Training Yoga Teachers in Seattle since 2002.
The 8 Limbs Modular Training is made up of ten weekend immersions from October through April, with reading and writing assignments to supplement and specialize class hours. This training option offers the opportunity to spread your time commitment and studies over the course of 7 months.
Our training is a great fit for both the aspiring teacher and the dedicated practitioner ready to learn more. Completion of the 10 weekends in our Modular Training are required for those seeking 200-hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) Certification.
Whatever level of commitment you choose, the Modular Training offers excellent opportunities to deepen your yogic knowledge and self-study in a supportive community!
Want to hear about our Teacher Trainings in person? Join us for a free Info Session.
Included in the Modular Training (180 approximate hours of study and practice):
Yoga Sutra 2:46: sthira-sukham asanam
“Posture (asana) [should be] stable (sthira) and comfortable (sukha)”
Asana, Pranayama, and Restoratives (90 hours)
- Learn to practice and skillfully teach poses through greater understanding of anatomy, energetic actions and modifications
- Understand specific benefits of postures and pranayama for building a personal practice or for working with a wide range of students
- Practice modifications for injuries and/or special needs
- Adjustments and assisting to meet individual needs
- Learn contraindications for foundational poses
“If anything is sacred, the human body is sacred”.
– Walt Whitman
Anatomy and Physiology (25 hours)
- Explore foundational concepts and terminology for the entire body
- Learn the names of common bones and muscles to support popular asanas
- Experiential classes weaving anatomical concepts and principles into poses
- Understand pathology and contraindications to keep your students safe
- Body systems – learn what the organs of the body do and how they are affected by asanas
- Energetic anatomy – nervous system to bandhas and chakras
“Teaching is not an imposition of the teacher’s will over that of the pupil, not at all. Teaching starts with freedom and ends with freedom.”
– Vanda Scaravelli
Art of Teaching/Teaching Practice and Sequencing (25 hours)
- Dive into the 8 Limbs Teaching Template to design a diverse range of classes from Intro Series, Basics, Vinyasa Flow, to Anatomical Themed classes
- Art of Teaching classes emphasize teaching, observation and assisting principles
- Monthly practice sessions teaching in small groups or one-on-one
- Create monthly sequences with Mentor feedback
- Learn inclusive language for teaching diverse groups
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self”
The Bhagavad Gita
Philosophy, Ayurveda and Yogic Lifestyle (25 hours)
- Experience the Yoga sutras and learn how to bring them to life in your in practice, relations, and meditation practice
- Conversation on the Dharma (wisdom teachings) of the Sutras
- Introductory look at meditation and mindfulness. Students will focus on meditation posture, concentration techniques, body-based mindfulness practices and inquiry into the inner workings of the mind.
- Familiarize yourself with the many traditional paths of yoga
- Learn basic Sanskrit for common poses
- How to use the chakras for personal growth and in designing asana classes
- Use the 5 Elements in Ayurveda to understand your unique constitution and create healthy routines
“True happiness is when the love that is within us finds expression in external activities.”
– Ammachi
Tools to Thrive as a Teacher (15 hours)
- Business of yoga class to explore the many ways to make a living as a teacher and how to set up realistic goals after graduating
- How to prepare for yoga auditions and apply for teaching positions
- Participate in engaging conversations such as, Holding Inclusive Space class which explores concepts: unpacking unconscious bias, body positive and inclusive language for teachers, and making agreements for safe space
- Conversations in ethics for teachers to understand the value of boundaries, policy and personal practice
- 8 Limbs Teacher Training Manual
- 3-6 hours per week reading and homework
- Participation in 4 1-hour Q & A sessions with Faculty
Program Requirements
- Minimum two years yoga asana practice and 6 months personal practice at start of training
- Attendance of all ten training modules*
- Completion of required reading list and homework
- Attendance at one asana class per week at 8 Limbs (10 during training for out-of-town participants)
- Membership at 8 Limbs is offered to 8 Limbs Teacher Trainees at a discounted rate.
- Passing grade on take home final exam
- Research Paper on topic of choice
Upon completing all requirements, participants will be awarded a Certificate of Completion. With this they may apply for 200 RYT Certification through The Yoga Alliance.
* Missed classes due to emergency or illness may be made up by listening to recorded classes and following up with instructor.
