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Frequently Asked Questions
| Q. | What is Anusara yoga? |
| A. |
Anusara (a-nu-sar-a), means “flowing with Grace,” “flowing with Nature,” “following your heart.”
Founded by John Friend in 1997, Anusara yoga is a school of hatha yoga which unifies a life-affirming Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment. Anusara yoga is growing quickly all over the world with over 250 certified teachers, 750 licensed Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers, thousands of teachers in training, and hundreds of thousands of students world-wide. Anusara yoga now has a presence on every continent throughout the world, excluding Antarctica. Click on our About Anusara tab on our website to read more. |
| Q. | How does Anusara yoga differ from other schools of hatha yoga? |
| A. | Please reference previous question, “What is Anusara yoga?” |
| Q. | Is Anusara yoga compatible with my Christian faith? |
| A. | Most of our American students have a Christian background. Anusara Yoga is a practice to recognize, align with, celebrate, and serve the One Supreme Spirit/Consciousness/Energy that is the essence of everything that we experience in this world. Through practicing Anusara Yoga and its life-affirming Tantric philosophy, the highest virtues of the heart - peace, love and joy - are cultivated through our recognition and co-participation with this Universal and fundamental Spirit/Consciousness/Energy. Furthermore, along with great health and vitality, the various techniques of Anusara Yoga promote the fostering of human qualities such as compassion/understanding, truth/honesty and friendliness/kindness. These qualities of the heart can greatly help to deepen anyone's religious faith, highest virtues, and ability to offer themselves in devotional service of something greater. There could be a potential philosophical conflict, though, depending on the beliefs held by a Christian practitioner. A foundational idea of Anusara Yoga philosophy is that the truest essence of all beings is believed to be this fundamental and universal Spirit/Consciousness, which is intrinsically good. In other words, all of life is, at its fundamental level, good/auspicious. Goodness is the absolute nature of the Universe. However, it is a common Christian doctrinal idea that people are, in fact, inherently sinful, and the only way to salvation is through the Grace of the savior Jesus Christ. This is quite different to Anusara Yoga's belief that people are inherently good, and that Grace is both flowing through the hearts of all beings as well as throughout the world around us. At the same time, Anusara Yoga recognizes the beauty of all religious and philosophical outlooks that celebrate the goodness and the divinity of life. The example of Jesus Christ and his message of love and goodness is very compatible with the open-hearted ideals of Anusara Yoga. As a practitioner of Anusara Yoga, one is not required to espouse every aspect of its philosophical basis. Rather, one can use the universal metaphors of the uplifting Tantric teachings as ways to learn about, recognize, identify and enhance the highest ideals of their own heart and personal faith. Any student, no matter his/her religious affiliation, is always welcome to attend Anusara Yoga classes. That being said, if a person is looking to become a certified Anusara Yoga teacher, that person does need to align with the metaphysical outlook and Tantric philosophical basis of the method, regardless of his/her personal religious affiliation. They can still be a Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, etc., but a certified Anusara Yoga teacher is required to adhere to the philosophical doctrine of the method. |
| Q. | How should hours studied be recorded? |
| A. | Students and teachers are expected to keep track of their own hours. A credit hours form may be downloaded from the website to assist you in keeping a record of your hours. This form can be found under the Curriculum tab in both the certified and Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher Curricula. |
| Q. | How do I locate an Anusara yoga teacher or studio in my area? |
| A. | You can visit our website to view the Teacher’s Directory. Here you will find a complete display of all of our licensed teachers, both certified and Anusara-Inspired, along with their contact details and locations. |
| Q. | Is it correct that John is not offering any Teacher Trainings this year, and why? |
| A. | John requests that students who wish to further their studies seek out a certified Anusara yoga teacher who is offering Teacher Trainings. |
| Q. | How do I locate Teacher Training seminars in my area? |
| A. | To obtain information on Teacher Training classes, you can search Regional Events on the Events tab of our website to look for a training near you. |
| Q. | I have attended an Anusara Yoga Level 1 Immersion (or another specialized event such as a Teacher Training, or Therapy Training). If I attend another of the same type of event, will it be the same? |
| A. | Our Immersions are standardized at 100 hours so every Anusara Yoga Immersion offers the same curriculum. We do recommend that teachers renew their understanding every several years by taking another Anusara Yoga Immersion. Our Teacher Training curriculum will be standardized very soon. Therapy Trainings may focus on various areas so please check with the certified teacher offering these types of trainings. |
| Q. | What are the differences between an Immersion and a Level 1 Teacher Training? |
| A. | Teacher Trainings and Immersions are 2 very different programs. The Immersions focus on the philosophy and principles of Anusara yoga, and the Teacher Trainings offer instruction on how to teach Anusara yoga. This is why Immersion studies are prerequisite to Teacher Trainings. |
