5 Questions to Ask Before Making the Transition to Yoga Teaching
April 22nd, 2008 Posted in Yoga Teacher PerspectivesAs any yoga fan knows, it’s very easy to become passionate about yoga. For many, this translates into a desire to become a yoga teacher, however, the transition from yogi or yogini to yoga teacher is a commitment not to be taken lightly. For some, it can even lead to a reduced passion for yoga, simply because the demands of teaching yoga are so much greater than the demands of simply ‘doing’ yoga.
After being introduced to yoga twenty five years ago, my transition to yoga teacher five years later was a natural and simple decision to make. By that stage I had already engaged in a yogic way of life - taking on a vegetarian diet, meditating daily, practicing my asanas several hours a day, etc – so the decision to become a yoga teacher was a way of integrating this further.
I was also fortunate to have some guidance from my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, who set the task of spreading knowledge about yoga far and wide. The lesson he taught, and the lesson I teach my students, is that you keep what you’ve got by giving it away. In practice for me, this means I keep my passion for yoga by sharing it with my students and yoga teacher trainees.
So how does a passionate yogi or yogini discern the difference between a passion for doing yoga, and a passion to actually become a yoga teacher? Whenever potential yoga teacher training students enquire about a position in one of my courses, I encourage them to go through a process of reflection to help clarify their desires and ensure that yoga teaching is in fact the ‘right path’ for them. This process would ideally involve asking the following questions:
How long have you been practicing yoga? If you have been practicing for less than two years or if your practice is only occasional, I’d recommend delaying a commitment to become a yoga teacher until the two year period has elapsed. This gives you time to test your passion thoroughly before making a commitment that you may not be suited for.
Do you have any teaching experience? It’s not a prerequisite for yoga teacher training, but if you have had experience and enjoyed teaching in some other area, this is likely to be reflected in your yoga teaching as well.
What is driving you to become a yoga teacher? Are you attracted by the lifestyle of a yoga teacher? Is it because you want to share what yoga has done for you personally? Or is it simply because it seems like an easy way to earn a living?
Whatever your reason, unless it has some connection to passion, and unless it is something you feel ‘driven’ to do, your chances of success as a yoga teacher are limited. Yoga teaching is not an easy way to make a living at all, so if you are considering it simply for career purposes, there are certainly easier avenues to take.
What are your expectations? Many come with a rather rosy view of what life must be like for a yoga teacher. While it is indeed rosy and extremely fulfilling, it is also very hard work. If you have a vision of yourself doing a two or three month Level One yoga teacher training course and then starting a viable yoga school the following week, you would need to think again.
The training process itself is hard, and while a Level One qualification would enable you to conduct a class under supervision, it would not be sufficient to run your own yoga school.
Ideally, you would need to be able to sustain yourself financially for at least two years from the time you commence your yoga teacher training program until you could build up an income that might be self supporting. Even two years may be unrealistic for some; however the rewards on the physical and spiritual level make the process thoroughly worthwhile.
Can your body sustain the demands of being a yoga teacher? As a student, you know already the physical demands that yoga asanas place on the body. These are of course ultimately beneficial, but as a yoga teacher these are clearly going be even tougher than as a yoga student. If you have a history of injury, this needs to be taken into account in your decision whether to take up a yoga teacher training course or not.
These questions, and a discussion with your proposed yoga teacher training school, should help bring some clarity to your decision making process.
Of course, if your intention is to take a yoga teacher training course for your own personal and spiritual development and growth, then by all means commit to a course. Before you do commit however, ensure that the school you are considering does in fact cover the more spiritual aspects you are seeking. Some schools offer training that deals mostly with the physical aspects of yoga thus may not deliver those extra elements that you are looking for.
Namaste
John Ogilvie is the founder and principal of the Byron Yoga Centre in Byron Bay, Australia. The centre specializes in yoga teacher training. He can be contacted through Byron Yoga, info@byronyoga.com or www.byronyoga.com. This article may be reproduced without permission in full only and must include this paragraph with active links.
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