So, you’ve been doing yoga for awhile. You like it. Maybe it would be cool to teach it to others. Should you become a yoga teacher? Should you do a yoga teacher training?
This is a personal question that only you can answer, but lately I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit.
When I became a yoga teacher in 2007, I knew the time was right. I had been a fitness instructor since 2002, I had been practicing yoga somewhat regularly for several years, I was getting curious about a lot of the benefits I’d been experiencing via yoga, I had so many yoga questions, and it felt like the perfect fit for me. I was ready. I trusted the process as I chose a training program, and I went for it.
If you’re starting to wonder if you should do a yoga teacher training, here are a few things to think about:
Why do you want to do it?
Becoming a teacher isn’t the only reason to do a yoga teacher training program. In my 200-hour training, probably half of the students had no intention of becoming teachers. They wanted to study yoga and deepen their practice, and that alone is enough reason to do a YTT. It is a transformative process, and your practice will be greatly enriched with the knowledge you gain in the training.
If you do want to be a teacher…why?
Is it because you want to help people? Because you believe you will make a great teacher?
Is it because your ego is getting the best of you? Because your awesome handstands mean you owe it to your will-be students to share your expertise? Because someone is urging you to take a training? Because you think you’ll make a lot of money?
I think it pays to get honest about why you want to be teacher. All reasons are valid, because they are yours. But in the end, I think it’s detrimental to tell ourselves one thing because it sounds good when what we really want is something else.
Can you commit?
The teacher training process can’t be taken lightly, whether you’re doing it to become a teacher or simply to enrich your own practice. Whether it’s an intensive program like I did and am doing, or a drawn-out program that takes a year to complete, you’ve got to be ready to dedicate the time and the money, sure–but there’s also an energetic commitment that has to be considered. There’s so much to learn and so much space to grow in a YTT. You want to take advantage of that, so you want to be ready to commit fully to the process.
What gave you the idea in the first place?
The yoga industry has changed a lot since I did my 200 hours. Now, many yoga studios offer a training or two every year. Trainings are much more accessible now; you might even be able to do it at the studio where you’ve been practicing.
Because so many yoga studios are staying in business by offering yoga teacher trainings, it occurs to me that a lot of their teacher trainees are probably people who have been going to that studio for awhile. Doesn’t it seem likely that, at some point, a teacher might say, “Hey, you’ve been in my class for two years. You’re super-good at yoga. Have you thought about doing the teacher training that starts next month?”
And if that strikes you as a good idea, great! But if you’ve never thought about taking a training before, and you’re only considering it because someone said you’d be good at it, give it some thought before diving in. Is it what you want? What are your expectations upon completing the program?
Also, is it a good program? Just because it’s convenient doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for you. There are lots of things to consider that will help you choose the best YTT for you.
In the end, listen to your gut.
Maybe a teacher trainer did put the idea in your head. Maybe you don’t feel ready. Maybe it’s inconvenient as hell. But if there’s something in you that’s screaming to do it, do it. Maybe the reasons will present themselves as you go along.
Are you thinking of doing a yoga teacher training? What’s your story?