how much it cost. See here is the deal, I really want to give this person business, but I would feel foolish if I called and then I could not afford what they needed. If you have a service that is hard to price, give an example of work you do and a clear statement that prices vary based on whatever your variables are. If you are struggling in a new business and do not know what to charge then "google" or research at least ten similar businesses and look at pricing. Then compare prices in your area. In Arkansas we charge a little less for yoga that the East or West Coast so I have to stay competitive. Ideally you don't want to be the most expensive until you have really built a reputation and you don't want to be cheap just to be cheap. Price fairly. Make sure you give a brief and concise statement about what you offer.

Here is an example from my web page: There is more info on the web page describing refunds and other financial policies, but you clearly know what you are paying for and what it cost. There is more detailed information on the website for specific events and trainings. CourtneyButlerYoga.com

 

·       Workshops  and Intensives  (C.E.U.’s available): $20 credit hour. If hosted 75/25(host) split, host advertises on website and current publications.



·       Yoga to go: $15 per person, minimum of $105.


·       Guest teaching with Courtney: $50 per hour, plus the cost of copies up to $15, and mileage outside of Garland County.



·       Personalized therapeutic yoga sessions :$60 per session, 1hr.

Hope this is helpful to someone and increases your revenue.

Courtney

Want to find work or keep your job?

 In yoga teacher training there are many types of personalities. Though I may care and appreciate each person, when it comes to hiring I have to look for very specific qualities. In my work as an employer and as a manager (I own a business and work for a large non profit) I have to make decisions in hiring that can be quite difficult.

What I look for when hiring:

1. Is the person a team player? Does he or she work well with others and have a positive outlook about the organization?
2. How does the person handle conflict? Can he or she understand that in business life problems do arise and it takes patience and tact to work through them and find a solution?
3. Are they dependable? Will show up for work and give plenty of notice when they need to be off?
4. Do they follow the rules of the organization? This is much like being a team player however it goes deeper than this. For instance, we have a rule that when teaching certain poses a teacher must give a modification if the pose has the potential for being dangerous. Do teachers take caution and understand how they can modify?
5. Are the teachers willing to continually learn and improve their skills?

Here are some steps to finding work or keeping your current position:

1. Does the timing of the job fit your schedule? Apply for work only if you know you can be dependable. If you find you need to make changes speak to your boss about a schedule change, they just may be able to accommodate you.
2. In other areas of your life be dependable. For instance do you show up for appointments on time? Do you do what you say you are going to do? This will reflect in your reputation.
3. Be willing to understand that there will be challenges. You will have to try to solve some problems. Expect that others are not trying to make you angry, they are merely doing what they think needs to be done. Simply put be flexible and open minded.
4. Always  be a student. Continue to study, ask questions, read books and blogs on your profession.
5. Be willing to admit your mistakes. Apologize, take responsibility and move on. Above all, do right once you know where you messed up, intentionally or not. 
6. If you don't know, admit it. On a regular basis people ask me for help with specific health issues. Now there are about 1,999,999 different health issues in the world. If I don't know the answer I say " I'd like to double check to be safe. I'll get back to you." Then do it.
7. Do your work in a reasonable amount of time. Make sure you understand your expectations. If you boss says "I need you to do this." You say, "When do you need that by?" If you find you cannot meet that expectation once you start your project, then speak to your superiors and discuss it. Whatever you do, don't let it sit out there and ignore dealing with it. Likely your superiors are in a place of management because they are "Get it done" types. Always handle things in a timely fashion.
8. Manage expectations. If you have an expectation then ask if you are not sure. Don't let things fester. Deal with your challenges as soon as you can.

Simply Put:

• Show up
• Smile
• Be nice
• Study
• Care
• Work hard
• Be honest
• Be flexible

Here is a great blog post from Step Morgan on hiring employees.
http://stepmorgan.com/2011/09/the-secret-to-finding-the-right-employees/

From Yoga Student to Yoga Teacher

You have decided to make a life change and your not quite sure what that will look like but in your mind you have some ideas, dreams, and hopes. Congratulations, that is the beginning. Anything you can picture you can likely do, it may take tenacity and preservation but if you can picture it you are on your way. Here are the details in getting started on your journey and some helpful hints to help you get the most out of your journey.

