Yoga certification (news article)

The truth about yoga certification

I periodically get asked by students (rather shyly, as if they are not worthy) about how to become a yoga instructor. Usually, I can sense who would become a future teacher, and am not surprised by the request, and try to reassure him or her that it's not a question that should cause them self-doubt, but one in which they should be applauded for even entertaining.

Often, I hear people (and sometimes fellow teachers) saying, "Well, in order to become a teacher, you need to be registered with XYZ organization, certified through ABC and then after yada yada yada, then you are qualified to teach."

Wait...Hold the phone...Rewind.

Yoga is not a licensed practice like massage or physical therapy. The entire premise of yoga centers around non-judgment and acceptance, so how can it now put a label upon what it means to be qualified or not qualified?

While I would not recommend it (for ethical reasons), technically, a student could take a single yoga class and decide they want to teach their own brand of yoga tomorrow. Will they be insured? No. Can they teach legally? Yes.

Another sentence I hear all the time is, "Well, I went through an intensive teacher training with Swami such-and-such for a year in [insert remote locale], while most teachers only go through a weekend certification." Here is my question to that person: "Did you study yoga prior to your intensive training, and are you certain that 'most teacher's' weekend certification involved training at all? Or, did they first study yoga for years, and then simply go in for a 48-hour test?" One person may have had no prior yoga experience, and sign up for a year (like one might enroll in college), studying philosophy, practice, contraindications, physiology, etc., prior to a final exam. Another may have walked into a certification after years of training, well-prepared, only to take that final exam. It is difficult to say if one is better then another, without taking the entire background of the student into consideration, as well as that of the instructor offering the training.

So, if there is no licensing, and if there is no defined lines regarding certification, what do you do? It would seem to be that there needs to be some standard to differentiate between qualifications and levels of experience, particularly with new students who may not know enough yoga to be able to tell a good teacher from a bad.

It is very subjective, though I like to believe that in practicing Ahimsa (non-injury and kind action) to others, a teacher-to-be will take into consideration the needs of the student, and prepare him or herself appropriately.

Do I think yoga should be standardized? No, that goes against the very nature of yoga.

Here is what I would offer - as a general guideline - however:
1) I would recommend that a future teacher study yoga for a minimum of two years prior to being trained to teach, or have the equivalent (i.e. a year of yoga and a year or two of a related discipline like martial arts, dance or physical therapy training). In that time, I would also suggest exploring different branches of yoga under that umbrella of "Hatha" (i.e. Kripalu, Ashtanga, Kundalini, etc.) to make sure he or she has a foundation into the family of yoga most appropriate for him or her (and - of course - add from there).

2) I would suggest certification vs. simply training with a guru, even though certifications are very different, because it will not only help establish credibility and some reference within the community, but it is necessary for liability insurance (which most studios require). The length varies depending upon prior training. Ideally, I would suggest a minimum of two years of study followed by a minimum week-long intensive teacher training and certification.

3) Supplement that certification with annual refreshers involving teacher exchanges (where teachers meet to teach each other), classes, study and workshops.

Again, I'm not suggesting there is one way to prepare oneself for becoming a teacher (until that time when yoga is a licensed practice), nor am I taking training lightly. I am letting future instructors understand what is and what is not "law", so that he or she can make appropriate decisions about how to proceed, and what they might take into consideration when exploring the path from student to teacher.