The Yoga Mandala - TYM Singapore - My ytt200 review

    I lucked out with my first ytt200 at The Yoga Mandala. I did minimal research, and based my decision on online reviews and mostly a gut instinct. I did go to a few studios to speak in person about their program, but I did not attend classes at the studio. This goes against my own advice that I give people.

    To be completely honest, what drew me to TYM for their ytt was social media. Jessica Sinclair, founder of the studio, is known to be a social media star. The studio is beautiful, and makes for great photos. This has become important to fresh ytt students who are striving for those killer insta pics.

    The second reason I chose this studio was simply the abundance of options. TYM is constantly holding ytt trainings. I'm a somewhat of an impulsive person, and I wanted to start my yoga training immediately. I was beginning the class one week after I had started my search.

    So, let's get into more information on the ytt itself. I signed up for a weekday course. This is a more intense course and is usually smaller in class size due to it not being compatible with most work schedules. It was great for me, since I got to know the people in class very well and also got plenty of personal attention.

    Jessica was our instructor for the duration of the course. She is an excellent teacher, and very easy to get along with. It was like having your own personal coach, but shared with a few other people who are all along for the same journey. In their larger weekend courses I believe that there are two instructors, so if weekend is better for you I think a similar level of attentiveness can be expected.

    Jessica's course focuses primarily on the spine. She puts a lot of emphasis on identifying alignment problems and addressing how to help students better their bodies. Jessica has scoliosis, so she is a life expert on alignment and the advice she gives is very insightful.

    I entered this ytt course primarily for my own practice. However, the course structure sets students up to be excellent teachers. By the end of the course I was passionate about yoga and I wanted to teach. Of the three ytt200 courses that I've taken so far, TYM has been the best for preparing students to teach due to their incorporation of practical teaching hours. Each student taught portions of sequence throughout the course, and at the end everyone held three 1hr community classes. Unlike other studios that expect you to bring your own students for practice classes, TYM expected the fellow students to support each other and fill all vacant mats.

    Also worth noting, students in this ytt WILL learn Sanskrit. Everyone graduated confident in their use of Sanskrit and understanding of poses and assists.

    Overall I would highly recommend TYM for anyone interested in getting certified to teach, or to deepen their own practice. The ytt was safe, fun, and informative.

    Pros:
    Many options on course and dates
    Small class size (weekday)
    Excellent instruction
    Photogenic
    Abundant practical teaching hours
    Excellent Sanskrit instruction
    Excellent instruction of Pranayama and Chakras

    Cons:
    Spiritual - Depends on your comfort with Ohm and Chakras

    I was very happy with my experience at The Yoga Mandala. I would encourage anyone looking for a ytt option to consider this studio. But don't take my word alone. Ask your favorite yoga teachers where they had their ytt and what they recommend. Always go into the studio you researching to speak to someone about the course. And perhaps ask them for contact info from previous graduates who are willing to share information about their experience.

    I hope that this information is useful for you. To learn more, check out their website.
*note: at the moment there seems to be a problem with their website. You can also check their instagram @theyogamandala
 

Space and Light Yoga - COMO Shambhala - My YTT200 review

    For anyone interested in taking a YTT course, it is essential that you visit the studio first to be sure that the teaching style fits your standards. This can seem overwhelming, as there are so many options these days for YTT, but it is worth the time. Most studios these days are on classpass. I recommend using the app (there is a complimentary trial period if it's your first time) to test out various studios.

    Space and Light Yoga studio is founded by the duo Lynn and Sumei. They have partnered with COMO Shambhala studio, and teach regular classes throughout the week. They teach as a pair, with one leading and the other adjusting. This is great for their students. When you go to their class it feels much more personal than most studios and you will leave class feeling more balanced since they ensure you are doing the poses properly. There are trial class prices for first timers, call the studio or visit the front desk for more info.

    Lynn and Sumei hold one ytt200 per year. That can be a good thing (plenty of time to make arrangements), or a bad thing (no other options), depending on your schedule. The classes are held on the weekend - Friday, Saturday, Sunday - often including Monday evenings and full class on holidays. You must attend all class hours, so plan accordingly.

