Designing a Plan to Become a Yoga Teacher, Part 2

Many of the "quickly certified" Yoga teachers, come to a realization and later join other Yoga teacher programs to be re-educated, and re-certified again, because they, themselves, did not learn about contraindications, modifications, working with special populations (senior citizens, children, students with ailments, less flexible students, handicapped, etc.), Yoga methodology, and a multitude of other previously mentioned Yoga subjects.

Yoga Teacher Education

Unfortunately, these Yoga teachers are often trained to teach Yoga as an exercise program by learning a dozen or two dozen asanas, and not much beyond this. The fact is, Yoga is much more than an exercise program. Yoga is the most complete health maintenance system known to mankind, with a lineage of thousands of years. Whole health needs to be addressed by much more than an exercise program.

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. Does anyone offer Yoga teacher interns a guarantee? Not often, and as of today, I only know of only one guaranteed Yoga teacher training course in existence.

Yoga Teacher Correspondence Courses

On the other hand, Yoga teacher correspondence courses are much more reasonable, but can vary in the number of study hours and overall quality. For example: A forty hour Yoga course is just not enough time for anyone to safely learn to teach Yoga students. Once again, you should research the syllabus and get a complete Yoga teacher training course.

If you are considering a Yoga teacher correspondence course, you should have sufficient knowledge of Yoga. Also, make sure that customer service is always a priority to the Yoga teacher training center after the sale has been made to the Yoga teacher intern. If you call during business hours and get a live person who answers your questions diplomatically, that will give you some indication of the technical service you should expect.

While you are at it, make sure that you are calling a Yoga teacher training center and not a "diploma house." If they certify everything from pet sitting to web design, what do you think they really know about teaching Yoga?

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.

Your Goal: Become a Yoga Teacher

What are your goals in regard to your Yogic career? Plan long term and short term goals, but add your continuing education to both lists. At least, make it a point to read Yoga books and watch Yoga DVD's. Audio books are handy too.

What is your estimated time frame to become a Yoga teacher? All you have to do is pencil in a realistic deadline. It does not have to be tomorrow and the idea should not create any stress. You should have fun, and "enjoy the journey," when you are working toward your goal of teaching Yoga.

Yoga Teacher Salary

What kind of salary can you expect to earn as a Yoga teacher? If you are looking at an hourly rate, anywhere from $35 to $120 is about right in North America.

There are many factors involved in pricing, such as demographics and demand. If a Fortune 500 company hires you to teach Yoga, or stress management, to their executive staff, you know the price should reflect your preparation and travel time.

Lastly, if you feel the calling to teach Yoga, please do the following. Write your plans down, take action, and go after your goal of becoming a Yoga teacher. The public needs more compassionate Yoga instructors and the job is very rewarding.

How to Become a Yoga Teacher

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Designing a Plan to Become a Yoga Teacher, Part 1

If you have decided that becoming a Yoga teacher is your passion, your next step is to create a plan of action. When doing anything that requires a major change, a call to action is one of the hardest hurdles to overcome. There are so many people who wish for goals, but do not plan to go after them. Let's look at a few ways to make your plan of action to become a Yoga teacher.

What kind of help or support system do you need to teach Yoga? Remember the saying, "no man is an island." Everyone needs encouragement, even if you are very confident in your abilities. Will you need financial help, educational resources, or to be mentored by a local Yoga teacher? Make an assessment of what you need and plan accordingly.

What should you learn about becoming a Yoga teacher? If you really want to teach Yoga, you should explore every resource available about how to teach Yoga classes. You should also learn about how to succeed in the Yoga teaching business. These factors will also determine how fast you progress once your Yoga teacher training course has concluded.

Where should you learn to teach Yoga? There are many options for Yoga teacher training, so let's cover a few of them. If you decide to take an on-site Yoga teacher training, please avoid the weekend certifications. These programs may teach you a few postures and breathing techniques, but you will likely know little more than the average Yoga student.

Having a complete syllabus is important. A complete Yoga teacher training program should contain information about: Asanas, Modifications, Contraindications, Proper use of props, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Methodology, Anatomy, Physiology, Kinesiology, Assisting with Posture Alignment, Working with Special Populations, Insider Yoga Teaching Tips, Yoga Teacher Ethics, Chakras, Bandhas, Mudras, Doshas, Yamas, Niyamas, Pranayama techniques, Meditation, Relaxation, Yoga Business Development, Communication, Marketing, and Networking.

