Tag: yoga teacher training

Professional Development for Yoga Teachers

January 10, 2017
Posted by Sharon

In April 2013, I closed my brick and mortar yoga studio, Yoga Matrika, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and pioneered yoga and meditation studies through distance learning.  In the process, I tried a number of different platforms for holding classes and teleseminars and worked with hundreds of very patient yoga teachers who agreed to work with me to provide constructive feedback while also getting high quality continuing education.

yacepI am really delighted that Yoga Alliance has recognized the potential of distance learning for professional continuing education for Yoga Teachers. They permit up to 25 of your 30 required CEU credits to maintain registration to be earned with non-contact hours.  I am honored to be a YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider) and have a number of online courses just for yoga instructors.  These courses allow teachers all over the world to learn more about Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan yoga practices, meditation skills, subtle body anatomy, women’s health and yoga, and prenatal yoga and meditation. I have put over 25-years of practice, teaching, and research into all of my training courses.  Most of the courses have rolling enrollment and you can join at anytime.  The video and audio resources are yours to download and use forever.

Follow this link for my CEU Course Listings and more information

 

Continuing Education Program

September 18, 2014
Posted by Sharon

30 CEU Credit Subtle Body Project

This continuing education opportunity for yoga instructors is perfect for both experienced instructors who need some new inspiration or feel drawn towards deepening their own personal practice.  Instructors who completed an RYT in a vinyasa flow style will find that this seminar series provides a greater depth of knowledge for teaching meditation or facilitating a flow class in a more mindful and therapeutic way.  The emphasis on embodied anatomy and the subtle body gives you a more dynamic set of teaching tools no matter what style you were originally trained in or, ultimately, are teaching.  This is a wonderful chance to complete continuing education credits while connecting with other teachers local to Pittsburgh without having to travel or figure out how to manage a residential program or time commitment. We look forward to these Wednesday seminars as inspiring, informative and also restoratives.  Instructors need to take some time for developing awareness, compassion and for self-care so we don’t burn out.  We hope you will join us for what is sure to be a very transformative experience and cooperative group study experience.

WEDNESDAY EVENING SEMINAR SERIES
6:30-8:15 PM

The Chakra Education Series (Starts January 7, 2015)
15 CEU
The Subtle Body Yoga Series (Starts January 21, 2015)
15 CEU

Tuition

Follow the links above.  You must register for each series individually and each instructor has different tuition and CEU certificate requirements.  The series are designed to be complementary and each instructor offers her own subtle body expertise.  Sharon teaches the subtle body yoga classes on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesdays of the month and Brooke teaches the classes on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.

Curriculum Includes:

  • Meditation and Mindful Asana Practices
  • Pranayama and Chanting
  • Chakra Yoga with Brooke Smokelin
  • Traditional yoga philosophies from India, China and Tibet
  • Embodied Anatomy
  • Support in developing a dedicated home and personal practice

Facilitators

Sharon Fennimore, MA, E-RYT

Brooke Smokelin, E-RYT

Location

Weekly seminars will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:15 at the Pearl Arts Studio.

Commitment & Details

 

Small Group Classes

May 21, 2013
Posted by Sharon
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CallOut_004Yoga Studies: An Intimate Yoga Group Experience

Deepen your practice of yoga through the practice and study of traditional yoga techniques from India, China and Tibet.  No experience required and all practices can be modified to meet your level, interests and goals.  This is a small group limited to six students or less.  All equipment, including mats, are supplied and handouts are provided as appropriate.

June Series: Sivananda Yoga, Meditation and Relaxation

Activate the parasympathetic nervous system and release deeply held tension and stress in the body through this unique Hatha yoga practice that incorporates active poses and relaxation in a beautifully coordinated holistic practice.  Therapeutic and strengthening at the same time, Sivananda yoga practices bring body, mind and spirit into balance.  Come and practice and stay for an additional half-hour if you wish for a meditation practice and discussion of the philosophy and science of Sivananda Yoga.  All classes are held at the fabulous Mookshi Wellness Center in Regent Square (401 Biddle Avenue, 2nd Floor, above Biddle’s Escape Cafe).  

MONDAYS in JUNE: June 3, 10, 17, 24
Practice: 10:00 to 11:00 am
Optional Meditation and Discussion: 11:05-11:30

Tuition: $100

You must sign-up for all classes in the series.  There are no make-up classes or refunds for classes missed in a series.  Drop-in students are not permitted.  If you have questions about this series or make-up class policies, please call before registering (412) 855-5692.  Your tuition payment indicates that you understand and accept the conditions of purchase.  

