Teacher mentorship for members

Become a Teacher

Mentoring as an Iyengar Teacher

Certified Iyengar Yoga teachers are extremely well trained. Mentorship to become a teacher is rigorous and spans a three to five year period in which teachers follow a program based on an international syllabus and standards set by Sri B.K.S. Iyengar. Throughout the course of their mentorship, teachers:

  • Develop maturity in their personal practice of asana and pranayama;
  • Develop a thorough understanding of the asanas and pranayamas for teaching purposes;
  • Gain proficiency in teaching skills;
  • Gain a basic education in anatomy;
  • Develop a working understanding of the philosophical basis of Astanga Yoga in the Iyengar Method;
  • Learn the various precautions that need to be followed for students with common problems;
  • Practice their teaching skills under the guidance of a qualified mentor.

Prior to entering a mentorship program, a student must be a competent Iyengar yoga student who maintains a daily yoga practice.

Mentorship Contacts

2020 IYAC/ACYI List of Introductory Teacher Mentorship Education Programs
(Updated February 24, 2020)

Collingwood, Ontario Lori Berenz

Calgary, Alberta: Margot Kitchen and Cynthia Palahniuk with Sharoni Fixler and Skjei Sharma

Dauphin, Manitoba: Lisa Towson

Edmonton, Alberta: Frema Bram with Judi Mirus and Teddy Hyndman

Kelowna, BC: Krisna Zawaduk

London, Ontario: Karen Major

Montréal, Québec: Marie-Andrée Morin, with Ginette Dion

Montréal, Québec: Tim Ruddy

Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland: Deborah Lomond

Québec City, Québec: Marie-Andrée Morin

Ottawa, Ontario: Barbara Young

Sint Maarten, Netherland Antilles: Sylvia Guenther

Toronto, Ontario: Marlene Mawhinney with Nadia Horodynsky, Jocelyn Hollman and Sarah Bertucci. Michelle McLean and Brenda Ledsham assist.

Vancouver, BC: Louie Ettling and Patricia Fernandes

Victoria, BC 5 Trainers: Shirley Daventry French, Marlene Linda Miller, Leslie Hogya, Ann Kilbertus, Ty Chandler. This committee liaises with groups of teachers up island, as requested.

Assessment

Prospective Iyengar yoga teachers go through a comprehensive assessment process.

A qualified teacher recommends each candidate for assessment, confirming that all teacher-mentorship requirements outlined in the Teacher Training.

Handbooks have been completed. A panel of qualified teachers conducts each assessment. They evaluate the candidates’ asana practice and observe their teaching skills in action. Some certification levels include a written take-home exam.

Assessments are held several times a year in various cities across Canada. Check the right-hand column for a listing of currently scheduled assessments.

Assessment dates and locations for the upcoming year are announced throughout the year. Candidates are encouraged to submit their applications once they have completed their requirements and are ready to sit the assessment. The Professional Development Committee may adjust the dates and levels of assessments based on candidate numbers and assessor availability.

If you are applying for an assessment for certification please note the following:

To register for assessment at Introductory II levels and up, contact the Administrative Assistant,  Ewa Rewkowska . Please pay the assessment fee,  $450.00 plus GST/HST, online in the Shop (click here to go directly to the Shop)  and send your completed forms to:

Ewa Rewkowska
Administrative Assistant, Assessment and Certification IYAC
Assistante administrative, Evaluation et certification ACYI

208 – 1339 Credit Woodlands Court
Mississauga, ON
L5C 3V7

If applicants are unable to pay online, please contact Fay Gascho to discuss other payment options.

If you need further information, contact your Regional Representative or download Assessment Procedures for Candidates from the Members Documents – Category Assessment.

Certified IYAC/ACYI Teachers

There are over 290 certified Iyengar yoga teachers in Canada, as well as many mentoring teachers. All certified teachers must have a certification mark in order to be listed on the IYAC/ACYI website and in the IYAC/ACYI Teachers’ Directory. For additional information about certified teachers in your area, contact your Regional Representative.

To view official levels of certification, go to  IYAC/ACYI Certification Levels.

Certification Mark

This trademark has been legally registered in Canada to protect the high standards of Iyengar yoga. All Iyengar yoga teachers certified from Introductory II onward must hold a Certification Mark license in order to teach Iyengar yoga in Canada and maintain good standing as a Teaching Member of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada/Association canadienne de yoga Iyengar. The Certification Mark indicates that a teacher is properly certified in Iyengar yoga, has committed to teach only Iyengar yoga, and will not mix other methods of yoga. After applying for and paying the annual fee for the Certified Mark license, teachers receive a copy of the Certification Mark and are allowed to use it as a display logo for promotional and identification purposes.(perhaps include a link of the license agreement since we find that people are not generally aware of all they have agreed to?)

To apply for the Certification Mark, contact the Certification Registrar.

To view a listing of Canadian Certified teachers holding the Certification Mark, go to the current  Listing of Certified Teachers.

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