Slovenská asociácia jogy

slovak yoga association – a union of SLovakian Yoga organisations

Svätoplukova 20, 821 08 Bratislava, ico: 30843500

 

President: Kováčska 19, SK 040 01 Košice, e-mail: gmtkg@tuke.sk, fax: +421 55 6227641; phone: ++6022899

 

 

Declaration of the view of  SYA on education of yoga in schools

 

1.    Yoga – as conceived by SYA - is a valuable tool for somatic, mental and spiritual well being and development. It is based on more than 4000 years of unbroken lineage of theoretical and practical knowledge.

2.    Yoga is thus a supporting tool for increasing quality of life for adults and children alike.

3.    There is a wealth of evidence world wide that yoga – if practiced correctly – has a positive effect on physical and mental health.

4.    Yoga has to be taught by qualified persons. The basic yoga teacher´s course of the SYA (accredited by the Ministry of Education) consists of 430 hours of practical and theoretical learning. It requires the teacher to have regular personal practice and to undergo 1 year of apprenticeship under a qualified yoga teacher. Advanced teacher training consists of 445h of training that can be commenced only after having 3 years of basic teaching experience.

5.    The primary and secondary school teachers (preferably fully qualified teachers of physical education)  should go through the basic SYA teacher training  in order to be well qualified for the task of teaching elements of yoga at schools.

6.    At the schools yoga should be taught on a voluntary basis and in accordance with the Decrees of the Ministry of Education of 1990, 1993, 1996 and 2001.

7.    There is no conflict between religious denomination and religious practice of whatever kind, and yoga. Yoga was never and is not a religion. Its philosophy is theistic. It can help people to discover the divine dimensions of humans. It does not provide, however, any religious framework. Thus religious persons can get strengthened in their religion by practicing yoga.