You have just completed your 200-hour Teacher Training and received your certificate. You are officially a Yoga instructor, and you can’t wait to hit the ground running (or sun saluting as it may be). Before you leap into becoming a Full-Time Yoga instructor, I want to pass along some of the lessons things (i.e. Brutal Truth) I wish I had learned sooner.
Blunt Truth About Becoming a Yoga Instructor
1. Yoga is more than asanas. The 8 Limbs of Yoga
Many practitioners have a devoted asana practice but neglect the holistic view of what yoga encompasses. There are actually eight limbs to yoga, and flowing through downward dog and triangle pose is just one little aspect.
- Yama: universal morality
- Niyama: Personal observances
- Asanas: Body postures
- Pranayama: Breathing exercises and control of prana, life force energy
- Pratyahara: Control of the senses
- Dharana: concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness
- Dhyana: devotion, a meditation on the Divine
- Samadhi: Union with the Divine
2. Your mission is to shed light for students, not to master
The best yoga instructor lives their yoga practices on and off the mat. Are you in the right headspace to take on teacher training? Applying the eight limbs of yoga to your life is an essential step toward instructing others. Students will see right through fake “yoga bliss” or personal motives. No one wants to spot their seemingly enlightened teacher making rude comments on the street or pulling into the nearest pro-GMO fast food joint. No one is perfect; it’s all about balance. However, our true selves will shine through to our students, and that is what they will mirror. Make sure your feet are on the ground before you teach others your habits.
It is your responsibility to put your best self forward.
3. Master the subject before producing masters
Of course, your ultimate aim is to create intelligent yogic minds while teaching Yoga. Yet, it may not be possible without your complete immersion into the science of Yoga. First, you have to become a good student before you aspire to take the place of your teacher. Follow the teachings of Yoga as deep as possible. Include the exercises of Yoga in your daily life to become fully accustomed to the spiritual discipline.
4. Teaching Yoga is all about confidence and being bold
A Yoga instructor is a leader having the responsibility to lead his students towards yogic success. In addition to knowing yogic exercises, one must improve his confidence. If your words don’t weigh them, you won’t be able to win the confidence of your students. While attending the Yoga training program, try to boost self-belief.
5. Find your own style
The Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Indian yoga text, states that it is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection. To keep students coming back, you need to be you! Have something special that sets you apart. Think about your favorite instructor. Why do you like her? What qualities make you consistently return to her? Like an artist in training who learns to reproduce exact replications of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, beginning yoga instructors can copy a master instructor they admire. However, there comes a point when you will need to tap into your own creative consciousness and bring forth your own style in your teaching.
6. You are a brand, promote yourself
You have to get comfortable with self-promotion because you are your business. If someone asks you what you do, I hope you are comfortable sharing more than “I teach yoga”. This is your time to tell them about what you offer, if you have a Niche, maybe why you love Yoga, maybe how you started, ask them if they’ve tried Yoga, promote your website, hand them a business card. Again, there are a lot of Yoga teachers out there, but there is only one YOU. So if someone connects with you in conversation, when they want to attend a class they may remember that connection and come to your class! If you are teaching for a studio, you may be the most wonderful teacher in the world. But if no one is showing up to your classes, the studio won’t keep that class running because it won’t be making them any money.
7. To get paid by teaching yoga, remember the 20/80 rule
Most teacher training will take your money no matter who you are. Anyone who pays can get a certification, but not everyone will become a successful instructor. To be a success, you need 20 percent facts—earning a yoga teacher certification—and 80 percent business savvy. One of the biggest obstacles for yoga instructors is consistent attendance. Have you thought about how you would market your classes? Are you tech-savvy? Do you know how to make a website, flyers, and posters? How will you get students to your class?
How will you keep them coming back?
8. Be smart about your finances
Pay attention to the economic reality of being a yoga instructor. You will be making an initial investment of upwards of $3,000 for your teacher training. If you opt to teach at someone else’s studio, make sure you understand its payment process. Some studios pay a flat rate per class, some pay per student and some are donation-based. Does the studio advertise? Does it offer health insurance? Opening your own studio is a huge investment that could take years to recoup.
Becoming a yoga instructor is a rewarding journey and not for everyone
CLICK HERE For More Course Inclusions and Our June Main Event