 Posted by Sharon Rudyk, a yoga and meditation instructor based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Contact Sharon for more information. 

Top Five Reasons to Enroll in the Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

May 15, 2013
Posted by Sharon
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Top Five Reasons to Enroll in the Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

Reason Number Five

You are a yoga teacher.  More than 80% of American yoga practitioners are women.  If you are a yoga teacher in America, then this program gives you the cultural, social and political information you need to better understand the lived experience of your female students.  You will learn teaching skills and techniques that you can use in ANY class with men and women to improve the quality of experience for your students.  And, as an added bonus, you won’t have to freak out the next time one of your students confides in you before class that she just found out she’s pregnant and wonders if it is still OK to take your class.  Have the confidence you need to work with women.

Reason Number Four

You are a healing professional that works with women and, well, maybe you are a wee bit burned out.  This online program gives you a unique perspective and will challenge everything that you know and understand about women and reproduction.  You will find inspiration in this profound approach to the anatomy of energy and this, in turn, will inspire creative approaches to your work as a massage therapist, nurse, doctor, acupuncturist, counselor, therapist, doula……….

Reason Number Three

You have always wanted to add these professional skills but you just don’t have the time to do a residential program or perhaps you don’t have the financial resources to take off from work, travel to some resort or training center and stay in a hotel and eat out.  Or, perhaps you are a parent of young children or caring for a sick adult or maybe you just can’t travel due to your own personal circumstances.  Well, thanks to the power of the internet, you can now access this incredible curriculum and work at your own pace and whenever it suits you.  Sit in your pajamas while eating Fritos out of the bag at 2:00 am if you wish (not recommended though!) and work through your writing assignments.  No one will know.  Nurse your baby at 4:00 am and get your work done at the same time.

Reason Number Two

This course is a way to professionalize your interest in working with pregnant women.  Not only will you gain a certificate in teaching prenatal yoga, but you also get 30 CEU credits to use for your advancement or maintenance in your registration with Yoga Alliance.  There just aren’t that many flexible programs like this out there that offer this specific continuing education benefit for yoga teachers.  You can also, with a few added requirements, obtain credits required to register with Yoga Alliance as a RPYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher) in this prenatal yoga specialty.    If you have been teaching prenatal yoga for years, but didn’t graduate from a prenatal yoga teacher training program registered with Yoga Alliance, this is the most efficient and economical way to be able to register in this specialty.

Reason Number One

Working with women during pregnancy is one of the most rewarding things you will do for your entire life.  You don’t just support a pregnant woman—you support her entire family.  To empower a woman with strength, joy and a sense of calm during pregnancy is to help her use these skills throughout motherhood.  When one of your students or clients tells you that she is pregnant or just had a baby, you will have all the information and skills you need to fully support her and honor this time in her life on a physical, spiritual and energetic level.  This is a tremendous calling and your investment in these skills and training is a small sacrifice in the face of what you can offer to all the world.

 

Program Details:Unique and comprehensive curriculum includes the Culture and Politics of Reproduction, Culture of Fertility, Yoga During Pregnancy, Teaching Matrika Prenatal techniques and practices, Professional Skills and requires significant reading and writing and engagement with the cohort through discussion board participation, office hour conference calls and web-based lectures.  Cohorts begin four times a year, but it is possible to be added to a current cohort depending on your circumstances.  The cost of the program is $450 up to one month before the cohort begins and $550 after that.  Tuition does not include required textbooks.  Sign-up for my professional development newsletter and be the first to hear about training programs, registration information and for free resources for yoga instructors and birth workers.  

Posted by Sharon Fennimore,  a Pittsburgh-based yoga therapist, women’s health specialist and doula.  I am honored to do this work and would love to be a part of your birth and healing process.  If you have questions about the program, please send me an e-mail: sharon@yogamatrika.com or call me (412) 855-5692.

Program Details, FAQ and Enrollment Links

Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training

March 19, 2012
Posted by Sharon
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Yoga Matrika is a Registered School with Yoga Alliance and graduates of our 100-hour Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training Program are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (you must be at least a 200-hour RYT before you can obtain this specialty registration). 

