ABOUT THE TRAINING

Yin Yoga is a special meditation that isn’t just about the mind, but is asking the whole body to become involved. By putting ourselves in postures and accessing our deep connective tissue we begin to connect with our own stories at a very deep level. Every cell of our body carries our stories of trauma and healing. Every cell of our body is a witness to our life’s journey. Some of these stories are healing stories that we need to embrace and nourish, and some of the stories are stories that no longer serve us that can be transformed.

In the Hawaiian tradition, when people gather to share their experiences they say that they “talk story”. In this training we talk story and listen to story. Storytellers understand that the cosmos is not a collection of separate objects but it’s really one story unfolding. In the ancient storytelling cultures this was understood. The stories of nature unfolding were their teaching stories. The stories that the leaves tell us every Fall when they gratefully let go of their branch are reminders of impermanence and interdependence. We also learn that storytelling is not just about speaking but most importantly it’s about our willingness to listen.

The storyteller makes sense of the world by listening. The teacher connects to their students by listening. The student connects to who they are by listening deeply to themselves. During the training we look at those stories that are unfolding around us through our relationship with nature, and each other. We spend time outside listening to the stories told by all natures storytellers. We listen sincerely to each other, trying to hear the deeper story behind the spoken and unspoken words. We look intimately at the postures, listening to the story the body tells as we move through them.

We look at our own personal stories.

What stories have our bodies been asking us to hear? What stories are no longer serving us? What stories are waiting within us to be nourished?

When we understand the role storytelling can have in our lives, we can learn to really listen to our own stories and respect them as important teaching stories. We can only do this when we learn to listen to story.

If we look at “classic” stories, we can say that they represent different aspects of our life’s path. We begin in our youth story where we establish ourselves. These youth stories are about triumphing against life’s challenges, the hero journey.

At a different point in our life we find ourselves in a midlife story. These are the times when we see that all we strove for in our youth stories hasn’t brought us what we truly want. As Joseph Campbell put it “we get to the top of the ladder, and find that it’s up against the wrong wall”. These are the times when we need to make a transition. We need to transform a story that is no longer serving us. Finally we come to our elder stories. This is a time when we realize that all our efforts to triumph or transform things in our lives can’t change the flow of life. All the down dogs in the world won’t stop us from aging or help us to face inevitable loss. This is the time of acceptance and transcendence. These can be our most important teaching stories for they force us to look at attachment, the source of so much of our suffering.

These three types of stories can appear chronologically in our lives, but they are also brought on by circumstances that come to us. Some people enter their elder stories very early in their lives, and some never seem to get out of their youth stories. Youth, midlife and elder are archetypes and as such represent parts of our selves.

Understanding how our own lives move through life’s bigger story can help us recognize where we’re stuck in stories that are not serving us, and where we can nourish our healing stories.

CERTIFICATION

The training will consist of approximately 45 contact hours. In order to receive a certificate of completion, I will ask each student, during the 30 days following the training, to complete an additional 5 hours of independent study. After completing the independent study, each student will communicate their experience to me by mail or email. Your communication won’t be judged or graded, and each participant will receive a certificate of completion for 50 hours of Yin Yoga Teacher Training.

A 200hr Jamtse School of Yin Yoga teacher certificate can be offered to a student, who has completed 200 hours of our trainings. In order to receive a certificate, one must have attended all three modules, and repeat one module of their choice. If a student has no previous training in anatomy, we recommend that they repeat the first module, otherwise it is up to the student to choose which module they repeat.

It is our experience that the modules have enough depth that repeating them always brings new understandings. If a student has certificates from previous 50 hour trainings with us, they can apply those toward a 200 hour certificate. Shorter weekend modules aren’t included in the 200 hour track.

We decided to offer this inclusive certificate because we know that our trainings and philosophy represent a consistent view of what Yin Yoga means to us. The Jamtse School is a way of presenting this view of what for us is the heart of the practice. We realize and embrace the importance of the physical aspects of Yin Yoga. We believe that teachers should have an understanding of anatomy as it applies to the practice. We pay attention to the health of the connective tissue. We understand and speak of the importance of the way energy moves in the body during the postures. These things are all important, but we feel that the most important gift Yin has to offer us is held in the archetype of the Mother, for it's this that is at the heart of the Yin archetype itself. We believe that the greatest healing comes from unconditional love, and that that's what Yin Yoga can invite us to practice. The longing I feel in myself and in so many others is the desire for self acceptance, for unconditional self love. This is a gift we feel Yin has to offer, a time to be with ourselves and with our bodies without the need to be different than who we are at that moment. To be fully present without the need to strive and change things.