| Q. | How do I obtain information about your Teacher Training/Certification program? |
| A. | Information regarding Teacher Training seminars may be found on our website under Events/Regional Events. Information regarding our certification curriculum and licensed Anusara-Inspired curriculum may be found on the Curriculum tab of our website. |
| Q. | Where should I begin in the Certification Program? |
| A. | You should first start by accumulating as many hours as you are able with a certified teacher or John. Please visit the Curriculum section of our website for complete details. |
| Q. | How can I get certified if I don't have any Anusara yoga teachers near me? |
| A. | Some travel may be necessary and it will take you longer to become certified than if there was a teacher living in your area. We understand and it is alright if it takes longer to gain the required hours. As Anusara yoga continues to grow, more teachers will be available in different areas. |
| Q. | How can I apply to become an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher? |
| A. | You can find the application and other required documentation on the website under the Curriculum tab. The application can then be submitted to us by email, mail or by fax. |
| Q. | What can I do to start a home practice? |
| A. | We offer several home practice media products to begin a personal home practice. Please visit our online store. We recommend setting aside a quiet, dedicated time each day that you can devote 45 minutes to an hour to. Then you can work on increasing the amount of time you practice once your routine is established. |
| Q. | I did not record my hours of Anusara yoga studies previously. What should I do when applying for advanced studies where this is required or for our licensed programs? |
| A. | We request that you do your best to estimate the hours on event applications. For our licensed programs you are required to track your own hours. If in the event that you have extenuating circumstances, please contact Teachers Support. Since we do not track hours with your certified teachers, we are not able to confirm your studies with teachers other than John. Please ask the teacher(s) that you need to confirm your hours with directly. |
| Q. | How can I apply for my RYT with Yoga Alliance? |
| A. | Anusara yoga is recognized as a registered school of yoga with Yoga Alliance. All of our licensed teachers may provide Yoga Alliance with a copy of their license agreement to prove that they meet the required hours for RYT 200 for Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers and RYT 500 for certified teachers. |
| Q. | What is the best way for me to begin using heart-oriented language in my teaching? |
| A. | The best way to begin using heart-oriented language in your teaching is by practicing, along with seeking the advice of a certified Anusara yoga teacher. You may also find the following helpful forms in the certification area of our Curriculum section on our website: Video Self-Evaluation form, Video Assessment form. You may also reference and download the ‘Elements of an Anusara Yoga Class’. |
| Q. | What is Anusara’s relationship with Yoga Alliance? |
| A. | Anusara yoga is a registered school of hatha yoga with Yoga Alliance. All of our licensed teachers may provide Yoga Alliance with a copy of their license agreement to prove that they meet the required hours for their RYT 200-hour program for Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers under their Anusara-Inspired listing and for the RYT 500-hour program for certified teachers under their Anusara listing. For further details on what is required from Yoga Alliance, please visit their website at www.yogaalliance.org. |
| Q. | Do my Anusara yoga hours count for RYT? |
| A. | See above question, “What is Anusara’s relationship with Yoga Alliance?” |
Product Orders & Event Retail:
| Q. | Can you provide a description of each of your products? |
| A. |
Please refer to our online store for a detailed description of each of our products. |
| Q. | How is the clothing sized? |
| A. | Please see our women’s sizing chart on our online store. Men’s sizing chart coming soon. |
| Q. | What is your return policy? |
| A. | Please refer to our Customer Service Policy. |
| Q. | Do you have any Anusara yoga DVDs? |
| A. |
Yes; we have several Anusara yoga DVDs featuring John Friend. There is a set of 4 DVDs. Each is a two-hour class with a specific theme. These DVDs were recorded live at the Omega Retreat Center in Rhinebeck, NY. • Growing a Lotus (Also available in Japanese) We have a 10 DVD set entitled The Basics of Anusara Yoga Teacher Training. Other supplemental home practice products include |
| Q. | I live in a remote area where there are no Anusara yoga teachers. What product(s) would be best to learn Anusara yoga for use in my home practice? |
| A. | We recommend the following Anusara yoga products: The 4 DVDs are great for home practice. Also, we recommend Anusara Yoga Essentials, Anusara Yoga 101, Anusara Yoga Master Immersion CD set, the Anusara Yoga Teacher Training Manual, and the Anusara Yoga Syllabus poster (for poster, link for small poster) |
| Q. | What is the difference between the Anusara Yoga Essentials CD and the Anusara Yoga 101 CD? Which one would you recommend for me? |
| A. | Both Anusara Yoga 101 and Anusara Yoga Essentials offer a good understanding of the Universal Principles of Alignment™ and they are both suited for all levels of practitioners. Anusara Yoga Essentials is a one hour class particularly suited for entry level students of Anusara yoga. Anusara Yoga 101 is a double CD that offers a wider variety of poses as well as teaches more of the Universal Principles of Alignment. If you practice both CDs from beginning to end it offers a comprehensive, balanced two hour practice. Also each CD can be used on its own as a complete one hour practice routine. Each pose on both CDs is self contained on its own track so you can easily shuffle or repeat. |