First Steps:

1. You will need to have some background with yoga. You need to know you really love practicing before you decide to be a teacher.
2. Be able to answer the question for yourself -Why do I want to teach ?
3. Find several schools that appeal to you and research them. What is it you like about the school? Do you like the teachers? The style of yoga? What is their history? 
4. What appeals to you? A small school with less than 15 or so students per class? Or a big school that is more like a college campus?  
5. Ask some teachers who went through the program how they feel about the school.
6. Once you pick a school then you will want to email or call the Director. Send in your deposit and application. There may or may not be a phone interview. If the teacher knows you then they may skip this part.
7. Make arrangements to be able to attend "all" of the classes. Most schools do not let you miss any classes, but if you know you may have to miss one or two classes make sure you speak to your teacher and see if you can make it up. Many schools will make you wait a year to repeat the sessions you miss.

Once classes start:

1. Have what you need the first day.
2. Bring an attitude of willingness to learn.
3. Take care of yourself during training. Eat healthy, exercise, sleep, and do your yoga practice. 
4. Do your work on time. I know this sounds like a "DUH" but it's crucial to enjoying your training. Make sure to set time out of your day, week, or month to do homework and assignments so you are not rushed. When I was in school I would get to my kids school an hour early and sit in my car the parking lot, not answer my cell phone and do my assignments in the car- no distractions. It worked for me for the reading and written work. 
5. Go to other teachers yoga classes. 

Want peole to show up to your classes?

As silly as this may sound you would be surprised at the little bit of thought that some people give to scheduling and I will admit it can be trial and error. I have been doing this for over ten years now and there is a bit of a challenge to it. When I started at the college we had classes in the evenings and most of the people who showed up worked a day job. A year later I went to work at a large health and wellness facility and our biggest classes were on Monday mornings. So how do you know when to schedule your classes?

In previous post I covered how to decide when you should teach, that is your first step. What fits into your life style. For the sake of this blog I will use myself and a current graduate as an example, we will call her Sally. I have teenagers whom I take and pick up from school, it is important to me to be available for them early in the a.m. and afternoons. However I can work some weekends because my kids can feed  and look after themselves and my husband is off on weekends.
Sally however has small children and her husband is a nurse who works three weekends a month working three ten hr shifts. He is usually worn out on Mondays. Sally would like to work Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, but not all three days as she would like to have some family time. Sally would like to add about $300 a month to her income so she feels at $25 an hour she needs to teach four classes per week. Sally and her husband talk and decide that working on Tuesdays and Thursdays would be ideal. Sally decides to approach her yoga studio and ask to teach a 6:00 a.m. class and a 9:30 a.m. class, giving her a little time to run errands between classes or do paperwork. She approaches the Director whom she has taken classes from in the past. The Director ask her to demonstrate a class, which she does. The Director says she will be happy to ad the 6:00 a.m. class for three months and see how it does but she, the Director, teaches the  9:30 class. Sally gladly accepts and soon finds she has an average of eight folks showing up to take her class within six weeks. The Director is becoming more and more busy and decides since Sally is doing so great by month three that she will let her sub for a month and see how it goes on the 9:30 class with the intent to free up the Directors time if it goes well. Sally loses two students (normal when teachers change out) but gains four so the Director keeps her on and within in four months Sally has exactly what she wanted and is bringing in an extra $400 a month for her family working two weekday mornings and loves her job.


So you may be saying "Huh, how does this apply to getting people to my class?" Well it's only half of the story. One Sally is happy, enthusiasm is key to your success. So then what is the other half, or I should say quarters.
You need to look at your clientele and marketing approach. At a college you cater to students and to retirees who get a discount so you can offer classes for students any time of day and they will likely show because they need P.E. credit. I would recommend between the hours of 8a.m. and 12:00 and 1:00 to 5:00 and then starting again at 6p.m. and then offer classes on M/W or T/Th for an hour at a time. Look at the college schedule and see what classes are offered and talk to the Director of Health and Fitness.


At a health club or yoga studio you can start at 6:00 a.m. and then nothing from 7 to 8:30, start back up 8:30 and end no later than 12:00. There are some exceptions but slow times are usually 7a.m. to 8:00 a.m. for classes and 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., at 4:00 you get school age kids, around 5:30 start back up and end all classes by 7:30. Depending on your place of business you can have 15 mins of wiggle room here. These numbers are based on many years of experience on my part. For yoga I highly recommend you have 15 to 20 mins before or after a class for people to socialize. A huge part of exercise is the community aspect, hold this to be true "Value the social aspect of your yoga community in order to grow." Push them out within minutes of a class and failure is an option. Give them time to build relationships and they will return.

Happy Scheduling!

Courtney

Green Drinks

I pretty much survive on these for enough veggies and fruit in my diet.

All you need is a blender and some fruits and veggies.

