Posts Tagged ‘Yoga Course’

{Yoga Teacher Training – Become a Yoga Teacher – Part I}

Yoga teacher training is one of the best forms of having a career, in a field that you have a passion and belief for. There are of course the added benefits of yoga teacher training, like ones own health being maintained, apart from the financial benefits.

We are currently going through a touch time financially and this are trying times hence taking on the course of Yoga Teacher Training is a good way to add to your income. But this is a career that needs a total commitment and more than that , a belief in this way of life , and the benefits that yoga adds to ones life.

One should ask oneself some questions, before one takes on the Yoga Teacher Training course.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE BECOMING A YOGA TEACHER

Heres some things that you should check, look into before going down this career path….

1.  do you, yourself actively follow a yoga program

2.  do you consciously look into improving your own health and well being with regular practice of yoga and its beliefs.

3.  to follow the path of yoga teacher training, you should yourself set a high standard for healthy living, and be a good example of a person living a healthy lifestyle , and avoiding substance abuse etc.

4.   Commitment to a Personal Yoga Practice and a Personal Physical Conditioning Program

5.   If you already have done a basic course in yoga teacher training , and are looking to go up to the next level, ask yourself if you have enjoyed the earlier classes you have given , your commitment to them & your students , and if you would like to continue down this career path.

STARTING ON THE PREPERATIONS FOR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

If you feel that you fulfill the above criteria, and would like to proceed with this career path, then there are some things that you should look into.

1.  if you are looking to do an advanced course , beyond level one , then study the different types of yoga genres that you would like to teach/ qualify in—e.g. bhakti yoga, hatha yoga, vinyasa yoga, iyengar yoga etc.

2.  Look at the options of the courses available. In today’s date there are a variety of choices in the mediums that you can do your course in- like the internet, or teaching DVD/CD etc or books.

Apart from attending physical classes of yoga teacher training, you also have a wide variety of choices in e-yoga classes on the internet, and long distance home study yoga teacher training courses that you can do.

3.Its always a good thing to study the opinions and feed backs from other users that have used the site for yoga teacher training. The feedback we get from these are quite valuable in choosing a correct course.

4.  Ensure that the course for yoga teacher training, is certified by recognized institutions e.g.  National Yoga Alliance or other such recognized yoga bodies.

Yoga Teacher Training – Become a Yoga Teacher – Part II

One facet, sadly that one sees often are the “quick certification” courses offered to being an instructor, be wary of any such course. This is one of the problems with yoga teacher training today. The sad thing is these teachers end up paying all over again for a proper course as they realize later that they been taught only the basic few asanas .A good yoga teacher training course should cover not just the Yoga aspect of it but also special sections like teaching the physically challenged like the aged or children and natal groups, in addition to teaching you detailed Anatomy and meditation etc

Yoga Teacher Education

The fact is, Yoga is much more than an exercise program. With a linage of thousands of years, yoga is the most complete health maintenance system known to mankind. Unfortunately, a lot of yoga teacher training courses are often trained to teach Yoga as an exercise program by learning a dozen or two dozen asanas, and not much beyond this. IN a good yoga teacher training course , the whole health needs to be addressed of body and mind.

On-site training is not cheap and can vary from the low $2000.00 range to very expensive. When you consider travel, lodging, and all of the expenses involved a typical Yoga teacher training may well cost you $6000.00 or more at a credited asharam or institute.

Yoga Teacher Correspondence Courses

On the other hand, Yoga teacher correspondence courses are much more reasonable, but be vary of short courses. A 50 hour course is just not enough time for anyone to safely learn a good yoga teacher training course. Once again, you should research the syllabus and get a complete Yoga teacher training course like a grade I  or grade II

If you are considering a Yoga teacher training correspondence course, you should have sufficient knowledge of Yoga. While you are at it, make sure that you are calling a Yoga teacher training center and not a “diploma house.Do you really think they would specialize in yoga and its vast teachings if they certify everything from cake icing diplomas to plubming ?

Most importantly, once you have received the study material, there will undoubtedly be questions, concerns, or need for further assistance, via email, or telephone, from the intern who has purchased the Yoga teacher course. Make sure you get answers if you are “stuck” during your Yoga teacher internship.

Check the options available here and study the various types of certifications on offer.

A Quick Guide to Yoga Retreats and Yoga Holidays

You’ve been to quite a few yoga classes and probably also have done some workshops, and now you want to get even more serious about your yoga development. The decision is made, for your next vacation, you are going away on a yoga course. Here are some answers to a few questions you might ask yourself.

