The Purpose of Yoga- Choosing a Yoga Teacher and a Yoga School

Choosing the right Yoga teacher, and a compatible Yoga style, is more complicated than most people realize. Most Yoga students should first research through the many Yoga styles available, in their local area, to determine which will best suit their needs.

There are many to choose from, when you consider there are nine main Yoga styles from India. These nine main styles are: Bhakti, Raja, Karma, Jnana, Hatha, Kundalini, Tantra, Yantra, and Mantra Yoga. Each of these Yoga styles places different emphasis on the methods for union of mind, body, emotion, and spirit. There are also many hundreds of sub-styles of these forms of Yoga.

Outside of India, Hatha Yoga, and its many sub-styles, is most commonly seen. With all of this in mind, researching the prospective style is very important. You should learn and compare local styles of Yoga, which are available to you.

Then you should consider which of the following is the most important health aspect - Is it mental, physical, emotional, spiritual health, or a combination of them? All of us do not have the same needs.

For example: If you are in search of relief from stress, you might not be looking for "Boot Camp Yoga," complete with a "drill sergeant" to bark out commands and insults for you to "shape up or ship out." Yet, some people love Yoga boot camps for the feelings of accomplishment and empowerment, which carry over into everyday life.

With that said, if you are looking for a "Yoga workout," a class that focuses on meditation may not suit your needs. The many benefits of meditation cannot be realized by a closed mind. You cannot force yourself to meditate and neither can your Yoga teacher.

You can, at least, try to meditate, but if you are not receptive to it, you may be best to try a physical style or take a Pilates class. This is not meant to speak ill of physical styles, or Pilates, but it brings to mind a saying - "You can't teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of time and it annoys the pig." So, why bother wasting time? Find a Yoga style, which fulfills your needs, and enjoy your life.

If you are searching for a Yoga exercise class, Hatha styles, such as Bikram, Vinyasa, Power, and Hot Yoga, may be just what you are looking for. Ashtanga is also physically challenging, however, Ashtanga is the Sanskrit word for "eight limbs," and is a form of Yoga described by Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras. Ashtanga is sometimes called, "Raja" Yoga, which is one of the nine main Indian Yoga styles.

Now - let's say you are middle aged, or older - have been inactive for a while -possibly have some physical limitations - and you are searching for a Yoga style to help you get the most out of life. In this case, the gentler Hatha Yoga sub- styles, such as Restorative, Iyengar, Kripalu, and Chair Yoga, will help you age more gracefully.

Lastly, there is a form of Yoga for everyone, of any age, but you want to research, educate yourself, try it out, and find the Yoga teacher who is suitable for you.

© Copyright 2007 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.riyoga.com He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. To receive a Free e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Tips For Choosing Yoga Training Courses

Yoga in Western countries may have started life as a something of a hippy niche, but over the last 20 years, it has entered the mainstream at a phenomenal rate. With this popularization of an ancient Indian tradition, there has been a huge growth in organizations offering yoga teacher training. Gone are the days when students had to travel to India to gain qualifications. But the plethora of courses has created its' own problems - not least in the question of quality and whether a course is recognized by the appropriate local and international associations. The prospective student must also ask themselves a number of important questions, the most fundamental of which is the type of yoga they wish to be trained in. But also, the wider question of what direction they wish to take their training in once completed. This article will address all of these points, and help provide a framework with which students may better choose amongst the many courses offered.

There are more styles of yoga available today than there has possibly been ever. Some represent a continuation of older traditions, that are relatively unchanged. This includes hatha yoga, and styles by Desikachar and Iyengar. Others represent a synthesis of different methods, even whilst being shrouded in mystical origins. For example, some have suggested that Ashtanga yoga is not derived from the yoga Korunta, but from a synthesis of traditions that may have included early acrobatics!

Some styles of yoga are very modern, and evolved more out of an adaptation to the West. Bikram yoga is a good example of this - and perhaps a very extreme one, given that Bikram copyrighted 'his' yoga poses and they way they were taught, despite yoga being essentially in the public domain.

Most people who train as teachers in yoga do so in a discipline that they have been practising already. This does make logical sense, as it's important to be passionate about what you do for a living. There is the additional experience that people will have with a particular style of yoga that no doubt makes it easier than starting from scratch in a different style.

