Who Would Take an Online Yoga Instructor's Course and Certification Program?

Experienced Yoga practitioners make up the largest number of graduates, who pursue Yoga instructor certification online. Some of these Yoga teacher interns have decades of experience. This is followed by Yoga instructors who have been teaching Yoga for years, but who do not have a Yoga instructor certification.

How is it possible for someone not to have certification, and still be a teacher, training his, or her, students in Yoga? Until recently, many traditional Yoga teachers did not have a formal certification, or diploma, "to hang on the wall."

Independent study requires a lot of discipline to follow assignments through. A Hatha Yoga certification home study course is not something a novice would pick up and easily grasp. The many aspects of mantras, chakras, mudras, bandhas, doshas, Yamas, and Niyamas, without a foundation of Yoga practice, would be difficult for a beginner to understand without guidance.

Therefore, aspiring Yoga instructors, who choose an online Yoga instructor's course and certification program, are, most often, self starters. Many people who take courses for Yoga certification online are working moms and dads.

On-site certification programs, which enable a person to start teaching Yoga, may require that person to be away from their family for weeks, months, or years. Some countries have very little Yoga instruction at all. Certification, through online Yoga teacher training courses, can also be a very attractive option for International students.

Recently, I was talking with a Yoga teacher, who explained to me that the nearest Yoga teaching certification, in Ontario, is more than four hours away. Her round trip would be more than eight hours of driving. This commute made a Yoga certification home study course her best option.

Some aspiring Yoga students have the goal of certification as an instructor of Yoga - but at what price? Keeping a family together and raising children responsibly are priorities in life.

Many companies will not understand, if an employee announced to management, that he or she was leaving for an extended period of time to pursue Yoga teacher training certification programs in San Francisco. Unless you already live in the Bay area, holding down a job, and participating in Yoga teacher training certification programs, in San Francisco, may not be an option.

There are many options for Yoga instructor's training courses and certification programs, but the best Yoga certification program is the one that fits your lifestyle. Teaching Yoga is a rewarding past time, but sacrificing your marriage, family, and career, is not good for your well being.

Yoga teachers are like everyone else; they do not live a one dimensional life. You do not have to give up your identity in order to become a certified Yoga instructor.

© Copyright 2006 - 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

Ayurveda Yoga Teacher Training Program

The ancient science of Ayurveda and Yoga offer the knowledge and wisdom to individuals to live in complete holistic health. When combined together for the prevention and treatment they compliment conventional medical therapies excellently and can play an invaluable role for healing and rebalancing the physiological, energetic, and psychological patterns that underlie its development.

Ayurveda- Ayurveda is the ancient art of healing; originating in India it has been in practice for over thousands of years. Ayurveda aims to integrate and balance the body, mind, and spirit. This balance is believed to lead to contentment and health, and to help prevent illness. According to Ayurveda all the ailments and sufferings are due to the disharmony and disequilibrium of the doshas.

Ayurveda views a person as a unique individual made up of five primary elements. The elements are ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth. When any of these elements are present in the environment, they will in turn have an influence on us. These primary elements combine to create various physiological functions.

Ether and air combine to form what is known in Ayurveda as the Vata dosha.

Fire and water are the elements that combine to form the Pitta dosha.

The water and earth elements combine to form the Kapha dosha.

According to Auyurveda we are all made up of unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. These ratios of the doshas vary in each individual; and because of this, Ayurveda sees each person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity.

Yoga-Yoga's history has many places of anonymity and ambiguity due to its oral transmission of sacred texts and the secretive nature of its teachings. But the roots of Yoga can be traced back to more than 5000 years.

Literally meaning union, yoga seeks to unite the individual soul with the Universal Soul not through any religious rites but through a sustained effort to control one's mental and physical faculties.

Yoga is about creating balance in the body through developing both strength and flexibility. This is done through the performance of poses or postures, each of which has specific physical benefits. The poses can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the pose.

Physically yoga helps in cleansing the body of toxins, muscle toning, improving blood circulation, correct body posture and the like, at the intellectual level it is said to help the practitioner transcend the unrealities of a worldly life and be in communion with the Supreme Being.

The Relationship Between Ayurveda and Yoga

Yoga and Ayurveda are two paths intertwined in a close relationship. Ayurveda, which means "knowledge of life," is the ancient art and science of keeping the body and mind balanced and healthy. Yoga is the ancient art and science of preparing the body and mind for the eventual liberation and enlightenment of the soul.

