Fit and Youthful Life

Guest Author: Paul M. Jerard Jr.


If you are a Yoga teacher, or thinking about becoming a Yoga teacher, the concepts contained within this series will save you money and, potentially, earn you a lot more money. How much money you want to earn as a Yoga teacher, is up to you. If you are willing to put in your time, marketing your Yoga teaching skills, the sky is the limit. None of us has to teach Yoga; we choose to teach Yoga because we love it and know the many rewards of steady Yoga practice.

That is why I pass on Yoga Business and Marketing information to my Yoga teacher interns, friends, peers, Yoga coaching clients, and competitors. Many great Yoga teachers are guilty of unwise business decisions, and desperately scratch out a living, without the proper business skills.

Speaking of Yoga business competitors, you would be better off to network with other local Yoga teachers. Some of the neighboring Yoga studios, in Providence, RI, refer prospective Yoga students to me, and I do the same for them. You can’t fill every Yoga niche and do you want to really try? Even McDonald’s has a limit on the menu and we can all learn from this. Better to do one or a few things very well, than do nothing well at all.

“Yoga Business” – Is this an Oxymoron, a Conflict of Interest, or Blasphemy? Do you feel guilty taking a Yoga students’ money? Why should you? What do your Yoga students expect you to live on? Would you feel bad paying for scuba lessons, skiing instruction, golf instruction, or a day with a fishing guide?

Of course not – because these instructors put in the time, practicing a skill, and are worth the money you pay them. If you have Yoga students who do not appreciate your skills in the same way – refuse to teach Yoga to them. You put in 200 or 500 hours of Yoga teacher training, worked on refining each aspect of teaching Yoga, and invested years of training as a Yoga student before that.

Yoga instructors deserve to be paid well. Continuing education courses for Yoga teachers, Yoga retreats, workshops, Yoga teacher seminars, books, Yoga correspondence courses for instructors, and Yoga videos are rarely free. If you join a local Yoga teacher association, or decide to become a registered Yoga teacher, that’s not free either.

So, where does all this guilt about taking money for your Yoga teaching services come from? It comes from being a “giver.” Yoga teachers are some of the biggest givers I have ever met. Which is nice, and restores my faith in humanity, but Yoga teachers are also supposed to be a living example of quality life. You cannot support your family, pay your rent, eat properly, or receive medical care by teaching Yoga for free.

© Copyright 2006 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Guest Author: anonymous


Most of the time, prospective Yoga teachers have a very strong foundation in Yoga; but sometimes, they originally come from a related-field, such as Martial Arts, Pilates, Dance, Gymnastics, or Fitness. This is fine, but be prepared for a “learning curve” and do not expect to learn all about Yoga in one Yoga teacher training intensive course. Even if you “lock yourself up” in an ashram for months, you should realize that learning Yoga is a life-long journey and not a race.

Now, if you come from a related field – you have a lot more mental work to do than a long-time student of Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a physical form of Yoga, but being athletic is not as important as the knowledge a Yoga teacher should possess. So, what should you know in order to become a Yoga teacher? Below is a list of what a Hatha Yoga teacher should know in order to successfully teach Yoga classes.

Anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology should always be covered during a Yoga teacher training session. Yoga student safety is especially an important issue for those who will be teaching Yoga. Students are always physically different, and Hatha Yoga practice can be made to adapt to anyone – regardless of age or physical ability. Anyone who desires to teach Yoga should have a complete understanding of how the physical body works.

Asanas are the postures held during Yoga practice. Hatha Yoga teachers do not have to know hundreds of Asanas to teach a Yoga class, but they should be very familiar with 26 to 100 different Yoga postures – depending upon the style of Yoga. Yoga teachers should be able to design a lesson plan using these postures, their variations, and the many other aspects of Hatha Yoga teaching.

Yoga teachers should know how to give Asana modifications to their students. Sometimes, this could be advising a Yoga student to use a block, strap, bolster, chair, ball, blanket, or any other prop for proper alignment and safety. Other times, this might be giving a Yoga student an alternative variation of an Asana.

Yoga teachers should be familiar with contraindications for Asanas; which are cautions that can be related to a specific Yoga posture. This is very important when working with Yoga students who are pregnant, have high blood pressure, or have a specific ailment.

Yoga teachers should take the time to be familiar with each student and his or her particular health condition. This means researching health conditions that Yoga students have and staying on top of your own continuing education. After becoming familiar with an ailment; learn how you can help, but never give medical advice.

No Yoga teacher should ever put a student at risk. The body of a Yoga student cannot be forced into a position that a Yoga teacher feels is correct. Instead, the body is gently guided to its natural limits, without pain and little discomfort.

Copyright 2007 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Guest Author: anonymous


Yogic Methodology: When thinking about Yogic Methodology, there are two kinds that come to mind. One is the application of Yoga techniques to daily life, and the other is Yoga teaching methodology. Competent Yoga teachers should thoroughly know both.

When considering the application of Hatha Yoga techniques to daily life, we know that Yoga will change a student’s health for the best and improve his or her lifestyle, but it must be gradual. The mind, body, and spirit will not change much in a month, but a year of regular Hatha Yoga practice will yield some significant health changes.

How many Yoga students want an instant life change? Too many – and this is why we should not make unrealistic promises. It is up to the Yoga student to take action, come to classes regularly, and practice what you have taught in your Hatha Yoga classes. It is up to the Hatha Yoga teacher to fill the student’s mind with knowledge and encouragement.

If it took decades of neglect for a new student to achieve poor health, how can he or she expect a little bit of Hatha Yoga practice to perform miracles? Every aspect of a student’s health will be changed for the better by regular Yoga practice; but this is an “on demand” world, where some people are willing to risk the side-effects of a pill rather than take positive action toward better health.

The natural effects of regular exercise, proper breathing, better posture, improved diet, and self-discipline will result in a Yoga student who is less stressed, has fewer ailments, lives longer, and sleeps better.

When a Yoga student continues to make Hatha Yoga classes a part of his or her life for years – the true value of good health will be felt and seen. This same student will most likely practice Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga or other forms of Yoga “down the road.” The benefits of Yoga, in any form, will cause a student to go deeper into his or her personal Yoga practice.

Yoga teaching methodology is how a teacher reaches out to the audience – through the use of teaching, communication, or observation methods.

Student corrections, in regard to Yoga techniques, should be straight to the point; but every Yoga teacher should take care to be tactful in the process. Yoga students come to you for guidance, so keep your ego “in check.” A few “rogue” Yoga teachers, who are gruff and condescending, can ruin any student’s desire to continue practicing Yoga.

What are the qualities of a good Yoga teacher? There are many, but being able to spot students in need, and still show compassion, is very important. Being able to teach any student is another strong trait. The realization that each Yoga student is uniquely different from each other, and cannot be “cloned,” is a milestone in teaching.

Demonstrating and correcting Yoga techniques is only part of the job when teaching Yoga classes. A successful Yoga teacher must communicate with all students throughout the class, and keep the passion for Yoga going.

Copyright 2007 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications



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