Sheila Burch: Sheila began her yoga practice in 1981 in Santa Barbara, California and has studied yoga in India, Nepal, Thailand, China, France, Azerbaijan and Bali and attended the world renowned Ramamani Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune, India in September 2013 where she studied directly with the Iyengar family. She opened the Ubud Yoga House in Bali in 2014 where she teaches yoga and meditation and is the lead teacher for the Yoga Teacher Training program.

Sheila has practiced mindfulness meditation for many years and studied Buddhism at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, Mindfulness Meditation at the Omega Institute in New York and completed Google’s Mindfulness Meditation program, Search Inside Yourself, at the Green School in Bali.

Sheila is a world traveler and an international educator who has taught in international schools around the world for the past 20 years .

Sheila’s youthful spirit, enthusiasm, and positive energy are an inspiration for all who visit the Ubud Yoga House.

Yoga Practice: 100 hours:
Daily yoga practice and exploration of different styles of yoga including Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha, Yin, & Restorative yoga. The basic yoga poses and yoga styles will be explored and practiced with hands on teacher adjustment for proper alignment and appropriate ways to modify yoga postures using blocks, bolsters, straps and blankets

Teaching Methodology: 25 hours:
Based on sound educational research & pedagogy, Sheila’s 30 years of teaching experience, and highly qualified teachers at the Ubud Yoga House, students will explore finding their teaching voice, the qualities and skills of a good teacher, how to create a “safe” learning environment, appropriate language for instruction and how to sequence a yoga class for Every Body with the use of hands on adjustments and props.

Anatomy & Physiology: 20 hours:
Students will study anatomy and physiology as it relates to yoga in an interactive fun way with hands on demonstrations making it easy to understand the basic anatomical structures. Anatomy is studied in the context of yoga and how yoga postures tone the muscles, tissues, ligaments, and joints and help maintain healthy bones. This knowledge will be applied to optimize yoga practice and avoid injuries. Students will learn the benefits of yoga and its effect on the functioning of various internal systems including respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive, excretory, reproductive, and hormonal systems. Beyond the physical body students will also examine the energy body exploring chakras, meridians, mudras, mantras and breath-work.

Yoga Philosophy: 30 hours:
The history, meaning, purpose, & philosophy of yoga will be studied through readings, films, video clips and lively interactive discussions. Students will study the basic philosophy of yoga focusing on the primary aim of yoga, which is to join the mind and the body through physical postures and meditation in order to know our inner self. The goal of yoga is harmony between the body, mind and spirit (authentic self). Students will study the 8 limbs of yoga which include the study of morals and ethics, physical yoga postures, breathing and meditation techniques.

Practicum: 10 hours:
Students will begin teaching the basic standing, seated and reclining postures during the first few days with a focus on two or three specific postures each day. Students will have the opportunity to begin “small” by teaching one posture at a time and gradually building up to teaching a one hour class to the teacher training students.

Electives: 15 hours:
Reading, self practice, writing, etc. Hours accumulated outside of teacher training hours as ‘non-contact’ hours.