How, in the world, can someone expect that kind of knowledge to be transmitted and processed in a weekend? There is a logical reason why 200 hours has become the Level 1 minimum International Yoga teacher training standard.

There is an unforeseen problem for Yoga interns, who desire to take a "weekend certification" course, in order to open the door to Yoga teaching as quickly as possible. This creates a dilemma of not having enough knowledge to be a safe Yoga teacher and not having the knowledge to stay in the Yoga teaching business.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Check out Paul's Yoga Teacher Training Course Yoga Teacher Training Course

Yoga As An Aid To Weight Loss

Yoga is wonderful for nurturing a state of mental and physical well being . It promotes a balanced and healthy lifestyle, and yoga techniques can be applied also to removing excess weight, thus bringing you an extra benefit, that is if being overweight is a problem to you.

Practicing yoga will increase your metabolism. An increased metabolism leads to an increase in the calorie burning process, so combining yoga with a calorie burning program may bring you excellent results.

Of course, the use of yoga is no rapid weight loss method. Used over a period of time, though, it can bring good results. If you keep to the rigours imposed by yoga discipline, you should gain a holistic, long term solution to balance your life style and help you reduce and prevent any surplus weight.

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Get Healthy with Yoga

Mysterious. Eastern. Far-out. Balanced. Long limbs. Gentle stretching. Quiet. Calm. Lotus position.

The term "yoga" brings to mind all of these words and all of them apply to each and every individual.

It's mysterious because of the correlation between certain physical motions and brain functions. There- fore, it has been practiced since antiquity -- again, in one form or another -- and produced physical, spir- itual and emotional benefits.

Continued...

Flooring for Yoga and Exercise: Tatami Interlocking Mats

Tatami interlocking floor mats are presented by InterlockingFloorMat.com. This Tatami mat is new generation and comfortable flooring for Yoga, Martial Arts and Exercise Schools.

Most of Yoga, Martial Arts, Karate, Judo, Child-care Centers, Fitness and Exercise centers require a comfortable and safe flooring environment.

With a non-slip surface and 5/8 inch thickness interlocking mats, students can avoid many injuries during exercise and enjoy the comfort in practicing Yoga and exercise.

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More resources: Yoga Kits, Yoga Gear

How to Become Regular in Your Yoga Practice

By Dada Vedaprajinananda

People come to yoga looking for various things: peace of mind, stress reduction, improved concentration, and weight loss. Yoga can help you to accomplish all of this, but "yoga works, if you work!" You have to do the practices on a regular basis in order to get the results.

If you have bought some books on yoga and meditation, don't let them gather dust while you sit around thinking that maybe one day you are going to practice.

Yoga postures and basic meditation exercises are simple enough to learn. In fact, I teach them to children and they pick them up quite easily. So, I am sure that you can learn what to do fairly easily and quickly. The big problem for most people is to establish the habit of doing the practices on a regular basis. Here are a few tips which may help you to do your yoga and meditation on a daily basis.

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Dada Vedaprajinananda has been practicing and teaching yoga and meditation for the past 35 years. He is the founder and associate editor of New Renaissance Magazine, www.ru.org and is the author of "Yoga Weight Loss Secrets," an ebook guide to yoga-based weight reduction.

Tantric Exercises to Increase General Well-Being

A healthy anal and genital area is of great importance both for the general well-being and for the sexual abilities. The same is thrue about a healthy respiratory tract and breathing apparatus. Here are presented two poses and three breathing exercises that have the following effects when done together in a series:

They stimulate the physiological functions of the genital and anal area.

-They correct muscle weakness and anatomical problems of the anal and genital region.

-They increase the sexual drive and abilities.

-They produce a stimulating response that spreads upwords along the spine and revitalizes the whole body.

-The exercises are very good to start each day with, or to do before going to bed in the night.

Hot Yoga - Bikram's Twenty Six

Even though the world population has shifted from mainly rural to mainly urban in the last decade, there are still lots of folks like me who live in the sticks. Doing things like taking a yoga class becomes a different thing in our case from driving to the neighborhood gym.

Since I live 40 miles from the nearest town large enough for yoga studios, when I decided to take a class, I was more interested in the schedule than I was the type of yoga. I couldn't afford to be picky if I preferred not to wait around for a couple hours after getting off work.

Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back

EXERCISES FOR BACK RELIEF

Many people believe that rest is best for a painful back, but actually, what your back really needs when it’s hurt is exercise. Regular exercise relieves back pain by strengthening and stretching the muscles that support the spine and helps to prevent future injury.

