Joanna Cashman

Curriculum Highlights

You will receive intensive daily yoga classes, lecture and

experiential learning, training manual, the support of a group of

kindred spirits and our faculty's guidance and knowledge.

 

Mission Statement

  To provide educational opportunities that empower individuals

to take a pro-active role in creating and maintaining holistic

health through the exploration of ancient yoga and contemporary

wellness practices. As an affiliate program of Radiant Health

Wellness, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization based in Eugene, Oregon, we offer

classes, workshops, private sessions and teacher training’s to nurture the evolutionary

potential of humanity and to embrace holistic models of living that address the

interactive needs of body, mind, and spirit. Radiant Health Yoga® is a registered trademark

with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

RHY Long Description

  Radiant Health Yoga is a holistic health practice that blends the ancient teachings of hatha yoga with contemporary bodymind science. It honors the inter-connections between body systems and mind states and facilitates wellness at all levels of being; body, mind and spirit.

Founded on a developmental model of human functioning this practice also uses yoga postures to reinforce basic neuro-developmental movement patterns that support whole brain function and promote overall health. We relate the developmental model to the chakra system to enhance awareness of the psycho-energetic benefits of each pose and we seek to balance movement with stillness by blending vinyasa and asana in sequences that are particularly beneficial to the immune system.

Asana alignment skills are based on sound kinesiological principles designed to prevent injury and optimize progress. A rich collection of ideokinetic imagery and somatic releasing techniques are used to guide bodymind into optimal alignment taking the students biokinetic individuality into consideration.

  Radiant Health Yoga is grounded in a physical practice that promotes psycho-spiritual development by focusing the mind deeply within the body, sensing the flow of breath, and noticing the kinesthetic sensations and thought processes evoked by each posture. This exploratory process keeps the mind in the present, facilitates the release of stress and supports holistic health in numerous ways including the following: improves body awareness, self awareness, strength, flexibility and endurance, improves posture, strengthens immune system, balances neuro-endocrine system, cleanses the body through lymphatic drainage , increases circulation of blood, lymph and prana life force energy, cleanses and tones organs and glands, lowers blood pressure, decompresses nerves and opens spinal segments, promotes endorphin production and mood elevation, improves powers of concentration, decreases back pain, minimizes the symptoms of many stress related diseases, and awakens us to the spiritual dimension of our beings.

  This process of physical and psycho-spiritual renewal seeks to integrate all facets of ourselves into a harmoniously functioning unity; a state of radiant health.
 

TEACHER TRAINING DESCRIPTION

  This course is designed to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to make the transition from yoga practitioner to yoga teacher or to simply support you in deepening your journey into the heart of yoga as a vehicle for self care and psycho-spiritual development.
The curriculum includes history and philosophy of hatha yoga, theory & practice of teaching asana, asana alignment skills, adapting poses to the individual, physical and psycho-energetic benefits and contraindications, the chakra system, anatomy and kinesiology, methods of sequencing, basic neuro-developmental movement patterns, ideokinetic imagery, relaxation, acu-yoga, yin yoga and pranayama techniques.
  A wide variety of creative, inspiring, personally relevant teaching techniques will be used to prepare you to design and teach  mindful, safe, yoga classes and individualized sessions. Practice teaching opportunities will be available both during the intensive and during the home based internship. Ideal for anyone with an interest in yoga and health. Complements your work as a bodyworker, healthcare practitioner, therapist, teacher, fitness instructor, dancer or holistic health practitioner. Radiant Health Yoga is a “non-denominational” style of hatha yoga which honors all spiritual wisdom traditions.

 

The Following Topics will be Included:

Meditation & Yoga Practice

To include: Introductory level Radiant Health Yoga classes. Each class includes meditation, pranayama, asana, alignment principles, ideokinetic imagery, savasana relaxation and chanting. We will explore the practice of Radiant Health Yoga as a process of physical and psycho-spiritual renewal that integrates all facets of ourselves into a harmoniously functioning unity; a state of radiant health.

 

Lecture Presentations

To include: Historic roots of yoga and Patanjali's Yoga Sutra topics, mission statement and core values of Radiant Health Yoga, yoga as a holistic health practice, anatomy & kinesiology, the chakra system, Acu-Yoga for optimal health, yoga nidra meditation, mantra, mudra, yoga for stress management, yoga for cancer survivors, yoga for the immune system, prenatal yoga, children's neurodevelopmental yoga, ideokinesis, guided imagery and psychoneuroimmunology, yoga for hypertension, cardiovascular disease and other special topics. Information is provided via lectures, power point presentations, DVD's, homework assignments, experiential learning and small group discussion.

