Vinyāsa Krama Ethics

1. Beneficence – be of practical benefit for the student and cause no harm.
2. Autonomy – the student has the right to reject the treatment or instruction.
3. Respect – the student and teacher are to be treated with respect.
4. Informed Consent – the student should be advised about the practice or technique in advance, as much as is practicle. The latter also applies to any fees involved.
5. Justice – fair treatment of all students regardless of age, ability, race, or sex.

UPDATED VKM TT PROGRAM FROM JAN 2025
(Current 2024 TT Online Program will remain as is)

The new and improved TT program is now easier to join, with less pre-requisites, and greater access for new students.

1. Please do not teach any of these sequences without my prior approval, and certainly not while the TT course is running. If you have been teaching any of the VK sequences prior to the course, you must firstly desist from this, and give me a thorough explanation as to how and why this came about — So we can resolve this equitably prior to your acceptance into the Online TTC. 
2. You must know all of Standard Moon (Sattvic Moon) thoroughly. If you have already completed the first TTC on Moon, it will then be Lion Cub. You will demonstrate this to me online in the first week of the yearly TT course. If, in the first week, it is clear you do not know the sequence thoroughly you will simply be taught the sequence, for that week, and then told to go away and practice it for one year, and you can return later the next year, and start the TT course again. That is, once your experience is adequate. In such cases you will lose part of your TT fee for this, and the remainder will be refunded. ($250 fee for the first week, includes access to the recorded class library for 3 months.)
3. You must be willing and able to join my private VKM FB page. Private individuals only, no group FB pages. 
4. A fee of $1300 AUD per year for each sequence / teacher training per sequence, for the yearly TT program. For students on an Online Gold Membership, this fee is only $500 AUD per year (for 20 SP classes), and an extra $300 fee for each Sequence Approval and Certificate. Please see the breakdown of fees below.
5. Teacher training is done in the following order ONLY: 1. Moon Sequence, 2. Lion Cub, 3. Sunshine, 4. Lion Sequence. Each student must be able to adequately practice 80-90% of all postures in the sequence – including the more difficult key postures in each sequence. That is, in order to start Training for that sequence. Each sequence and its relevant training takes one year. Thus, minimum 4 years to get to Lion Sequence.
6. For 2025, You must be able to attend the following 4x weeks of the year:
   
   
   

• May 10 to May 14 Teacher Training Week 1
• June 14 to June 18 TT Teacher Training Week 2
• Nov 8 to Nov 12 TT Teacher Training Week 3
• Dec 13 to Dec 17 TT Teacher Training Week 4
  

Prior to each set of 4 weeks, each trainee must send me a lengthy email update, with detailed explanation of what you’ve been practicing – both with the asana sequences, asana variations, and pranayama, and any questions you may have. I will answer each student personally, individually, and thoroughly.

There are two sets of class times, to cover most time zones:

• Sat to Weds 130pm (Bali time): 5 classes, 3 hours each.
• Sat to Weds 630pm (Bali time): 5 classes, 3 hours each.
  
  

Each class is Self Practice (2 HRS) on the relevant sequence you are training with, followed by up to one hour teaching / explanations on the variations you must practice and know for each sequence. eg New Moon and Shoulder Moon. During the SP section you will be guided to practice the variations we later discuss.

• Students must also learn the relevant Pranayama – for Moon Sequence it is 123 Pause and Viloma I. This can be done by watching and practicing with the available recorded classes.
• If you miss more than 2 classes your Teacher Training becomes invalid. You can keep attending the course, but you will not get a certificate, or approval to teach, and you must attend the same course the following year in order to complete your TT. A further fee each year is required to attend.
• Returning students pay $500 AUD per year if they have done the TT course before, or if they are repeating because of absences. This fee is dependent on how much you paid or attended prior, or if you are on a Gold Membership.
• You must be able to attend one of the time zones as indicated, there are no alternative times. For some students this will likely mean taking time off work during the specific weeks as above.
• The course itself is fairly easy, mostly based on three simple factors: learning all the variations for the sequence, so you can teach it, learning the pranayama that goes with it, which comes with a certain amount of philosophy, and time for some simple teacher training guidelines: the energy and form of the sequence, what you can change within the sequence and what you cannot.
• If I get at least 5 students in each time zone, the TT classes go ahead. If I do not, we wait until the next year. Students training in different sequence join the same class. Thus, different TT students will practice different sequences simultaneously. Fees are only paid once numbers are confirmed.
• Certificates are only mailed out once you fully complete at the end of each year.

Breakdown of Fees:

• $1300 AUD for new trainees, not currently on an Online Gold Membership
• Includes 4 seperate weeks of TT classes (yearly), unlimited recorded classes (yearly), email assignments, pranayama assignments, and final TT certificate per sequence. 
• $175 per week (4 weeks per year) for 5x 3 hour classes – Includes SP and TT questions.
• $300 for unlimited yearly access to recorded classes.
• $300 fee per sequence certificate and final TT approval.
• $500 paid in two 6-month instalments = $1000 AUD total, with final certficate fee paid at the end.