Not able or interested in making the 100-hour commitment?  Yoga Matrika also offers an online course that carries 30 CEU credits.  Anyone, anywhere can take this course as long as you have internet access and a computer.  Study when you can and as you can.  With each tuition payment, you get one year of access to the online course—so take your time!

 100-Hour Matrika Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

Features:

  • hybrid course combines a unique online course component with five weekend training intensives
  • program registered with Yoga Alliance so graduates who complete course and all requirements can register as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher)
  • comprehensive course includes dynamic curriculum in yoga for fertility, yoga and exercise for pregnancy, postnatal yoga and mom and baby yoga
  • embodied anatomy (over 18-hrs.) for fertility, pregnancy and infant development facilitated by Mark Chandlee Taylor
  • curriculum includes social and cultural anthropological approach to theory, social criticism and the politics of reproduction
  • flexible course schedule
  • pay as you go for all course components

Curriculum:

  • Matrika Yoga for Optimum Fertility: poses and sequencing for yoga classes and private sessions to support fertility
  • Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise: poses and sequencing for yoga classes for women in all phases of pregnancy
  • Matrika Mom & Baby Yoga: poses and sequencing for yoga classes for moms to share with infants up to one year of age
  • Skills for teaching deep relaxation, meditation and visualization for pregnancy
  • Working with Students through Disappointment and Grief
  • Anatomy of Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum
  • Energetic Anatomy of Pregnancy: The Matrika
  • Embodied anatomy of Infant Development
  • Culture and Fertility, Pregnancy and Motherhood
  • Ethics and Responsibilities
  • Practicum

Who will benefit from this Course:

  • Yoga instructors who wish to make working with women from fertility through pregnancy and beyond a specialty
  • Yoga instructors who already work with women and infants who wish to professionalize their commitment to this specialty
  • Doulas, massage therapists, alternative health care providers, labor and delivery nurses and other birth professionals who want to know how to incorporate yoga into their care of women and infants
  • Experienced yoga practitioners who want to commit to learning more about yoga for fertility, pregnancy and postnatal moms while also learning about the cultural construction of health for women and children in the United States. (Please note that ONLY instructors who have their RYT status can register with Yoga Alliance with the R-PYT status. Without the 200-hour RYT registration, you can’t add this specialty.)

How to Sign Up:

Register for each component individually.

First, purchase the ONLINE COURSE ($500). You will purchase the online course from our online store and receive a password and registration instructions within one week. The online course is only available to a limited number of participants at any given time. Please register as soon as you are able to make a commitment. If the course is full, please send an e-mail to Sharon indicating your interest and you will be placed on the mailing list: sharon@yogamatrika.com. The online course is available for purchase now and can be accessed starting May 1, 2012. Your purchase gives you access to the online course for ONE YEAR from the date of purchase or May 1, 2012, whichever is the latter.

 

Second, register for weekend training intensives. Each weekend costs $325*. Each training intensive will be offered once a year. If you miss any weekend training intensive, you should plan on taking the training you are missing in the next year. While you have up to three-years to finish all the requirements, please be aware that Yoga Matrika is not able to guarantee that any individual training session will be offered in any year in the future.

2012-2013 Weekend Training Intensives Dates:
  1. Optimum Fertility Weekend: September 28-September 30 (Friday evening, Sat. & Sun.)
  2. Prenatal Yoga Weekend: November 3-November 4 (Saturday & Sunday)
  3. Mom & Baby Yoga Weekend: January 18-January 20 (Friday evening, Sat. & Sun.)
  4. The Matrika: Energetic Anatomy of Fertility, Pregnancy and Motherhood: April 13-April 14 (Sat. & Sun.)
  5. Teaching Practicum: June 1-June 2 (Sat. & Sun.)

*Tuition for weekend intensives includes the following meals (vegetarian) and snacks will be available at all sessions: 9/28 & 1/18 dinner and breakfast and lunch on all Saturday and Sunday training dates. If you have special dietary requirements, please let Sharon know at least 2-weeks before each training.

How to Obtain Continuing Education Credits and Proof of Graduation:

There are TWO different and separate processes for obtaining your Continuing Education Credits and for your Proof of Graduation that you will require if you wish to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher). You can apply for and obtain your CEU credits as soon as you finish the entire online course with the exception of the practicum requirements. In order to obtain proof of graduation, you must finish all of the training weekends, teach 30-classes (fertility, prenatal & postnatal all OK as long as you have a minimum of 5 prenatal and 5 mom & baby) and complete the practicum section of the online course. Sharon encourages all participants to obtain their CEU credits as soon as they finish the online course component so that, even if you do not complete the entire course, you get the full value from your investment in the online course.