| Q. | Which of your yoga products can you recommend to help my therapeutic issue? |
| A. | We highly recommend that you attend a live class taught by a certified Anusara yoga teacher and that you let the teacher know that you have a special therapeutic need. This way the teacher may help you on an individual basis. |
| Q. | When will my order ship? |
| A. | Any order submitted by 11:00 am (CT ) will be shipped out the same day. If the order was submitted after 11:00 am (CT), it will be shipped out the next day. International orders will follow the same schedule with the possible exception of large wholesale international orders. |
| Q. | Can I place a wholesale order for Anusara yoga products on the Anusara yoga website? |
| A. | You may place an order at a quantity discount for an order of 10 of a particular item or more for Anusara produced products. The website will automatically recalculate the cost based upon the wholesale price which is generally 40% of the retail price for the products where wholesale is available. |
| Q. | I have a product to sell. How can I market it at your workshop boutiques and/or your online store? |
| A. | Please contact Wendy Willtrout. |
| Q. | What are Anusara’s trademarks? |
| A. |
Anusara-Inspired™ yoga is a proprietary mark and we license teachers to advertise themselves and their classes in this way. Anusara® Anusara Yoga® Universal Principles of Alignment™ (may be used by both levels of licensed teacher) Anusara Press™ is the publishing division of Anusara, Inc. Anusara Media™ is the production division of Anusara, Inc |
| Q. | Why did Anusara choose to trademark protect its names and terminology? |
| A. | Anusara made this decision in order to keep the integrity of its yoga intact. |
| Q. | What is your policy regarding teachers using the Anusara logo on their literature? |
| A. | Only certified Anusara yoga teachers are licensed to use the registered trademark “Anusara” and any logos or designs on publications and materials used to advertise themselves. |
| Q. | I am a licensed Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher. How can I describe my title, class titles, and class descriptions? |
| A. | You may use Anusara-Inspired Yoga Teacher as your official title. You may describe your class titles and descriptions as Anusara-Inspired yoga. You may not call yourself an Anusara yoga teacher or describe your classes as Anusara yoga. Please refer to your license agreement for further details or contact Teachers Support. |
| Q. | I am a licensed Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher. May I teach Anusara Yoga Immersions and Teacher Trainings? |
| A. | Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers are not permitted to fully represent Anusara Yoga’s methodology. Therefore, they may not teach Anusara Yoga Immersions or Teacher Trainings. These types of events are reserved for certified Anusara yoga teachers. |
| Q. | I am a licensed Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher. May I assist a certified Anusara yoga teacher in his or her Anusara yoga Immersions and Teacher Trainings? |
| A. | Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers may assist certified teachers in their Immersions and trainings as long as they do not teach any of the main components of Anusara yoga’s methodology. |
| Q. | I have studied Anusara yoga. Can I call my classes Anusara, Anusara-influenced, Anusara-style, or Anusara based if I have trained in Anusara yoga? |
| A. | Anusara yoga is a proprietary mark. We license its use through our teachers’ programs. There are 2 levels of license, certified Anusara yoga teachers and Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers. A non-licensed yoga teacher's study of Anusara yoga may be identified in their longer class descriptions and biographical sketches, but not in class or teacher titles. Anusara-Inspired yoga is the class title used by our licensed Anusara-Inspired yoga teachers only. As it is our proprietary mark, variations are not permitted. Teachers who are training in Anusara yoga are encouraged to work towards becoming an Anusara-Inspired yoga teacher. Please see (link) for more information. |
| Q. | How can I edit or delete one of my events posted on your website under Regional Events? |
| A. |
To edit or delete any of your events posted under the Regional Events section of our website, log into the Teacher’s Lounge from the Community tab on our website. Descriptive edits will be reviewed by our Teacher Support Coordinator before changes are posted live. |
| Q. | My username and password are not allowing me access to your website. |
| A. | If you are a first-time user, create an account in order to apply for one of John’s events or make a purchase from the store. If you have previously created an account and you are not able to log in, contact our office. |
| Q. | Can I pay my annual dues online? |
| A. | Yes, simply log in to the Teachers Lounge and select the Pay Dues link. |
| Q. | How can I update my personal information in the Teacher’s Directory? |
| A. | Your personal information can be updated at any time by logging into the Teacher’s Lounge from the Community tab on our website. |
| Q. | Where are you located? (for public classes) |
| A. |
Our office is located in The Woodlands, Texas. This is headquarters for our organization where we administer assistance to students and teachers around the world. For information about Anusara's local studio visit www.thewoodlandsanusarayogastudio.com. |
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