Being a member of the Yoga Alliance offers a yoga teacher an internationally respected and acclaimed certification and world-class training with the best techniques. Here’s a lowdown on understanding yoga alliance, the importance of it and how its advantages are attached with a number of lucrative benefits and perks.
“Teaching yoga itself is great karma yoga, because it reconnects people to the source.” ― Amit Ray, Yoga The Science of Well-Being
Yoga is an ancient Indian discipline, which aims to heal and improve physical, mental and spiritual health through a set of holistic practices. As more people have started learning about the health benefits of this comprehensive practice, this ancient discipline is now one of the most popular practices around the world.
But when it comes to teaching yoga and legally taking classes, there are certain formalities involved. For yoga to offer the best results it is important to learn its rightful technique and art. Hence, most people prefer to seek the help of a registered yoga teacher. This is where Yoga Alliance certification comes into the picture.
There are a lot of doubts and questions in the minds of aspiring yoga instructors on whether to be a member of the Yoga Alliance or not. There are several teacher-training courses and programs on offer, which can help you train for your career as a yoga teacher. But before you get yourself a yoga certification, it is important to understand what is Yoga Alliance and what are its perks, to help you decide whether or not it is worth joining.
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The National Yoga Alliance is a regulatory body founded in 1999, which has been formed to set a unified code of standards for yoga instructors, professionals and training programs. There is a number of yoga alliance teacher training programs that are designed to train teachers and instructors to teach various levels of yoga.
It started off as a small group of passionate individuals who were dedicated to the art of yoga and wanted to unify the lovers of this universal practice. As more people started realizing the real depth and immense health benefits of practicing yoga, there began a steady influx of yoga enthusiasts. And within no time, this fledgling institution blossomed into the largest yoga association.
The Yoga Alliance provides a number of training courses, which help a yoga enthusiast learn the art as well as the principles and philosophy behind the practice they are learning. These courses are designed keeping the international yoga education and training standards as recommended for yoga teachers. There are extensive lessons on the various techniques, methodology and practices of yoga.
They also teach, in great details, about the human anatomy and physiology and how every yoga position affects the body and mind. The curriculum is built keeping in mind the specific requirements and methodology a teacher might use to instruct his or her students while training as well as to help overcome the challenges that a yoga instructor might face in the course of his or her career.
The membership of Yoga Alliance is not an easy task as they hold up the highest standards possible and you have to really work hard to bag the accreditation. However, it is a highly prestigious certification that will not only earn you respect, but also plenty of opportunities. In order to get a membership and join a Yoga Alliance Teacher Training course, all applicants have to pay an application fee, which ranges from $50 for teachers to $400 for schools.
Along with that there is a compulsory registration fee and currently, it ranges from $20 to $640, depending on whether it is a single entity, an organization or a school. Once registered, a member simply has to pay a small annual renewal fee to continue being a member and enjoy the benefits and perks that come with it.
If you want a one-word answer for your question – no, you do not have to have a certification or membership of the Yoga Alliance to be able to teach yoga. Having said that, being a member of the Yoga Alliance definitely comes with a few advantages. Not only will highly skilled practitioners who are crème de la crème of the field shall train you, but it will also help you to hone your skills and teaching abilities. Leading you well on the path of being a certified yoga teacher as per world-class standards. In future, you can impart your knowledge using the stellar techniques and methods that you have been trained to use.
You must be asking yourself, should I register with Yoga Alliance? While it is not mandatory to register, there are definitely a number of perks and advantages, which comes with yoga alliance certified position – a definite kick-start to your career and personal growth.
On passing a Yoga Alliance teachers’ training course you will become a certified yoga instructor, eligible to conduct classes and teach students of various ages. The training programs are extremely comprehensive and impart extensive education on yoga theory, practices, principles, philosophy and much more. It takes quite a bit of hard work but it offers the best training available.
This is why their programs are held in the highest esteem globally. The Alliance Registry Mark is globally recognized and internationally respected for its top-of-the-line standards. It will definitely offer you an edge over other candidates, not only in the USA but also in most countries across the world as the certificate is held in high regard.
All members of the Yoga Alliance have a registered profile as a yoga practitioner/instructor, which is created after verification of their registry with the Alliance. This profile is then added to the directory listings, which offers additional visibility to a yoga teacher who has passed the course. Being on the directory listings makes it easier for potential clients to find the contacts and information of the members simply via a simple online search.