30 CEU credits: How to Obtain Your CEU credit Certificate

You can earn 30 CEU credits by taking this online course (the Practicum section is not required for CEU credits) and by scheduling a minimum of one individual Skype sessions with Sharon Rudyk. After you have finished the entire online course, please e-mail Sharon to arrange for your SKYPE session(s): sharon@yogamatrika.com. After the session, you should send a letter with the following information:

1. Your name, as you wish for it to appear on your certificate

2. The address you wish the certificate to be mailed to

3. The e-mail address you wish for your certificate PDF to be sent to 4. A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

Please include a $20 certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. Your certificate will be mailed to you within 14-days of the receipt of your letter and payment. Send your letter and payment to:

Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Please note that ONLY certified instructors can claim that they are teaching Matrika Prenatal or Matrika Mom & Baby classes. If you have taken this course for professional development and CEU credits, it is certainly appropriate for you to indicate that you have completed this course and invested in further training in this specialty area. You will not be able to say that you are certified to teach these specialty classes and you will not be able to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher). If you wish to be able to do these things, then please complete the requirements for certification as outlined below.

Requirements for Certification

Step I: Complete Online Course, including Quizzes and the Practicum Section (the completion of the Practicum includes teaching at least 30-classes of some combination of fertility, prenatal/min. 5 and postnatal/mom & baby yoga/min. 5).

Step II: Attend All Five Training Sessions (Yoga for Fertility, Yoga for Pregnancy, Matrika Mom & Baby, The Matrika: Energetic Anatomy, Practicum)

Step III: Complete requirements for CEU Credits as listed above

Step IV: Send a letter with the following information to Sharon

1-Your name as you wish for it to be typed on your Graduation Certificate

2-The mailing address you wish to have your signed certificate mailed to you and the e-mail address that you wish to have the PDF of your certificate mailed to (you will need this PDF to register with Yoga Alliance as a R-PYT)

3-A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

4-How you wish to be listed in the Matrika Prenatal Instructor Guide, including your personal website, links to where you teach, e-mail address and/or telephone number. If you are also a doula, midwife, nurse or have other professional identities that you wish to have indicated in your listing, please also state these in your letter.

Please include a $50 Graduation Certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. You will receive your documents within 14-days of receipt of your letter and fee. If you wish to register with Yoga Alliance, that is a separate fee and you will need to do so directly with Yoga Alliance.

Mail your letter and fee to:
Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Once you have graduated, you have the right to indicate that you are certified to teach yoga for fertility, prenatal yoga and postnatal yoga. You are encouraged to indicate that you are teaching the following courses and to distinguish what you are offering from other styles, but it is not required that you use the Matrika name if it presents an obstacle for you or your employer or if it is not appropriate for any reason:

Matrika Fertility™
Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise™
Matrika Mom & Baby Yoga™

When you receive your graduation certificate, you will also receive full class descriptions for the above classes that you will be certified to teach. These can be used to promote your classes.

Registering with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT

Your graduation from this course and fulfilling all of the listed requirements also makes you eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as a R-PYT. Your registration with Yoga Alliance is not managed by Yoga Matrika and it is not required. It is a personal and professional decision that you must make if you wish to align yourself with this professional organization or not. Please be aware that Yoga Alliance requires that all R-PYT are already registered RYT at the 200 level or greater. If you are not an RYT or eligible to register as an RYT, you will not be able to register as an R-PYT even if you finish this course. These are the regulations of Yoga Alliance and Yoga Matrika has no control over these requirements. If registering as an R-PYT is important to you and you are not currently eligible to register as an RYT, please consider Yoga Matrika’s 200-Hour Teacher Training Program. We have scheduled this program so that you can do both at the same time.

This course is registered with Yoga Alliance and graduates who meet all of the requirements (including already having graduated from a 200-hour program with RYT status and meeting all of the graduation requirements of this program) can register with Yoga Alliance as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers). This course includes fertility yoga, culture and reproduction, over 18-hours of embodied anatomy training with Mark Taylor, prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga and Mom and Baby yoga. You will be fully qualified to teach Matrika Yoga for Optimum Fertility, Matrika Prenatal Yoga and Exercise and Matrika Mom and Baby classes upon graduation. This course has a significant online course component and five required training weekends. This program exceeds Yoga Alliance requirements and is intended to offer the highest quality of professional training available.

