Yoga is a spiritual discipline. It is based on the idea of bringing harmony between the body and mind. The ultimate goal? Traditionally, to experience Truth and discover your true self.
Today, it’s a trending exercise program and spiritual exercise. Depending on the form you practice, yoga can be fast, hot, or slow. It can be powerful or passive.
If you see the benefits in yoga and want to share them with others, then you may want to consider becoming a yoga instructor. Depending on the styles of yoga they teach, instructors come in all types, giving you an opportunity to create a unique practice to better serve the people around you.
Recognizing Your Potential as a Yoga Instructor
If you’re wondering if teaching yoga is a good fit for your future, here are eight signs that you’d be a great yoga instructor for future generations of yogis.
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You’re Passionate About Yoga
One of the first ways to know that you’re going to be an excellent yoga teacher is that you’re passionate about the practice. Although it is great for both the body and the mind, not everyone sees the benefit of yoga. Some prefer other methods of meditation and exercise. However, if you love yoga and love sharing how helpful it can be to your body, mind, and spirit, then this may make you a great teacher.
Signs you’re passionate about yoga include bringing it up in conversation regularly, joining local yoga groups, going to multiple classes a week, and generally appreciating all the benefits that yoga has to offer.
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You Want More from Yoga
Yoga isn’t just physical exercise, it’s also about meditation and the alignment of your body and mind. As a yoga instructor, you will work on postures with your students. You may also talk your students through meditation and guide them as they learn more ways to align the mind, body, and spirit.
You may want more from your yoga practice than what you currently get as a student of another yoga instructor. Perhaps you want to open a series of yoga studios that focus on specific techniques for people with disabilities or those with certain medical conditions.
Maybe you’d like to teach children or families the power yoga can have in their lives. Perhaps you’re focused on hot yoga, or you prefer a more medical approach. Whatever it is, if you want to get more out of yoga than just taking classes from others, becoming a yoga teacher may be right for you.
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You Want to Meet Like-Minded People
One of the best ways to surround yourself with like-minded people throughout your life is to join groups of people doing the same things together. As a yoga teacher, you’re creating a space for like-minded people to come together and enjoy yoga. While you may not always meet people who think about your practice in the same way you do, you are likely to meet many people who share your enthusiasm for yoga as well as your joy when you teach and practice it.
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You Want Others to Feel the Benefits of Yoga
Yoga can help make you more flexible, reduce stress, and clear your mind. As a yoga teacher, you’re able to pass on what you’ve learned about yoga to the students in your classes. If you want others to feel the benefits of yoga, what better way to share your experiences than to complete your yoga teacher training? People will appreciate that you have a real passion for what you’re teaching. They will want to experience for themselves the real benefits of realigning their bodies and minds.
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Yoga Has Helped You a Great Deal
Whether it’s from chronic pain over the years or because of mental health concerns, you may have begun your yoga practice to know yourself better and resolve health problems. If you have benefited from yoga, then that’s a great reason to pursue your teacher training to help others, too. There is no better way to help others than to share your success story and guide them on their own journeys. Explain your personal experience and success with yoga and what you’ve learned. You may find that others are now going through similar situations. Yoga could be helpful to them in the same way it was for you.
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You Enjoy Learning
Yoga is a growing practice, which means that there is never a day when you stop learning. There are always new postures and movements to discover. You may learn adaptive techniques to help people who cannot stretch in a certain way or who have trouble meditating in a shared space.
If you love learning new styles of yoga as well as spending time with others in the pursuit of yoga, then you’ll enjoy being a teacher.
Below are nine popular styles of yoga to learn and master:
- Yin yoga
- Anusara yoga
- Kundalini yoga
- Jivamukti yoga
- Hatha yoga
- Vinyasa flow
- Iyengar yoga
- Bikram yoga
- Ashtanga yoga
Each of these disciplines offers something special, and each may be more suitable than others depending on the situation. For example, Ashtanga yoga is very popular and is better known as “Power yoga,” because it is a more contemporary, movement-based practice. Bikram yoga is also commonly practiced; it takes place in a room typically heated at around 104-degrees Fahrenheit with added humidity. The heat is intended to help the students sweat more. Asanas are practiced with your breath. There are 26 different asanas to learn.
If you love learning new ways to express yourself through yoga from other instructors, your training experience to become a teacher could reap even greater rewards.
If you think a career in holistic medicine is something you would like to pursue, contact us and speak to an admissions representative to get started on your new journey!
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You Enjoy Teaching
Before you jump on board and decide to teach, one thing you should ask yourself is if you actually enjoy teaching. Teaching is different from practicing with others who already know what to do. You will need to be patient. You may not actually get to practice asanas yourself as much as you normally do, since you’ll be walking around the room to help others maintain correct alignment and ensure your clients are in physically safe positions.
Some people may require more assistance while learning new techniques. Depending on who you work with, they may need assistive devices or personal support to hold poses that are new to them. You might also have to show different asanas more than once, and transitions might be difficult for students who are new to the practice.
Teaching isn’t for everyone, so think about how you would respond to someone who is a slow learner or someone who doesn’t take yoga as seriously as you. Would you be patient and help them learn or discuss problems in your yoga classes?
If interested, how would you feel about handling the cost of running a studio? Are you business-minded? Do you want to take continuing yoga education? Will you feel burnt out if you work several hours a day teaching classes?
These are all issues that may arise, so consider them carefully before you decide to teach.
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You Want to Make a Big Life Change
Finally, if you want to make a big life change, then teaching yoga may be right for you. Yoga, by nature, is a calmer practice and gives you time to reflect on yourself and your life. The nice thing about yoga is that you can practice it almost anywhere. You don’t have to be in a studio. You could host a yoga practice outside in a park or inside a studio on a hot day. It’s up to you to decide how you teach, the kind of yoga you focus on, and even the people you surround yourself with.
This is a major life change for most people, especially those who are coming from busy industries and high-stress jobs. Focusing on your mental, physical, and spiritual health may help you get in touch with your own body and mind, which is one of the benefits of starting your own yoga practice.
Conclusion: Embarking on the Journey of Yoga Instruction
Yoga can be a great way to get healthy and may be an excellent way for you to make a career teaching something you enjoy. If you are interested in learning more about the yoga teacher training program offered at Pacific College of Health and Science, visit admissions or contact us today.
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