Yoga Humanities Manual
This Manual sets a new standard and fulfils the requirements for the Humanities (Philosophy and History) Module of 200-500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Programs.
Manual compiled by Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D
Orders for the Manual must be placed by the teacher or school organizing a teacher training program.
The purpose of this Manual is to enable Yoga teachers to train their students in the philosophical/historical (now referred to as Humanities by the Yoga Alliance) aspects of Yoga as part of the requirements for 200- to 500-hour teacher training programs. This side of Yoga teacher trainings is often challenging for teachers to lead, but since Yoga is a continuum of theory and practice, it is important to cover the philosophical and historical aspects in a thorough manner.
This Manual is based on the practical input of many of Georg Feuerstein’s students in his distance-learning programs. In the past, he has taught the philosophy/history segment in various teacher training programs and also taught an extensive coverage of these aspects in his own 750-hour teacher training program conducted via the former Yoga Research and Education Center in 2003/2004.
The Manual, which contains what he considers to be the essential aspects of Yoga philosophy and history, has been designed to allow teachers or schools to administer the philosophy/history segment themselves. The Manual includes self-tests for students and also questions for classroom work. From his own experience, Dr. Feuerstein has found that classroom work (fulfilling the required contact hours of teacher trainings) is a very effective and enjoyable way of helping students to assimilate even more difficult topics and making them relevant to contemporary life.
The materials in this Manual include numerous diagrams and inspiring quotes from ancient and modern Yoga authorities. The Manual meets the requirements of the Yoga Alliance at the 200- and 500-hour levels and can easily be adapted for either level or any level in between. Even teacher training programs not following the Yoga Alliance stipulations can greatly benefit from this Manual. It also can serve students as a reliable reference work in the years to come, when they have to respond knowledgeably to the questions of their own students.
The Manual is currently being used worldwide and available in English, French, German, and Spanish.
Please note that for 500-hour trainings, students must also acquire Georg Feuerstein’s book Yoga Morality (292 pages) on which some of the questions for classroom work are based.
“Our initial reading confirms the quality, scope and depth we have come to identify with Dr. Feuerstein and his work. Having just completed an intensive Teachers Training here in Minneapolis, the faculty were given the manuals to review during their busy schedule and have only received positive comments. They especially liked the way in which the learning modules were supporting svadhyaya in self-study, contemplation, analysis, and application to one’s sadhana.
Our very special thanks to Dr. Feuerstein and our enthusiastic support for his future efforts in bringing a depth to the Himalayan Yoga Tradition through authentic exploration in Sadhana.”
-Swami Veda Bharati
I have had the great pleasure of studying with Traditional Yogic Studies under the direction of Brenda & Georg Feuerstein for the past 10 years. Their Yoga Philosophy Teacher Training Manual and courses are amazing resources to understand and integrate such wonderful, heartfelt traditional teachings with the modern evolution of Yoga. Power Living Australia has been using the Yoga Philosophy Training Manual for several years and have found it to be an important addition to all our trainings!
My studies have been the philosophical backbone of my own personal journey and my teachings with students. For any student seeking a deeper understanding of our beautiful, ever evolving tradition I couldn’t recommend their Training Manual and courses. Thank you for all that you do!
Namaste
Duncan Peak
Founder | Power Living Australia
Digital & Print Copies
We offer digital and print copies of the Manual along with studio contracts to print on site as well. The English edition is available in print and digital whereas Spanish, German, and French are only available in a digital format.
All trainers and students are required to have their own personal copy of the Manual which they have purchased from us or the studio has purchased in bulk for students. Please contact us for bulk orders and printing contracts.
If you would prefer to have someone deliver the humanities module of your training, Brenda Feuerstein can be booked for hourly talks or for the full Humanities module. Please contact us for details.
Additional Resources
- Yoga Morality
- The Bhagavad-Gita: A New Translation
- The Encyclopedia of Yoga and Tantra: Over 2,500 Entries on the History, Philosophy, and Practice
- Sanskrit Yoga Glossary
- The Yoga-Sūtra: A Nondualist Interpretation by Georg Feuerstein
- The Yoga-Sūtra of Patañjali: A New Translation by Georg Feuerstein
- The Yoga-Sūtra: From a Woman’s Perspective by Brenda Feuerstein