The perfect “next step” in understanding the philosophy of yoga, is a yoga training course. Progressing beyond a purely physical practice requires a greater understanding of its chronology. To teach yoga as a profession, a recognised qualification is essential in order to get insurance and gain employment.
Your absolute goal is to teach professional yoga classes. It is important that the course you choose fits into your existing lifestyle. In order for you to complete it successfully, it must not cause too much disruption to your work life balance. You may have to forsake your next holiday in order to live your dream but it will be worth it once you are a fully qualified yoga teacher.
Although the roots of yoga span several decades and many people perceive authentic yoga to follow a traditional practice, it is important to be mindful of its evolution. A modern audience may be reticent to throw themselves into the more esoteric aspects of yoga preferring a purely physical practice. A good instructor provides a gateway into yoga for everyone and anyone with interest.
Sometimes we all need ergogenic aids to help us fit in or segway into areas that are new and different. We live in a society where possessions are #1, most people have their own mats, sports watches to count steps, calories and tell us how we sleep, the list is endless. As teachers we also need tools to give us a boost and make our job easier.
Here are a few of the things that have made my life easier this year.
If I have 1 regret from my years of teaching, it is that I did not cancel enough classes. My loyalty to the people who came was personal not professional and they would have continued to come, even and perhaps especially if I had been more business like in my class planning. My loyalty to the clubs where I taught was never reciprocated or rewarded, it was expected and that is a massive ask! Sometimes we have nothing to give and at these times we should be able to recoup and relax. You may throw in the need to earn money at this point, but in all honesty, if you do this job well, with planning and some percentage of a business mind, your days away from teaching should not impact your overall income.
Everything needs an outcome and this is it. We are on the cusp of another change in the industry. The large operators are severely challenged by both budget and boutiques. The blanket approach is not pulling in people any more as the end user is tired of mass produced concepts and can afford to be more selective and daring in their exercise choices. They can run for free in the park and pay up to £20 for hot yoga, join a cross fit box, exercise on line – ultimately they have so much more choice.