Freedom.
The Swatantrya (pronounced 'Swuh-TAAN-treeya') certification standard is a new paradigm in yoga teacher certification, which provides a foundation for independent, self-directed study of the practice and therapeutic benefits of yoga. Its aim is to balance objective standards for learning with the freedom to explore, expand and contribute to the field of yoga.
Yoga: Freedom in Community
The overall purpose of yoga is to fulfill our potential for freedom; and so a system of learning yoga should support our freedom to practice and to teach yoga according to our own nature, interests and potential.
Yoga deserves a system of certification which encourages and supports true community — an inclusive community of independent yogis who, while fully committed to their own style or form of practice, are like-minded in their love and respect for yoga, and open-minded with regard to the possibilities for new learning. When we focus mainly upon yoga itself, treating it as a field of knowledge and practice that expands to accommodate new insights, rather than upon championing our preferred styles of yoga, everyone benefits.
An open mind is the foundation for an open-hearted and inclusive community.
The Meaning of Swatantrya
The meaning of the Sanskrit word 'Swatantrya' is 'independent freedom:' the word affirms the independent freedom and potential of the self ('swa') or consciousness to expand ('tan') in awareness and knowledge.
These 'tantric' teachings of yoga assert that the universe — its order, beauty and evolutionary wisdom — arises out of the expansion of the creative energy of the universe itself, which is fully self-aware and unlimited in its potential for manifestation and self-expression. Moreover, these teachings recognize that the universe itself is a community and tapestry of this evolving energy, and so they affirm the role of community in yoga.
Each individual is a manifestation of that same creative consciousness. Tthe happiness and well-being of each individual depends upon how each fulfills the possibilities for the growth and expansion inherent within them as forms of consciousness, with the support of the community. The blueprint for success and fulfillment exists equally and uniquely within each one of us, and yoga provides the path to that fulfillment.
How Swatantrya 'Works'
Enrollment in Swatantrya means that you are embarking upon a structured yet largely self-directed journey of discovery and learning. There are core requirements set forth in 6 fields of therapy-related learning which can be filled by studying under a variety of teachers, and also through independent study:
- Assessment Tools for evaluating therapeutic problems
- Anatomy/Kinesiology and Functional Anatomy
- Asana alignment and Action
- Common Therapeutic Problem Areas
- Breath Pattern Awareness
- Ayurveda Basics
Beyond these core requirements, there is room for 'elective study,' enabling you to complete your credit requirements through study in fields that are of interest to you. The total credit hours required in the core requirement field is 100 credits; elective study makes up an additional 30 credits, for a total of 130 credits.
As you pursue your studies, whether with me or with other teachers, you'll need to submit for credits using a simple form that briefly details what was covered in the course or workshop by answering a short series of questions. It's not a 'test,' but an account of what was covered. You can submit for credit from courses you have done in the past to the extent that you can complete the form on what was covered.
Once the credit requirements are completed, there is a written exam (take-home and open-book) covering the core requirement areas, as well as some questions that will allow you to respond from your elective study. The questions will be worded in a way that allows you to answer from the perspective of your own course of study and from that of the teachers with whom you have studied. Your answers are not judged against a predetermined 'right' answer, but according to the quality of your answers in addressing the therapeutic issue that is raised, and in outlining an approach to resolving them, if the question calls for that.
The other finishing requirement is a short thesis in which you choose as your project a specific therapeutic condition or issue, define and describe the problem as well as practical tools for assessing it, and lay out your approach to addressing it through yoga practices or techniques, as well as recording your experiences of working with that approach. Your thesis can be based upon your experience of working with students or clients in this way, or from assisting or working with the guidance of a teacher (with proper credit given). Essentially in the thesis you are chronicling your learning experience. The thesis can derive from independent study you've done during the course of your studies, and it's recommended that you submit a short thesis proposal at the outset of your work on the thesis itself to make sure that your efforts are productively focused. You can also receive help or mentoring on your thesis as you work on it. You won't have to 'defend' your thesis; certification is completed once you've completed your thesis and it's accepted.
Your progress through the requirements is self-paced: there is not a time horizon or pressure to complete your studies in a certain amount of time. The length of time for your study is flexible: certification is decided according to the final product, in the form of your exam and thesis.
Once your exam and thesis are submitted, though, it's incumbent upon the Swatantrya program to work with you to ensure that you are granted certification within a set and reasonable period of time (one month after submission of the thesis; the exam can be completed any time before submission of the thesis). The program will be set up to minimize arbitrariness, and you won't be subjected to conflicting evaluations of your work. (If you feel you are being held up by conflicting evaluations during your work on your thesis, you will be able to appeal and receive a quick resolution)
The cost of the program is the initial one-time registration fee, and small fees associated with submissions for credit, as well as fees for the final exam and thesis. There is no overall tuition fee, nor are there yearly fees or dues. The program is set up for you to proceed at a pace that you can manage and afford.