Start with about 2 cups of water
Ice or frozen fruit
Add any or all :Kale, Spinach, greens of any kind, shitake mushrooms, cucumber, zucchini, sprouts...etc..milder veggies lend to a milder flavor.
Add in a banana for a sweeter flavor
Add in optional: grated fresh ginger and / or lemon juice (fresh is best) sometimes I use lime.
You can add any fruit you like, apples, oranges, pineapple, cherries, berries, mango's.
SUPER TIP: Add powdered Wheat grass, Spirulina, or Super greens to your drink for protein, antioxidants, and more.

I am a fiber freak and I don't want to give it up so I just blend until smooth. You can put leftovers in a glass jar with fitted lid. I drink about four cups a day and it always makes me feel refreshed and healthy. 

Running a Yoga Based Business

So you think you want to run a yoga studio or own your own yoga business?

The next couple of months I will share with you some things to think about before you sign the lease.

In previous post we have discussed:

• Who you are as a teacher and who are your present clients: Teach beginners, seniors, Vinyasa flow, children, Power, or a combo.  
•  What is your vision? Do you want to teach in a studio, nursing home, public school, at a retreat center, etc...
• What are the best times for you to teach? You have kids and you want to teach while they are at school. Or you work and want to teach one night a week and two Saturday's a month, etc...If you make it hard it won't last.
• What part of yoga do you love? I have one teacher who is a great technical writer and she helps me with yoga manuals. I love marketing so I consult and write a blog. One of my teachers owns a studio, one works with kids, one teaches Power Yoga. What do you love to do? It will sustain you.

Okay so now you have it all figure out? Right!  Now  you can answer these questions below to help you figure out a little more. Just remember "You have the right to change your mind, and you will." It's okay. These exercises are part of the creative process.

Lets' start with the basics of finding space.

1. First you need to find a space that is open and has good energy.
2. Does it need to be on a busy street or out of the way? It depends on the space, the noise, and the feel, and the price. Generally you are a destination not a drop in place, but visibility has advantages.

*To see more, such as how to figure your expenses please subscribe by going to our "Services Offered page" you can join for $9.97 a month you can cancel anytime  you like. Join and pay online. You will be added to our "Coaching website" within 24 hours and see all the past post in full including a podcast and future podcast and webinars.

Satisfaction = Gratitude

What I share with my students in teacher training about being satisfied and therefor being successful:

1. You are there to be a teacher, this is not your practice.
2. Be the best you can be, have your own practice.
3. Be authentically you, don't try to be like other teachers. Teach from your heart.
4. Teach what you know.
5. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
6. Thank your students, without them you wouldn't be a teacher.
7. Mind your own back yard. In the South any good mama will say to you "Don't be a busy body". Concentrate on what you are doing, working on, etc...don't worry about what others are doing, and don't worry about perceived competition. This will distract you from doing honest work.
8. Celebrate your strengths.
9.  If there is an area you feel challenged in ask for help or hire someone with those strengths. Good business people hire or work with  a variety of strong people.
10. Be kind in all you do.

To subscribe to the monthly coaching blog for $9.97go to the "what we do page"

LIVE BY WHAT YOU HOLD DEAR

 Came across this in my inbox this a.m. and found it very useful. I love this blog.
 

When you are faced with a situation where you and your spouse aren’t on the same page, live according to your own integrity and values.
If you want to simplify and your spouse doesn’t, simplify your life.
You want to eat healthy and your spouse only wants fast food? Eat healthy.
I’ll leave you with this: At the end of the day, all you’re responsible for is you.
~ Becoming Minimalist Blog
To see the entire post click here http://www.becomingminimalist.com/2011/07/11/communicating-with-your-partner/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+becomingminimalistcom+%28becomingminimalist.com%29


 
I love Elaine St. James books, they are simple and to the point. Often I pick her books up and read them over an over again.  You can pick one page and glean something useful.
Simple, useful, perfect.

Courtney 

Motivation

"If all it took where know how we would all be rich and beautiful."

This is a quote I heard on a recent coaching podcast and for the most part it's true, yes there are factors in our lives that prohibit us from success. Sometimes the playing field is not always even. However, often we are our own worst enemies when it comes to achieving our goals and dreams.

Are you having trouble realizing your dreams? 

In the practice of "yoga nidra" (yoga sleep) there is a portion called "conflict resolution", you visualize your challenge and come up with a solution, no matter how crazy. You will see it through the steps and then visualize a "positive outcome", make sure you see all the steps and then meditate on the result. 

Then "surrender" to the vision.

Your goals should be led by your heart and desire, not for others or at the expense of others, but for your happiness and well-being.

Recently in a meeting a young lady said to me "I really wanted to do_________ , but..." 

I ask you what comes after your excuses? Can you take five minutes or an hour today to make one step to your dream? Can you make a phone call, research a subject, send an email ? What can you do to move yourself in the right direction? Or are you going to let your fears determine the outcome of your life ? Only you can decide. 

