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i would like to be a teacher
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zenistaga
Posted 2008-03-17 3:18 PM (#105100)
Subject: i would like to be a teacher


hi, im not a teacher but DREAM to be one! i was just wondering if anyone on here thats a full time yoga instructor can tell me a little about the lifestyle and what they studied in college (im thinking about majoring in religious studies and focusing on the eastern religions because i feel it will go hand in hand with my yoga devotion). i want to work at a retreat center like kripalu but i know i need to deepen my practice more in order to get there. any sort of advice or personal experiences as instructors would be greatly appreciated! thanks alot!
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Posted 2008-03-17 3:44 PM (#105104 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


i'm not a full time teacher (yet) but i still have advice and experience.
i found that to continue my yoga 'career,' dropping out of college was the best decision.
it freed up time for long practices and removed the stress of classes, tests, etc...
are you already in college?
do you need to go to college?
how about a yoga college, or an advanced studies program.
i understand the general expectation of young people is to go to college rather than study yoga, but i find myself working much harder in my personal yoga study than i ever did in college.
blah blah blah
college college college.
it's like if you grow up in the upper-middle class (oh woe is me), you HAVE to go to college.
imho, if you are not yet in college, take a couple years to just live simply and practice, and then use whatever money/loans that were going to pay for college to pay for your teacher training. or cut your losses, drop out, and do the same thing.
oh, get rolfed, too.
xoxox
dhanurasana.

ps-the dream of being a yoga teacher is a far cry from the reality.
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kulkarnn
Posted 2008-03-17 4:01 PM (#105106 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teacher


See my PM (Personal Message) to you.

zenistaga - 2008-03-17 3:18 PM

hi, im not a teacher but DREAM to be one! i was just wondering if anyone on here thats a full time yoga instructor can tell me a little about the lifestyle and what they studied in college (im thinking about majoring in religious studies and focusing on the eastern religions because i feel it will go hand in hand with my yoga devotion). i want to work at a retreat center like kripalu but i know i need to deepen my practice more in order to get there. any sort of advice or personal experiences as instructors would be greatly appreciated! thanks alot!
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zenistaga
Posted 2008-03-17 6:00 PM (#105114 - in reply to #105104)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


thanks dhanurasana, for your response. ill be completely honest with you, im totally hating college right now because i cannot see the point in it so far. i already know what i wanna do and i feel like going to school is definitely keeping me from getting deeper into yoga. i just came back from spring break but the entire week of my spring break all i did was yoga. my body begged me for it! there was stuff i was supposed to read for school and my classes but i just couldnt get myself to detach from yoga. i am 100% sure i want to be a yoga teacher. i dont wanna drop out of college because it will really disappoint my parents . i would LOVE more than ANYTHING to go to a yoga college, i dont know of any though. i wish there was a major in school that was yoga. my school has everything from dance to music to fitness but no yoga. ive looked and id ont know where to find one. do you know of any? i would really appreciate it also if anyone else could let me know if they know any. maybe ill just make a Thread asking that question.
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Posted 2008-03-17 6:52 PM (#105116 - in reply to #105114)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


There are a lot of college classes that can be very helpful to you if you want to become a yoga teacher. Anatomy, psychology, philosophy, teaching, business (marketing, accounting, law) are all useful as well as anything to do with the body, mind or spirit. I would recommend that you finish your college, but use it to best prepare you for the life that you want to live. Many different things that you cannot even imagine at this point in your life are likely to happen. Getting a college degree while you have the chance is always a good idea. Use your college education to support your yoga, make it part of your yoga. You may, for example, decide to become a physical therapist with a yoga perspective or who knows what. At this point in your life, it is usually a good thing to leave all options open.
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kulkarnn
Posted 2008-03-17 10:26 PM (#105119 - in reply to #105114)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