Ayurveda and Yoga have their origin in the Vedas, and thus share the same fundamental philosophical aims. Ayurveda's predominant current aim is the treatment of disease, whilst Yoga has aimed at spiritual development. For communities following these lifestyles, the diet and lifestyle regimen propounded by Ayurveda was, and to some extent still is, the foundation for an all round sense of well-being. Yoga too was traditionally practiced in the context of an Ayurveda lifestyle. Besides sharing a philosophical foundation, both systems have many similarities in relation to attitude, nutrition, diet, hygiene, exercise, cleansing practices, as well as spiritual practices.

Ayurveda and yoga not only complement each other but both sciences actually embrace each other as they share similarities and fundamental principles on many levels. Ayurveda and yoga should go together to achieve optimal health, peace, and longevity.

Training Programs-Ayurveda yoga teacher training Programs consist of

A study of the building blocks of yoga: asana, pranayama, pratyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation) along with the study of Yoga Sutras.

Learning and developing the ability to concentrate and stilling of the mind through meditative practices

Knowledge of how to use Yoga & Ayurveda for symptoms of "disease", chronic illness, injury as well as psychological states

In-depth study of the healing art of Ayurveda

Adjustments to the more subtle mental and spiritual energies utilize tools such as yoga, meditation, and mantra.

Focuses on diet, daily routines, the use of herbs, and natural cleansing protocols

Approach to intention, intuitive awareness, attentiveness to energy, and yogic stances and breathing

The principles and practices of massage therapy, develop an authentic healing presence

Ashish Bhattacharya is an exponent of Destination Spa Mauritius gives expert advice on yoga,ayurveda and is specialist in Ayurvedic Spa Mauritius.

How to Include Yoga in Your Diet Program

Yoga at last is coming into its own in the Western world. After many years of being dismissed as a bizarre activity attractive only to eccentrics, it is today recognized as an art and skill. When one mentions the term "yoga" people conjure up different images, from impossible poses to mystiques and yogis. Whatever the image, it is mostly considered irrelevant to our wellbeing, and even more so to our diet. Here I would like to argue that yoga is beneficial to your diet because of three major reasons.

#1 Yoga promotes health and fitness

Yoga is basically a series of physical exercises. The physical aspect of yoga promotes both flexibility and strength along with cardiovascular health. Being an old practice, Yoga has branched into many different sorts and types, Each promotes different muscle groups. Various yoga positions exercise the different tendons and ligaments of the body. For example, the "Tree Pose" (or: "Vriksha Asana") works on your thighs, calves, ankles, and spine. It improves sense of balance and Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders. Even though it is not a natural calorie burning sports, it can be done in ways that will definitely help you burn fat. But most importantly, yoga will help you change your overall lifestyle and thus help you reach your weight loss goal.

#2 Yoga reduces stress and enhances well being

Our fast world can be exciting, but it can also be very demanding. Eventually, this high pace of living takes it's price in the form of stress. I've talked on other eBooks what are the dangers of stress: it impairs your judgment and enhances the chance of emotional eating, that is because stress induces automatic processes in our brain. In simple terms, while stressed your mind will try to sooth itself in the simplest way possible, for most of us that includes eating. Exercising yoga on a regular basis under the right guidance will reduce stress levels. Taking this time for yourself, slowing things down every once and a while will help you buffer some of the rush and keep you more focused on your diet.

#3 Yoga increases self awareness

Most yoga practices, preformed in a certain way, have a meditative aspect to it. Meditation is a spiritual endeavor: it enhances the ability for self reflection as well as emotional regulation. It makes you more aware to mind-body connections. By practicing yoga you can enhance your body awareness which will improve your diet. Practicing yoga will also increase your self control, which is a prominent part of dieting. Self awareness to your cravings, the reasons behind them and how best to deal with them will make your dieting experience much easier, as well as other aspects of your life. I hope I helped you understand why yoga is good for you. I recommend you to consider adding yoga to your overall weight loss program.

Go to a local gym or even try to look it up online: there are plenty of good books for to read if you want to begin practicing.

And don't worry, yoga can be practiced no matter your age or body structure.

Click Here to find out what's wrong with your diet

Click Here to use your mind and make your diet easier

Good luck,

David H. Mason