[QUOTE=bunniemny;70061]I know your answer wasn’t directed at me, but I found it helpful, thank you.[/QUOTE]
Thanks a lot. I was expecting such a kind of response from you in next 6 months. Obviously, I’ve got nothing against you or what you are discussing on this forum. Yoga teaches us a lot of positive things.
I’m really baffled your responses ActiveLink.
In post #41, you quoted my response to someone else as if it was directed at you, I’m sorry if I didn’t make it clear that my comment “I know your answer wasn’t directed at me, but I found it helpful, thank you” was directed to whitecrowyoga.
And I also do not understand at all what you mean when you say you were expecting a repsonse in 6 months?
You say you have nothing against what I am discussing on this forum, but you very clearly told me earlier that I need to stay on a positive discussion of yoga, implying that i was not being positive…I’m just basically finding your responses a bit confusing and I aplogize for that.
I think you need to ask yourself, would YOU like to be taught by a yoga teacher who received their credentials online? Possibly never done yoga except in their living room? I doubt it, especially if you really want to advance in yoga, and practice more deeply.
In saying that I think it can be done. A woman at our yoga studio practiced on and off 10 years but was in heavy practice the last 5 years. She had just had a baby and couldn’t afford to travel but really wanted to teach. She did the Aura wellness online but also asked us to mentor her for her 180 hands on hours for her 200 hour certificate.
I had no problem with this, and she also qualified for yoga alliance.
In addition she also had a fitness background, teaching Pilates and Nia .
[QUOTE=Dancing_Sun;70373]I think you need to ask yourself, would YOU like to be taught by a yoga teacher who received their credentials online? Possibly never done yoga except in their living room? I doubt it, especially if you really want to advance in yoga, and practice more deeply.
In saying that I think it can be done. A woman at our yoga studio practiced on and off 10 years but was in heavy practice the last 5 years. She had just had a baby and couldn’t afford to travel but really wanted to teach. She did the Aura wellness online but also asked us to mentor her for her 180 hands on hours for her 200 hour certificate.
I had no problem with this, and she also qualified for yoga alliance.
In addition she also had a fitness background, teaching Pilates and Nia .[/QUOTE]
Well, I’ve been instructed by 1 teacher who has no certification at all, but has an intensive 8 yr practice history, and 1 teacher who did recieve an online certification (which I didn’t know until I asked her just the other day), she had been practicing yoga on and off for 15 years, is also certified in the old fashioned aerobics and step aerobics etc.
In any case, neither one of them was teaching an advanced class, it was a beginner yoga class I sometimes go to because on that particular day of the week it’s the only class in town that fits into my time schedule.
So no, I wouldn’t mind it all, that being said, I’ve been practicing yoga for a while and have studied a bit extra through reading, workshops, as well as had private lessons etc so I could learn more in depth the poses. So for me…it’s a safe practice no matter who is leading the class.
I thought both of those instructors did a nice job of leading class safely for beginner students actually, although neither of these instructors do hands on alignments, but they are able to verbalize modifications to poses for those that have physical need for same, and one of them in particular, the one with no certification at all, always leads such a beautifully flowing practice…she has a real talent for making the class as beautiful and graceful as a ballet, which is always so very cool, I hope she soon gets the chance to get her certification, but like many, she is unable to take the time off right now for such a pursuit, so she is also considering the online option.
I don’t really think there are many situations where one becomes a yoga instructor without some heavy practice in their background? Why would anyone be interested in it unless they themselves had a love for yoga and a bit of a teacher in them? But then again…I am sometimes very naive about other people’s motives 
I think once I really study, even if it is online, if I combine it with some sort of ‘apprenticeship’ somewhere, meaning I get to co-lead a class (which will be difficult for me as there is really only one yoga studio in this area that I actually feel is the best representative of what yoga is in it’s entirety), I think that someday I would be a good physical practice yoga instructor
In many ways, I already do teach yoga with my interactions with people and some of the volunteer work I do.
(sorry my answer so long winded…once I get started I tend to go on and on and on )
Home based courses do nothing more than crumble what is already a foundation made of balsa wood. Wake up and take some personal responsibility people. Go earn yourself some ethics.
I just wrote an article for my yoga teacher blog and thought it may be useful for members of this forum. Most weeks I receive an email from an eager wannabe yoga teacher asking for my advice on how to become a yoga teacher. Now I?d like to share my top 10 tips with you.
