• Mexico 2008
• Teacher Training
• Mentoring

Testimonials

Mexico 2008

Mexico was unbelievable, it was so great that I wouldn’t miss it this year for anything. It was transforming, the experience was totally powerful, the yoga was incredible and the beach was bliss!

— MD

The trip to Mexico was an incredibly profound journey. I greatly benefited from the daily yoga practices, the tranquil environment, and the beautiful surroundings. The support and guidance that I received was inspiring and insightful. I definitely plan to return next year!

— KD

The best yoga classes and most caring instructors I’ve ever experienced.

— AB

Teacher Training

In the Octopus Garden Teacher Training, my love of yoga was forever enriched and deepened. In my own practice and while working with others, I have experienced the complex beauty of anatomy, the peacefulness of stillness, the sweetness of release and the strength to stay present no matter what comes up.

Throughout the program, I was challenged to get to the kernel of what my yoga practice means, while being supported by the community of other teacher trainees and Pat, Scott and JP. Through the sustaining care of our community, I was able to connect with the best part of my self while also honestly acknowledging and beginning to accept the dark parts.

The teacher training program changed my practice, my relationships and my life. I learned to teach what I know from my body. I learned to watch my own reactions without letting them control my actions. I learned that the best and worst parts of yoga are often exactly the same. I learned that there is always more to learn and that I have my whole life to do so. Most of all, I learned to look within and trust what I found there.

— MC

I enrolled in the Octopus Garden Teacher Training program as a way of deepening my practice; it turned out to be one of the most inspirational learning experiences of my life. I got a strong foundation in anatomy, meditation, philosophy, and theories of teaching, but as is true with all the best teaching, the program kindled a passion to continue learning. The classes were intense and beautifully balanced in their joining of theoretical knowledge and embodied practice. Scott, Pat, and JP bring extraordinary skill and insight to their teaching; the interweaving of their unique nurturing, wise, and humorous approaches offered amazing opportunities for engagement. The program completely changed my understanding of my own body and my personal yoga practice. It not only gave me the ability to begin teaching yoga, it also transformed in enduring ways my physical, emotional, and spiritual understanding of yoga.

— EH

The Octopus Garden Teacher Training program was an amazing experience. The instruction was very thoughtful, supportive, encouraging, and inspiring every step of the way. Pat, Scott, and JP have helped me find the courage to continue to search for what is most important in my heart.

— AS

This program changed my yoga practice and my life! I had hit a plateau in my yoga practice and this program provided me with motivation and inspiration to advance past my own barriers and to want to share my knowledge with others. It gave me so much more than a deeper knowledge of the poses, the history and meaning of yoga, and general anatomy but also a greater appreciation and understanding of my own body and mind and how those influence my practice and my life.

— DJ

The Octopus Garden Teacher Training program has been a joy. I feel more connected to my practice than I could ever have dreamed possible. The teachings have been thorough, varied and really interesting and doors to other aspects of the practice have been opened. The mentoring program has been a fantastic opportunity to learn both by doing and watching. The balance between actually teaching and learning is just right in my opinion. I’m indebted to my three amazing teachers who have helped me believe that I have something to teach.

— AB

JP, Scott, and Pat sure know a heck of a lot about yoga. Their ability to teach with genuine passion, commitment, generosity, and enthusiasm amazes me. Their love for yoga is not only apparent but also highly contagious. The program far exceeded my high expectations and the only disappointing part was that it had to end! I strongly recommend this program to yoga lovers and those eager to experience teaching at its best. These three yogis are truly gifted.

— PP

I could not have hoped for a more sincere and honest grounding in the principles to becoming the best teacher I can be. I feel blessed to have received my first teacher training by Pat, Scott, and J-P.

— PL

The Octopus Garden Teacher Training Program has provided me the foundations to create a personal teaching style that is focused on helping students listen to their own bodies and work with safety and intelligence. The program is thoughtfully crafted by a group who has a sincere enthusiasm for yoga and is able to distill their experiences as teachers and practitioners into a rich curriculum. I would recommend the program to anyone who is interested in thinking hard about their own concepts of yoga and taking those conclusions back to the mat as a practitioner and teacher.

— AK

Pat, Scott, and JP have unique teaching styles that complement each other beautifully. The course was intense, organized, informative and allowed me to deepen my own practice to a new wonderful level. This was a transforming time in my life.

— AL

I can’t say enough about what beautiful and loving teachers JP, Pat & Scott are. The diversity of their teaching brings such a unique and special environment. Together we created supportive Sangha. I came with no expectations, but this experience was better than anything I could have imagined. I’ve learned so much, not only about teaching yoga. It is such a gift now to be passing on what they have taught me onto others. I could not recommend this course any more highly. Come prepared to change your life!

— KA

Relevant, intelligent, comprehensive. The best teacher-training by the best teachers!

— DH

The Octopus Garden Teacher Training Program was an incredible experience. The integrated program exceeded my expectations and prepared me for my journey as a teacher.

— AD

The program was excellent and what it has done most for me is to allow me to be committed to yoga, especially from a practicing point of view.

— SB

Mentoring

I can’t say enough great things about this program – what an incredible opportunity to get to learn with other aspiring teachers and learn from 3 of the most inspirational yoga teachers I have had the privilege of meeting! The breadth and depth of knowledge that Pat, JP, and Scott collectively share is astounding and they have filled me with new insights and ideas about how to develop as a teacher AND a practitioner of yoga that I will carry with me always. And it is so exciting and helpful to work with and learn from the other mentors, who are all at different stages of their own teaching careers and practices – this community has been and will continue to be an amazing resource to all of us involved. The mentoring program has allowed me to take the next step, to build and develop my own teaching style on top of the foundation laid by the basic teacher training, with all the support, encouragement and feedback I could hope for.

— DJ

The mentorship program is bringing me home to the TRUE practice of Yoga and creating space for the teacher within to shine forth.

— KS

The mentoring program has provided me with so much more than I expected. I now have a much deeper understanding to work with in my personal practice and the tools to share my knowledge with other yoga students. The Octopus Garden teachers truly care about each student as an individual.

— AD

I have found the personalized instruction from Pat, Scott and JP – three such highly-skilled and compassionate teachers – in the mentorship program to be invaluable. Under their guidance, I am finding more integrity in my yoga practice and a deeper level of clarity, confidence and creativity in my teaching.

— KW