Starting a New Career as a Certified Yoga Teacher
Before you begin picturing yourself as a certified yoga teacher, ask yourself a few questions. Am I really the kind of person that would be good at teaching yoga? What special skills and characteristics are required, and do I possess the right qualities. Consider these and other pertinent questions before embarking on your new career as a certified yoga teacher.
Who Teaches Yoga?
Do you have what it takes to learn and teach yoga principles and movements to others? If you do, you can begin your training. Soon you’ll be reaping the benefits of being a certified yoga teacher. Keep in mind, however, that being a yoga instructor is not the same as having a typical 9-5 job. Personality and temperament play a big role. Are you a warm, caring person who wants to help others stay healthy and fit? Do you stay abreast of wellness issues and follow healthy living principles yourself? Are you comfortable speaking and performing in front of others, especially in a classroom setting?
If you answered yes to all these questions, you’ll probably make a good yoga teacher. Throw in versatility, alertness and physical flexibility and you have the makings of a great certified yoga instructor. Yoga teachers should be able to adjust and update their routines, including the music they use in their sessions. They must observe and be alert to the needs of their entire class. They may also need to help students personalize moves based on physical limitations. Apart from all this, yoga instructors need to be enthusiastic about teaching and motivating students. This requires good leadership skills and the ability to convey instructions clearly.
Where Do Certified Instructors Teach?
In case you’re wondering where certified yoga instructors teach, the answer is – everywhere! This website is one example of just how culturally diverse certified yoga professionals are. Absolute Yoga Koh Samui is a studio and training center in Thailand. At Absolute Yoga, you’ll find students and instructors from all over the globe. Yoga teacher trainees attend classes at Absolute Yoga in Koh Samui, then return home to teach in other countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, China, USA, UK and Canada.
What are the benefits of Yoga Teacher Certification?
An important benefit of Yoga Teacher Certification is that it allows you to teach anywhere in the world. You can get certified in America and move to Thailand to teach! You can learn to teach yoga in Thailand and move to America to teach! With the surge of interest in yoga classes and techniques, work is available at community centers, sports clubs, spas and health centers. Between private and corporate clients, retreats and trainings, a world of new travel opportunities is available.
Yoga instructors are expected to possess a calm and positive spirit during sessions. This industry standard has helped many instructors to cultivate a calm and mild temperament in other areas of life. Training and certification teaches instructors how to help their students do likewise. Most certified yoga instructors will readily agree that the biggest advantage of the job is helping others. This is true even though the pay can be very lucrative for yoga teachers who are certified. The average earning per class is between $25 and $75.
Where to Get More Information
Want to learn more about starting a career as a certified yoga teacher? You’ll need to learn about who and what Yoga Alliance is and what they require. They make sure yoga teachers “…value its history and traditions and that the public can be confident of the quality and consistency of instruction.” Look for upcoming articles on this site that discuss the Yoga Alliance Certification board and other related topics.
SOURCES:
Yoga Alliance
