What students have to say
about the training

I had no idea of my own potential before I stared this course!

I thought I was useless at learning, taking exams or contributing to a group! This course has a supportive and nurturing team of teachers. They are there at every turn.

Karen Logan, Rita Osborne, and Anne-Marie Newland are all learning champions working with learners and those with Dyslexia or the simple fear of learning.

I was so proud to pass all my work and to have learned how to use a computer better how to organise my work and time and to use my breathing while being up to do my class teaching and written exams.

This course surprised me because it had not occurred to me that I would learn more than Asana practice but also about myself! I learned I am clever, confident and can manage skills like written work and planning!

My confidence has grown so much that I am now ready to take up a new career in teaching and give back what this course gave me……wings!

I enjoyed Anne-Marie's holistic approach to yoga.

I had no idea yoga covered so many aspects of every day life.

Being paired with another student during the class gave me a support structure that I would not have otherwise had.

The class connected and decided to create our own page on Facebook so we can stay in communication even though the course is over.

I know my current and future students will benefit from the knowledge I gained about postures and alternative poses for people with specific health conditions.

The course was a life-changing experience for me.

I have to admit it was really demanding and required lot of time and energy, but I learned A LOT - not only about yoga, its philosophy, anatomy, endocrine system etc but also mostly about myself.

The course inspired my to take a different direction in my career that I hope will kick off soon.

I met many inspirational people and made good friends too.

Having just completed my final piece of work for Sun Power’s last BWY accredited course,( they now run the CYQ/REPS LEVEL 3 with the same benefits) after first speaking to Anne-Marie two years ago to discuss my experience training with an independent yoga school, I feel qualified to give Anne Marie and her teacher education school a testimony. I am sure Anne Marie will appreciate this, as I know she has found me able to say it as I see it; a quality that is most certainly mutual.

I’ve just given up a guaranteed income through classroom teaching to develop Sadhana/yoga teaching career and have given up my gym subscription with a mind/body studio that I use for self-practice – “you’re a practitioner first!” For old times’ sake, I attended classes that were my first regular contact with yoga.

Two classes later, my cervical and thoracic spine feel “well dodgy” and I know exactly what caused them. In some ridiculous dilemma of trying to respect the teacher I did, what I knew was wrong. To relax the muscles of the neck in fish/Matsyasana – we were advised to “open your mouth”. After spluttering for a minute, Anne Marie would say hyoid, hyoid. In the second class, within the first 5 minutes after Savasana, I hoisted my spine up with my forearms in bridge on tiptoes. I feel so stupid now even writing this, but as I now have, thanks to Anne Marie and team, a structural awareness to know how to recover from the back, though I am a little concerned about the neck. Muscles are there to support the vertebrae, of this delicate part of the spine and I wonder if I have compromised that. I only opened it for a fraction of a second as she walked past.

The sad thing is, this teacher is a true yogi who admits to endeavouring to share her understanding of the philosophy and spirituality of yoga via the body and the “exercise” part is not really her thing. What I would like to say is this: Most people and certainly in gyms, attend yoga classes with an idea of stretching a bit and perhaps learning how to breathe properly. As we encourage them to follow the path that leads to an awareness of other bodies, Raja Yoga/meditation and all that that may bring, we are responsible for their physical bodies - AnnaMaya. This is certainly Anne-Marie’s strength – in all the hours that total to a month of Sundays with Anne-Marie and in self-practice, I’ve never injured myself like this and I know that I am confident in not injuring my students present and future thanks to my teacher education. I say education rather than training as education comes from the Latin; to lead out, enlighten, or change. 200 hours at Sun Power might just do that for you too.

Anne-Marie's Sun Power Yoga teaching course is excellent. We were visited by a representative of the YMCA during a study day and she told us she had never seen such high standards. It's hard work. Anne-Marie is a hard task master (or should I say mistress!) and can be a little abrasive at times. But she's there to train teachers, so she has to be tough. She has to ensure that she helps to produce disciplined, technically well-informed teachers who learn to be focussed on their students at all times, to allow them to get the best from their yoga, to avoid injury and the worst case - lawsuits! So she doesn't suffer fools gladly and if you don't work, expect to feel her metaphorical hand.

*Those with a weak disposition, and who are unable to cope* *with someone who demands 100% commitment should look elsewhere!*

*Seriously though, if you can leave the ego outside the teaching space, you'll learn from the best.*

My testimonial on the course. The first day was not good for me as you know but that was because of my ME & not the course. I think that you (& Jackie & Rita) have supported me really well enabling me to get through the course. You do make a brief mention in your literature about being Equal Opportunities but I think you sell yourself short. You have pro-actively supported me & made adjustments & been very flexible throughout.

One thing that I think prospective students need to know is that they need a digital camera at the start of the course and that they need to be offay with uploading photos and putting them into tables etc. I struggled to get my head round this & trying to work out the technology in the middle of the course was a bit intense.

I guess my other suggestions would be whether it would be possible for you to do workshops covering more Pranayama, Chakras & Yoga Philosophy?

The Sun Power Yoga training intensive in Greece was as it says on the box " intensive ", both physically and mentally .

You need to be prepared to be physically challenged and devote all of your time to yoga either practising , teaching , learning or revising.

Be prepared for the close proximity to the group, it works both ways to support you but as well as a proximity challenge as you may never have been 24x7 with 10 people not being your family or boyfriend/girlfriend!

The environment is stunning and you can always run down to the beach and swim or go for a walk up the mountain when you need a break.

You need to be prepared to unlearn and re-learn some of the basics and have an open mind to strong learning techniques.

When it is difficult; remind yourself why you are there: *

To get the most of the best intensive training around *! *A life changing training if you give the best of yourself!

I’d previously trained as a Yoga teacher but this course gave me key tools and skills to confidently and safely hold all level students, and those with varying physical issues in mixed classes, to support and grow each student right where they’re at. It’s an intense three months but well worth the commitment. I experienced more of who I am and what I have to give through yoga, it was tough, fantastic and life changing.