Is There An Affordable Yoga Teacher Certification?

By Geoff Foster

Over the past three decades, more and more people have become aware of the great value that yoga offers to the fitness conscious. This is why so many people will seek out a certified yoga instructor. For someone wanting to know how to become a yoga instructor, questions might arise regarding what qualification is needed to be seriously considered by the many fitness centers and clubs offering yoga training sessions. There certainly will be a number of qualifications a person must meet in order to be hired. Among the most important would be a yoga teacher certification.

Affordability

Is it possible though, to be able to find an affordable yoga teacher certification program? The answer is: "yes," as long as you are willing to look for one. There is no reason to pay excessive fees for a yoga instructor certification program that comes with excessive or unnecessary costs. Unfortunately, there will be costly programs that promise ease of access to a certification ranking provided you are willing to pay a high price. Honestly, concerns should be quickly raised when a certification program promises a mix of high fees and an easy path to a certification. 

Teacher Development 

More than anything else, you want the certification program to actually develop, build and test your knowledge on yoga. You will also want the program to help you apply the knowledge you gain. In other words, you want the path to acquiring a certification as a yoga instructor to help you become a much better teacher. This means you can become a teacher capable of conveying the knowledge the program instills. If neither of these goals is achieved, then the certificate becomes little more than a piece of paper with no actual value.

Shop Around

So, you want a reliable and legitimate certifying agency to award you your teaching credentials. Do the costs associated with such a service really have to be high? You might be surprised to discover some truly outstanding certification programs actually come with fair fees. This is not to suggest you will find extremely low costs. You will still have to make an investment of some kind. Luckily, there are legitimate services that do not need to overcharge for the certification that they offer. The program itself will be a serious one and once completed, the program should instill vital skills necessary for success as a certified instructor.

Distance Learning

One option to consider is a 200 hour online or distance learning course. Certification and insurance is enough to get you a teacher's position. From there you want to continue your education and improve your craft every day. Continuing education is a major part of a teacher's professional development in every field of knowledge.

© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

See our selection of affordable yoga teacher training intensive courses.

How to Inspire Yoga Students

Prenatal yoga teacher training

By Gopi Rao

Does yoga come naturally to you? Are you passionate about yoga training? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, you may be wondering why anyone would need inspiration to practice. You love it. Why wouldn’t everyone love it? The problem is you are a yoga teacher who needs to think from a student’s perspective.

Most people realize yoga has a lot of health benefits. However, yogic methodology doesn’t come naturally to a lot of people and not everyone is passionate about it from the start. You can help your yoga students become passionate about yoga by finding ways to inspire them. If you are looking for some ideas on how to inspire yoga students, consider some of the following suggestions.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere of the yoga school makes a huge impact on your students. The studio should be a warm, welcoming, and relaxing place. Being greeted by a friendly, smiling face can make all the difference in the world when someone walks in the door. Low lighting and calming music can provide relaxation to students who may be seeking a place of refuge from the outside world.

Kindness and Encouragement

Kind and encouraging words can make students feel more comfortable. Beginning students may need a lot of coaching, so be prepared to help them with poses and let them know that they need not struggle alone. You are there to guide and encourage them. Intermediate and advanced students also need encouragement from time to time. Words of encouragement go a long way for students at all levels.

If you sense someone is having a bad day, make sure to offer an encouraging comment. Pull them aside after class and ask them how they are doing. Lend a listening ear if they need to vent about their day for a few minutes. Be kind and encouraging to your students and you will inspire them to not only be better yoga students, but to be better people as well.

Attitude

Keep a positive attitude and your yoga students will keep coming back for more. Your attitude will rub off on your students. The smiling face that greets them at the door and the kind, encouraging words that students hear are all part of the positive attitude you want to convey to them. End your class with a positive affirmation so that your students will leave class feeling inspired and ready to take on the world.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Read more articles about teaching classes or 200 hour yoga teacher training intensive courses. 

Yoga School Etiquette

By Rachel Holmes

If a yoga teacher has taught classes for any length of time, he or she will have at least one story about a student who struggles with in-class etiquette. Fortunately, most practitioners have no problem catching on to the generally unspoken rules of a studio that other students' behavior makes apparent. On the other hand, it not uncommon to come across that one student who seems oblivious to the codes of conduct others are following.