After all "If you can't see it in your mind how do you expect to achieve it?" 

"Take risk, make mistakes, get dirty!" ~ Ms. Frizzle, The Magic School Bus

Book note: I love this book. I was a little apprehensive because of the cover because I am so visual, my thoughts were "I am not a diva!" however, this is a great book for coaching women to find the work they love.

Upcoming Events and Trainings

Upcoming Events: REGISTRATION OPEN

• Children's Teacher Training for current R.Y.T.'s, July 2011 to March 2012
• 200 Hr R.Y.T. Certification Starts Sept. 10th 2011 in NLR at Blue Yoga NYLA
• Introduction to Hatha Yoga Workshop Sunday July 17th at BYNYLA 
• Seva Yoga Retreat Oct. 29/30th at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center.

For detailed info on any of these visit CourtneyButlerYoga.com

Setting a Yoga Friendly Environment

Often it is the simple things we overlook or take for granted when we are setting up our environments to teach a yoga class or to practice at home.

As yoga teachers we often do not have the luxury of being in a beautiful yoga studio. It is great if you are so fortunate but many teachers are in shared rooms, classrooms, basements, gymnasiums, and anywhere there is a large amount of space to spread out and put a bunch of mats on the floor.Often you will not have control over some of these issues however when you do it may well add joy to your teaching and enjoyment for your students.

Here are some basic guidelines for a great yoga environment:

1. Look at the lightening. Can you soften it and still be seen well? Consider a lamp or twinkle lights. Be careful with candles.
2. Ventilation, can you get some air flowing or open a window. This is great if the weather is nice and the birds are singing.
3. The temperature, 70* to 76* is ideal for yoga.
 4. Music or no music, it is personal preference, however after teaching over 4000 hours of yoga I find the prefrence of most students is low instrumental music or soft chanting music like Deva Premal.

5. Incense: To burn or not to burn. Most people love the smell, just not in their face. If you can burn them before or after class. If you feel they need to be burned during class move them where they are not wafting through the room. Many folks find it hard to do pranayama with a big gulp of smoke.
Nag Champa are my favorite and I burn them regularly in my home space.

Check your fire codes at work and make sure it is acceptable. The college where I worked for 10 yrs had  a no incense or candle policy.

6. Props, if you can not provide clean props its probably better not to use them. Otherwise keep them washed regularly, this includes public mats, use an environmentally friendly spray with a cloth.

7. Be authentic. When you teach your voice and your touch are as important as the air and the lights. You need to be your authentic self, if you are not a sing song person refrain from using that voice. Speak in your normal voice, adding compassion to your tone, make sure you can be heard without yelling. 

* So turn the air to the right temp, turn on some soft music, dim the lights, have some nice smells going on that are not overpowering and speak in an authentic yet soothing voice and you will surely have a wonderful class.


Sincerely,
Courtney

Books and Products for Teacher Training

These books are mandatory for teacher training. I have also listed some of the products that are required, if you have your own blocks, mat and strap that is fine. It is ideal to have a 10ft strap, but a six or eight will work for most postures.
Included here are some of the favorite music and analgesic creams and gels we use also.

How to Hire a Yoga Teacher

So now you own a studio, coordinate yoga or fitness programs, or have the need to hire a sub or teacher to assist you. There is more to hiring a yoga teacher than just hiring someone who is strong in asana practice.

Here are five tips to assist you.
1. Take a class with the teacher to see if you all jive. Even if you don't do yoga (lets say you are a fitness coordinator), if you enjoy the class, chances are others will too.
2. Check references for dependability.  Want to kill a yoga program? Have teachers who don't show up or are using subs more than 20% of the time.
3. Hire Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teachers. They should have a current card with the letters RYT or ERYT 200 or 500.
4. Check for compassion and integrity. Ask around, soon you will know.
5.  Take nothing for granted. Looks don't guarantee a good yoga teacher, certifications don't guarantee a good teacher. Check the teacher out and take a class or have someone you trust take a class. There are plenty of teachers out there who are certified but are in yoga for the wrong reasons. Check, it's the only way to be sure.
Instructing Hatha Yoga

CourtneyButlerYoga.com

How to Start Teaching Yoga

Click the link here.
How to Start Teaching Yoga

This is my first podcast. It's a little raw but it's good info. I am working on upgrading the quality and editing. However the info is very useful for new teachers. Under five minutes.
Topics:

1. Who are you authentically?
2. Scheduling 
3. Ideas to find work.

Meditations

I LOVE this book, LOVE it! My friend Alan gave me this book when he was my student. He later became a wonderful yoga teacher and to this day his practice inspires me. Often teachers and students are looking for something inspirational to share with their students or simply to motivate their personal practice. Here you will find what you need to use in your classes or your home practice.