Training Weekend Details

We welcome pregnant women and women with children in our program and hope that you will discuss your needs with us before registering. We are happy to provide more frequent breaks, allow you to keep a nursling with you at all times and coordinate on-site or off-site childcare for children. You have up to one year to complete the online course (from whenever you start) and up to three-years to finish the training sessions.

Are you coming from out of town? Yoga Matrika highly recommends the Marriott Spring Hill Suites in Bakery Square. This hotel is convenient to Trader Joe’s supermarket, a Coffee Tree Roasters coffee shop and is approximately 2.5 miles from the yoga studio. There are also myriad restaurants within walking distance and an awesome natural fibers yarn and knitting shop (if you are into that kind of thing…..). If you are coming with family members, Pittsburgh is an awesome place for all ages for a weekend with world class museums, performances, restaurants and more. Sharon can provide referrals for childcare. If you are coming to the Burgh solo and wish to find a roommate or maybe even a home stay, please let Sharon know and she can connect you with others who are traveling alone.

 

Matrika Prenatal Teacher Training program is registered with Yoga Alliance™ and all graduates are eligible to register with Yoga Alliance as R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teachers).

 

 

Professional Development: 30 CEU credits
An Online Course for RYT Yoga Instructors in Yoga for Women for Optimum Fertility, Pregnancy and Beyond

Online Course Tuition: $500
45-Minute Skype Session with Sharon Rudyk: $40
CEU Credit Certificate Fee (one time fee): $20

Total cost: $560

This online course discusses anatomy, culture and yoga techniques, modifications and sequencing ideas for fertility, pregnancy and mom and baby classes. This is a wonderful way for 200-hr. RYT instructors to explore an interest in working with women through all phases of reproduction and earn credits towards maintaining registration with Yoga Alliance. Experienced teachers may find that this online course provides all that they need to be better able to serve their existing clients who are pregnant or become new parents. If you decide during or after the online course that you wish to pursue certification, you have up to three-years to complete all of the weekend intensive trainings after starting the online course. Upon completion of the online course and all graduation requirements, you will receive a certificate of completion and 30 Continuing Education credits valid for your professional registration with Yoga Alliance. The costs of this course is $500 and there are additional costs for SKYPE sessions ($40 per 45-minutes) and/or private sessions ($60 an hour) and professional mentoring and a one time certificate fee ($20) to cover administrative processing.

Pay Online Course Tuition HERE:
Please note that you can pay for the course at any time, but you will get an access code for registration on May 1st, 2012 or if you pay after May 1st, you will receive an access code within one week of payment. It is recommended that you send Sharon an e-mail: sharon@yogamatrika.com and/or call (412) 855-5692 after you make payment to confirm it has been received.

 

 

30 CEU credits: How to Obtain Your CEU credit Certificate

You can earn 30 CEU credits by taking this online course (the Practicum section is not required for CEU credits) and by scheduling a minimum of one individual Skype sessions with Sharon Rudyk. After you have finished the entire online course, please e-mail Sharon to arrange for your SKYPE session(s): sharon@yogamatrika.com. After the session, you should send a letter with the following information:

1. Your name, as you wish for it to appear on your certificate

2. The address you wish the certificate to be mailed to

3. The e-mail address you wish for your certificate PDF to be sent to 4. A brief statement regarding your professional use of the course material

Please include a $20 certificate fee. Checks should be made out to: YOGA MATRIKA. Your certificate will be mailed to you within 14-days of the receipt of your letter and payment. Send your letter and payment to:

Sharon Rudyk Principal, Yoga Matrika 1406 S. Negley Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Please note that ONLY certified instructors can claim that they are teaching Matrika Prenatal or Matrika Mom & Baby classes. If you have taken this course for professional development and CEU credits, it is certainly appropriate for you to indicate that you have completed this course and invested in further training in this specialty area. You will not be able to say that you are certified to teach these specialty classes and you will not be able to register with Yoga Alliance as an R-PYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher).

