(Netherlands) Director of Solstice Yoga Center.
Her teachings focus on the opportunity to "restore" innate capacities to their optimal expression through "relaxation as practice" coupled with traditional yoga practice. Her teachings are a reflection of her long study with international teachers and yogis in the area of "traditional" South India yoga, pranayama, critical alignment, anapana meditation and continued work with vipassana meditation. She obtained her teaching certificate after completing a 3-year course at The Bharata Institute of Yoga, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The institute is world renowned for it's work in critical alignment. She is a certified Yoga Alliance teacher and teacher trainer. Brigitte's knowledge emanates from her past studies and other influences but her teachings and approach are her own, derived from those teachers and coupled with her own experience, exploration, study and practice. She has been doing pranayama for 23 years and has been practicing vipassana meditation for eight years. An international yoga teacher and member of that community, she teaches workshops around the world including the United States, Netherlands, Belgium, India, Antigua (West Indies) and Mexico.
(Canada) Member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Beginning as a student of Hilda Pezarro in the early 70s, he was soon encouraged to start teaching. Although he worked with many teachers, David feels that he was most influenced by Dr. Bruce and Maureen Carruthers, and Acharya Dr. S.V. Karandikar. In 1995, David traveled to Pune, India, to train under Acharya Dr. S.V. Karandikar, one of the world’s pioneers in Restorative Yoga. This relationship has been maintained for many years with workshops in Canada and India. Over the last 25 years, David has inspired more than 400 yoga teacher trainees through various Teacher Training programs in Canada and Mexico. His daily life is committed to continuing research on yoga therapy, the origins and development of yoga and meditation in order to refine his own practice and teaching. Participating in this training, you will not only have the opportunity to enjoy David’s practical wisdom, unique sense of humor and thought-provoking stories, but also his contagious warmth, enthusiasm and encouragement will bring you great satisfaction. David will cover important restorative techniques, and relevant anatomical knowledge which will greatly enhance your understanding, practice, and teaching.
(Euskadi/Basque Country) brings to her teaching of anatomy long experience in the many facets of therapeutic massage. She teaches the major anatomical structures as they relate to an understanding and experience of asanas. Her instruction bridges the gap between "theoretical" knowledge and practical understanding of the muscles at work. Izaskun is a masseuse, translator and yoga teacher (RYT 200). She has always looked for the path of healing from a multidisciplinary perspective in way that incorporates all of her previous studies including: psychology, massage, Reiki, Feldenkrais, and even her experience as a teacher of English to adult learners. All of these aspects came together when she took her yoga teacher training at The Solstice Yoga Center. Her interest focuses on the therapeutic aspect of yoga based on the understanding of the organism and how we it is used. She has been a student and a collaborator at different levels at the Solstice Yoga Center for almost a decade and her best inspiration during these growing years was, and still is, her teacher, Brigitte Longueville. She divides her work now between Zipolite and Mazunte where she combines her classes, massages and translation work.
Become a fan on FacebookHatha Yoga Teacher Training
July 21 - August 23, 2013 
October 20 - November 22, 2013
Begin the adventure of a lifetime when you immerse yourself in the practice, study and teachings of yoga at the Solstice Yoga Center.
This highly acclaimed teacher training is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified course. It brings world-renowned teachers to Zipolite with students from around the world. It is designed for those that want to teach with confidence, enhance their teaching or simply deepen their personal practice.
Taught at the Solstice Retreat Center at La Loma Linda, you will have the opportunity to become absorbed without distraction in a perfect environment of community, study, sanctuary and practice.
Graduating students can register as RYT 200 © (Registered Yoga Teachers) with Yoga Alliance, the international certifying yoga authority. Teachers registered with the alliance are authorized to use the initials RYT © after their names. 
Brigitte is an E-RYT, E500 T500 (meaning experienced and certified to teach teachers) and Solstice Yoga Center is a RYS200 Yoga Alliance certified school (see www.yogaalliance.org for more information).
Past graduates have found the Solstice Teacher Training course to be a great adventure that is life-changing, enlightening and energizing. It is an experience that empowers individuals to find and express their best self and true potential, in both their professional and personal life.
Teaching from the "Heart"
The Solstice Teacher Training emphasizes that in order to teach yoga one must develop a deep personal understanding of yoga.
This is accomplished by providing students with daily instruction and practice in the art and science of yoga designed so that students can have a profound personal experience of the teachings.
You will be invited, in Brigitte's terms, to come to see "relaxation as practice." This means the opportunity to stop "trying" to do yoga and therefore becoming tense.
Instead, students learn to calm the body, and then the mind, creating the optimal state to experience and realize the full dynamic energy of an asana.