Dear Zenistaga: There is no such a thing as Yoga College. Yoga study is not done in a standardized way like the College subjects. One has to first come to an understanding of what Yoga is, what subjects in Yoga one wants to pursue, then learn how one can pursue them, and have an experienced teacher in those subjects. College subjects are taught by a teacher who is learned in that topic, such as mathematics by a PhD in Mathematics. Yoga is not exactly same thing. First, you should cool down. Hating college and such is OK in expresession, but one should be peaceful while making decisions.

namaste


zenistaga - 2008-03-17 6:00 PM

thanks dhanurasana, for your response. ill be completely honest with you, im totally hating college right now because i cannot see the point in it so far. i already know what i wanna do and i feel like going to school is definitely keeping me from getting deeper into yoga. i just came back from spring break but the entire week of my spring break all i did was yoga. my body begged me for it! there was stuff i was supposed to read for school and my classes but i just couldnt get myself to detach from yoga. i am 100% sure i want to be a yoga teacher. i dont wanna drop out of college because it will really disappoint my parents . i would LOVE more than ANYTHING to go to a yoga college, i dont know of any though. i wish there was a major in school that was yoga. my school has everything from dance to music to fitness but no yoga. ive looked and id ont know where to find one. do you know of any? i would really appreciate it also if anyone else could let me know if they know any. maybe ill just make a Thread asking that question.
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Posted 2008-03-18 12:29 AM (#105121 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


A couple of things to add here. The first two are questions.

1. What is it you hope to get from living at a retreat center (like Kripalu)?

2. Why do you believe religion studies will assist you as a yoga teacher?

There are some programs that may qualify as yoga college, though I agree with the essence of Neel's post above. The first is a program at Naropa University in Boulder.

Maharishi University also has a program but it is a vedic studies tract. They are in Fairfield, Iowa.

I completed a program here at the College of Purna Yoga. It was a 2-year, 2,000 hour program vocationally certified by the State of Washington. I believe it has recently been restructured. It is the only program I can speak of from first hand experience.

When I hear this sort of question I often thing of the Chinese fable of a man who roamed the world in search of diamonds. He left his home, his family, his friends, his work, his roots, in order to embark on his quest. And he traveled great distances to unearth the diamonds he sought. After several years digging in several countries, the man returned home. He soon discovered the diamonds he had sought all those years were buried in the earth in his back yard.

Ashrams are nice. India is nice. Retreats are nice. Memorizing the sutras are nice. None of them however inherently equal yoga or, more importantly, your evolution as either a student or teacher. Just something to think about.

Edited by purnayoga 2008-03-18 12:32 AM
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zenistaga
Posted 2008-03-18 8:02 AM (#105131 - in reply to #105121)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


hi purnayoga, thanks for your response.the answers to your questions.
1. i have to be surrounded by nature and something about that place speaks to me.
2. there are classes offered in my school on hinduism but also other eastern religions that teach pretty much what yoga teaches. also, its the closest thing i can think of that i feel will help me become a yoga instructor. i dont know of any other field of study here thats close to yoga or that i could incorporate into being teacher.
ive heard of naropa university. what is the program there that youre talking about? you said that the second program in maharishi university is vedic studies tract but yo udidnt say what the one in naropa u. is. thanks again for your response. i hope i find my way soon. im feeling really lost lately.


purnayoga - 2008-03-18 12:29 AM

A couple of things to add here. The first two are questions.

1. What is it you hope to get from living at a retreat center (like Kripalu)?

2. Why do you believe religion studies will assist you as a yoga teacher?

There are some programs that may qualify as yoga college, though I agree with the essence of Neel's post above. The first is a program at Naropa University in Boulder.

Maharishi University also has a program but it is a vedic studies tract. They are in Fairfield, Iowa.

I completed a program here at the College of Purna Yoga. It was a 2-year, 2,000 hour program vocationally certified by the State of Washington. I believe it has recently been restructured. It is the only program I can speak of from first hand experience.