Recommended Practice: Gentle

Often students ask if I can recommend a dvd for home. I have always loved the A.M. Yoga d.v.d. with Rodney Yee. It is simple, complete, and works the body all over for a gentle workout. This DVD is often represented to the beginner, however I often recommend it for back pain or for people with fibromyalgia. Once the students feels more confident or days where energy is up a bit, try the P.M. dvd.

No Friday the 13th Class, slight changes to 1hr teaching

April 25th
Monday
9-Cindee
10:Yogic Diet
11:00 Lunch
30min classes
12:00 Karen
12:45 Hydei
1:30 Winston

April 27th, Wed
9:00 Courtney
Go to Pavilion and set up
10:15 Children's Yoga
10:45 to-11:45 Lunch
11:45 Set up for Chana
12:00-2:30 Chana- Chanting

Monday May 2nd, Pavillion
9-2:30Karen, Anne, Holly 1 hr teach


May 4th Wed.
9:00 Courtney's class
10:15 Set up for teacher panel
10:45-11:45 Lunch
12:00 Discussion time, lecture
1:00-2:00 Teacher Panel
2:30 Dismiss

May 9th
Monday
Meet in Pavilion
9:00-2:30Ameila, Hydei, Winston


May 16th Monday
Any makeup and Graduation 9-11:30
Graduation will take place at 12:30 and we will be done by 1:30

Extending Training

Hello Dear Yogi's,
Here is our schedule for the rest of the year. We have agreed to add on a few days due to the fact that we just aren't quite ready. I still need test and tuition turned in by the 28th please.

April 20th:
9-Courtney
10- Chart Inversions
11-12 Lunch
30 min sessions
12:Holly
12:45 Amelia
1:30 Anne

April 25th
Monday
9-Cindee
10:Yogic Diet
11:00 Lunch
30min classes
12:00 Karen
12:45 Hydei
1:30 Winston

April 27th, Wed
9:00 Courtney
Go to Pavilion and set up
10:15 Children's Yoga
10:45 to-11:45 Lunch
11:45 Set up for Chana
12:00-2:30 Chana- Chanting

May 2nd
Monday
9:00 Meet in Pavilion
Karen teaches one hour
Finish Children's Discussion
11-12:00 Lunch
12-1 children's teaching
1-2 Anne teaches one hour
2:00 Discussion
2:30 Dismiss

May 4th Wed.
9:00 Courtney's class
10:15 Set up for teacher panel
10:45-11:45 Lunch
12:00 Discussion time, lecture
1:00-2:00 Teacher Panel
2:30 Dismiss

May 9th
Monday
Meet in Pavilion
9:15-10:15Holly
11:00-12:00 Break (eat very lightly)
12:00 Practice Adjustments
1:00-2:00 Amelia
2:30 Dismiss

May 13th Friday
Teach in Pavilion
9:15 Hydei
10:30 Inversions-11:30
11:30 to 12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:30 Winston
Discussion
2:30Dismiss

May 16th Monday
Any makeup and Graduation 9-11:30
Graduation will take place at 12:30 and we will be done by 1:30

Three weeks

Checklist:

• Practice your teaching, thirty min classes start this week, hour classes start next
• Finish and turn in your test, all have to be in by the 28th (or before would be great)
• Pay your tuition on or before by the 28th
• Record your hours and attend all classes in order to graduate.

A few notes on teaching in savasana:
When you are doing meditation, keep it simple, you can do a reading or say something but give at least three minutes of silence. Here is a sample of how I would recommend meditation for a five min session.
Lay on back in savasana
Do a short reading or body scan lasting about a minute to a minute and a half
Remind students of breath: Inhale expand your body exhale sink.
Now we will have silent meditation for three minutes
Roll to left or right side rescue, take a breath, come up to sitting, one to three Namaste breaths.

If you choose to do shoulders: Press down on shoulders between shoulder and neck in the soft area, gently cup hands on neck and carefully pull up, be careful not to pull hair (I struggle with this all the time, some people's necks are more challenging than others). Gently take your thumbs to the third eye and press down for a breath. You can gently move your thumbs over the arch of the brow but it's not necessary. If you do ears always end by doing the pulling up method on the top of the ear. "If in doubt do without" is the best motto.
When working on necks and faces, lets keep it to the third eye area though I and some others love to have our entire face worked on some people feel uncomfortable with a lot of touch, maybe ask your students if you have a small class what they prefer. Everyone is different. Sensory issues are common and many people are not used to being touched.