With this knowledge, teachers can teach not only from the head (as a result of their studies) but also from the heart (as a result of a deeply felt practice).
It is the premise of Solstice Yoga Teaching Training that once a practitioner has realized this profound experience, they then have the insight to share it, and teach it, to others.
The teacher training has a proven track record in delivering this understanding to students coupled with the knowledge base through which to express their experience to others.
As a result graduates go out into the world with complete confidence prepared to teach classes that students will find to be engaging, challenging and energizing.
The Course Work
The heart of the program is daily instruction and practice of meditation, pranayama and asanas. This is complemented with in-depth teaching of ten integral aspects of yoga teaching:
Yoga Philosophy / Lifestyle / Ethics
You will have the opportunity to understand the ancient texts, the original teachers, yogic lifestyle choices, and ethical choices and appropriate conduct for yoga teachers.
Asana Practice
The complete spectrum of asanas will be explored in depth, including pose adaptations and the use of props. Both the classically, "held" positions associated with Iyengar yoga will be taught as well as Vinyasa Flow (breath synchronized movement) often associated with Ashtanga yoga.
Pranayama
You will learn the science of breathing: changing the rhythm of the breath, inhalation, retention, and exhalation. Ironically, pranayama is not a breathing exercise, but an exercise of awareness.
Anatomy / Physiology
You will learn a functional understanding of the key anatomic structures as they relate to Hatha yoga. Knowledge of these structures can be used immediately to optimize practice, overcome blockages, avoid injuries and of course, communicate with your future students.
In physiology we will be focusing on the autonomic nervous system its structure and function. The chronic imbalance of this nervous system is either directly or indirectly responsible for the many stress related diseases burdening us today. Understanding the connection between stress and our nervous system allows us to explore various yoga and related techniques which can be used to restore proper functioning of the mind and body.
Brigitte teaching an anatomy class
Kriyas
These cleansing exercises remove toxins from the body. There are six kriyas: Neti (nasal cleansing), Nauli (abdominal churning), Dhauti (upper digestive tract cleansing), Basti (colon cleansing), Kapalabhati (lung and bronchial tube cleansing) and Tratak (steady gazing). From these six kriyas we will only practice Nauli, Kapalabhati, and Tratak.
Restorative and Therapeutic Yoga
"Restorative yoga" is defined as the opportunity to restore and rejuvenate the innate muscular and energetic capacity of the body prior to the practice of asana in order to optimize the practice of yoga. This will be taught using the BackMitra and various pasive positions.
In the Therapeutic yoga part you will learn how to work with students that have physical issues and problems including: back pain, repetitive strain injuries, carpal tunnel, scoliosis, sacroiliac pain, sciatica, and strain due to bad posture or weight issues. Many people suffer from these issues and desire to practice yoga for relief. You will learn how to give them appropriate guidance and a safe practice.
For many years the therapeutic benefits of yoga have been recognized by a few. More recently, they have become much better known. Today many physicians are encouraging some of their patients to take up yoga for therapeutic reasons.
Unfortunately the healing benefits may be, to a great extent, hit and miss. The reason for these outcomes is that not all types of yoga address all types of problems equally well. What is needed for yoga as therapy to be consistently effective is an individualized approach based on the particular condition of the patient and a thorough understanding of anatomy, pathology and rehabilitation techniques.
Teaching Methodology
You will learn how to plan and sequence a yoga class so that each student will have an optimal experience.
Personal Teaching
Experience
Aquiring Teaching Experience You will learn how to teach by teaching classes and observing your fellow teachers as they teach. Each student will teach classes (traditional Hatha and therapeutic yoga) under the guidance of Brigitte. You will work in small groups, prepare classes together, exchange ideas and learn how to teach and assist others as they teach.
Yoga as a Business
"How does one develop, organize and manage a successful yoga business?" This aspect of the course looks at yoga from a business perspective.
The emphasis throughout the training is on hands-on experience and constructive feedback that prepares you to teach with confidence and clarity.
Graduation Policy
Awarding of completion certificates is based on three criteria:- Attendance; To successfully complete the program, a student may not miss more than 5 hours of classroom time.
- Completed homework assignments.
- Faculty assessment of skills learned.
Graduation 2010
An impression of our YTT by Maricarmen Chavez.
Location
The teacher training takes place at La Loma Linda, an eco-chic retreat and refuge overlooking the Pacific. It is tucked away on a large hillside in the middle of the charming beach town of Zipolite on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. For more information and photos you can visit their website lalomalinda.com
Note! La Loma Linda offers special accommodation rates for the duration of the training.
How to Register
To register for the course, continue here...
Space in this program is limited. We encourage you to apply early!