8 Limbs Studio Classes:
- Teacher Training Participants are required to take one class per week at an 8 Limbs studio* and will receive a 30% discount on 8 Limbs drop-in class tuition options (excluding purchase of 12-month Auto-Pay and Annual Membership) when purchased/started October 1-April 1, 2018.
*Participants who reside outside Seattle will be required to take 10 classes at 8 Limbs during their training.
8 Limbs is committed to increasing diversity, accessibility and safety in the Pacific Northwest’s yoga community. This includes a commitment to empowering a yoga teacher pool that is representative of the diversity in our area. As one part of these commitments, 8 Limbs offers partial scholarships to applicants of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+, and/or other under-represented groups. To apply for this scholarship please include a brief description of why you qualify with your application or enrollment.
Retired and active duty military personnel receive a 20% discount on Teacher Training Tuition, space allowing (we have a limited number of scholarships each year to keep our programs viable, please apply early to be considered for this discount).
Details
Classes are held in our Capitol Hill, Phinney Ridge and Wedgwood studios and involve both lecture and practice sessions. We encourage students to bring camping chairs and/or props for lectures, limited yoga props are available at our studios for sitting. Class size ranges depending on enrollment but is limited to 25 students.
We maintain Transcripts for fifty years. To request a transcript please email info@8limbsyoga.com.
2019/2020 dates
- October 11 – 13 and *25-27 2019
- November 15-17, 2019
- December 6-8, 2019
- January 10-12 and *24-26, 2020
- February 7-9, 2020
- March 6-8 and 27-29, 2020
- April *17-19, 2020
Approximate Schedule:
- Friday: 7:00 – 9:00pm (Wedgwood)
- *(10:30am-4:30pm on 10/26/18, 1/18/19, 4/12/19 at Phinney Ridge)
- Saturday: 9:30am-7:00pm (9:00am-6:00pm on 10/13, 2/9, 4/12) (Phinney Ridge)
- Sunday: 9:00am – 4:30pm (Capitol Hill)
Please note: Times subject to changes. Final schedule with locations will be sent out to accepted participants.
About the instructors:
Anne Phyfe Palmer, E-RYT 500, RPYT, 8 Limbs Owner & Education Director, Studio Director
What to expect in Anne Phyfe’s classes: Anne Phyfe’s focus in teaching is to find both energy and calm through these ancient practices. Her classes are both strong and reflective, and usually involve a theme or intention in practice. Anne Phyfe has just returned to teaching drop-in classes after a sabbatical. Listen to her audio class Awaken Fierce Compassion recorded by Yoga International.
Main Influences/Styles/Traditions: Anne Phyfe currently studies in the Tantric tradition of The Himalayan Institute. Her teachers are Rod Stryker and Shari Friedrichsen. She has also been heavily influenced by the following teachers: Gary Kraftsow, Sarah Powers, Tias Little, Ana Forrest, and her very first yoga teacher, Kathleen Hunt.
Melina Meza, E-RYT 500, Instructor and Teacher Training Director
What to expect Melina’s classes: Melina has been exploring the art and science of yoga and nutrition for over 20 years. She combines her knowledge of Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, whole foods nutrition, and healthy lifestyle promotion into a unique style called Seasonal Vinyasa. Melina’s Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga classes emphasize the teachings of the yogis—that there is no separation between humans and nature, and we are all one. In addition to asana practice, her classes include insights on physical health and nutrition as well as how to inspire self-knowledge that allows for the conscious adjustment of day-to-day choices.
Main Influences/Styles/Traditions: Seasonal Vinyasa Yoga & Ayurveda, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Scott Blossom, Sarah Powers, Gary Kraftsow, Jin Sung, Kathleen Hunt.
Chiara Guerrieri, E-RYT 500, Anatomy Instructor
What to expect in Chiara’s Classes: Chiara teaches us how to connect with the body through the breath, how to track physical sensation moment to moment and how to find an internal sense that guides movement and choices for wellbeing. In both her SoulMat & Hatha yoga classes, expect to go slowly, to pay attention to your body and breath, and to explore alignment. An important aspect of Chiara’s teaching is to help students learn when – and from where – to stabilize or mobilize. Expect the wisdom of a 30-year teaching career, plus a good dose of humor, to infuse each class.
