Gecko Yoga is proud to be hosting Birthlight Courses in Hong Kong. To register and find out more please contact info@geckoyoga.com or visit www.geckoyoga.com. Discounted Early Bird Prices avail for all 3 courses Perinatal pt1, Baby Yoga pt 1& 22l, be sure to sign up early to save $.

Overview

Perinatal Yoga designates yoga applied to pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period. At Birthlight we have supported continuity of care from the start, offering yoga classes for women from pre-conception all the way to the time when they are ready to resume their general yoga practice.

The Birthlight Perinatal Yoga course offers a distilled teaching of the adaptations of classic yoga to pre and postnatal yoga that Françoise Freedman has developed over twenty years. The practices are explained with a comprehensive background of subtle anatomy and physiology of women during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum. Theory is never separated from practice but always blended in for a deeper understanding of the beneficial effects of yoga at this special time in women’s lives.

This course involves participants in the practices that are taught, exploring not only physical aspects but also the emotional and spiritual changes which are part of the transition to motherhood. Participants are invited to discover facets of yoga they may not have come across in their training, particularly in relation to deep pelvic muscles, Pranayama, spinal alignment and self-nurture.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for the training of yoga teachers who hold a recognised teaching yoga qualification. It is particularly recommended to teachers who are motivated to develop a specialisation in yoga with pregnant women and new mothers.

What are the aims of this course?

This course aims to equip yoga teachers with a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of pregnancy, birth and the postpartum as it related to the teaching of yoga, so that they can teach safely and competently.

How is the course structured?

The course consists of three modules: Part 1 (first module) is an intensive course, residential or non-residential, taught over four days. This first module is truly a foundation in which yoga for the three trimesters of pregnancy is covered simultaneously with anatomy and physiology. Visual aids are used to facilitate learning and students receive a detailed training manual. These four days are also an experiential journey from early pregnancy to the other side of birth and students on non-residential courses are invited to rest as much as possible in the evenings.

The second module is self-practice over a period of approximately six months. During this time students assimilate the contents of Part 1 and set up their own classes as well as observing other teachers in their areas. Perinatal Yoga is a vast subject and each student can use this time to select areas of special interest and read around them towards the completion of the Diploma coursework. Course tutors are available for support and advice if needed during this period. The Birthlight buddy and watchdog schemes offer additional sources of support. In order for students to have insurance during this time, Birthlight has arranged a student policy with Care Sure for one year.

The third module, Part 2 is a residential or non-residential course taught over two days. The course includes a detailed review of students’ coursework and teaching experiences, followed by tuition on yoga applied to special ailments, yoga from the pregnancy class to the labour ward and yoga to help new mothers who have experienced a difficult birth or postpartum.

Students have a maximum period of 24 months to complete the Diploma from the time of their Part 1 course.

How is this course assessed?

Part 1 is tutor assessed by means of a simple practical assessment in which students teach part of a class. In the rare instances when a tutor recommends that a student should repeat this assessment, Birthlight strives to arrange that this student work with an established teacher and be assessed at a later date.

Students’ portfolios of case-studies and coursework are carefully assessed with detailed constructive comments aimed to forward their teaching and practice. The Diploma in Perinatal Yoga is awarded on the basis of both the student’s portfolio and a final assessment involving an external assessor.