*It is always okay to just lay them on their back and be quite for the entire time if that feels best to you and your class.

4/15
10:45-11:45 Daniela's class
12Sharp to 2:30 Prenatal with Elana

4/18
9-10Cindee
10:15 to 11:30 (note time) Cindee Chakra's
11:30-12:30 Lunch
30 min classes- condensed class
12:30 Anne
1:15 Holly
1:45 Karen

4/20
9-10 Courtney
10:15 to 11:15 Teaching Children
11:15 to 12:15 Lunch
12:15 Hydei
1:00 Amelia
1:45 Winston

4/25th Go to Pavilion
Our day will break down three people will teach with a 1 hr lunch break.
Start in Pavilion at 9 a.m. Karen, Holly, Amelia

4/27
9-10 Courtney
Practice teach
Chana

5/2
Meet in Pavilion 9a.m. Three people will teach: Hydei, Winston, Anne

5/4
9-10 Courtney
10:15-11:15 Yogic Diet
11:15-12:15 Lunch
12:15 Set up for teacher panel
12:30-1:30 Teacher Panel
1:30 to 2:30 Graduation


:) Congratulations your almost there!

Final Countdown

Hey Loves,
Please read this post http://zenhabits.net/done/ for extra encouragement in the next three weeks.

Here is the schedule.

Wed 4/13
Yoga with Courtney
Chart poses
Lunch 11-12

Opening/ Warming Up
Middle
End
12-1
Karen
Holly
Winston
1-2
Hydei
Anne
Amelia

4/15
10:45-11:45 Daniela's class
12Sharp to 2:30 Prenatal with Elana

4/18
9-10Cindee
10:15 to 11:30 (note time) Cindee Chakra's
11:30-12:30 Lunch
30 min classes- condensed class
12:30 Anne
1:15 Holly
1:45 Karen

4/20
9-10 Courtney
10:15 to 11:15 Teaching Children
11:15 to 12:15 Lunch
12:15 Hydei
1:00 Amelia
1:45 Winston

4/25th Go to Pavilion
Our day will break down three people will teach with a 1 hr lunch break.
Start in Pavilion at 9 a.m. Karen, Holly, Amelia

4/27
9-10 Courtney
Practice teach
Chana

5/2
Meet in Pavilion 9a.m. Three people will teach: Hydei, Winston, Anne

5/4
9-10 Courtney
10:15-11:15 Yogic Diet
11:15-12:15 Lunch
12:15 Set up for teacher panel
12:30-1:30 Teacher Panel
1:30 to 2:30 Graduation


:) Congratulations your almost there!

April 11-15th and Beyond

Hello,
We are reaching the end. I am sending you a schedule and a check list here.
Monday April 11th
9-10yoga
10 -11 Sutra's, Chart Poses
11-12 Lunch
12-2:15 I will teach you your parts quickly and then you all will take turns teaching.
2:15 Clean up
2:30 Dismiss
Teach in 6 parts (Please send me this if you have your part, for the life of me I can't locate that paper with the schedule, it may be at work.)

Wed: April 9th
9-10 Yoga
10-11 Surtas' and Charting poses
11-12 Lunch
1-2 Practice teach in groups of threes: 20 mins each

You may use notes and I will help you write them out if you need. When you teach your full hour no notes are allowed except for meditation readings.

1st: Breath work, intention,opening poses
2nd Standing, Balancing, Inversions, : you can make any sequence, as long as it makes sense and is balanced.
3rd: slowing down. floor work,B/B, F/B, twist, bridge, meditation, bringing up
12-1
Karen
Holly
Winston

1-2
Hyedi
Anne
Ameila

Friday
10:45-11:45Danielas class
I will provide some snacks for lunch
12:00-1:00 Prenatal
1:00-1:20 Break
1:20 to 2:30 Prenatal

Checklist:
1.Comprehensive Exam can be turned in at anytime.
2. Keep up with your hours.
3. Attend all the classes, make up hours you miss asap.
4.If you have a payment to make for March please turn it in Monday.
All accounts must be paid in full by April 28th in order to graduate.
You may pay your acct. in full at any time.

If you have questions or concerns please call me. I want to do everything possible to see that you graduate on time.

Love and Light,
Courtney

Updates, homework, what to expect

Hello Yogi's,

I hope you are having a great Spring Break. We will meet up on Monday. We have six weeks to go before graduation. I have some updates for you and some minor changes.