Main Influences/Styles/Traditions: SoulMat with Patrizia Gavoni, Hatha Yoga with Bob Smith, Forrest Yoga with Ana Forrest, Shari Fredrickson, ParaYoga with Rod Stryker, and dance from around the world.
Jenny Hayo, E-RYT 500, Asana, Pranayama, Meditation and Yoga Sutra Instructor
What to expect: Jenny teaches a variety of topics including asana, pranayama and meditation. She believes yoga is a path of self-discovery and aims to be an assistant on the journey. Jenny is known for her clear and direct teaching style so that the teachings are accessible to all levels of practitioners.
Main Influences: Iyengar Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation, Buddhism, Therapeutic Yoga, Yogic Psychology through the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Jenny is also a certified IAYT Yoga Therapist.
Claudette Evans, E-RYT 500, Sanskrit Instructor
What to expect in Claudette’s classes: Claudette has a genuine passion for meeting students where they are, helping guide them toward an experience of greater strength and freedom, while allowing them to discover the wisdom that lies within their own bodies. You’ll find Claudette’s classes infused with her warm, integrative, and creative spirit, along with explorations in mantra and vibration. Her enthusiasm and curiosity are catching, and it’s clear that her teaching draws on her own love of physicality and mental engagement. Through a deft weaving of precise alignment, thoughtful insight, and a great sense of humor, Claudette’s classes create space for self-expression, clarity of focus, and the sheer joy of movement.
Main Influences/Styles/Traditions: Anusara, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Sanskrit. She also has been strongly influenced by Douglas Brooks, Christopher Hareesh Wallis, Christina Sell, Sianna Sherman, Amy Ippoliti, Ross Rayburn, Jason Crandell, and Meghan Currie.
RW Alves, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Holding Inclusive Space Instructor.
RW, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, SEP, is a yoga therapist, yoga teacher trainer, and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner whose teachings promote accessibility, inclusivity, social justice, body positivity, trauma healing, resilience, unconditional self-acceptance, community building, and personal and community transformation through yoga and somatics.
RW works at the intersections of social justice, spiritual practice, and healing justice by developing curriculum, training and mentoring yoga teachers and yoga therapists, creating spaces for self-care and community-care for activists, and teaching about inclusive languaging and teaching, trauma-informed yoga, nervous system resilience, accessible asana, social justice, diversity, privilege, yoga, and spiritual practice. She is Faculty with Off the Mat, Into the World, and a founding member of Bending Towards Justice, which provides social justice and diversity trainings for yoga teachers around the country. She loves training teachers to make the healing and transformative power of yoga, somatics, embodiment, and spiritual practice more accessible and welcoming for a broader range of people and bodies.
Cancellation and Refund Policy for 8 Limbs Teacher Training Programs, as required by the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
8LYC will refund all money paid if the applicant is not accepted or if class is cancelled for any reason.
8LYC must refund all money paid if the applicant cancels within five business days (excluding Sundays and holidays) after the day their enrollment contract is signed or an initial payment is made, as long as the applicant has not begun training.
8LYC may retain an established registration fee equal to ten percent of the total tuition cost, or one hundred dollars, whichever is less, if the applicant cancels after the fifth business day after signing the contract or making an initial payment. A “registration fee” is any fee charged by a school to process student applications and establish a student record system.
If training is terminated after the student enters classes, 8LYC may retain the registration fee established under (3) of this subsection, plus a percentage of the total tuition as described in the following table:
If the student completes this amount of training: 8LYC may keep this percentage of the tuition cost:
Up to 10% of training: 10% More than 10% but less than 25%: 25% 25% through 50%: 50% More than 50%: 100%
When calculating refunds, the official date of a student’s termination is the last day of recorded attendance:
(a) When 8LYC receives notice of the student’s intention to discontinue the training program; or,
(b)When the student is terminated for a violation of a published 8LYC policy which provides for termination; or,
(c) When a student, without notice, fails to attend classes for thirty calendar days.
Required Reading For Modular Training
- A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield
- Art of Sequencing – Volume Three by Melina Meza
- Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi
- The Yoga Sutras Workbook by Vyas Houston
- The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali by Chip Hartranft
Those interested in additional anatomy texts can consider: “Anatomy of Movement” by Blandine, “Key Muscles of Yoga” and “The Key Poses of Hatha Yoga” by Ray Long, “Yoga Body” by Judith Lasater and “Yoga Anatomy” by Leslie Kaminoff.
