The British Wheel of Yoga is the governing body for Yoga in Great Britain, endorsed by the Sports Council (Sport England) and internationally recognised for its safe and thorough teaching of yoga. The BWY Diploma is a professional qualification which reflects ancient values at work in the modern world, where professionalism goes hand in hand with esoteric integrity.
The level of commitment required to obtain the Diploma is high and it should not be undertaken lightly. It does equip one to teach with confidence and autonomy. Whether you are seeking to teach Yoga on a part-time or full-time basis, the investment is the same. Note that the major investment is in terms of time and application. It may change your life.
The British Wheel of Yoga does not have a set style, and the approach to asana (or not) will depend on the individual tutors. Appropriate modification, safety in asanas and adaptation of postures for common (and often uncommon) medical conditions are the key features of BWY asana training. The course is comprehensive, covering everything from how the muscles and joints work within the postures, through Pranayama, Mantra, Meditation and class management, to the main philosophical texts and how they are relevant, both to the history of Yoga and Yoga as it is practised in the West today.
Diploma in Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, 2009- 2011
Hambleden Village Hall, Hambleden, RG9 6RP
Hambleden is set off the A4155 which runs between Henley and Marlow alongside the river Thames. The code is misleading, as it’s an Oxfordshire post-code - but Hambleden is in Bucks. The turning is three miles out of Henley on the left or four and a half miles out of Marlow on the right; either way you turn up the Skirmett road and the village hall is just over a mile up the road in the village of Hambleden, on the right opposite the entrance to the church. It is a lovely quiet location, ideal for the practice, study and contemplation of Yoga.
Teaching methods are student-centred and fun; while there is plenty of theory (too much, some say) in the syllabus, interactive teaching methods are used to keep things moving. Practical Yoga sessions, role-play, pair and group work are all employed to help you develop confidence and autonomy in exploring the topics on the timetable. The syllabus requires that you do peer presentations on the topics for each unit - anatomy and physiology for Unit One, Philosophy for Unit Three, for example. For people unaccustomed to public speaking, this seems like a tough call in the beginning: but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Feedback is always encouraging and supportive, and the process is particularly transformational and confidence-building.
Sessions will be held on a combination of Sundays and week-ends over two and a half years, totalling 300 contact hours. The minimum length of a BWY diploma course is 240 hours and one is usually expected to have done a Foundation course, which is 60 hours. Although it is helpful to have done a Foundation course, it is not necessary, as all the topics I cover in a Foundation course will be absorbed into the main body of the course. The extra sixty hours will be used to cover practical aspects of teaching Yoga.
What I feel is a particular strength of the Wheel qualification is that each person is free to explore and develop their own style within its framework. The key to safe Yoga teaching is understanding, and that understanding comes through experience, observation, dedication and - teaching. We do small peer-group teaching sessions from the beginning of the course, in which we road-test how to deal practically and professionally with the situations (common and uncommon) which can arise in a Yoga class. You are encouraged to start teaching your own class by the end of Unit One.
This course is now up and running.