You can turn in your homework on Wed. However if you haven't finished it all I am going to give you an extra week. I have not been able to get all of the homework graded as my family has all been home for Spring Break and we have had a week long volunteer commitment at the local music festival and in the midst of this I have a wretched eye infection. My plan in to sit in the office / classroom and grade papers and catch up the following Monday. With only six weeks to go if everyone makes all the classes, 13 in all each of you should graduate on time.

Also please make sure all your accounts are paid in full by April 30th, in order to graduate accounts have to be fully paid.

Changes: I do not think it is possible to get through every pose in the book before you practice teach, so I am going to take out a few that are likely not going to be taught in a general population class. You are still welcome to go over them and study them and I encourage you to do that on your own.

March 28th, Light on Yoga worksheet, chart poses

3/30: Chart poses, work on homework together

Topics I will cover during our hour morning meeting time:

Yogic Diet, The Business of doing Yoga (will take several days), Children's yoga. And we have a movie to watch.

Each of you will need to pick out a meditation to read, we will take turns teaching meditation, also you will take turns reading from the Sutra's each day. We will get into a pattern over the next two weeks of reading the Sutra's, Morning Yogic Discussion, Lunch, Afternoon physical practice and charting poses.

Starting April 6th we will start teaching in six parts: This will happen on the 13th also, switching parts:

1st part: Opening, set intention, pranayama

2nd part: Opening Poses

3rd part: Half Sun Salute done 3 times plus Vira 1 and 2

4th part: Full Sun Salute, Tree, Forward Fold, Down Dog

5th part: Childs pose, Forward Fold sitting, Bridge, lying down twist

6th part: Meditation, Rescue position, bring them up for three breaths, and Namaste

Mark your calenders: Friday April 15th from 11:45 to 2:15 Elana will be coming to teach Prenatal.

Wed. April 27th Chana Caylor Prince will come lead the Chanting from 12 to 2 p.m.

Graduation is set for May 4th.

See you Monday,

Courtney

Wednesday

Hello Yogi's,
We have a busy schedule before us and will be covering a lot of topics.
Remember much of what you learn in 200 hr training will be basic coverage of many topics, there are workshops and further trainings if you should decide to specialize in a certain area. So many of the topics we will cover will be short, such as mantra, mudra, and bandha. If you want to learn more I can guide you to some of those resources.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw_H8n7ZQEY&feature=related

Wed.
9-10 Class with Courtney
10-10:15 Bathroom and Snack Break
10:15-11:00 Mantra, Mudra, Bandha
11-12:00 Lunch
12-12:30 Finish above topics if need be.
12:40 -2:15 Finish Standing poses.

Monday:
Anatomy quiz and seated postures

Payment info: If you make a payment this week it may not be reflected on your statement. I turn in the checking info once a month and the bookkeeper mails the statements on the 10th. If you have any questions or concerns please let me know.

Namaste,
Courtney

March

March:
Teacher: Courtney
Each Day 9-10 Practice
10:15 Lecture over specific topics
11-12 Lunch
12-1:00 Asana
1:15 to 2:15 Asana
2:15 pack up
2:30 Dismiss

Topics that will be covered during lecture in March: Sequencing, Mantra, Mudra, Bandhas, Food: Yogic Diet, Meditation. Please read over these topics in The Idiots Guide to Yoga, Instructing Hatha Yoga, and you will need to bring your Anatomy book with you to class. All three books will be used in March. We will also watch the movie "Ashtanga Yoga" sometime in March.

Homework:
3/16 Chapter 1-5 Questions turned in
Paper on Lunch with Bokara.
Your yoga quiz
Over Spring Break you need to read "Light on Yoga" the first 60 pages.

We will cover "Light on yoga" when we come back on March 28th.
We will start practice teaching 3/30.

April topics: Chair yoga class, Business of doing yoga, Children;s yoga, Perinatal yoga, Anatomy quiz do. Cindee will meet with you on the 4/4 to go over the History of Yoga.

Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Om.
Namaste,
CB

Feb 28th - March 2nd

Hello Yogi's,
Hope you are enjoying the weekend.
You will be with Cindee on Monday. I will be at the school working next door should you need to see me. Below is my email from Cindee on what she is teaching and the dates.
Any homework can be turned in at any time but all Chapters must be turned in by 3/16. Please do the questions at the end of Chapters 1-5 plus your paragraph on Lunch with Bookara.

Wed.
You will be with me in the a.m. then we will discuss sequencing a class, review opening poses, and chart standing poses. We will also work on meditation.


2/21 Anatomy 10:30 to 2:30 plus asanas page 204, 137, 133, 219, 214 (depending on time)
Monday 2/28 Chakras/ plus asanas page 204, 137, 133, 219, 214 (depending on time)
March 14 10:30 to 2:30 Yoga anchient text/history; Gita and yoga sutras (Patanjali translation).