[B]Tip #1 ? To Be Or Not To Be [/B]
Why do you want to be a yoga teacher? The first step in becoming a successful yoga teacher is to unearth the reasons why you want to become one. Most yoga courses last two to three years and believe me when I say this?
It?s going to be a lot harder than you think!
All my fellow yoga teacher trainees (when I was doing my course) said the same thing, ?It?s much tougher than I thought it was going to be.? I?m not saying this to scare you off, but to make it very clear that you?re going to have to make sacrifices if you have a desire to become a yoga teacher. Each assignment always takes much longer than you think. Answering just one question in a unit can easily soak up hours and hours and hours of research and study.
Here are some typical reasons you may choose to become a yoga teacher…
Being aware of your personal reasons for becoming a yoga teacher is so important because of the energy it gives you. You may have the most expensive car in the world, but unless you have any fuel, it?s just an expensive lump of metal. You might be potentially the greatest yoga teacher the planet has ever seen, but if your reasons aren?t compelling enough, you won?t have enough energy (fuel) to finish the journey. Approximately 20% of people quit during a two year course. That just goes to show how challenging it is.
[B]Tip 2 ? Have You Got Enough of the Green Stuff?[/B]
No matter what yoga teacher course you choose, you’ll be forking out a fair amount of the green stuff. So, unless you’re an oil baron, bank executive or have recently inherited a large chunk of money, it will probably be a significant investment for you.
When you factor in the course fees, travel costs, food costs, yoga books, membership fees and paying for observations (that alone cost me over ?300) it adds up. I estimate that my yoga teacher diploma cost me ?4,000. So, if money is a bit tight, you have two options.
Option 1 - Raid your savings.
Option 2 - Spend a few months squirrelling away money in a tin
I recommend a tin that needs a can opener to open it). On that tin write ?Yoga Money?. When you?re thinking about buying a cappuccino (or something that isn?t necessary), run to your money tin, put the money in, then walk to your nearest tap and pour yourself a refreshing glass of free water.
Here?s a list of money saving tactics I used to help pay for my yoga teacher training course?.
Now you know why you want to BE a yoga teacher and have an idea on how to fund your yoga teacher training, it’s time to do some research.
[B]Tip 3 ? Research UK Yoga Schools on Google[/B]
Each yoga teacher training school is different, but most will follow a program similar to this…
The national body of yoga is the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY). I did my teacher training with the BWY, but there are many more yoga associations. It?s well worth spending some time researching some of them such as:
Visit their websites and call up the ones that look promising and ask for more information.
Now you know your personal reasons for becoming a yoga teacher, that you?ve got what it takes to be one and where you want to train, it’s time to think about the different ways to make money as a yoga teacher???
[B]Tip 4 - Teaching a Yoga Class[/B]
You have a multitude of options for giving group yoga lessons.
Here are a few examples to get you started…
If I had to give one tip to get more students to your group classes it would be: Offer the first class for FREE.
[B]Tip 5 - Giving One to One Yoga Sessions[/B]
When someone comes to you for one to one yoga, it’s a great opportunity to take your teaching to the next level. For example, the first one to one session I did was with someone who was pregnant. I had done a bit of yoga for pregnancy in my BWY teacher training course and knew enough to get by, but faced with a looming one on one session, I swotted up on pregnancy for yoga. I read books. I researched online. I watched YouTube videos. I called the person who trained me. I called my mum (a yoga teacher). The total immersion in pregnancy yoga made me a better teacher. Since that first one to one session, I’ve given one to one sessions for people with sciatica, depression, MS, bad backs, etc.
Expect to receive around ?30 to ?45 for private yoga lessons.
[B]Tip 6 - Corporate Yoga[/B]
Corporations know that healthier, happier employees are more productive and don’t come down with imaginary flu 20 to 30 times a year. That’s where your yoga lessons come in.
You have two options…
Option 1 - Call up the corporation and give their employees a special rate to your yoga class
Option 2 - Set up a class in one of their rooms. This is a great option as you won’t have to pay for the venue and if it’s a large business with lots of employees you won’t have to worry about marketing the class.
[B]Tip 7 ? Establish Your Yoga Niche[/B]
I highly recommend picking a yoga niche to focus on. It will increase your passion and your profits.
For example, I play professional golf and teach yoga. The obvious niche for me was to combine my love of yoga with golf. After teaching a normal yoga class for almost three years, I started to teach yoga at a golf academy. The perk of being an expert in a niche, is that you don?t have a lot of competition. Within the next 12 months, I?ll be creating a membership website and DVDs on yoga for golfers. That will create passive income that will go towards paying for my eco house/yoga studio.