Those accepted to the training receive a 10% discount on these books at our studios, as available.
For more resources, view our Recommended Reading list at the bottom of this page, and on the Summer Intensive Training page.
Application Process
Please submit two typed copies of both the following questions and your answers along with your name, address, telephone number, email, the name of the training you hope to attend (Modular or Summer Intensive) and a current photo/headshot to 8 Limbs Yoga Centers (address below). Email copy of application questions to: melina@8limbsyoga.com. A $45 application fee is due with your application. Applications will be reviewed as they are received until the training is filled. All applications are strictly confidential and will be read and shared only by Teacher Training Staff Members.
- How long have you studied yoga? List styles and main teachers.
- Describe your current wellness program. Please include self-care, medical care, nutritional choices, exercise other than yoga, and therapy (optional).
- Describe your personal yoga and/or spiritual practice. Include practices of faith, rituals and traditions.
- Do you currently teach yoga? If so, how often and what level?
- Do you have experience teaching in any others field(s)? List other training or experience relevant to yoga and/or teaching.
- What motivated you to pursue studies in yoga and what keeps you motivated?
- List all injuries or illnesses and how they affect your current condition.
- List prescription medications you are taking for physical or psychological reasons.
- What do you hope to gain from this training?
- How did you hear about the 8 Limbs Teacher Training? (web search, Google, friend, 8 Limbs email, etc.)
Mail your application to:
8 Limbs Yoga Centers
Attention: Teacher Training
500 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
8 Limbs is committed to increasing diversity, accessibility and safety in the Pacific Northwest’s yoga community. This includes a committment to growing and nurturing a yoga teacher pool that is diverse in terms of culture, race, ethnicity, gender/sexual identification and sexual orientation. As a part of these commitments, 8 Limbs offers partial scholarships to applicants of color, people who identify as gay and/or transgender, and/or other under-represented groups. To apply for this scholarship please include a brief description of why you qualify with your application or enrollment.
Questions? Please email teachertraining@8limbsyoga.com or call 206.325.8221.
Additional Reading Resources:
ANATOMY
- Atlas of Human Anatomy by Frank Netter
- The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga by Ray Long
- Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminof
ASANA
- Art of Sequencing – Volume Two Seasonal Vinyasa by Melina Meza
- Insight Yoga by Sarah Powers
- Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar
- Yoga for Wellness by Gary Kraftsow
- Yoga, Mind, Body & Spirit by Donna Farhi
- Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health by BKS Iyengar
- Yoga, The Spirit And Practice Of Moving Into Stillness by Erich Schiffman
AYURVEDA
- A Life of Balance by Maya Tiwari
- Ayurveda – Life, Health and Longevity by Robert Svoboda
- Ayurveda – The Science of Self-Healing by Vasant Lad
- Path of Practice, A Woman’s Book of Ayurvedic Healing by Maya Tiwari
- Prakriti by Robert Svoboda
- The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad
- Yoga and Ayurveda by David Frawley
BUDDHISM
- Awake in the Wild by Mark Coleman
- Awakening the Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das
- Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Bachelor
- Dancing with Life by Phillip Moffit
- Faith by Sharon Salz
- Anything by Pema Chodron
TEACHING YOGA
- Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi
- Fire of Love by Aadil Palkhivala
- Living Your Yoga by Judith Lasater
- Teaching Yoga by Mark Stephens
YOGA PHILOSOPHY
- Bhagavad Gita, commentary by Eknath Easwaren
- Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith
- From the River of Heaven by David Frawley
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bihar School of Yog
- Kundalini by Robert Svoboda
- Paths to God by Ram Dass
- The Four Desires by Rod Stryker
- The Heart of Yoga by TKV Desikachar
- The Path of the Yoga Sutras by Nicoilai Bachman
- The Yoga Tradition by Georg Feuerstein
- Teaching Yoga by Donna Farhi
- Upanisads, commentary by Eknath Easwaren
- Western Seeker Eastern Paths by David Pond
Those accepted to the training receive a 10% discount on these books at our studios.
The 8 Limbs Mentorship Program is the next step after taking our 200-hour Training. Our newest offering gives 200-hour participants and graduates an opportunity to work with Teacher Training Instructor and experienced 8 Limbs instructors to develop confidence, fine-tune their teaching, and receive feedback.