But other issues may come into play when choosing a yoga school. Is the style of yoga you like well supported in your area? Is there sufficient demand for that style? Understanding who these particular styles of yoga appeals to will help later on when you set up your own yoga business, as it will guide your marketing, choice of location, logo, and business identity. It's worth thinking a little bit about these things before you make a time and financial commitment to getting qualified.

Finding out whether your course is accredited nationally and internationally is an important step. There are various governing associations at different levels around the world. For example, in the UK there is the British Wheel Of Yoga. In Australia, the government keeps a list of accredited training courses through the Australian National Training Authority. For a yoga specific association, try the Yoga Teachers Association of Australia. Globally, there is the International Yoga Teachers Association, which is available in many countries. There is also the American Yoga Association, Yoga Scotland, and the European Union Of Yoga.

Each of these organizations may have different standards by which they measure courses. But they do provide a good guideline for selecting providers with a minimum level of professionalism, integrity, and quality. You could look at contacting teachers who have gone through their training to find out what they thought of the course, and perhaps go to a few of their classes to get a feel for what is being taught.

Before going into any course, it's a good idea to have some sense of the bigger picture. For example, are you looking at combining yoga with other healing modalities, such as massage, nutrition, meditation, or some combination of all of these. There are some teaching colleges that integrate yoga with other modalities, both locally and abroad in India. For the sake of continuity, and ease of integration, it may be easier to look at this before any study is actually done. It may prove easier to study with an all-in-one provider who will provide a clearer way to integrate these different aspects of health.

In some ways, this broad integration of yoga with health is more closely aligned with the true nature of yoga, according to some teachers such as Desikachar. But Indian style yoga is not the only one that offers this approach, with the Japanese ki, or Ki yoga often integrated with macrobiotics and shiatsu.

If you're interested in going more deeply into yoga training for your own personal practice, as opposed to a prelude to teaching, studying abroad can be a truly rewarding experience. If you're looking for teaching qualifications, it may be wiser to choose an institution in your own country, at least initially. Because it should be adapted to Western learning styles, the structured environment it provides will be easier to learn in.

Yoga training can be intensely rewarding, and life changing in many ways. Provided you choose a course that is accredited, in a style of teaching you like, and that has good community support, it could be the start of a great new career.

If you'd like to explore the option of studying yoga in an Indian school, click here. If you'd like to read more yoga articles, click here.

Choosing A Yoga School

Yoga is such a familiar term everybody seems to be at home with it. Even those who have not tried it seem so familiar with it because of its good reputation. The health benefits of this exercise are, of course, undeniable. Countless people have proven to themselves how yoga improves their stamina, strength, flexibility and balance. Neither can anyone argue about its effects on a person's psychological well-being. It is known to relieve stress and to allow one to feel more at peace with himself. Indeed, this exercise offers a total package of physical, mental and spiritual health to those who are devoted to it.

If you're only beginning to explore the idea of doing yoga, you can start by getting acquainted with its different branches, the most popular of which include Hatha, Juana, Raja, Bhaki, and Karma. Each one of these follows a different style and can be effectively practiced by people depending on a variety of factors such as their individual's physical health condition and even their personality. You can learn more about these branches through research or you can come to a formal yoga school so you can be advised accordingly by an instructor as to which branch of the discipline is best for you. The instructor will know what to recommend, depending on your current state of health and the risks of injury.

Finding a yoga school is not going to be difficult as you can easily find good options online or you can also ask friends, relatives or colleagues. It's always wise to list down at least three choices of yours and visit these gyms so you can take a look and make comparisons. A very important thing to look into is ventilation. You have to be able to breathe healthy air because you will be relying a lot on deep breaths as you go through the routines. You should also find a place where there will be the least, if any, distractions. The good news is, most gyms offer one or two free classes which you can use to personally experience how they teach and do things. These free classes can also be a very important basis for your comparisons as you choose which gym is the best for you. A gym that offers you a kit before you start can also be a good one. This kit will usually consist of things you'll need to do the moves, such as a mat and yoga blocks.

Most importantly, you should be able to find a gym where you can establish good rapport with your instructor. It is important that you are comfortable with your instructor because, as a beginner, you will be needing more help than anyone who's been taking the class for a long time. That means, unless you're at ease with the person teaching you, your yoga experience may not be as productive as you expect it to be.

Find a yoga training center that you are most comfortable in and confident about, whether you are a beginner or an old-timer seeking a newer approach to the discipline. An instructor must have the necessary yoga certification for you to be assured that you are getting the right instructions and practicing yoga the right way.