 

Frozen Food Month

March 25, 2011
Posted by Sharon
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Seriously, did you know that March was Frozen Food Month?  I didn’t know this until I received an e-mail from Giant Eagle supermarkets here in Pittsburgh indicating that there was just one week left to appreciate frozen foods.  From Lean Pockets to Ego waffles to Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (my personal favorite of the frozen edibles), we had a whole month to appreciate frozen foods and I squandered it not realizing my loss.  But, it’s not too late, there’s still a whole week to take advantage of this special time to explore the delights of our freezers.

Did you know what else March is? Women’s History Month.  Yes, women share the glory of this month with frozen foods.  So far, President Obama has not yet made an official Women’s History Month 2011 Proclamation.  When he does, it will be posted here. Now, while we mere citizens have an entire week to honor frozen foods and the ladies we love at the same time by buying them some ice cream, the President only has one more week to come up with an official proclamation on the topic of Women’s History Month 2011.  Might I suggest that he enjoy the convenience of a frozen food while writing?  The thing is that I didn’t know that all of the Presidential Proclamations were available like this.  I have to admit, it’s a rather curious collection.  This month*, President Obama has offered Proclamations on topics ranging from from “Save Your Vision Week” to honoring the 100th Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire to the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy. It seems that when you are President of the United States, remembering your own wedding anniversary is the least of your problems.  So far, nothing yet on either frozen foods or the important contributions of women in the history of the United States.

What does any of this have to do with yoga or meditation?  It has everything to do with yoga!  Yoga and meditation are practices that encourage us to become aware in this moment.  By proclaiming a day, week or month a certain theme, we are suggesting that there are things we appreciate or that we should recognize that we may generally ignore.  This is what we do in our practice as well.  All day long we breathe, but when we practice, we watch the breath.  We see all the qualities of the breath—fast, slow, shallow, deep.  We experience the sensation of each in-breath as an in-breath and each out-breath as an out-breath and we feel our body’s response.  Setting aside some time each day for your yoga and meditation practice is like proclaiming that the next hour is “Sensation of Breath Hour.”  We come to appreciate what we generally take for granted.

Posted by Sharon Rudyk, an independent yoga and meditation instructor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  You can find out information about classes and teacher training programs with Sharon at https://www.yogamatrika.com/ and prenatal/postnatal programs and support services at http://www.matrikaprenatal.com.

*Wondering what President Obama proclaimed about this special month in March 2010?  Check out the proclamation archives here.

Advanced Yoga Studies

February 14, 2011
Posted by Sharon
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PRE-REGISTER for ALL ADVANCED STUDIES COURSES

Advanced Yoga Studies are courses for all adult yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and other professionals who feel that they would benefit from an in-depth study of various aspects of yoga from a physical, mental and spiritual perspective. Whether you have been teaching for years and feel like you need some new inspiration or you have just been practicing yoga for 6-months and have a significant interest in one or more areas of yoga practice, these courses are for you. Most of these courses are required for the 200-hour teacher training program and all of them carry continuing education credits that can be used to maintain your registration status with Yoga Alliance and other professional organizations. While these courses carry credits that are beneficial for yoga instructors, you do not need to be an instructor to benefit from this type of deep study of yoga. Please join us and explore what you have always known to be true—-life is yoga!

Foundations of Practice

Facilitated by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, E-RYT, R-PYT
Mondays from 5:30 to 8:30 pm
5/2/2011 through 5/23/2011

In this course, we explore the intellectual history of yoga through text, physical movement (asana) and the breath (pranayama). American yoga traditions will be presented within the context of their historical roots in India, Tibet and China. Each session will include experiential learning of yoga poses, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques. Learn the names of various yoga styles and the myths and stories that are behind the poses and the practices of yoga. This is a required course for the 200-hour teacher training program, but is open to students of all levels who want to explore the history of yoga, philosophical and ethical implications of yoga, four basic breathing exercises and 30-essential yoga poses. In each session, we will practice some breathing and yoga poses within the intellectual context of traditional Hatha yoga concepts and texts. This is a wonderful course for students who want to learn these aspects of yoga that are not generally covered in drop-in classes, for yoga instructors who want to review the foundations of practice and for adults who are interested in obtaining 200-hour registration with Yoga Alliance.