 

In-Depth Posture Focus

To include: Exploration of the neuro-developmental patterns that underlie yoga postures i.e. breath support, navel radiation, spinal, homologous, homolateral and contralateral patterns and their relation to brain function and overall health. In-Depth exploration of fundamental yoga postures, vinyasa flow sequences, the benefits, contraindications, modifications, prop use, adjustments, ideokinetic imagery, and alignment principles related to yoga postures on both physical and psycho-spiritual levels.

Teaching Methods, Theory & Practice

To include: curriculum planning, posture sequencing, communication skills, horizontal versus hierarchical models, vocal quality, content, languaging, creating a safe supportive environment, trauma informed yoga considerations, kinesthetic learning, moving from the inside out, cultivating internal versus external reference systems. Peer teaching and constructive feedback.

 

Philosophy, Ethics, Lifestyle

To Include: 8 Limbs, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra’s, introduction to Sanskrit posture pronunciation and chanting, ethical guidelines, meditations, clarifying a personal philosophy related to the teaching and practice of yoga as a vehicle for holistic health.

 

Internship & Home Study

1. Participants must design and teach 2 yoga classes to one or more students at the location of their choice and submit their curriculum plans.  Additional practice teaching opportunities are included in the training meeting hours.
2. Participants must attend and evaluate five yoga classes in their community before the end of the training.
3. Participants must complete 20 hours of independent study on any self selected topic of interest.

Our Core Values

  First and most importantly,  “Do No Harm”, “Ahimsa” (harmlessness) Injury prevention is one of our most important core values. We care for our students by educating ourselves about the sound kinesiological basis for safe yoga practice.

  We do not try to mold everyone’s body into an arbitrary, perfectionistic alignment ideal. We teach alignment principles that take the concept of biokinetic individuality into consideration. We know that each persons body has made unique adaptations to its history and genetic conditions and what we call “well aligned” may vary from person to person. We adapt yoga to fit the reality of the individuals unique bodymind by offering modifications and easier variations of the poses when appropriate. We use props, gentle adjustments and verbal cues to support our students unique needs.

  We know that excessive use of muscular effort is not the best way to improve postural alignment. We utilize ideokinetic imagery, releasing techniques, neurodevelopmental patterns and muscle length and strength balancing to facilitate improved postural alignment and movement potential. We enrich the ancient tradition of yoga by integrating contemporary body therapy techniques from our own culture.

  We teach people first, yoga second. Our emphasis is to honor the students strengths and limitations regardless of our own preferences and abilities and to help them to both accept themselves as they are and make progress towards their goals.

  We teach with careful attention to vulnerable joints i.e. sacro-iliac and knee joints. Overall we guide students to stretch muscle tissue and avoid stretching into joint ligament tissues thus avoiding joint destabilization. We provide adequate warm-ups and cool downs using preparation and recovery poses to balance the body.

  We learn the “Contraindications Handout” and discuss contraindications with our students to help them practice safely, especially in regards to inversions. And we discuss the health benefits of poses to inspire and educate our students regarding the value of yoga as a holistic health practice.

  We help our students to develop an inner reference system by helping them to heighten their kinesthetic and proprioceptive senses. We encourage students to work from the inside out and we are careful not to apply excessive force in our adjustments.

  We have read the California Yoga Teachers Associations “Code of Professional Standards” and follow good professional ethics to provide our students with an emotionally & physically safe place to explore the richness of the yoga experience.

We value horizontal versus hierarchical models of communication and know that learning flows both ways, from teacher to student and student to teacher.

 

  Radiant Health Yoga is a “non-denominational” style of hatha yoga. which honors all spiritual wisdom traditions. We may offer our students short readings of poetry and spiritual literature from yoga's Vedic tradition. But we also may include readings  from Celtic, Native American, Sufi, Buddhist, Christian, Moslem or from any of the worlds spiritual traditions. Through this inclusiveness we endeavor to promote greater tolerance for diversity and Unity Consciousness by honoring the many teachings that lead to mystical union with the One Creator.