Re: India
Marion,
Good for you....2nd trip to India. You sound very focused this time!
The one-month residential ttcs are, in my mind very good. You have to understand that many yoga schools offer "two year" teacher training programs, or some such, but you only attend sometimes on weekends and maybe a solid week of days. A residential program at an ashram forces you to abandon your worldly life for a set period of time to focus on understanding a yogic lifestyle. In my view, this is not possible when you are travelling home afterwards and planning what to cook for dinner. I believe you learn more when you "live it" so to speak. The advanced ttc that I mentioned offered by the Sivananda organization is focused on your own practice...the idea being that in order to be effective teachers we must be living what we teach. I don't believe the advanced course is offered in Uttar Kashi this year, since it was last year. It will be offered in the south.
Some students come out of the course ready to teach, others still lack confidence. I think it depends on your committment to yoga. Part of what I do in Toronto is continue to train teachers who have finished the program and are bridging to teach...many will work with an experienced teacher for some time before they strike out on their own. This is not a reflection on the program, but on various people's aptitudes and confidence levels.
Yes, I began teaching right after the program, however I was then a staff member at the ashram, so was teaching there. I continued to receive guidance from one of the Swamis there. I felt really confident, though before I took the course I was not convinced I'd teach afterwards. I took it more for my own development.
Yes, I really can recommend the Sivananda program from my own experience. It is challenging in ways that you might not expect. It requires some surrender and a willingness to face some inner demons!
If you wish to learn Ayurvedic massage techniques, Kerala is the place to do it. There are many places to learn, particularly in the area around Trivandrum (Varkala is one place).
Discipline will come!
Lucky you....I'll look forward to hearing more about your trip.
Pranams,
janaki