Group Study
and Mentoring

with Caroline Westling and Sara Granström Powiecki

Together we will create a place for growth and self-study. A place where we can look at ourselves and the world with the support from others. A place where we ask the deeper questions about life, purpose, virtue, meaning and existence.

Using different schools of philosophy and yogic practices such as asana, pranayama and meditation, we will also deepen the experience of being a yoga teacher (and/or practitioner) through sequencing, finding your own voice and discovering what lights a spark in you to share yoga.

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence. Studying philosophy helps you think clearly, carefully and logically, and develop the ability to integrate and assess new and unfamiliar ideas and information. It also encourages you to seek new and better answers to old problems.

Yoga is a means of inquiry into the reality and existence of life, meaning and purpose. Yoga practices support you to become clear in order to remove the conditioning of your mind and to see clearly beyond it. It is an ancient method and a tool, many times through the physical body, aiming to have a psychological effect. The practices bring you toward your inner reality. When you are still, you remove the veil of ignorance. Then you can question what you see, experience and feel in the world. And with the help of philosophy, we learn how to live that reality in the external world.

The combination of individual study, reflection and group sharing is one the most effective ways to learn and grow. It is inspiring and fosters continuing practice, study and reflection.

We have created this Group Study and Mentoring Program for you to explore within a community context your core values and gain a greater understanding of yourself as a human being and develop as the unique yoga practitioner/teacher that you are.

You’ll be encouraged to ask questions, explore new ideas and concepts, examine your existing knowledge and experiences through different lenses, and reflect individually and with your peers in order to deepen your knowledge.

These inquiries will include questions like “What is my purpose?” “What are my core values, and what do I want to fill my life with?” “How do I live a good life, and what do I need to find balance and inner peace?” “What is knowledge, and who has wisdom?” “What makes a good teacher?”

We will provide tools from yoga and philosophy to enhance your explorations, practice and teaching. They are designed to support you in the discovery of your strengths, and to “work” on what challenges you. They’ll also help you learn more about your unique qualities as an individual, yoga practitioner and/or teacher.

Our ultimate goals for this Group Study and Mentoring Program are to offer you different ways to examine the world so you can find your own individual understanding, and to provide a community forum where you can discuss your thoughts and reflect with others.

Meet your Instructors

Caroline Westling

With 20 years of experience teaching yoga, philosophy, and meditation, Caroline Westling is a well-recognized and beloved teacher. She has taught and trained future yoga teachers in many countries. In her home country of Sweden, Caroline has served as a specialized guest teacher in various teacher trainings, given public lectures and taught yoga in schools, prisons and senior centers.

“To practice and share yoga is a great privilege which I truly honor and respect.”

Sara Granström Powiecki

Sara’s deep and compassionate understanding of asana comes from many years of practicing ashtanga vinyasa yoga and traditional hatha yoga. She is a longterm student of classical pranayama which has developed her understanding of the importance of a balanced breath in both yoga practice and in life. In her classes she highlights the deep meaning of the inner attitude in practice, often using chanting, meditation and gratitude.

“Working towards yoga, wether it happens in a movement or in complete silence and stillness, becomes about getting to know myself, in all its shapes and forms.”

Course Structure

To optimize your learning and growth, this course includes pre-recorded lessons, online live meetings and Q&A, private online sessions, and a live weekend. The course is divided into modules with different themes. Each module has a set of pre-recorded lessons to prepare you for our online live meetings. Online meetings will last 2 hours. If you are unable to attend the live meeting you will receive the recording after hand.

There are no requirements for this course. You put as little or as much time as you want into it. We will keep the lectures clear and concise, so you get the most out of them. One topic can therefore have several shorter lessons. If you have the opportunity to do the suggested assignments you will get more benefit, but even if you don´t do them, you will get a lot out of the course. Assignments include, for example, one 30-minute private online meeting with Caroline and one 30-minute private online meeting with Sara, two teaching scripts reviewed by Caroline, two sequences reviewed by Caroline, and one 20-minute teaching video that Caroline will also review.

Themes

Preliminary Live Meeting: Introduction to the Course – August 11, 2024

Module 1: Different philosophical views

(First module will be released on August 19th)

The first module sets the foundation for the rest of the course. Here we will focus on what values you want your life to be guided by, as a human. If you are a teacher, you will also focus on what values you want your teaching to be guided by. We will look at different philosophers’ views of a “good life”, what knowledge is, and who has wisdom. We will also explore different philosophical views of what it means to be good and what makes a good teacher.

Live meeting 2 – September 15, 2024

(our first set of pre-recorded lessons releases one month prior to our first live meeting. The next set of lessons is released a week after each live meeting. If you are unable to attend the live meeting you will receive the recording after hand.)

Module 2: Yoga

During this module, we focus more on the yogic path—our personal practice, asana, alignment and pranayama. We’ll discuss the question, “What is yoga?” This module contains lectures and videos about pranayama both practical and theoretical, asana and the understanding of asana and yoga. We will also be training your eye to see what happens in the body in different asanas.