The successful yoga teachers, the ones who make a full time living, all have a yoga niche and host one or more yoga retreats for that niche each year.
Here?s a list of 15 potential yoga retreat niches…?
[B]Tip 8 - Yoga Weekends[/B]
Hosting a yoga weekend is by far the most profitable option for yoga teachers.
You have two options…
Option 1 - Host Your Own Retreat
You can make more in one weekend yoga retreat than a whole year of teaching group classes. Though don’t rush into it. Give yourself a few years to mature as a yoga teacher before setting up your first yoga retreat.
Option 2 - Piggyback
Find businesses running retreats in your local area; call them up and ask if they’ve ever thought about adding yoga to their retreat. This way you get to ‘piggyback’ onto the retreat. That means you make pretty decent money without the worry and hassle of organising a retreat.
[B]Tip 9 - Opening Your Own Yoga Studio[/B]
This isn’t really an option until you’ve paid your dues and been a yoga teacher for several years. Earn your stripes before thinking about setting up your own Yoga Studio.
[B]Tip 10 ? Multiple Streams of Yoga Teacher Income[/B]
Do you remember going to a sweet shop when you were young? You come to the pick ?n? mix section and get to choose your favourite sweets. Treat (forgive the pun) your yoga business like going into a sweet shop. Pick the career path options that you like the taste of.
Time for an example?
I teach group classes, give 1 to 1 sessions, host yoga weekend retreats, teach yoga at other retreats (ones that I don?t have to organise) and have recently started teaching yoga to juniors at golf academies.
The message is: don?t put all your eggs (yoga services) in one basket (e.g. yoga classes). Having several yoga teacher income streams is a wise strategy in case one or more of them dry up.
Hope that helps 
Below is my response to your question about home study. I offer these opinions with humility and love, so please take them as such.
I think that in the yoga world a home-study certification is not respected and those who offer them are probably looked at as not being legitimate. The recognized certifying body for yoga instructors is the Yoga Alliance. They will not certify you from a home study course. And you will not be able to get insurance either.
Homestudy is a great enhancement for learning, but I don’t think it is appropriate as the sole source of training for a brand new instructor.
If you are already a certified group fitness instructor or personal trainer and you want to teach ‘gym yoga’, then a home study course might suffice. You would teach under your group fitness or pt certification, not as a certified instructor and your insurance would be under those disciplines. Of course, ‘gym yoga’ is controversial, but I don’t want to get into that right now. And I’m not saying whether I’m ‘for’ or against gym yoga - I just mentioned it as a reality in today’s yoga world.
Ask yourself why you want to teach yoga? Are you fully committed to teaching? If so, then I think you should make the time and financial investment to take a full, in person yoga teacher training program. Some programs are as low as $2,000 and can even be reduced in return for Siva (service work). I’m hoping to start a yoga teacher training program in the next year that is affordable and offers various payment options yet - I’m not there yet though 
Good luck to You.
Namaste, Monique
Hi Monique,
I am a Certified Yoga Instructor, working In Providence, RI. I am certified through Aura Wellness Center’s Online Yoga Teacher Training due to the fact that I am a single Mom and I did not have the time to take weeks or months off from my work or parental duties. Cost-wise, you would be lucky in this area to find a course for $2,000, most are near $3,000, or higher, however, that was a bit too expensive. Aura is close to me, about a 25-30 minute drive, however the online training was more convenient. I have been to their school on several occasions to attend regular student classes.
I am a little confused by your post. Below I just took out some parts, to clarify, because I think you may have been given the wrong information.
“I think that in the yoga world a home-study certification is not respected and those who offer them are probably looked at as not being legitimate.”
Are you referring to places like NESTA and Yoga Education Institute?
There are some place like NESTA provide a sort of credential for Yoga, however they aren’t even a real Yoga school. However I wouldn’t classify places like Aura Wellness Center under that same umbrella. The reason why I say this is that Aura Wellness Center is an accredited school in the Yoga Community. Actually one of the organizations which accredits their center is the Yoga Alliance. Even though that organization is optional to join, and isn’t required by most of the facilities offering Yoga.
“The recognized certifying body for yoga instructors is the Yoga Alliance. They will not certify you from a home study course. And you will not be able to get insurance either.”
The Yoga Alliance does not certify; they “Register”. Registration is an optional credential and is not required to teach. Your certification comes from the school you trained with.