When I hear this sort of question I often thing of the Chinese fable of a man who roamed the world in search of diamonds. He left his home, his family, his friends, his work, his roots, in order to embark on his quest. And he traveled great distances to unearth the diamonds he sought. After several years digging in several countries, the man returned home. He soon discovered the diamonds he had sought all those years were buried in the earth in his back yard.

Ashrams are nice. India is nice. Retreats are nice. Memorizing the sutras are nice. None of them however inherently equal yoga or, more importantly, your evolution as either a student or teacher. Just something to think about.
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Posted 2008-03-18 11:39 AM (#105146 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


i teach full time (that is, it is my only career/job).

there is a lot of work in this lifestyle. first, you have to network and make connections to get jobs. then, you have to market yourself and continue networking. this takes a lot of work, honestly. and from there, you simply have to build your client list and branch out from classes into more lucrative work such as workshops, retreats, etc. and of course, you have to maintain your own development in both yoga, in self knowledge, and as a teacher.

Also, i tell people that this work is actually pretty lonely, so you better be a loner if you're going to get into it. there are two reasons why it's lonely: 1. the nature of the schedule, and 2. the process of the work.

my schedule is split. i work mornings and evenings, while most people work 9-5. so, while my friends are available to hang out (after 5), i'm working. and when i'm available (1-4), no one else is because they're working. i also work weekends, which makes travel difficult as well as time to hang out with friends/family (particularly if they work--and most of them do). So, i spend a lot of time by myself.

the second aspect is the process of the work. people think that their students will be a "social outlet" but the students are usually there to "get away" and so they don't want to gossip or catch up with you. positive stuff only, and usually their stuff to help with teaching. it means that you don't really get listened to by anyone--which is what friends are for, and many people make friends 'at work' and talk about personal stuff during their time off work (you know, when, as a yoga teacher, i'm typically working). The students are also there generally 5 mintues before class and leave within 5 minutes after, so you really don't get to just "chat" either--which is sometimes nice.

and of course, during the class, you're working--and so it's really concerted effort and not one of those 'hanging out and having fun" situations, even though teaching yoga is a lot of fun.

don't get me wrong, these are not complaints--they are observations. I really LOVE my work, and i love teaching and talking about and doing yoga. but it is a lot of work (i probably work 9-10 hr days), and it's an odd schedule, and you don't really get to hang with friends/family unless it's scheduled months in advance (i'm currently starting to schedule may and june).

i put this out there because for social people, this is very difficult. also, for people who think that the job is "fun and easy" and "you get to make your own schedule"--while these things are true, they are also not true. making your own schedule can be challenging, especially when trying to develop personal work-life balance, and you do have to work a lot to make a living, and you have to do the other stuff in order to do that. so, it does require a good deal of effort--like any home based, small business.

most people, thus, teach part time and have another job to support themselves.

as for education, i have an undergraduate degree in english with a minor in women's studies (and 3 credits shy of a minor in religious studies/eastern religion emphasis because they cancelled the class that i was going to take during my last semester due to low enrollment), and also a law degree (JD).
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Posted 2008-03-18 11:40 AM (#105147 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


for what it's worth, a lot of things would be good for yoga:

communications and marketing: teaching yoga is also a business that requires a lot of marketing, communications, and presentation to get jobs, to attract clients, etc.

business/business admin: because yoga is a business, business classes might be helpful--particularly if you want to run yoga tours, or a retreat center or yoga studio.

general liberal arts: it can apply to anything. a general degree can inform in a wide variety of topics.

arts and writing: one of my friends is a drummer--that's what her degree is in--and she does this great purcussion/yoga class! my english degree is a writing emphasis (nonfiction) which is great for writing articles, information, brochures, web sites, etc--there's actually quite a bit of writing involved in yoga. another friend is a painter, and so she brings a lot of art philosophy to her teaching.

exercise and sports sciences, kinesiology, etc: obviously, a lot of yoga taught in the west has to do with yoga asanas (postures). so, this background would also be very informative to yoga teaching.