Live meeting 3 – October 6, 2024

Module 3: Yoga (continued)

We will keep focusing on the physical aspect of yoga and look at yoga for different needs such as injuries and beginners. We will deepen our understanding of how to sequence a class and a course. Prior to this module’s seminar, you have the opportunity to receive feedback on a sequence you have created. It is voluntary but a great way to become better at understanding how to sequence well.

Live meeting 4 – November 10, 2024

Module 4: Teaching Yoga

This module is all about teaching. We will look at how to become more skillful as a teacher and in our asana teaching. You also have the opportunity to receive feedback on a teaching script (will be explained). This is a voluntary assignment but very helpful. In fact, I believe it is one of the best ways to become a clearer, more skillful yoga teacher.

Live meeting 5 – December 8, 2024

Module 5: Reflection

During this module, we will summarize what we have learned, and see if we can dig deeper into what we have previously discussed. Our focus will be on meditation, pranayama and compassion. Maybe there is a particular topic you want to go deeper into. During this period, you can book your one-on-one session with Caroline and Sara (also voluntary).

Live meeting 6 – Januari 19, 2025

Module 6: Yogic Philosophy

Here we go deeper into yogic philosophies such as The Bhagavad Gita and Katha Upanishad. We will discuss Yoga and Religion; how do we define the concept of religion and how does it differ from other views on life? Is yoga a form of religious practice? How should we view the philosophical heritage of the yoga tradition?

You will be given a suggested practice for the period before we meet.

Live meeting 7 – February 16, 2025

Module 7: Applying everything we have discussed to our lives

The last module and will focus on bringing together everything we learned. We will reflect upon questions we have asked ourselves throughout this course and see if things are more clear, or if maybe you are in a state of confusion. We’ll focus on how and where we go from here, and what we want our lives to be filled with. What guides us as humans and teachers? If you want to receive feedback on your teaching this is the period, you send in a video of your teaching.

Live meeting 8 – March 23, 2025

Weekend Retreat

This course also has an option to include a live weekend retreat with Caroline at her home retreat by Lake Hjorten. This is not a retreat limited to our study group, and therefore you can choose to join any weekend retreat (Friday-Sunday) during Autumn 2024 to Autumn 2025. Click here for more information regarding weekend retreats.

Testimonials

“I met Caroline through my teacher training at Yogayama. She is an inspiration and an amazing teacher. Caroline has taught me a lot, both about teaching myself, but also about my own path and yoga practice. Her knowledge and passion for sharing the yoga path is inspiring. She shares her knowledge generously.”

Christina KB

“Caroline has an ability to make a person feel seen even in a large group. She is clear in her instructions and assistance. There is also a sense of security to be able to practice with Caroline, who places great importance on doing poses safely and leaves nothing to chance! “

Ellinor L

“Sara’s dedication, knowledge and enthusiasm for yoga makes her classes a way for me to deepen my own practice. I’m given something special and unique attending her classes.”

Kerstin S

“Caroline is one of my absolute favourite teachers. She has a great ability to set my body up for specific asanas. With props and fantastic guiding, she makes advanced positions more available. It’s like she is communicating with my body instead of me and my head. In addition to her great understanding of energy in poses, she is so well rooted in the tradition and philosophy of yoga that I can really rest in her space and feel safe.”

Nenne A

“Sara’s classes are for me a practice around what it means to be in total and absolute awareness. We are being guided through the breath and as the breath deepens we meet and feel very inch of our bodies. Sara allows things to take time which makes it possible to see the details. And the vibration of her chanting creates effects far beyond the class itself. A class with Sara is like a sacred moment in time and space.”

Susanne E

“Caroline is an outstanding experienced yoga teacher. She teaches to practice yoga in a structured and neat way, step by step: what to do, in what order, and why. She transmits the passion of being pedagogical. She prepares herself very well, she observes the students carefully and she is constantly reflecting about her own work.”

Cécile BL

Course Information

How to take this course successfully

The best way for you to take this course successfully is to listen to your own needs. There might be periods when you can put more energy into it and periods when you can do less, and it is all good enough. In this course, we are students and participants, which means that you decide what topics you want to dig deeper into.

We have created what we believe is a solid base with different topics to support you as individual human beings, as well teachers. You get to create your own understanding of what makes sense to you and what you want to incorporate into your life and your teachings. It is very important that we have an open discussion regarding the course content and the different topics of interest throughout the course. I encourage you to provide feedback if you feel you are lacking something or if something is not clear. This course is for you and might be adjusted according to the group’s needs.

In between seminars, we will have a closed Facebook group where we can discuss things together and share our experiences.

Payment options:

Availability: Limited

A place in our study group is secured when the registration fee of 500 EUR (non-refundable) has been paid. Full payment is due 30 days before the program starts.

Option 1

1,900€

(500 EUR registration fee +
1400 EUR course fee)

Including weekend retreat

Start your journey with us

Option 2

1,700€

(500 EUR registration fee +
1200 EUR course fee)

Excluding weekend retreat