The Path to Becoming a Yoga Teacher: Key Considerations
If you are a practicing yogi, a student undergoing yoga teacher training, or an avid admirer of the ancient science of healing, the thought of transforming into a yoga teacher has likely crossed your mind. Becoming a yoga teacher and serving mankind selflessly is a noble path.
However, there are often blurry lines regarding the real meaning of being a yoga teacher. For many, being a yoga teacher means teaching a group of students yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation. For others, a yoga teacher is one who spends days traveling around the globe practicing sadhna with the aim of attaining salvation.
We Have Decoded the Real Meaning of Being a Yoga Teacher!
Inspire. Teach. Propagate. These three golden words define the world of a yoga teacher.
A yoga teacher doesn’t just make students master the art of contorting their bodies into postures but helps them understand how each posture heals the tissues, cells, and organs of the body.
A yoga instructor doesn’t just guide a practicing yogi to sit in meditation to tranquilize the mind waves but encourages students to walk on the path of spirituality, where they come in close contact with peace, contentment, and joy.
A yoga master doesn’t just teach yoga to enthusiasts but makes students live and breathe a yogic life characterized by the Yamas, Niyamas, and the golden teachings of great yogic souls.
If you are undergoing yoga teacher training in India, the motherland of yoga, and are eager to take a leap towards your dream of becoming a yoga teacher, we are pleased to share this piece of writing with you.
As mentioned, being a yoga teacher extends beyond teaching postures, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques. Therefore, such a noble job demands consideration. To help all the yoga practitioners wishing to become yoga teachers, we have listed a few things to consider before embarking on this journey.
Important Things to Consider Before Becoming a Yoga Teacher
Explore the Science of Yoga:
Knowing or practicing one or two yoga asanas and a few breathing and meditation exercises will not make you a yoga teacher. Exploration, dedication, and practice will. Yoga has a rich history, great pioneers, and many layers. Unfold each layer, read about the magnificent history, and explore the various dimensions of yoga. Practice asana, pranayama, and meditation regularly. Read the yoga manuals and books by great teachers, and start incorporating Yamas and Niyamas into your life. If you can understand and connect with yoga, you are ready to walk further down the path of being a yoga teacher. Here is a list of reads:
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika
- The Upanishads
- The Yamas and Niyamas
- Bhagavad Gita
Develop Love & Passion for Yoga:
Once you have started exploring the vast sea of yogic science and feel ready to become a yoga teacher, rethink. Besides understanding and practicing yogic science, love and passion for this art are necessary. Patience, love, and a strong character are the jewels of a yoga teacher. If your heart truly desires it, you can endure the process of transforming from a practitioner to a teacher. If you develop love and passion for yoga during your exploration and understanding, take the next step.
Learn and Master the Science of Yoga:
As a yoga teacher, you need to hone your skills. Enroll in a 200-hour yoga teacher training in India. It is a beginner-level yoga course to learn the basics. After completing the 200-hour YTTC, you can enroll in the 300-hour (intermediate level) and 500-hour (advanced level) yoga teacher training courses to hone your skills perfectly. After each course, you are rewarded with a certificate that verifies you as a yoga teacher, marking the beginning of your journey.
- 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training: The entry-level course where you will learn primary yoga series.
- 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training: The intermediate-level course where you will learn secondary yoga series.
- 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training: The highest level course where you will learn advanced yoga series.
Gain Validity and Authenticity:
Many yoga schools provide yoga teacher training programs, but not all are affiliated with Yoga Alliance, the non-profit organization representing the yoga community. To become a recognized and celebrated yoga teacher, enroll in a Yoga Alliance-recognized school. The certificate provided upon course completion bears the Yoga Alliance stamp, giving you global recognition and honor as a yoga teacher. Another benefit of choosing a Yoga Alliance-certified school is a detailed and comprehensive curriculum.
Associate with Affiliated Schools:
After completing your yoga teacher training program from a reputed school, work as a yoga instructor in an affiliated yoga school. It is the best platform to escalate your practice to another level. You have learned a lot as a student, now learn as a teacher. A good teacher never stops learning.
Connect with Your Teaching Soul:
Yoga teacher training courses affiliated with Yoga Alliance offer an immersive curriculum with a balanced theoretical and practical approach, including:
- Hatha Yoga: Balancing the opposites
- Ashtanga Yoga: Mysore style of yoga asana practice
- Kundalini Yoga: Channelizing the Kundalini through the Chakras
- Pranayama: Controlling and expanding the life force
- Meditation Techniques: Calming the body, mind, and soul
- Shat-Kriyas: Cleansing and purifying internal organs
- Ayurvedic Knowledge: Introduction to health and life
- Yogic Lifestyle: Living a pragmatic yogic lifestyle
- Teaching Methodology: Learning the art and technique of conducting a yoga class
As a teacher, you must find your niche. Are you more of a Hatha yogi or an Ashtanga yogi? Connect with your teaching soul, and you will love teaching. Make your mark in the world of yoga teachers.
Preach the Science:
Yoga is for the betterment of humankind. It does not differentiate between young and old, male and female, healthy and unhealthy. Therefore, as a yoga teacher, you shouldn’t either. Whether teaching at a school or running your yoga shala, preach the science to all. Teach people to be humble, compassionate, and selfless in their acts. Karma yoga, a type of yoga, allows the practitioner to work for the betterment of humanity. Teach and preach from a noble soul.
Empower Others:
A yoga teacher teaches asana, pranayama, and meditation. However, a great yoga teacher encourages and empowers students. If you wish to become a great teacher, understand the difference between teaching and empowering. Teaching is conducting a class for half an hour or an hour. Empowering is instilling confidence in students, guiding them at every step, and watching them transform into yogic souls. Here’s how you can empower your students:
- Involve students in practicum and group discussions
- Conduct teaching methodology classes with live sessions
- Take them on excursions for exploration
- Encourage them to lead a true yogic life
- Be a source of inspiration
Be a Yogi:
Never cease to be a yogi. While teaching, practice every day. Deepen your practice and explore areas you haven’t while studying. Develop your signature teaching style that gives you an identity. A true yogi never stops learning and teaching.
Evolve into a yoga teacher of greatness, righteousness, morality, and nobility. Illuminate the lives of earnest yoga students and practitioners with the wisdom of yoga.
Conclusion
Embarking on the journey to become a yoga teacher is a path of dedication, love, and continuous learning. By understanding the science of yoga, developing passion, gaining credibility through recognized training programs, and continually empowering and inspiring others, you can transform into a true yoga teacher. Whether you choose to start with a 200-hour yoga teacher training, advance through a 300-hour or 500-hour course, or explore yoga retreats and Ayurveda retreats, your journey will be filled with growth and fulfillment. May you live your dream and light up the world with your knowledge and compassion.
