Feedback from the Thailand 2009 Training

Here are some of the comments i received from students after the training. I asked for both positive and constructive negative feedback. The positive words i will share with you, and the other ones i will work with to structure the next training better. Sorry about any grammer errors, i am copying comments verbatim and many of the students are not native english speakers!

From J., American Yogi:

"Things i liked and found helpful:

• personal example of yogic living
• depth of experiential knowledge
• morning schedule, meditation into asana practice
• length of lunch break
• evening puja and practice
• principles that the practice is built on: breath guides, spine aligned, consciousness
• swara (breath) cycles
• use of mantra, ritual and sacred objects

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have influenced the course of mine and many others lives in a beautiful, positive, illuminated, yogic way. Your teaching style and principles resonate with me in may that is deep, broad, and potent. I feel as if you bridged and filled in missing gaps of my yoga practice. Obviously more to learn, but so incredibly please to be where i am. Thank you for being you, and fulfilling your dharma as a teacher. You are brilliant!"

From O., Danish yogi:

" This was a very nice learning experience, which i am very happy i did, and thank you a lot for. You have given me some good tools to work farther with, the humor part, in what could be some very serious spirituality, i really like the mix between! Ending the practice with an inner light and a smile on the lips is a great energizer for the rest of the day!"

From S., an Irish Yogini:

"I thoroughly enjoyed the course and feel very 'whole' after it. Your ability to 'read' a class is extremely useful (not to mention impressive!). I found the building of the themed classes and working on particular pose groupings really useful and i think this defiantly made the path to teaching a classes daunting task.

Thanks for everything, its been a truly life-altering experience!"

From S., a Dutch Yogini:

"I did more yoga than i have ever done in total in my whole life and I LOVED IT! Sometimes it felt like dukha (pain), but more days i received the sukha (sweetness). I feel much stronger now, i analyze more (without judgments), I feel more grounded, I run the stairs more easily. I just pull myself up by lifting my spine and be more light.

In the beginning i didn't know what to expect from the yoga teaching course, but i wanted to make the best of it. It turned out to be an amazing experience: to be in such a beautiful spot in the world, with all the best food surrounding us, the group was great and all the knowledge and practice we learned. We all won so much with the Jungle-Yoga thing. Congratulations Randall!"

From H., a Yogini from Norway:

"I am very pleased with your course. In my opinion its good because it covers a lot of different subjects, and we have got a taste of each one of them. That has given me/us a good platform to study more to deepen our knowledge in subjects we find interesting and in line with the yoga we want to practice. There will always be a variety of people attending your course, from experienced trainers to beginners in yoga. Hence a good variety will please everyone to a certain extent. Your holistic approach including the mantras, sanskrit bajans and pujas have given me a complete and amazing feeling. I like your form/way of teaching which opens for discussion...

For me personally it has been a really good journey. Your way of teaching yoga feels very close to my life experience and previous work with meditation and chakra work. Your approach has been an eye opener and another sign that i'm moving towards where i am supposed to be, now.

To conclude- I think your course gives a good platform to move into the jungle of yoga."

From R., from England:

"Hari OM! Firstly, a big thank you for yoga in paradise. You chose the perfect venue, and a more 'chilled' and beautiful place would be hard to imagine.

After the course i feel far more committed to my practice, aware of a greater depth to yoga and more confident; which will be reflected in my teaching.

I know little about meditation, so naturally this has been a big and new adventure for me which, i'm happy to say, is slowly going places. The atmosphere in the evening pujas was so special, and waking up to morning swara meditation cycles at a reasonable hour seems to be the perfect start to the day. Gentle pranayama, concentrated kumbhaka (which i found interesting and beneficial) have shown me a new dimension and opened up many possibilities, which i look forward to exploring in the future.

The asanas i used to practice, have, thanks to you, now been expanded into more levels, and in particular i enjoyed the guidance and differences a few small adjustments made to opening up and settling into poses with less effort and more relaxation ...which as we all know, means more prana, more energy and more awareness.

The historic and spiritual background to yoga and related topics have been lacking in my overall knowledge, and the afternoon sessions have been very interesting and beneficial, creating a thirst to learn and read more, on my return to 'civilization'.

Evening bhajans with Marco were great, despite my early reservations, i now know that singing and chanting en mass, is a warm, releasing, and at times amazing experience.

Personally, i thought you got the balance just right. I enjoyed your style of teaching, the wonderful music and the fact that despite your understanding, commitment and knowledge of yoga, you remain grounded and approachable... and human! May you continue to shine a light on yoga, self awareness and enlightenment for a long time to come! OM Namaste!"

Writer Unknown:

"Firstly i just want to sincerely thank you fro opening up the world of yoga to me. Before i came to Haad Yuan i just 'did' yoga, but you've given me a great foundation in all aspects from meditation to the philosophy... you covered so much in the four week period, considering it would take many lifetimes to come to terms with some aspects of yoga! I loved way you built up the intensity of the asana class over the 4 weeks, not throwing us in the deep end! The pranayama techniques were great, especially the swara cycles, as it was an aspect of my practice before which i had not focused on and realize that its essential. The sequencing of class practices was also very helpful.

I want to say thanks again for everything and that sometime, far, far away, i may also get a glimpse of enlightenment."

From A.L. from Denmark:

"I found all aspects of the training helpful. I especially enjoyed all the pranayamas and playing with breath patterns. The slow approach was great. I can feel that my body has lengthened and feels more comfortable in the asanas, breathing, root- super great!

The swara cycles i'll treasure forever. Many thanks for the new mantras, they are lovely. Before i only did the Triambakam mantra. Puja nights were lovely...

You have a great way of explaining what goes on/ is supposed to go on in the body, e.g. the bandhas, your wording and body language makes it clear. Sharing your own experiences with us has been valuable too. Many thanks for the beautiful closing ceremonies!"

From G., Tanzania:

"Dear Randall, thank you very much for 4 great weeks! It has been both fun and interesting and it has definitely taken my yoga practice a big step forward!

The morning sessions have been super! Your set-up and planning have been good and both meditation and morning practice has been TOP TOP TOP! I have had many various teachers or various workshops in Tanzania- but there has always been fundamental things i haven't 'agreed' with in my practice. I think i have found my 'guru'. Your view and way of doing yoga is what i have always had in mind! 'Be gentle with the Earth and be gentle with your body.'"