Yoga Philosophy Guide for Beginners

For the months May in 2022, I was invited to teach yoga outside of Sydney, Australia at Swami's Yoga Retreat Center. I found the gig on Yoga Trade, a message board for international yoga jobs.

Once I arrived, I discovered a unique place with distinct opportunities to teach yoga in ways I hadn't been exposed to while teaching on the international resort circuit with Fit Bodies Inc., company that contracts out teachers for a "teaching vacation" at a variety of resorts around the world. At this point, I'd taught yoga online, in digital nomad houses and in resorts, but never in a yoga-specific retreat center.

Swami's Yoga Retreat began as an ashram when Swami Sarasvati was "discovered" as a young Indian ex-pat teaching yoga in Sydney in the late 60's. She went on to fame as a yoga teacher on public television, teaching a 30 minute introduction to yoga show called "Swami's." Eventually, she bought land outside of Sydney and started an ashram and later a yoga retreat center. The center is still run by her son, Sanjay.

In the spirit of an ashram, the staff is voluntary. In exchange for room and board, the staff volunteers their time to keep the place running. I was a part of this volunteer group, teaching yoga, leading mindfulness walks and meditations and every afternoon, introducing beginners to yoga philosophy.

Most yoga classes begin and end with the postures. Perhaps there is a bit of breathing instruction. Perhaps an opportunity for meditation. But this was the first time outside of my own yoga teacher training, that I was able to lead workshops in the basics of yoga philosophy and its potential to change the lives of those that find their way to yoga.

While there, I created a three week workshop plan to introduce participants to yoga philosophy. It is available here for anyone who may find it useful.

Overall, I'm grateful for my time at Swami's. The participants were often stressed out office-workers from Sydney coming our for a bit of a reset. The grounds were peaceful. The three vegan meals a day tasty. The accommodations were basic, but fulfilled my needs. Ultimately, the opportunity to lead classes in both restorative yoga with bolsters and blocks as well as vinyasa flow balanced by practice. And finally, the opportunity to introduce people to meditation and yoga philosophy was unique.

I look forward to teaching yoga philosophy again.