The Yoga rules

By Paul Jerard

What are employers looking for in a newly-hired Yoga instructor? The needs of employers are straight forward: Any facility, which hires a Yoga teacher, is looking for safety, competence, and certification. When considering a Yoga teacher training program, a prospective intern must consider the depth of the course in the above-mentioned areas.

Online Yoga teacher courses are an outgrowth of recent technology and the demand for affordable training options. Home study programs exist for aspirants, who want to advance, and deepen their knowledge, in any given aspect of Yoga.

At a time when most new Yoga instructors are teaching a few hours per week, who wants to spend the monetary equivalent of college tuition to earn part-time wages? It is a fact that most instructors begin teaching Yoga on a part-time basis.

This is the most conservative approach toward breaking in to a new field, while you continue to earn your full time income. Although you may have been participating in Yoga for years, it is not the same as teaching classes, marketing, networking, advertising, and all that entails a small business.

If you find the concept of a business to be offensive, the best option to take is working for someone else as an independent contractor or a part-time employee. In this way, you work for an agreed rate and do not have to be concerned with expanding your student base; that is, unless your student participation suddenly drops, and the facility cannot afford to keep you on.

Sometimes, companies cut back programs permanently, or temporarily, during a slow season. Therefore, if you are teaching Yoga, you have a vested interest in learning all you can about marketing, networking, advertising, and business skills, to keep your classes going.

This is why most veteran Yoga teachers do their best to learn many skills that apply to the business world. There is also the choice to operate as a non-profit, but you still have to file taxes and make sure you are within the guidelines of the law.

Now, let's get back to: Is an Online Yoga Teacher Certification Reputable? In short, yes, it is, as long as you become certified to teach. Make sure you will receive a teacher's diploma upon successful completion of your course. Of course, safety, competence, and some basic business survival skills, are a pre-requisite to a comprehensive course, which would prepare you for the world of teaching Yoga.

Do you still feel that business and Yoga is not a good mix? Consider this: Some Yoga teacher graduates have spent over ten thousand dollars for their training. In the process, they never learn anything to prepare for interviews or business survival. There is no harm in preparing for success as a certified Yoga teacher.

ฉ Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html