This is a use it or lose it situation: the more you rest, the weaker your back gets, even if it is hurt. Studies have actually shown that you can heal your back pain faster and get back to your regular activities with just two days of rest. This article will focus on Yoga Exercises. Remember to contact your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Yoga and Low Carb Diets

Yoga is an ancient system of movement designed to generate vibrant health and well being. Excellent health and well being are experienced in the results of a yoga practice such as: stress reduction, increased energy and awareness, increased flexibility, focused mind and strong body.

In our modern world there are so many types of yoga to choose from that it can be confusing and difficult to start a yoga program. Do you have to practice postures(asanas) in a hot room for an hour and a half in order to enjoy the benefits of this ancient art? And, is it necessary to execute postures under strict guidelines created for East Indian bodies and minds?

Using Yoga to Manage ADD

Exercise is a powerful tool for ADD management. Medical professionals recommend that adults get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (such as running or biking) 3-5 times per week to improve their general health. For ADDers, this type of exercise is particularly beneficial, because it may balance production of neurotransmitters and reduce stress levels.

Another form of exercise that ADDers are finding valuable is yoga. When practiced regularly, yoga offers numerous health benefits, such as increased strength and flexibility, and decreased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, the greater benefits of yoga are arguably the psychological ones. Yoga combines physical activity with self-awareness, which promotes a mind-body connection that many ADDers lack.

Yoga for Relaxation

Discover the true meaning of yoga…

In taking any modern yoga class, you will find parallels to ballet. Like ballet, the promise of poise, grace and flexibility encourages much interest. Yet if yoga is like any other exercise, it is only at first glance. Underneath the coveted health and fitness benefits of modern yoga practice are the roots of a great spiritual tradition blending cultures and religions.

Unfortunately, through the westernization of yoga, we have lost an essential component of this peaceful practice. Though the ritual remains intact the meaning has gone astray. Where previously the postures of yoga practice were merely a branch of a tree; today they are viewed by western society as the tree itself. How do we bring meaning to our poses?

Ayurveda and Yoga, Ancient Sister Sciences

Ayurveda and yoga are sister sciences that have been united for thousands of years for the sake of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda deals more with the health of the body, while yoga deals with purifying the mind and consciousness, but in reality they complement and embrace each other.

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original masters of all Vedic sciences. They understood that good health is a great asset on the path toward Self-realization. If the body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice.

Yoga for Fun and Profit

Stress levels around the world are on the rise. In order to deal with this, relaxation and stress reduction therapies have sprung up from everywhere. Yoga instruction is no longer just a fringe population idea. It is now a mainstream fitness methodology.

Yoga certifications are now available from many places in North America. As a result of this, yoga instructors are now available everywhere. Each gym now offers yoga classes from certified yoga instructors. It’s time we understood what this is all about and where we are going with respect to the fitness industry.

Yoga Accessories– Getting What You Really Need

Unlike some other sports, you don’t need a lot of yoga accessories when you practice. With yoga, your body is really the most important ‘equipment’ that you need. There are some items that are basic and which can help you be more comfortable and safer in your practice.

Standard Yoga Accessories

Clothing
Your clothing should be comfortable and breathable and allow you to move freely. You don’t want anything that is going to get in the way of your movements or that will bunch up or create a distraction. For instance, oversized, loose fitting tee shirts can fall towards your face during some inversion poses and cause you to pay more attention to whether or not anything is showing, than to the actual asana. If you are taking a class, your instructor might want you to wear something form fitting in order to check your alignment.

Yoga Position – What Does Each Type Do?

I often wondered what the value of each type of yoga position is, so I did some research to find out. All yoga positions help to develop strength and flexibility. Yet the type of yoga position that you do also offers some very specific benefits.

Standing Poses
They are included in many poses and they help to align your feet and body. This type of yoga position is especially useful in improving your posture. Standing poses strengthen your legs while simultaneously increasing flexibility in your legs and hips. They add to the mobility of your neck and shoulders and they increase the flexibility in your pelvis and lower back. One of the most basic standing poses is Mountain Pose.

Can a Yoga Prop Help 'Prop' Up Your Practice?

Some people may wonder if using a yoga prop can help them get more out of their practice. My personal opinion is yes.

B.K.S. Iyengar introduced the yoga prop as a means of supporting proper alignment of the joints and bones during postures. Maintaining proper alignment is key to reducing the possibility of injury and to allowing you to get deeper into the poses.