Shaking Hands with the Subtle Body

Facilitated by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, E-RYT, R-PYT
Fridays 6:00-8:30 pm
4/29/2011 through 5/20/2011

We will explore the answers to the following questions about the subtle body: What is the energetic body? Where are the chakras? What is a bandha? What is the relationship of the physical and energetic body in asana? How do different styles and traditions of yoga consider the energetic body? How can we use the breathe to change the quality of energy in the body? Sharon will draw on her training in Vajra Yoga and studies of Chinese and Tibetan yogas to introduce mutiple ways of thinking about and exercising the energetic body. This is the second required course in the 200-hour teacher training program, but everyone who is interested in exploring various aspects of the energetic body are welcome. It is suggested that all participants have a minimum of six-months of experience with yoga practice before taking this course.

Yoga of Intellect: Exploring Yoga Texts

Facilitated by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, E-RYT, R-PYT
Thursdays 5:30 to 8:00 pm
5/12/2011 through 5/19/2011

All adult yoga practitioners are welcome to take this course. We will explore various sections of Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhagavad Gita and other inspiring classical and contemporary texts. These texts not only provide a philosophical and ethical foundation for the practice of yoga and meditation, but they also inspire our most significant intentions through practice and living our yoga. Yoga is a path of transformation and these texts help ground our practice in the living intellectual and spiritual traditions that have come to inspire the American yoga tradition as we know it. We will also discuss how to apply our own religious and spiritual practices, traditions and texts to our yoga practice so that we can bring balance, in a very personal way, our mind/body/spirit on our mat and in the world.

Physical Body: Embodied Anatomy for Yoga

Facilitated by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, E-RYT, R-PYT
Fridays 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
5/6/2011 through 5/13/2011

This is a required course for the 200-hour teacher training certification course, but is open to all yoga practitioners, teachers and other professionals who want to explore the anatomy of yoga. The anatomy of yoga is different from the anatomy knowledges required for medical science and we incorporate what we know about the subtle body with the aspects of the physical body that are important for the physical postures. Specifically, we pay attention to the spine, shoulders, pelvis, knees and feet that are so important for safe alignment and also areas of the body that students generally have the most complaints with. We will also look at the endocrine system and discuss the specific impact of stress on the physical body and the role that yoga plays in relieving that stress.

Yoga of Teaching: Exquisite Tools for the Professional Instructor

Facilitated by Sharon Fennimore Rudyk, MA, E-RYT, R-PYT
Tuesdays 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
5/10/2011 through 5/13/2011

In this practical workshop we will cover the tools that all yoga instructors need to be professional and excellent from sequencing and planning classes to verbal cues for students to making physical adjustments to negotiating your pay and work agreements. This is a required course for Matrika’s 200-hour teacher training program, but all yoga instructors are welcome. You may have a little teaching experience and feel like you want a refresher or more support on these practical aspects of teaching or you may have been teaching for years and feel like you would benefit from some new inspiration. The more diverse our group in experience and yoga teaching styles, the more we will all benefit.

It’s Not About the Place

January 24, 2011
Posted by Sharon
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Dear Yoga Matrika Community:

At the end of April, almost four-years ago, I opened Yoga Matrika as a studio at 1406 S. Negley Avenue. At the time, my son was just an infant and I had newly returned to Pittsburgh after 17-years of roaming in various cities in the United States and countries in Asia. In these few years, Yoga Matrika has truly developed from a yoga studio into a beautiful community. This community has offered consistent support and encouragement both in the healing work that I am committed to doing and in my personal life. Since opening Yoga Matrika, I have experienced kindness and generosity and developed relationships that have enriched my life in ways that I could not have predicted. This work would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of hundreds of students to this mindful and healing practice of yoga and meditation.

Although I may have opened Yoga Matrika, I have not acted alone. Our community has had the benefit of the dedication and the selfless efforts of so many teachers, both past and present, who gave their hearts and shared the wisdom of their own practice and training for the benefit of the physical and spiritual development of this community. These teachers have made many personal sacrifices over the years—the sacrifice of time with their own young children and, for many, the sacrifice of the financial income that would have come with teaching at a larger or more established studio. I would be remiss if I didn’t express incredible gratitude here for my husband who, only out of his love for me and commitment to my happiness, renovated both of the spaces that have been home to Yoga Matrika. He has shoveled, replaced light bulbs, taken out the garbage and completed hundreds of tasks on a daily basis to make sure that we all had a safe and comfortable place to practice. Not to mention the hundreds of hours of high quality solo-parenting he has done so that I could go to school, work and run this business over the past couple of years.