philosophy: obviously, yoga is a philosophy, but a history of eastern and western philosophy, as well as the general study of philosophy (how philosophy is developed, how it impacts, cultural changes due to philosophical developments, etc) can help you get a broad view of the philosophical process of our culture and how to engage the western culture via eastern philosophy or vice-versa.

religious studies/eastern religions: also a good area of study simply because it provides some background and history in the underlying concepts of yoga's origins. this can be helpful in communicating these things ina "comparative religion" way in a yoga class setting (this is what i do, personally).

psychology and related (sociology, etc): again, another connection to yoga, as westerners see it a "body-mind-spirit." and so, this aspect would focus on the mind.

divinity studies (ordinations)--this combines religious studies, philosophy, and a bit of psychology. one of the very successful studio owners here has a Doctorate in Divinity (ordination) via a quaker university. his emphasis is eastern philosophy and studies, and of course he studied in india. he not only teaches yoga asana/meditation/philosophy classes and workshops, but he also offers "yoga based councelling" and "spiritual advising" utilizing his degree.

so, lots of options. just open your mind a bit.

Edited by zoebird 2008-03-18 11:50 AM
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Posted 2008-03-18 12:38 PM (#105150 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teacher


Victoria,
There has been a lot of good advice here. In addition, I would like to recommend that before you decide that you want to be a yoga teacher, that you do it for a while. You may like it and you may be really good at it. You may also be more suited to remain a yoga practitioner and really get into your own yoga while doing something else for a living (everyone who loves yoga isn't necessarily a successful teacher). You may also find that you are more suited for teaching part time while pursuing another path professionally (doing something out of love is different when you aren't trying to make a living at it). As a part time yoga teacher (3 to 4 classes per week) and the father of two daughters in college, I recommend keeping ALL options open at this point in your life. You have no idea what wonderful things life has yet to offer.
Namaste,
Jim
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Posted 2008-03-18 2:32 PM (#105159 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teacher


If you want to become a teacher perhaps study to be a teacher?!
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zenistaga
Posted 2008-03-18 4:02 PM (#105166 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


thank you zoebird, jim and purnayoga for your responses. zoe, your life sounds really interesting to me. i am somewhat of a loner, that is i just really enjoy spending time by myself and learning about myself and life so i feel like it would be a good life for me. i have decided that im going to be a yoga teacher but ill definitely finish college first. all of those areas of study you spelled out are really great, thanks for taking the time to do that. im currently in the art school in VCU and decided i wanted to change my major to something that would be really close to yoga so i thought id do religious studies but im starting to think i might keep my art major and get a degree in animation because then ill have a nice option that i know ill enjoy if t he yoga teaching doesnt work out. im thinking i might do a minor in religious studies concentrating on eastern religions or business because i do agree that that plays a really important role in the yoga teacher world. jim, i agree with you. i should definitely get a feel for it. i feel like i would be good at it and ill definitely try to get certified and then ill see where ill go from there. but youre totally right. there are amazing students out there that dont fit as instructors so i woulnt know until i try it but i have a feeling that its what is right for me. purnayoga, i thought about getting a teaching degree but i prefer to be a yoga instructor specifically and not an academic teacher. im still very confused and trying to figure things out, yoga is helping me with that. ive been so in myself lately trying to understand myself and life and sometimes i feel totally elated and free and excited and hopeful but other times i feel really confused and down. maybe its part of the yoga process?
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Posted 2008-03-18 5:42 PM (#105169 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


i think that getting your art degree is great, because there are so many uses for it that you'll find in your yoga business/teaching that you havent' even thought of yet! i promise you! my husband and i hire artists all the time to help with our business stuff (yoga included), and so you'll be surprized at what you can use.

the next step, then, is actually learning to teach yoga. i would suggest finding a really good teacher whom you love. once you find that person, ask him/her about his/her process of becoming a teacher.

and, if you haven't found someone like this yet (or by the time you graduate), then consider going to Kripalu, where you get a good education and network, and where you can take the certification over a summer immersion once you graduate. save up money now, as the program costs $3k or so--but it's worth it.