Props are especially useful for beginners, for people who do not have a great deal of flexibility, for those who are recovering from injuries, and for those with special physical needs.

Yoga Instruction - How to Find the Right Yoga Teacher for You

In order to find a quality yoga instructor, you need to know what to look for. Since there is no universal certification program for yoga teachers, not all of them are created equal as you can see by the following example.

I had been practicing yoga in my home for a while when I decided to take some classes at a local center. I had been using a variety of yoga videos and DVDs that were taught by senior instructors with impeccable form, so I expected the same quality of yoga instruction when I arrived at this class. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.

Muscle Fitness – Can Yoga Make You Stronger?

Many people wonder if yoga can improve their muscle fitness. They recognize that yoga can help reduce stress and increase flexibility, but when it comes to increasing muscle fitness, they think it might be a little too 'weak' to do the job. The fact is that yoga can definitely make you stronger.

A study was conducted at the University of California at Davis. Ten college 'coach potatoes' adopted a yoga routine for eight weeks. Each week, they attended from two to four classes during which they spent 10 minutes on breath control, 15 minutes of warm up exercises, 50 minutes doing yoga asanas, and then 10 minutes of relaxation/mediation.

The Benefit of Yoga

The benefit of yoga practice goes far beyond the actual time you spend in the poses. One of the most common reasons why people begin practicing yoga is to improve their health and well-being.

Yoga means union. It is a union of the mind, body and breath, so all aspects of your life are impacted by your practice.

A major benefit of yoga is physical.

The History of Yoga

The history of yoga is long and steeped in tradition. Contrary to what some people may believe, yoga was not developed as the newest way to slim down so they could fit into a smaller pants size.

The history of yoga goes back 5,000 years. It originated in India, and the first time the word yoga was found in written form was in the Rig Vada, one of the sacred texts used by Vedic priests. Yoga is a means of achieving spiritual enlightenment.

Originally, yoga techniques were passed down from teacher to student through word of mouth. These techniques had never been written down until the Indian sage Patanjali wrote down a systematic method of yoga in the Yoga Sutras. Patanjali is considered to be the father of yoga.

Yoga for Every BODY

We all want to feel loved, open, free and peaceful. We all desire to let go of the ideals and expectations of the “world” and be simply still. What if you had permission to be anything your heart wanted you to be?

What if there was no right or wrong way of doing yoga poses, just simply YOUR way. The way that feels good for your body, mind and spirit. That is yoga to me.

There’s a smorgasbord of yoga labels all around us. Each having its own fancy term or cool yoga gear. It’s a bummer to see yoga magazines or videos with the same types of bodies representing yoga. This sends a message to the world that yoga is about looking a specific way.

Yoga For a Beginner

Yoga for a beginner is an exciting time when you start to discover all of the wonderful benefits that yoga has to offer. When you first begin yoga, there are several things you can do to make your experience positive.

The following are ideas you might want to consider as you begin your yoga journey.

Types of Yoga

It is a good idea when you are doing yoga as a beginner, that you choose a style that matches your fitness level, personality, and health condition. Review what each type of yoga has to offer so you can choose a class that is best suited to you.

Yoga, Do Not Knock It Until You Try It

Are you one of those folks who have never tried yoga? How about one of those grown up teenagers who likes cow tipping and thought you might knock over your sister when she was doing yoga? Yes, I know that is fun isn’t it? I have done this on many occasion and watched the silly looking humans fall right over indeed. Not bad, it is easy too; a little push and see ya, over they go.

But really we should be very serious yoga is quite good for the soul, relaxation and de-stressing too. So, do not knock yoga until you try it. Now I have tried it so it is okay for me to make jokes, but if you have not tried it, you are barred from laughing or tipping over your friends who you think are looking quite silly while they do their “Yoga Thing.”

Yoga and Weight Training – Never the Twain Shall Meet?

Yoga has become part of Western fitness training techniques. However, there are some who have never tried it, relegating it as a hippie trend from the 60’s. Those individuals would rather look at their flexed bicep in the mirror at their gym.

They look for the feedback loop from that experience which gives them the feeling of “working out”. This is definitely the group they want to be in. They consider themselves the hard core fitness enthusiasts and label yoga as something for women in white leotards. Is there any truth to this?