Yoga retreat or yoga holiday?

While the variation between yoga holidays and yoga retreats is not always lucid, from time to time, even the organizers have not thought enough about how to correctly name their course), there is quite a difference in terms of focus point and general feel or environment

Generally speaking, a yoga vacation is primarily an activity vacation. The time dedicated daily to yoga usually won’t last more than four hours, in one, or perhaps two daily classes, and you will have a lot of time for other activities or just to loosen up and take it easy. The place should show this, with a beach or other important attractions nearby.

The feeling is often unperturbed, and it is usually a great to encounter other like-minded people. On a retreat, on the other hand, the yoga agenda is likely to be more intense, possibly including some meditation, times of silence, etc.

The key focus is no longer to enjoy yourself on holiday, but to deepen your yoga practice. Again, the choice of location should reflect this, with a quiet, possibly remote location. Retreats should be fully residential, the food vegetarian, and meal times cautiously thought out to fit smoothly within the daily yoga practice. You will find more ‘hard core’ yogis and yoginis on retreats, and the overall feeling can be quite serious, with much less ‘free’ time.

Unless you are quite certain that yoga is your thing, and want to move your practice to the next level, a yoga break rather than a yoga retreat may be the best choice for your first time doing yoga away from home.

Go on your own, or bring a buddy?

Going alone is not a catch. Actually, most people going on yoga course go unaccompanied. The aspect to going on your own is that you may have to share a room with one or more absolute strangers, but at least, you will know that, like you, they have a keen interest in yoga, and great friendships are frequently formed on yoga retreats.

If you decide not to go on your own, choose your companion(s) cautiously. A few yoga centres will approve of guests who don’t do yoga, but in most cases, and definitely in the case of a retreat, yoga should be a shared interest with your prospective travel companion, so if you don’t want to go alone, a yoga buddy is a far better choice than your new boyfriend (unless, of course, you met him on a yoga weekend!)

Where and when to go?

The yoga leave market is now becoming increasingly competitive, and main stream travel agents are moving in, sometimes with disastrous results. Unlike yoga teachers and dedicated venues, they do not always understand the particular requirements of what is still very much a niche market.

Complaints about such new comers to the yoga holiday market, who often have operated successfully in other branches of the tourist trade such as the organization of seminars or other types of package holidays, are their lack of understanding of the specificity of the yoga market, particularly in relation to diet (vegetarian and vegan options are not always available) and the unsuitability of the venues chosen, which are often large, soulless resorts, sometimes shared with a crowd of rowdy drunks (as happened to me in Goa a few years ago).

All this is not very conducive to peace of mind, so it is best to avoid large operators and stick with small, dedicated venues. There are a lot of them to choose from all over the world, and new ones are sprouting up everywhere so there’s a large choice of destinations at any time of the year!

Sun destinations such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, and the south of France tend to be most popular in the European summer while in the winter; India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico and the Caribbean tend to be favorites. There are also a number of other locations which don’t emphasize the ‘sun’ part including Scotland, various parts of England, Ireland, Finland, Canada, Austria to name just a few.

See for example the Yoga Centres listing of the Yogaholidays.net site. Even thought they might not be right up on the beach, these venues are chosen for their quietness and are far more suited to the practice of yoga than large tourist resorts.

What style, what teacher?

Perhaps more important than the location is the teacher and the style of yoga. Remember you will be stuck with your choice for the duration of the course, so a bit of thinking may be in order.

The best, of course, is to choose a teacher you have already studied with, perhaps in the context of weekly classes or a short workshop. Second best, is to get an opinion from someone who has been on a holiday/retreat with a particular teacher before. If this is not possible, you might find some useful information on the Internet, as most established teachers now have websites.

This should at least give you an idea of who they are and of whether their style of teaching (and style of yoga) will suit you. If nothing else, don’t be afraid to ask the teacher such questions as who they studied with, how long they have been practicing and how long they have been teaching yoga. Try to ring rather than email, as you’ll get a far better idea over the phone.

Tell the teacher about your yoga experience, level of fitness and your expectation for the retreat so they can advise you properly on suitability. Usually they don’t want to be stuck with the wrong student any more that you want to be stuck with the wrong teacher, so they will advise you honestly. It is also recommended to try the style of yoga that will be taught as part of the holiday/retreat by taking a few classes in your area, just to be sure that it will suit you, before booking.

What to bring?

Check whether you’ll need a yoga mat (if you have your own, it best to bring it anyway). Bring some reading, yogic or not, and don’t forget your practice clothes!