As many of you know, I am expecting and due to have a baby this summer. Knowing that it would be impossible to manage the studio and maintain the space over the summer and as I move forward as the mother of a newborn and another young child, I was forced to make the very difficult decision to close Yoga Matrika. The last classes held at Yoga Matrika, 6520 Wilkins Avenue, will be Saturday, February 26, 2011. This is the bad news. The good news is that Yoga Matrika ceased being “just a place” a long time ago. I will continue to teach group classes at a variety of locations through the city and hope that these will offer value and convenience so that we can continue to practice and work together. I am available for private, small group and corporate yoga by appointment and will continue with my childbirth education programs and teacher training programs. In addition, all of the teachers at Yoga Matrika teach at other locations in the city and I encourage you to support other studios and your favorite teachers and continue your practice. I will list all of the instructor information on the Yoga Matrika website so you can easily contact and locate your favorite teachers. Information about my classes moving forward from March 1, 2011 will continue to be available on this website. You will continue to be able to use the web scheduler to pay for classes with me with a credit card and to enroll in classes online. It is my intention to teach group classes at least until the beginning of June when I will most likely take 2-3 months off for maternity leave.

The financial aspects of the closure will be handled as responsibly as possible. I have outlined how class packages, memberships and registrations will be handled below. From now until the studio closes, we are not selling any additional packages and you can only purchase tuition for single classes. There is also a $50 unlimited pass that is valid for unlimited classes between January 18 and February 20 ONLY. It will remain available for purchase, but please make sure that you will be able to take a minimum of 4-classes before February 20th so that the fee is worth your while. Otherwise, please just pay for the drop-in fees. The cost for single classes is: $15 adults and $10 for full time students.

How can you continue to support this community and me personally through this transition?

  • First, it is always meaningful to receive feedback on what Yoga Matrika has meant to you personally. I cherish all of the positive messages I have already received and assure you that I save these and they are a part of the permanent record of the studio.
  • Second, if you are open to offering some testimonials that I can use on the website and in promotional materials, please send me those. These are incredibly valuable and help potential students and private clients make their decisions about teachers. Please make sure that you label anything you send me as private communication or as a statement or story that you are willing to share.
  • Third, please continue to practice yoga with me and other teachers that you have met through Yoga Matrika. Even if it means going a little out of your way or discovering a new neighborhood, your efforts to continue your practice with us will be greatly appreciated.
  • Finally, there is a Paypal donation button at the very bottom of this page. If you feel generous and inclined, your donations will go towards the costs related to the closure of this studio and towards the deposits required to rent space moving forward. As we are not a non-profit organization, your donations are not deductible, but they will be very helpful and greatly appreciated.

I look forward to continuing to serve this community wherever we may roam.

With gratitude,

Sharon

The Business Aspects of the Closure

  1. Please note that all personal property left at the studio after February 20, 2011 will be considered abandoned. Please take your mats home and be sure to leave each time with your water bottles, clothing, etc.
  2. If you purchased a class package in 2010, it most likely should have expired before February 26, 2011. If you received any kind of personal extension or exception, please note that there will be no way to honor any package purchased in 2010 after February 26, 2011. Please take as many of these classes as possible while the studio is open. There are a few student accounts that will be an exception to this: 1) prenatal packages purchased in 2010 AND 2) students who registered for a winter series that was to run through March. I will personally contact anyone who requires an exception and make arrangements.
  3. If you purchased a class package in 2011, it will remain valid to its expiration date. In a few cases, this will mean using the package for payment of classes at other locations. There will be NO refunds or extensions on these packages for any reason. If you are not able to attend any of the classes that are offered at other locations in March, then any classes remaining after February 26th will be forfeited.
  4. If you purchased a one-time payment, unlimited SALE membership (student or adult) in August 2010, these will be cancelled as of February 26, 2011. Please take as many classes as you can while these memberships are still valid. In most cases, the few holders of these discount memberships have already received excellent value for them.
  5. If you are an unlimited member and are having auto-payments made on your credit card, your final payment will either be in January or in the first 7-days of February depending on your anniversary date. I will cancel all future membership payments. If, for any reason, you are incorrectly charged, you should contact me by phone or e-mail and I will immediately remedy the issue to your benefit.
  6. If you have a Living Social voucher ($10 for 5-classes), you can exchange it at any time before February 26, 2011 for as many classes as you can take before the studio closes or 5-classes, whichever is greater. After February 26, 2011 you should contact Sharon at: sharon@yogamatrika.com to find out how to use the cash value ($10) of your voucher towards currently available yoga services.

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