Yoga Your Way To A Happy Vacation

Yoga Your Way To A Happy Vacation

There have been many studies into holiday stress. Sadly, those studies show that such stress does exist; that summer vacation can actually prove more stressful than the rest of the year. It is ironic that millions of people dream all year of that escape from the daily grind, only to transport that daily grind to other locations.

Delayed flights at the airport; hotel rooms with a view of a builders yard; cold food that should have been hot; mosquitoes who pay you much more attention than the waiter and hotel manager. All examples of possible stress factors.

Eating Disorders And The Use Of Yoga In Prevention And Treatment

It was not so long ago that eating disorders, such as bolimia and anorexia, were thought to be purely the result of mental conditions. More recently, though, some physical factors have been attributed to these conditions. It is now thought that eating disorders can be triggered by a multitude of factors, in combination, including those of a psychological, behavioural, social, or biological nature.

How Can Yoga Help With Eating Disorders

As with many conditions, eating orders can better be dealt with through a calm and focused mind. Depression and low self esteem are problems often associated with eating disorders, and Yoga can help with both.

Taking The Stress Out Of Vacations With Yoga

Even during vacations we are still attacked by outside stressful factors which can ruin a very promising vacation. Vacation stress is a rather antagonistic expression but it is real and it can cause serious upset.

There are countless reasons to get angry during your vacation: poor services, bad weather, high prices, noisy tourists, annoying insects and the list can go on an on.

Yoga offers several methods of reducing the effects of such negative elements in the form of meditation, sakshin, pratyahara and pranayama.

Overcoming Eating Disorders Through Yoga

Over 10 million women and a million men are affected by different forms of eating disorders in the United States alone. Most of them are teens and the common illnesses are represented by anorexia and bulimia.

The physical factors related to these illnesses have only been recently acknowledged as only mental factors were previously thought to be responsible for these conditions. Eating disorders are triggered by a complexity of factors including social, biological, psychological and behavioral items.

A calm and focused mind has a better chance of reducing the harmful effects of eating disorders. Yoga has been proven

Overcoming Obstacles In Practicing Yoga

Anyone embarking on the journey of yoga will face a series of obstacles, difficulties and detours.

You will need to remove all of the following difficulties, noticed by yoga practitioners for a long time, in order to be able to fully benefit from the positive aspects of yoga. Here is a quick look at the nine major obstacles.

Yoga Breathing For Better Health

The respiratory system is an amazing process by which the body takes air from the environment into the body to feed the blood and cells with oxygen, and then expels air containing carbon dioxide and toxins back out into the atmosphere.

This process is called gaseous exchange. This takes place in the lungs. The complete process involves the nasal passages, the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs and muscles; diaphragm, external and internal intercostals, transverse abdominal, scaleni and sternomastoids.

Discover Yoga's Healing Power

There are several medical conditions that can be improved by practicing yoga. It can be used to lessen the negative effects of infertility, lung disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, cancer, high blood pressure, and joint pain.

The beneficial effects of yoga practices are well recognized not only by the yoga community but also by medical doctors.

One of the main elements that lead to an illness is stress. Being responsible for a huge number of sicknesses, this item, which we develop in our minds, can be reduced through a good usage of yoga techniques.

Yoga for Body and Mind

Everyone knows that exercising is great for burning calories and toning the body but most don't realize that it is also good for freeing the mind. Some exercise programs which stress strength, coordination, and balance can also deliver relaxing thoughts and mental focus. This total workout of both body and mind is otherwise known as yoga.

Originating in the Orient hundreds of years ago, yoga eventually came to the West and now has practitioners throughout the globe. At first the regimen was only taught by Eastern masters but it is now instructed by people of all races and nationalities who have become experts in yoga's unique system of mental and physical discipline. There are indeed a good number of exercise routines that provide benefits for the body but few can rival yoga where mental conditioning is concerned.

Yoga Guide for Day-to-Day Practice

This is almost a complete outline of the essentials of the practice of Yoga.

But, when you actually begin to practice it, you will find it is very difficult. So, you have to be very honest in your pursuit.

Swami Sivananda taught us that Sadhana has three prongs, like a Trisula (trident):

A Daily Routine of Practice. Have a fixed procedure of practice every day. One must keep fixed hours and discipline his personality. In daily routine, three items should be very important:

(a) JAPA - chanting some Mantra over and over to maintain the same consciousness (this is often useful when meditation is difficult);

(b) STUDY - reading scriptures or texts on Yoga, e.g. Upanishads, Bhagavadgita, The Sermon on the Mount, The Imitation of Christ;