So what are these unspoken rules? The following is a list of basic guidelines that teachers wish all of their students would abide by:

Follow the instructor's lead.

Some teachers prefer their students arrive focused and ready to meditate while others enjoy chitchatting with students. If the instructor actively facilitates a social environment, participate and get to know your fellow students. If, however, the teacher has set a quieter mood, pay attention and take advantage of that pre-class time to mentally prepare.

Turn off or put away technology.

To me, this is a no-brainer, but many students struggle with the idea of detaching themselves from their smart phones. To these students, I want to stress that one of the benefits yoga offers is the opportunity to unplug and tune out the external trappings of a busy life. This is very difficult to do with a phone next to your mat, constantly drawing your attention back to the outer world, and the even the most occasional text or email notification remains very distracting to those around you.

Be considerate of others.

Practitioners should think of others with regard to personal hygiene. One easy guideline is to avoid putting off strong smells. A student who follows this recommendation will be sure to wear a mild deodorant, even if that is not a normal part of the morning routine. He or she will also avoid wearing heavy cologne or strongly scented body lotions and will similarly be sure to brush teeth or use mouthwash if halitosis or the lunch menu might make bad breath a problem.

Avoid leaving before class is over.

I understand that some students simply do not value Shavasana or have to leave a class early, and that is just fine. However, it distracts those that do value this time of relaxation and meditation when students get up to leave as the class transitions to relaxation and meditation.

My question is: Why bother to come to class if all you want is asana practice. My feeling is go to a Pilates class and do the physical exercises. Meditation, relaxation and pranayama are part of Yogic methodology and if you don’t like it - go to Pilates. Yoga instructors, like me, feel disrespected by students who do not stay for the whole class. If you must leave for some reason, make arrangements in advance with the instructor and prepare your things so as to make the least noise as you depart.

Dress appropriately.

Most yoga schools have a place to put shoes close to the entrance, and most yoga instructors prefer their students practice shoeless. Similarly, students should wear comfortable, breathable clothes, keeping in mind that some poses require movement or other forms of twists. Students should avoid clothing that may be too revealing during poses like these.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Read more articles about teaching classes or intensive yoga teacher training courses. 

Please feel free to share our posts with your friends, colleagues, and favorite social media networks.

See our testimonials to find out what our graduates have to say about teaching therapeutic yoga sessions and our selection of online yoga instructor training intensive courses.

Yoga Training: Yogic Fitness Classes

By Lisa Beasley

It doesn't matter what you are taught during your Yoga instructor certification course, some people will always see Yogic practices as a form of exercise that is used to achieve different goals. Some people use it as their main form of exercise. There are numerous types to choose from, ranging from the gentle stretching and low impact of Hatha to the very intense and invigorating Power Yoga. Athletes often rely on Yogic methods as part of their training regimen and as a way to increase flexibility and strength. The bottom line is that anyone, regardless of fitness level, (or lack thereof) can benefit from doing Yoga. A certified Yoga teacher will be able to communicate with his or her class to see what the students are expecting, as well as offer variations on different poses.

Exercising the body, as well as the mind, is a key element in staying healthy. Yoga is a way to combine what is good for the body and connect it to the mind in ways that other forms of exercise simply can’t do. Physically, it can help you to improve your posture and alignment, which can help to reduce aches and pains throughout the body. It can also help to improve balance and flexibility. Yogic techniques are also known to reduce stress levels and contribute to better sleep. Taking care of your body by practicing regularly can help enhance your life in a number of different areas that you may not even be aware of yet.

We already know that fitness and great health cannot be achieved by simply taking a pill or some other type of “quick fix.” Being healthy requires regular exercise and a well-rounded diet, as well as trying to maintain a positive attitude. Yoga training is a simple yet powerful tool that can be used to tie all of that together. Whether you are looking to boost your energy levels, increase your strength or contribute to a positive mental outlook, Yoga can help you achieve many of those goals and more. You can decide on specific goals or let your practice guide you toward what you need. Since there are so many variations within Yoga, there is always room to evolve and grow, physically, mentally, and emotionally. From the meditative low impact forms all the way through the challenges of Hot Yoga, there are certainly enough physical styles to cater to anyone’s fitness needs.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Want to learn more about Yoga and teacher issues? Feel free to visit us at our Google Plus page.