How To Become A Yoga Instructor?

Maybe you’ve been wanting to try a brand new adventure and journey. Something that will take you far beyond your comfort zone. Maybe you’ve been thinking about the path to becoming a yoga instructor for awhile now and timing has not been the great. I can say that timing will never feel right. It’s understandable, it’s a huge commitment of investment, effort and your life. But I can promise it’s not a waste.

How to be a Yoga teacher in 5 steps:

1. Determine your focus
Consider doing your foundation level 200-hour training in whichever type of yoga you enjoy the most and want to specialize in such as Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin or Kundalini yoga. Some YTT programs offer a combination of practices.

The best place to learn how to become a yoga instructor is in person in my humble opinion. The confidence you’ll gain in practicing what you learned with actual physical bodies is priceless. There’s a lot to be said about real time interaction and real time observation that’s unparalleled especially when we’re talking about yoga training. You will gain the confidence you need in looking at people’s postures and correcting their alignment in a meaningful and safe way.

2. Find a yoga teacher training

Just like going to college you want to scout your school. You look at the curriculum, expertise and years of experience. A big consideration to many is whether a school is Yoga Alliance accredited or not, Yoga Alliance is the largest non profit organization representing the yoga community. They are not governing body but a registry. Essentially your kid brother or your granny can certify you to teach yoga or you can certify yourself, anyone can certify you. However, being a Registered Yoga Teacher RYT means you have been certified by a school that has met YA minimum standard requirements and is lead by an experienced trainer (ERYT who has taught thousands of teaching hours and training) only an ERYT-500 can lead YA approved Yoga teacher trainings (unless you are an expert in a particular field, i.e. if you’re an MD/RN/PT you could lead anatomy). Many schools are YA approved, some schools aren’t. At the end it’s all about the knowledge you’re learning from the school. So you choose.

You will find a community, where everyone support one another in achieving our best lives by intentional, thoughtful, and purposeful living. Yoga OM carefully curated the 230-Hour Curriculum which blends the philosophical teachings of yoga with an emphasis on physical alignment and being able to confidently teach public classes by the end of the training!

Here’s what you can expect from Yoga Om training:
·         Learn to teach
–          Multi-level Vinyasa Yoga
·         Training will include:
1.       Alignment Based Pose Breakdown
2.       Eight Limbs of Yoga, Four Paths or Schools of Yoga
3.       Bandhas, Mudras, Chanting, Mantras, Props
4.       Pranayama, Meditation
5.       Class Themes, Pose Sequencing and Modifications, Cuing and Corrections
6.       Sanskrit, Chakras, Kleshas, Koshas, Gunas
7.       Assisting, Adjustments, Anatomy and Alignment
8.       Team Teaching, Injury Prevention and more

3. Get immersed
Make sure you’re prepared for a physical, mental and emotional journey. YTT isn’t just about doing the asanas (physical postures), it will be like opening Pandora’s box to learn about yourself, the yoga tradition and your journey of sharing yourself to others.

The thing with yoga, at least in what I’ve found, is the more you learn the more you realize there is wayyyy more to learn.
Yoga is a practice. I think, an infinite amount of layers. Each lesson we learn always has ways to dive deeper, to unpack more.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice
As part of the immersion, you get acquainted deeply with your own personal yoga practice. You become the petri dish, the channel of what you teach through your own personal discoveries and practice.

5. Teach
Along with teaching the poses, being a yoga instructor will make you meet yourself. Making the decision to become a teacher will change your life and allow you to share the ancient art of yoga with others. Transform people’s minds and bodies in order to change their lives. Embrace the healing power of yoga and share it to others as well. Yoga is a lifestyle that extends beyond the mat as well as a physical exercise. For many students, establishing a relationship with a teacher is the essential conduit for being introduced to this way of living. To teach yoga successfully in this way, keep yourself balanced, demonstrate and explain in depth, and fully dedicate yourself to your own practice.

Why become a yoga teacher?

The first benefit of the program: learning about oneself while planting seeds for growth. Yoga teaches us that while we can’t change the past, how we respond to the challenges in our lives today will affect what happens in the future. You will not only learn more about the profession, but you will also make new international friends. This is a great opportunity to make connections with like-minded individuals who share your passion for yoga. So if you are looking for ways to improve your flexibility, expanding your social circle and transforming your life and others, enrolling in a yoga teacher training program is definitely one way to do it!

Thank you for being here, and for being you. You’re a part of my journey as a student of this practice, and I’m forever grateful.