Plans for 2/18 to 2/23

Wow, what a crazy day. Thanks for being flexible.
Feeling that we are a little behind but I will catch us up eventually. Please read Chapter 4 on Pranayama and Chapter 5 on Energy and Anatomy. Answer the questions on Chapter 3 to turn in to me on next Wed.

Friday 3/18
10:45-11:45 Daniela's class: You can take for hours
12:00-2:15 Adjustments, Assisting, and Questions.

Monday:2/21
9-10 Cindee's class
10:15 to 2:30 Cindee-Energy and Anatomy
Pack your lunch to eat in.

Wed. 23rd
9-10 Yoga
10:15
Turn in Questions for Chapter 3
Go over chapter 4 Pranayama
11:00 Lunch
12:00 Titans of Yoga Movie
1:30 Discussion on Movie and Finishing up Chapter 4.

Homework will be to Answer Questions in Chapter 3 and 4 for the following Wed.

Have a great evening:)
CB

Feb. 4th 2011

Hello Yogi's,

Monday: Feb 7th





9:00Cindee's class
10:00Break
10:15Discussion Chap 2
11:00Lunch
12:00Finish Chap 2
1:00Opening Poses Handout,4 rounds of half and 4 rounds of full sun salutes
Read Chapter 3 and answer questions

Wed 9th
9:00Courtney's Class
10:00Break
10:15 Turn in Homework from 1 &2 and Boraka paragraph, Discuss chapter 3 Creating a Class environment
11:00 Lunch
12:00- Titans of Yoga Movie
2:00
Practice cuing a few opening poses
4rounds of half and full salutations.
Homework: Read Chp.4 answer questions

No School on the 14th
Wed. the 16th
9:00Courtney's Class
10:00Break
10:15Discuss Chapter 4 with questions
Lunch
12:00Pranayama session
Cue opening poses
Four rounds of half and full salutes if time allows

Homework for the 21st - 28th Read Anatomy Chapter 5.
Please feel free to read ahead. If we don't get something covered we will work on making it up after the Anatomy sessions are complete.

Thank you,
CB

First Day of School Recap and Homework :Session 3

Hello Yogi's:
Thank you so much for choosing Floating Lotus Yoga School for your training.

Giving you a little more time on your homework.

Read the Preface and Chapter 1 for Tomorrow
2/2
Schedule
9a.m. to 10a.m. Yoga / Courtney
10-10:15 Break
10:15 to 11:00 Cover Preface and Chapter 1
11:00 to 12:00 Lunch
12-1:30 Enlighten Up
1:30 Break
1:45-2:15 Discuss the movie
2:15 Clean up
2:30 Dismiss

Monday 2/7
Schedule:
9-10 Cindee's class
10:15 Break
10:15 to 11:00 Discuss Chapter 2
11-12 Lunch
12-1:00 - Discuss more of Chapter one and Two
1:00 Break
1:15 to 2:15 Opening Poses handout, and practice cuing one pose.
4 Rounds of Half Sun Salutations
4 Rounds of Full Sun Salutations

Wed 2/9
9-10 Yoga with Courtney
10:15
Turn in paragraph on Lunch with Bokara
Turn in questions chap.1 & 2
Discuss Questions and paragraph
11:00 Lunch
12:00 Titans of Yoga
1:30 Break
1:45-2:00 Discussion
2:00 Four rounds half and Full Salutations

We may have a couple of more students. I can accept students up until next Wed. the 16th and then I will have to close the class.

Fridays that we meet
Feb. 18th
March 18th
April 15th
And I will let you know on the Sunday afternoon in March for Prenatal.

*Keep a log of your hours please in your notebook and take notes daily, dating them as you go. This can all stay in one notebook.

Thanks so much.

Courtney

1st Day of School

I am so excited to get started.
Please make sure you get all of your books together.

Books:

· Instructing Hatha Yoga,Kappameier and Ambrosini,

· Yoga Sutra’s of Patanjali, AllistarShearer

· Yoga Anatomy, Leslie Kaminoff,

· The Idiots Guide to Yoga, Budilovsky and Adamson

· The Bhagvad Gita, Stephen Mitchell translation

· Light on Yoga, Iyengar

Please have your mat for the first day and be ready to practice. The first day we will have a lunch break or you can bring your lunch. I will have hot tea and spring water for you everyday.

You will practice each day at 9:00a.m. to 10:00 a.m..
We will discuss what to expect on Monday. I look so forward to seeing each of you.

Please call me if you have any questions. Mark your calender for every Monday and Wednesday through mid May.

Courtney