INTRODUCING A PIONEERING NEW PROGRAM

Yoga originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The yogic path teaches us to integrate body and mind with all things. The Buddha—a trained yogi—was born in India 2,500 years ago where he spread the teachings on the end of suffering. In 2009, in New York City, these two traditions come together through long time practitioners of each. The Co-Founders of the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, along with the Founder and Director of Teacher Development of OM yoga, are collaborating to bring you a year of rich training in contemplative care for those facing suffering, old age, sickness and death.

This innovative new program is designed for yoga teachers who are inspired to integrate contemplative care with yoga teaching skills in order to help people in hospices, hospitals, mental care facilities, private clients or any place where spiritual care is needed.

You will receive foundational training in spiritual care: attending the sick and dying; offering meditation, yoga and pranayama care; and performing ritual.

A unique aspect of this training is a firm grounding in meditation and yoga practice, which will give you the ability to work from the inside out, assessing a variety of situations and offering what is needed, including simply being present.

At the completion of the nine month program, consisting of 100 educational hours and 100 hours of volunteer caregiving, you will have gained the skills and confidence needed to give solace and be of benefit to those in profound transition.

AREAS OF TRAINING

• History of Contemplative Care: applications and setting for spiritual care; engaged spirituality
• Contemplative Care Skills: purpose and functioning of a caregiver, establishing spiritual care relationships, active listening, spiritual counseling, verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Contemplative practices related to health care.
• Cultural competency.
• Use of Self: when to disclose and not to; boundaries and ethics of conduct; personal safety; sexual feelings in spiritual care relationships.
• Guided and silent meditation instruction and practice for patients and families.
• How to deconstruct yoga asanas to create simple healing movements.
• Therapeutic use of pranayama: anatomy of pranayama and nervous system, breathing techniques.
• Developing sensitive quality of touch
• Learning about the lymph system and yogic methods for moving it.
• Working with pre-and post-operative patients.
• Yoga, pranayama, and meditative methods for stress reduction, anxiety and depression.
• Offering movement as meditative experience.
• Self-care for the yoga teacher.

TRAINING DATES

The training will be held 9 am to 5 pm Wednesdays.

2009

October 21 November 18 December 16

2010

January 20 February 24 March 2 April 21 May 19 June 23

APPLICATION PROCESS

A 200-hour yoga teacher training certification.

A committed and ongoing yoga practice and contemplative way of life.

Letter of recommendation from a yoga or meditation teacher, someone who knows your spiritual practice.

Completed a one week yoga or meditation retreat.

Statement of purpose, two page minimum, three page maximum.

An in-person interview.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

One hundred hours of volunteer Contemplative Caregiving at a Manhattan medical center

• Monthly meetings with peers
• Monthly individual supervision with a core faculty member
• Monthly reading and writing assignment
• One day silent retreat with NYZCCC
• Weekly meditation and yoga practice at OM

TUITION

This is intimate work. Space is limited.
Applications are due by September 15, 2009.
The cost for this nine-month program
$2450.00.
Early bird discounted tuition deadline is July 1, 2009.
Early bird discount is
$2350.00.

A limited number of partial work-exchange scholarships, as well as full-time scholarships are available.

For the application, please download it here.