About the second part: I have insurance through Yoga Insurance Plus. They actually give a discount to ALL Aura Wellness Center graduates, as all of us complete the same curriculum, which is very safety oriented. I had no problem getting insurance. I could have gone with Yoga Journal, however they were expensive in comparison.
Since they require at least 200 hours of training, yes, a NESTA or equivalent type certification would not be adequate.
Also, I believe the program that you were referring to is actually SEVA, which is a type of work-study program, however that does require a lot of time investment. If taking a month off was too much time off from my family and job, the invested time in SEVA, which can take months definitely would be.
Namaste,
Audrey
Audrey, have any yoga studios hired you with such a certification? Are you honest with them when you interview and tell them that your certification is from an online company? Or do you happen to not mention that and do the, “I’m certified through Aura Wellness” type of thing.
This is all very interesting, but Yoga Alliance is taking a serious look at recognising all online yoga courses. They’ve been gathering information for the past few years and recently contacted all the registered yoga schools with a survey. It really looks like Yoga Alliance might supply the training for schools who want to jump into online training.
We may be surprised but legitimate medical, legal, and biomedical degrees are being earned from all universities. It’s hard to find a university without online training. Looks like Yoga Alliance sees the smoke signals. Borders didn’t see Amazon coming. Sorry to say online education will surpass in-person training within the near future. That’s why every university has jumped into online course.
Hi David,
I work with a lot of Senior Centers, Nursing Homes, and I also Sub at the local Yoga Studios, however I think the idea of a stand alone Yoga Studio in RI is a little foreign to our state. The RI scene for Yoga is studios paired with other heath related services, for example, Wellness Centers. Networking is a strong point we Rhode Islanders have and our schools stay around longer because of it.
Anyway, This was always my desire as I enjoy helping the elderly. All of my interviews consisted of a demonstration class, the hiring director, or studio owner wants to make sure you can teach, and whether you took an online degree at JWU or onsite, your credentials are checked. IE: If the school you came from is creditable, that your diploma is current/valid, as well as the fact that you can teach. One director shared how many YA Register teachers are running around with no insurance, and expired diplomas. And to give some insight on that, yes, I got hired over one of them. I find that to be unsettling, that this is allowed to happen.
I must also admit, some have been shocked that I came from an online teacher training.
I appreciate the opportunity given here to voice my opinions and tell my story. I do understand that some tend to be standoffish to online training. It bothers me more when misinformation gets out there. However, when Brown University and JWU are doing it, it certainly gives a lot of validity to online training.
Well, on to my busy week!
Happy Easter and God Bless!
While I appreciate your taking the time to share your opinions, comparing “Yoga in a Box” to online classes provided by Brown University and using that as a means to legitimize online yoga training is disingenuous at best.
:lol: – There is no way Yoga Alliance will allow for 100% online yoga training courses to be accredited. If they do, it will be the end of Yoga Alliance as a legitimate (that’s questionable already of course) entity.
[QUOTE=Shahid;72768]We may be surprised but legitimate medical, legal, and biomedical degrees are being earned from all universities. It’s hard to find a university without online training.[/QUOTE]
Some courses don’t need in person interaction. Medical doctors will not be online only courses and neither should yoga. Any yoga studio that hires online certified teachers should be avoided like the plague. Any teacher whose certification is online only should be avoided like the plague. And any company who is offering such courses is shameful at best.
I agree with David, these online yoga certification courses are big scams.
[QUOTE=apatch;72735]Hi Monique,
I am a little confused by your post. Below I just took out some parts, to clarify, because I think you may have been given the wrong information.
[/QUOTE]
Hi Audrey - well wishes to you. I’m sorry if my post confused you or made you feel that your training was being called into question. My reply was to the original poster and not a personally directed at you. For this reason I will keep my reply below general and, once again, not directed at your personal situation.
I still believe that…
The yoga alliance is a recognized and respected form of self government in the yoga world. It is important to our legitimacy. It is a fact that the government is trying to encroach on the yoga world. Without the legitimacy and lobbying group of the yoga alliance we could be faced with government dictated training/licensing rules guidelines that are much more expensive and stringent than those of our self governing body.
This issue of government attempted encroachment into the yoga world is a critical issue that is currently being played out all over the states.
If someone has been studying yoga for years at an ashram before they submitted for yoga alliance ‘registration’ (just semantics), the yoga alliance will recognize them. So, the yoga alliance is reasonable in recognizing the value of traditional training. I personally know several folks who fall into this category.
Without validation by an organizing body one will find it very difficult to get affordable insurance, which is absolutely essential to a teacher. You are fortunate that you got insurance - good for you.