i wanted to do this instead of going for the JD (my first "official" teacher was certified kripalu), but my parents put on the pressure (that whole thing dhanurasana was talking about!), and i put aside my dream for theirs. while getting m JD, i was able to continue my apprenticeship process (i apprenticed with my teacher and two others, though i really wanted to go to kripalu a lot!) and i did teach yoga and obviously do teach yoga, but it was such an unnecessary path (in some ways; in others, i'm sure it was entirely necessary).

anyway, just a suggestion. and, you might find that you love teaching, and you might find that you don't--but your'e still enriched for the experience of teh training. one of my friends just takes teacher trainings every other year in diffrent styles. that's just her way. doesn't teach, ever.
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Posted 2008-03-18 11:04 PM (#105184 - in reply to #105131)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


zenistaga - 2008-03-18 5:02 AM

2. there are classes offered in my school on hinduism but also other eastern religions that teach pretty much what yoga teaches. also, its the closest thing i can think of that i feel will help me become a yoga instructor. i dont know of any other field of study here thats close to yoga or that i could incorporate into being teacher.



I have found taking a teacher training program taught as the continuation of a lineage is nothing like taking classroom philosophy classes. I do have a degree in Western Philosophy and definitely think it is complimentary to my yoga studies. But yoga when taught this way is very much a living tradition. Whereas western philosophy teaches that a classic can be picked up a 100 years later and studied individually. The Indian approach is completely different. You learn from your teacher not on your own. Uggh - I don't have good words for this.

I understand Purna's comment about seeking - but also think it's a bit like the chicken in the egg. If we were self realized we wouldn't need yoga.

I think it's funny that the real transformation that come from yoga is packaged in this teacher training format. Since studios focus on asana class - people move towards teacher training programs to deepen their yoga studies. And then they seem to get stuck on the outcome rather than on the process itself.

It seems that you say in later posts you will continue with school. When applied for my teacher training program it wasn't a requirement that we have a college degree but it was definitely considered. I don't think everyone in the program has a degree but I think they could all show that 1) they were capable of learning at a certain level and 2) could stick with a 500 hour program over 2 and a half years.

I was specifically asked what resources - emotion, physical and monetary I had to get me through the next couple of years. The point being that my teachers were making a commitment - was I also committed?

I would definitely look at 500 hour programs. It won't guarantee quality - but it gives you something the compare. 200 hours just scratches the surface.

Also look at the application process - is everyone accepted? Is there a screening process?

Vic


Edited by victw 2008-03-18 11:23 PM
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Posted 2008-03-19 2:02 AM (#105196 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teach


purnayoga, i thought about getting a teaching degree but i prefer to be a yoga instructor specifically and not an academic teacher. im still very confused and trying to figure things out, yoga is helping me with that. ive been so in myself lately trying to understand myself and life and sometimes i feel totally elated and free and excited and hopeful but other times i feel really confused and down. maybe its part of the yoga process?


Consider the skill set of a "good teacher". Simply knowing yoga may (or may not) be enough to effectively impart or share it with others. It seems, from experience, that many confuse the experience or "performance" of a student with the craft of teaching.

I would agree a "good teacher" must know their subject. But can a person who knows a subject very well but cannot articulate it share it (effectively) with others? Can a person who knows a subject very well but cannot see actions in the student's body still teach them safely and effectively? Can a proficient student be a "good teacher" without possessing or cultivating the skills of a teacher?
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roypotter
Posted 2011-06-16 4:22 PM (#208697 - in reply to #105100)
Subject: RE: i would like to be a teacher


Regular

Posts: 89
252525
Location: Montana, US
I am not a yoga teacher so I can't share my lifestyle with you, but you will be happy to read the story about Lopatin. How he turned to be a yoga instructor from a lawyer. Read it here:

http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2011/01/lawyer-cum-yogi.html
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