    I am a bit partial to this studio, since I have been a student at COMO Shambhala for over a year now. I'm a big fan of their style, since all of the teachers there pay particular attention to alignment. It is on the pricier side, understandable given the studio's connection to the COMO brand. The studios are air conditioned, so if you are a fan of hot yoga this might not be for you. However, to learn to teach yoga it is worth considering this studio.

    Before starting a YTT, be sure to know what you want out of it. Do you want a yoga bootcamp or do you want to eventually teach? Space and Light Yoga is a great option for those who want to teach. Lynn and Sumei have a background in teaching Anusara yoga, and their YTT focuses on the Anusara Universal Principles of Alignment. Important to note: This is a Hatha yoga course, not an Anusara course.

    In addition to extra focus on alignment, this YTT sets aside time to teach about the history of yoga. I found this very informative, and I appreciated learning about the roots of yoga and it's differences between modern and historical practice. Lynn and Sumei invite experts who research yoga history to come and talk about it. You are also assigned some reading to do at home, although they didn't expect everyone to have time to read the full book(s). 

   Every studio advertises teaching anatomy as part of their YTTs. Space and Light Yoga does the same. They require you to purchase the yoga anatomy books by Ray Long, a requirement that many yoga studios in Singapore have lately. The books are great, and while they weren't used a lot during the course they are worth having at home for reference. One thing that sets Lynn and Sumei apart from other studios in regards to anatomy: Lynn is a doctor. She really knows her stuff, and makes learning anatomy very fun. She even brings a real human skeleton to class, something she acquired during her medical studies.

    Overall, this YTT was a great experience for me and I highly recommend it. The one thing that I would say is lacking would be the amount of time students spend teaching. The class is on the larger side, 20ppl, so there simply isn't enough time for each student to teach a whole lot. Becoming a teacher requires a lot of practice to become comfortable leading a class. In this YTT, you will need to take the initiative to practice at home. As long as you practice on your own time, you will graduate with enough confidence to go out and start your own classes. Everyone in our group graduated, so do not fear.

    

    Pros and Cons:

    Pros:

    Excellent Alignment Education

    Excellent Facility

    Personal Attention

    Great Yoga Materials

    Large Class

    Cons:

    Only One Course Per Year

    Limited Teaching Practice

    Large Class

    Unique Cues

    To elaborate on the unique cues, this is related to the detailed nature of the alignment principles being taught. The cues go beyond simply moving, and go more into engagement. If you practice at the studio you might be familiar with some of the cues, but if you are going to be teaching at another studio most likely you will need to modify the cues to be simpler and introduce the more detailed cues slowly to your regular students. If it is for your own practice, the unique cues are excellent for having a safer practice.

Next intake:

10th April - 25th May 2020

    Lynn and Sumei also offer a ytt300hr path. They do this differently from other studios, since their 300hr certificate is an accumulation of hours spent in their trainings or workshops. This is a good option if you have already gotten your ytt200 from a different studio and want to continue taking workshops. This is the route I am taking. I might get more into this in a different post, but basically if you want to work slowly towards your 500hr RYT this is an option available to you.

** note: Lynn and Sumei do try to work with the COMO studio after the ytt is complete to allow their students to teach one hour 'open level' classes. These classes are offered to COMO practitioners at a cheaper rate and give students the chance to apply their teaching skills in a real class. It is not guaranteed for every intake.

    I hope that this information is useful for considering Space and Light Yoga's ytt200 course. To learn more, check out their website: http://www.spaceandlightyoga.com/about.php

Sincerely,

- Michelle Elaine

A note as I start this blog

Hello/Namaste,

My name is Michelle Elaine. This is the first post of my new blog, Juxtaposed with Elaine. 

I find that the word juxtaposed suits me well: to put things that are not similar next to each other. I am an expat from the USA living in Asia, so the unfamiliar has become my norm. 

As the title also suggests, I am a yogi, so poses are my thing. I have jumped into the deep end of yoga, taking up teacher training from a basic level of practice. The root of my motivation to start this blog comes from my experience as a yoga student. As I am writing this, I have just begun my third teacher training within one year. I am eager to explore the differences between teacher trainings and share my experiences.

And finally I will share some lifestyle posts from time to time since this is my personal blog. I do travel often and I will likely share that content here.

Sincerely,

- Michelle Elaine