This place of acceptance is where real transformation and transcendence can begin. Although our trainings have different focuses, they all carry this same message.

REQUIREMENTS

The training is suitable for teachers and dedicated practitioners who are interested in deepening their practice. You don’t need to be a teacher or even experienced in Yin, just come with an open heart and a willing mind. Everyone with an interest in Yin Yoga and the qualities related to this practice can attend this training.

If you choose to come to the first module, there is no particular preparation.

If you plan on coming to the second or third module only, then we ask you to get a copy of The Yin Yoga Kit, and familiarize yourself with the basic concepts, and do some of the practices in the book or CD.

Although some students less familiar with Yin find it beneficial to take the trainings in order there is no requirement or particular need to do so. Each course can be done as a stand-alone training and taken in any order.

THE VENUE

TreeHouse Bavaria Allgäu

The venue is located about an 1hour from Munich, easily reached by train or car, located in the countryside of the region Allgäu. The Airport Allgäu Memmingen is also only a 20 minutes drive away.

The TreeHouse Bavaria is a place, where people come together to co-inspire, exchange new ideas, approaches, evolve concepts and collaborate . According to the principle 'leave a foot print that matters', this place aims to bring holistic approaches into practice. Artists from different backgrounds, creatives, scientists as well as spiritual teachers and practitioners from different healing traditions come together, shape and inspire each other.

Next to the studio of artist Maximilian Magnus with his studio and various workshops there is space in which Julia Kupke invites people for events in the field of mindfulness, yoga and meditation. The TreeHouse Garden with various nature conservation projects on an area of 3.5 hectares is a separate project that aims to bring people closer to the connection and awareness of nature and offers protection and habitat for endangered animal species.

DATES

26th of June – 1st of July 2023

Sample Schedule

First day: 19.00 – 20.00 Opening of the Circle & Evening Practice

Days 2-5: 07.30-09.30 Morning practice 09.30-10.30 Breakfast break 10.30-13.30 Morning lecture with group and partner breakouts, exercises and practice 13.30-14.30 Lunch break 14.30-15.00 Time for contemplation, reflection or noble silence 15.00-18.00 Afternoon lecture with group and partner breakouts, exercises and practice 18.00-19.30 Dinner break 19.30-21.30 Evening session - on day 3 & 5

Last day: Morning Practice & Closing of the Circle

TEACHERS

Biff Mithoefer: www.biffmithoeferyoga.com Eric Archer: www.ericarcherarts.com

LANGUAGE

English is the primary language of the training.

COSTS & REGISTRATION

Tuition fee: 850 Euro

Special price for returning students: We offer 5 spaces at 50% discount for those who have joined this module of our yin yoga training at Jamtse in the past and wish to repeat it. Please contact us for the discount.

Meals: 180 Euro (including 5 x breakfast, 5 x lunch, 2 x dinner, snacks, teas and water every day; fresh cooked, organic quality and mostly regional; optional dinner packages available) The price of the catering package is dependent on the Catering provider and might change in the future. 

Accommodation: to be arranged independently, we are happy to provide a list of possible guest houses, hotels and shared options close to the venue. There is also a contact list you‘ll get, so participants can arrange shared accomodations and car pooling. 

TERMS OF CANCELLATION

Cancellation until 8 weeks before the training: 80% refund Cancellation until 4 weeks before the training: 60% refund Cancellation after 4 weeks before the training: no refundPlease note: This training can only be held with a minimum number of participants. If the minimum number is not reached, we will have to cancel the training. In this case you can choose to either book another upcoming training or to receive a refund.

COVID RELATED NOTES

We understand that because of the uncertainty of the Covid pandemic, it is impossible to tell with certainty how in person trainings will unfold for 2023. However, we have chosen to schedule trainings with the understanding that they may have to be modified or cancelled according to the state of the pandemic at the time of the trainings. If any cancellations or modifications are necessary a full refund or the option to re-book will be given.