Yes, there are medical/nursing/med-assistant/pa schools that allow a [I]portion [/I]of classes to be taken online - I’ve had personal experience with them. BUT… as someone mentioned to become a licensed physician, nurse or whatever requires in person training as well. Online organic chemistry, while difficult is doable - but the systems in place are likely beyond the scope of what an online yoga school will do. For example…For my online OChem I had proctored exams, as well as a full chemistry lab at home. Very few schools will accept online A&P. I took them online and feel that I definitely made the wrong decision there, as it has limited my choice of medical schools AND interacting with a real life cadaver is much more meaningful than interacting with a virtual cadaver. Rounds and patient contact experience are all in person.
I have studied many sciences online and am a veteran web developer. In fact, for my site, HathaYoga.net, I do plan to offer some online workshops. Howevermy teacher training program will be in person, perhaps with some online modules to ‘add’ to the in person training, not to replace it.
It is my personal opinion that that 100% online training for a yoga teacher is not appropriate for the aspiring teacher or for the students that he/she teaches. I would be shocked if yoga alliance allowed the core training of a yoga teacher to occur 100% online. I could see allowing modules to be online or sub specialties, but not 100% of all training, including the core training. I agree with the person who said that if the yoga alliance were to allow 100% online training for basic training it would be the end of the alliance as a respected self-governing body.
I’m planning to open a yoga studio next year. When I do I will only hire formally trained instructors - from in-person training programs.
Of course, I also believe that, if possible, it is better to receive one’s training in a residential intensive that fosters an ashram-like atmosphere, which I know not all folks agree with. Personally, I am not attracted to certifications that basically produce teachers who teach ‘yoga exercise’.
I should add - that I am also a certified and experienced personal trainer and group fitness instructor. I had those certs before becoming a yoga teacher and do not feel that they, in conjuction with an online course, would have been appropriate training to become a yoga teacher .I studied at a traditional ashram-like environment and am glad I did so. I see so many teachers teaching yoga exercises, who may know a few yoga buzz words and very remedial yoga theory, but actually know nothing at all about the science of yoga.
Once again, very interesting that online education is fine, but learning about yoga online is taboo. To imply teaching yoga online is a scam has no substance. Yoga Alliance has endorsed 20 non-contact CECs for RYTs over a 3 year period. Ten hours of contact are also required to meet their continuing education requirements.
At the same time, Yoga Alliance is definitely researching online yoga with baited breath. Much like the way they researched prenatal yoga before jumping into registering. This time they contacted their network of schools (RYS) with a detailed survey to see who wants to jump into a field that is coming up. We can try to put our heads in the sand, but the tsunami is coming.
It is a fact that universities have medical, legal, and biomedical courses. In fact, the list of courses online is endless. It is also a fact that Audrey can get insurance from more than one company and jobs from studios. I would hire her under the same requirement as any other teacher. I don’t care who signs the diploma, I want to see if an applicant can teach first. It also helps when teachers have compassion for others and I agree that you can’t learn philosophy or a yogic way of life in an exercise class, but there are many schools who only teach exercise.
Lastly, there is no single end all for yoga courses. Like any other field it requires continuing education. If we take one yoga course, we’ll take more.
I have purchased the yoga in a box teacher certification and I have contacted a yoga studio in Venice Beach and obtained permission to them to take the Asana and hands on module of their teachers training course in studio. That way for the things that are just reading and studying I can do those things at home. And the portion that needs most detailed attention on my posture etc., will be done hands on.
Hi everyone!
First of all, I apologise for my English as I am not a native speaker.
When I read this forum and some angry comments here the desire arose in me to state my opinion.
I am a Yoga teacher and made my diploma at Aura Wellness, and I am proud of it! :razz: That’s that.
They are professional, kind and keen on safety (looooads of videos on safety) again and again. Any question is answered within hours. Although I have my diploma, they still keep answering ANY question I have and within hours only. Actually, I feel in good hands.
So far to them.
And “No”; they did not ask me to write this and they do not pay me nor promised me any advantage and I am not a family member.
I have always been very spiritual and have been doing meditation during years; before starting with yoga.
During a very bad time in my life I had the luck to find this path and after only a short time I knew that this is my way!
So, I looked for courses. Thousands of Euros in times of crises like these … years of studying in cities that are far away. I have a family, I am in my 40s … so a 3-year-education would have been ok at an earlier stage but not for now anymore. I would have loved to go to a “normal” Yoga Center and to learn. But I simply had not the money nor the time.