Without a directory listing it is still possible to have a viable clientele but you would have to work a little harder and maybe invest a little in marketing to reach out. This additional work and expense is eliminated for registered yoga alliance members, which is an added perk alongside the top-notch training you can get.
When you join a Yoga Alliance program, you not only come out with extensive skills and a certificate to practice and teach yoga, you also become a part of an esteemed organization. This association offers you a prestigious name along with getting access to an exclusive community comprising of some of the best yoga practitioners and instructors all round the world. You will be able to connect, interact and network with a number of top yoga enthusiasts.
Together you can share your tips, views and knowledge on this ancient art and enrich one another. This also helps you stay updated with the happenings around as well as to share the unique challenges and teaching plans to help out different groups of people with their specific needs.
Along with all the training, knowledge and added credibility, membership of the Yoga Alliance offers you an extremely essential insurance benefit, which is of great use in case of emergencies. Yoga is extremely safe and unlike other aggressive methods of working out, the risks of occupational hazards such as accidents, injury, etc with yoga is extremely low.
However, as a member of the Yoga Alliance you will be eligible for exclusive access to their excellent liability yoga alliance insurance. All the members are eligible to be a part of the professional as well as general liability insurance program, which are offered by Alliant Insurance Services at much lower rates. This will help you access some of the best insurance plans without having to shell out a huge sum of money.
Membership to the Yoga Alliance comes with a number of essential legal benefits and perks. As and when needed, all the members are given exclusive access to legal counseling. Legal battles are lengthy, expensive and pretty scary to deal with alone, and sometimes clients tend to be unnecessarily litigious, which can be expensive for teachers who are not under yoga associations.
Being under the umbrella of this institution you get the added security of legal help in case you get into legal trouble. You do not have to stress out over finding a lawyer who understands the specific details of the situation as the Alliance will help and guide you in the right direction for your particular case. This offers a certain degree of safety to your career, as you will not be easily threatened with the prospect of a lawsuit.
With your yoga alliance certification, you will receive your free registration to a range of online workshops and informative study groups. In order to keep its members updated with the latest techniques, studies, and art, the Yoga Alliance organizes a number of online workshops throughout the year.
They are conducted by some of the most revered yogis who are at the helm of their field. In these workshops, members are taught about the new researches and studies and are assisted with the doubts regarding techniques and philosophies. This is quite useful to gain an edge and stay up-to-date and learn something new to enhance your lessons. These workshops are provided to all the members of the Yoga Alliance absolutely free of cost to help encourage them to learn more while enlightening them on the unique challenges that they might face as a yoga teacher.
As a member of the Yoga Alliance, you get access to all the latest and exclusive publications, which are available on the Yoga Alliance website for all registered members. They also help supply with some of the necessary resources and reading materials for both, advanced stages of yoga and its everyday, practical usage. You will also get speedy access to a comprehensive Index on all the available Yoga Research.
It is of great help if you are planning in getting yourself an additional degree or even a higher study or research on Yoga. If you are not even planning on doing extensive research but you like to keep up with the news you can access the latest issue of the Yoga Alliance monthly newsletter, Yoga Insider.
Along with all the professional benefits and help, you, as a member also get access to a ton of fun and exciting stuff, and special discounts. There are several offers and discounts, which are provided exclusively to the members of the Yoga Alliance. These discounts are applicable at various stores; popular and quality apparel brands; crystals; essential oils and so much more.
Not only that, if you are planning to go for further training and education, you will also get some amazing discounts, which will make it easier for you to aim for advanced degrees. You also get some appealing travel opportunities as well. As a member of the Yoga Alliance, you get to enjoy exclusive options to travel for yoga and spread your knowledge to more people.
So, in a Nutshell…
Being a member of the Yoga Alliance is a highly admired and prestigious position. While the membership charges and renewal costs often seem a little daunting, especially if you are new in the field, the benefits that come with these training programs are definitely worth every penny. It comes with not only a certificate, which is held in high esteem across the globe, but also with so many aforementioned additional perks.
While it is definitely possible to teach yoga without one, being certified ensures that you hold up the highest standards in teaching and training the art of yoga. It can certainly help you to make a real difference in the lives of your students. Moreover, with additional exposure, you will see your career growing rapidly!