For students on a Gold Membership

• $500 AUD for all TT classes, includes 20 SP classes, and TT discussions at the end of each class, as above.
• $250 paid in two 6-month instalments = $500 AUD total.
• $300 fee per sequence certificate and final TT approval.

• For VK teachers who have approval to teach at least two foundation sequences, and want to attend the TT dicussions at the end of each class, as above.
• Great for connecting with the VK community. 
• No obligation or commitment required; just attend whichever TT discussions you can. No self-practice classes.
• $150 paid in two 6-month instalments = $300 per year. 

These fees will be subject to change as I update the program.
Contact me for further details: bendsalot@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you
Matthew Sweeney

FOR QUALIFIED VK TEACHERS

The following guidelines should be re-read approx every 6 months to keep yourself updated. Also, start by re-reading the medical / teaching ethics above. They are the first REAL yoga philosophy we utilise. 

VINYASA KRAMA TEACHING GUIDELINES

As a VK teacher, please do your best to remain faithful to the following tenets of teaching:

1. Be of Benefit, Cause No Harm, and Be Kind.
2. Generally speaking you should only teach postures with which you are proficient. For example, if you are not proficient with Urdhva Dhanurasana (straight arms, head off the floor, and slow breathing) you should not be teaching that posture. If you cannot free-balance in handstand, you should not be teaching that posture. For this reason, I am unlikely to give approval to teach a sequence if you don’t have proficiency with 80% of the key postures – key postures are usually the more difficult ones in that sequence.
3. Be aware of the form and energy of each sequence – for example, the types or groups of postures, the level of intensity, and the variations I teach on a regular basis. Do your best to keep within the framework of each sequence. You should adjust a sequence for the different groups you teach; for individual constitutions, and for your own inspiration. However, generally do not take a section of one VK sequence and put it into another – they exist within each sequence for a reason, so try to remain faithful to that. 
4. You can scale any sequence downward, or scale sideways. Generally you will not scale a sequence upwards. Over time, all VK teachers should continue learning appropriate scaling for ALL the postures you teach. This will include adequate understanding of anatomy and physiology for all the postures you teach.
5. When you first start teaching a sequence, do not teach all of that sequence. This is to save time, and easier for your students’ bodies, and better for their memory. Leave aside the more difficult postures until your group is more capable and experienced.
6. Generally you should teach the different VK sequences in order of difficulty. Moon Sequence should either be the first or second sequence you teach students. Followed by either Lion Cub or Sunshine, depending on the student. Some students might learn Sunshine first, and then Moon. Some students Lion Cub, then Moon. This depends on what you are seeing, and what they ask for – students coming from Ashtanga will often prefer to learn something like Lion first. To get approval to teach Lion is a big step, however! You should not teach Sunshine to anyone who is not prepared to let go of Primary. You should not teach Skandha Krama to anyone who has not learned Moon and New Moon, and practicing them regularly via self practice. Learning the latter via led class is not usually sufficient for this. “I will not teach other sequences or other sections of sequences within Vinyasa Krama that I do not have approval to teach from Matthew.”
7. Continue to learn and practice the Level I VK Pranayama, so you can teach them in conjunction with the Asana practice. If you are confused by what Pranayama is within Level I – which ones are main practices vs support practices – you need to keep coming to the Level I Pranayama classes every Sunday, 130pm Bali time. There are four Foundation Pranayama. What are they? You must not teach any of the Level II Pranayama until you have my approval to do so. 
8. Teach whichever version of meditation and philosophy suits you; whatever you tend to practice consistently. Anything compatible with the Asana practice. Kevala Kumbhaka and Advaita Vedanta are a good example, but you are not limited to those. If you prefer Buddhist philosophy and practice, you can apply that. If you prefer Samkhya Yoga, Raja Yoga, or Patanjali’s Sutra, these can also be applicable. If you prefer a mix, that is also possible, but probably also quite messy 🙂 Be careful, and try to be precise.
9. You must learn the VK Prayer and chant it before every class in which you teach a VK sequence – whether Asana or Pranayama. You will learn all the names of the postures and what they mean. 
10. Vinyasa Krama is a SELF-PRACTICE SYSTEM. To be considered a fully qualified VK teacher, you will need to start teaching self-practice classes yourself. This is for your benefit as well as your students’ benefit. The only effective way for your students to adequately understand (and develop) each of the VK sequences, is via self-practice. So don’t be nervous about this, just start teaching more self-practice classes. You have my blessing! The only impediment to teaching self-practice is your confidence. It is not because your students won’t come to self practice classes, or because they do not like it. It is because you are not full of enthusiasm about it. Self-practice is the most effective way to get your students to truly experience Yoga – self-awareness and self-practice go hand-in-hand.

*** Ideally use the branding “Vinyasa Krama” somewhere in your primary business name or advertising to help promote all aspects of it. This benefits the whole community ***

Note: anyone you teach is your responsibility – whether injuries, payments, personal problems, or ethical conduct; all of these need to be within your awareness. In terms of your contract with me: you must ensure everyone you teach does not teach any Vinyasa Krama sequences to others without my approval. It is your job to ensure they conduct themselves ethically also. You can ask me for advice, but it will be your responsibility to monitor this and prevent mishaps.