Cultivating creativity, freedom and presence in yoga teaching
What is Tiny & Vast?
This training and mentorship is a 6 month, 50 hour training and mentoring container designed to grow and nourish your facilitation skills. It will develop your skills to teach using an enquiry based pedagogic model, and to come into a clear and felt understanding of the philosophical teachings that underpins and creates context for the practice.
In this unique training we work in four ways, one for each week of the month:
module: Key concepts, textual study, lecture, discussion
practice: Specialised practices where we explore somatic frameworks for teaching movement based on universal developmental patters
Peer meetings: practice teaching, observations and feedback
Mentoring calls: Explore monthly teaching enquiry, gain personal feedback, questions and support
Over our time together we will explore yoga philosophy with a focus on non dual tantric perspectives, in a way that can genuinely be absorbed and interwoven with your life and teaching. We study a carefully curated reading list, with a unique pairing of ancient texts and contemporary literature that will bring the philosophy to life for you in a new way that is applicable and will naturally integrate and arise as you teach.
Upon this foundation we unearth some of the main challenges that arise on the path of teaching; we dive into the psychology of teaching and learn ways to navigate the vulnerability of authentic sharing as we hone our capacity to facilitate from a place of creativity, presence and freedom.
This training integrates study with group discussion and practice, so that what we are exploring intellectually has a chance to arise as direct personal experience. The yoga world is going through a pedagogical shift. Whatever style of yoga you practice or teach, this training will nourish and grow your skill in teaching within an enquiry based teaching model, offering inclusive, interesting, inspiring classes that empower people to get in touch with their own inner teacher.
Learn. Practice. Discuss. Integrate.
In weekly meetings over 6 months we dive into:
Six modules...
1 Begin at the beginning
Mapping our journey. Remember your WHY. Philosophical context and understanding there are a variety of perspectives. Introduction to key texts and themes.
2 The bigger picture
Establish a clear and resonant understanding of philosophy from a non dual tantric perspective . Resource yourself for sustainable inspiration and creativity. Embryology & Cosmology. Immerse in textual study, from ancient to contemporary. What is embodied philosophy?
3 Navigate the challenge
Reclaim your practice. Become skilful in calibrating your nervous system. Understand and tend to burnout. Basic tools to navigate self doubt, shame spirals and the vulnerability of authentic teaching. How can we address common teaching challenges through the lens of yoga philosophy and the psychology of teaching?
4 Hone your craft
Towards an enquiry based pedagogy. Meet your inner teacher, and explore how to teach in a way that introduces students to theirs. Translating original experience. Refine your language, and broaden your teaching vocabulary to promote an inclusive, compassionate and non hierarchical teaching model.
5 Practical application
Creative and transformative sequencing. Somatic approaches to teaching movements. Integrating universal movement patters to promote enquiry based learning. What is authentic teaching? How do we translate original experience? What power dynamics must we be aware of in the classroom to keep ourselves and others safe?
6 Integration
Using sacred sound and chanting. Reminders from the texts. Integrating and processing our practice and teaching.
PLUS
6 specialised practices to integrate these modules and learn somatic approaches to movement
Monthly peer meetings for practice teaching, observations & feedback
Monthly mentoring call for personalised support, questions & group discussion and exploration of teaching enquiries to nourish and grow your teaching
What's included?
6 live ONLINE MODULES
6 live practices studying somatic approaches to movement teaching
Monthly peer meetings for practice teaching, observations and feedback
MONTHLY GROUP MENTORING CALLs
6 MONTH MEMBERSHIP TO THE COMMUNITY, MY ONLINE PLATFORM with access to 300+ practices
Structure
each month is structured into 4 phases:
Week 1: Module
Week 2: Practice
Week 3: Peer call // practice teaching // observations
Week 4: Mentoring Call
TINY AND VAST IS IN PROCESS. JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR THE NEXT INTAKE HERE.
Tiny & Vast insights from past participants…
"Before beginning the Tiny&Vast mentorship, I lacked confidence, I judged my classes, I sought validation through students to determine my worthiness as a teacher and all of this was affecting my mental health and wellbeing. Not only has Paula helped me realise that feeling this way is totally normal but she's also given me the tools and resources to help me recognise when I'm in a shame spiral and what I can do to help myself be with these states in a healthy, supportive way. This has been such a game-changer for me!
How I teach and plan my classes has also massively shifted and changed; I trust my inner teacher to voice herself authentically throughout, I feel more at ease with silence instead of constantly feeling the need to fill the space with sound, I give more time and space for stillness and I now resource myself throughout when I feel the need to ground.
Paula has a real gift of holding space in a way where you feel seen and heard and she does so in such a happy way that I always left feeling so upbeat and inspired after every session. I truly thank Paula and her offering of this mentorship as it's brought back the joy of teaching and it's guided me into a place of trust where I trust myself, my voice, what I teach and I believe once again, that this is still the path for me.
Since completing Tiny & Vast, I have been a guest teacher on two teacher trainings, I have sold out retreats, I have taught multiple sold out workshops, I've developed my own learning and I trust the process of being a teacher and knowing my worth. Finally."
— Claire Leigh
"The thing I've noticed about my teaching whist doing Tiny&Vast is that... now I'm actually enjoying it."
— Pavlina Nehrebecki
"The Tiny & Vast journey has brought me into closer connection with my inner teacher. Her wants, her desires, her fears, her ideas. Through a process of unravelling the full scope of what we do as teachers, Paula (or this course) elegantly signposts the tools we can use to revive and strengthen our work. Being part of this community stimulated my growth because I could see that my struggles were echoed by others - and resolved together in unison."
— Rabia Topan
"Tiny & Vast has left me feeling inspired to be a yoga teacher again. Paula's incredible way of explaining and connecting the philosophy with the practical application of being a teacher has filled the gap (void?) that I felt six years on from my teacher training.
Paula has an incredible talent for pulling everything together and presenting it in an interesting and accessible way, generously sharing her own unique reflections, thoughts and invaluable advice.
She delivers practical applications of not only the philosophy but also how to approach planning, sequencing and communicating a theme or idea into a yoga class, in a way where you can be of service to your students. I feel re-energised in my love for yoga and cannot wait to start planning my next classes, workshops & retreat!"
— Lou Steele
"I began Tiny & Vast full of fear, but longing to teach again (after taking a break). And now I am teaching; my bare feet walking around mats like I never left, words leaving my mouth with such unplanned ease. I could never have taken that step without walking through this mentoring with Paula.
She has collated all the small, important things that get overlooked in big trainings, and shines light on them with wisdom, huge kindness and generosity. I am able to hold my imposter syndrome shame spiral in one hand, but lay the other hand on my heart with a little softness and a little fire. I no longer have to zip up my teaching suit (you know the one), and instead I’ve learned to listen in for my inner teacher, gradually build trust with her, so I can cultivate my own artistry without comparison. I’m less invested in perfection and more interested in feeling and authenticity. I can ground myself during a class and sit in more silence. I can divert from my plan and read the room more. I can practice teaching as a practice of awareness itself.
Alongside the internal work, there is also an extraordinary sense of curiosity that accompanies the vast knowledge Paula teaches, and I always finished the modules with a childlike excitement to learn more and more. Paula not only generates joyfulness, but she also holds a safe space in the ‘stickiness’ and offers tools to get yourself unstuck. I am beyond grateful for this mentorship and for Paula, and the Tiny & Vast material is something I will return to, again and again.
— Tabitha Owen
“Tiny & Vast has been so impactful on my own teaching and facilitating journey. I’m so grateful for the group mentorship container that you created for us all”
— Sophie Jade Cole