How becoming an instructor? For my biggest surprise, my beloved yoga teacher who is YOGA (she represents ALL of yoga) told me: do an online course just like I did.
What??? She did an online course??? If somebody can be sooo yogic I can do that, too.
She - like me - had no money to pay these extremely expensive courses. She is just perfect in alignment, assisting, being the best person … and she said: you don’t have to worry, because you make the online course and do yoga with me so you will learn a lot!
True! I have learned and I am still learning. Now I also teach. Yes, you un-believers, people told me that I am a good teacher. I do research every pose I prepare though, I am a perfectionist.
Meanwhile, I try to do as many yoga workshops as I can; I go to yoga retreats, read a lot, watch videos etc.
So this is my recommendation to people who decide to do the online yoga teacher training:
During years and more years yoga was only for those who leave their families and dedicate their lives completely to this philosophy and their Guru. Women were not in this circle.
Now everyone everywhere can do yoga. And that is how it should be. Times have changed. You will agree with me on that.
In changing times yoga changes as well and why not “using this tool of Internet” making this wonderful path available to everyone?
Just make sure if you choose a long -distance course to go to classes, as well.
And now my contra-question: how many of those “Yoga Centers with a good reputation” have been slammed down recently? This is another thread actually we could discuss about.
How many Dollars/Euros or whatever currency have been paid for long courses “en-situ” and are now looked upon with doubt? So where is the sense?
PEOPLE STOP ARGUING - JUST DO YOUR YOGA!!! That’s what we have all in common and it is not important how when or where. Yoga is fantastic so it is a shame to read so many ugly things here.
Try to be the best person you can be! Try to give this positivity on to other people - whether they are your students or not!
It is sooo sad that we are all here together, we love yoga but argue about it. Why should someone decide to become a yoga online-teacher (so to say) if he / she is not spiritual for example? One could become a Pilates or Aerobic teacher. If we decide for the path of Yoga it is because we have found “something” that yoga gives us and we want to give it on. Whether online, outline offline … times and tools change as I said and it is fantastic that I sit in Spain (I am German btw) and can participate in this Forum.
Thanks God, or Prana, everyone has the chance to learn via Internet, being informed etc. Come down your mountain, open yourselves and be “open minded” as yoga teaches us!
I love yoga, I love it’s philosophy and I saw many teachers who made their diploma in a Yoga Center and I do not like the way they teach, how they are what they represent.
It is in YOU! You must make the development inside yourself and this development cannot be made in a Center or online. It is a private journey.
BTW and last thing after my almost book: there are so many 4-weeks courses in India, Thailand wherever. Do you think you learn so much more paying thousands of Dollars in a month than online at home??? But then you are a YA member. Doesn’t make a sense!
BE YOGA!
Om Shanti, Namast? my friends
In regards to Aura Wellness Center, they ARE listed as a Yoga Alliance accredited school, look it up on the YA website. This may apply only to CEU’s, however, I think it is an important factor to take into account. Also, I want to point out that I earned my certification through a worldwide, YA certified program. I traveled to one of their locations to attend in person, and I feel that the training was somewhat lacking. It felt like we were just there as a formality, as though attendance were enough. There was at least one girl there who was clueless about yoga, even at the end of the training, yet she received her certification like the rest of us-with the intention of working with the elderly!!! Vinyasa for the elderly…taught by a teacher lacking the ability to achieve healthy form herself.
Overall, the “Yoga Teacher in a Box” is probably more intensive than the “intensive” I had attended, and probably covers more information. Students are also probably tested, which is something that did not happen at my training. As far as “hands on” training, I don’t think that people who have never done yoga generally just wake up one day and say, “ya know what? I think I wanna get me a yoga teacher certification.” I had been doing yoga since eighth grade and became certified when I was thirty-four. I wish I had saved myself some money and gone with an online certification.
[QUOTE=allie;66436]The other thing I have found with The Aura place is that one of the level 1 programs you can study is Power Yoga, Which i really enjoy, but is also not available in NZ. [The Aura Pre/post natal course is a level 2 and is only available to students who have already completed level 1.] I look forward to your responses. Allie[/QUOTE]
The real yoga starts after the achieving the 4th stage in the eight fold path of yoga. Do we really only want to benefit by means of Asanas and restrict yoga to that whereas yoga can offer much more?
You are just paying for a certificate…be mindful that the relationship with a real teacher is key…it is they who transmit the essence of yoga into a ripe student.