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By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 When you are mindful, you are alert and active. You recognize the thoughts coming in and out of your head, while noticing how your body is moving and feeling. Mindfulness is a total body and thought awareness that comes with deliberate consciousness. Mindfulness is an important part of Yoga practice because it allows you to let your thoughts come in and out, without focusing too heavily on any one thought. It allows you to be completely present as you move your body, stretch your muscles, and bring a fresh oxygen supply to your organs. Yoga instructors should always model mindfulness for their students.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Many Yoga teacher training interns envision classes with fit students, who want physical challenges. Hatha Yoga training is well known as a form of exercise designed to build flexibility, strength, and general fitness. What is less well known is that practicing Yoga can improve your ability to deal with stress. As many of us realize, stress is a very corrosive aspect of our modern society, and it takes an especially heavy toll on our children. Students often find themselves under severe emotional stress and have a difficult time coping with the feelings and problems this can create. Yoga training is an excellent tool to teach students how to integrate all aspects of their lives.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What is the key to motivating students? Teaching Yoga, and maintaining student interest, is an art form. Although the benefits of Yogic practices are indisputable, it is not unusual for students to become discouraged, or bored, every now and then. Whether progress has reached a plateau, or personal problems make getting to class more difficult, it sometimes becomes difficult to maintain one's level of motivation. With a little persistence, and the help of a well-trained instructor, the problem is usually short lived and easily remedied. There are, however, a few things for both Yoga teachers and students to consider when the doldrums strike.

By Sangeetha Saran When you are discovering how to become a Yoga instructor, you begin to realize there are many options. You could teach in a hot room, in a pool, in the basement of a church or anywhere else. The possibilities are endless and there are demands for certified yoga teachers in senior centers too.

By Faye Martins How can a yoga teacher explain wellness and its relationship to yogic methodology? When new students ask how yoga can help improve their lives, many teachers shrug and say, "It helps with everything." While this may sound like a flip answer, the truth is that asana, meditation and pranayama can help students with virtually every aspect of their physical and mental well being.

By Sanjeev Patel It is often sad that the ancient Yogis would be saddened by the fitness-based styles we see today. It is also contended that Indians do not practice physical forms of Yoga. My answer (question) to that is: Have you ever been to India? I can appreciate the attention Yogic philosophy and methodology are getting, but there are many different forms of Yoga that are practiced in India. I contend that the ancient Yogis would be pleased about the number of practitioners who gain physical benefits today. If you desire to become a Yoga instructor, you should feel free to embrace the physical benefits and explain them to your students.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed One of the most important aspects of sharing the transformational power of Yoga with your students is to truly honor your own truth. This truth could be either physical or emotional in nature. For instance, if you are teaching a Yoga class with a slight back injury, and you are forthright with your students about your current physical limitations, they will be more easily able to identify with you when they come up against their own physical challenges during class.

By Kathryn Boland Do you crave teaching more yoga than you presently are - even full-time? Have you crunched the numbers and thought out the logistics, to see if that might be possible for you? Teaching can be fulfilling and magical like nothing else, but it's not exactly an easy career path. Our bodies, bank accounts, and free time can take a hit. It often requires sacrifice. Let's break this down into things to consider in your decision whether or not to teach more.

By Kathryn Boland Do you crave teaching more yoga than you presently are - even full-time? Have you crunched the numbers and thought out the logistics, to see if that might be possible for you? Teaching can be fulfilling and magical like nothing else, but it's not exactly an easy career path. Our bodies, bank accounts, and free time can take a hit. It often requires sacrifice. Let's break this down into things to consider in your decision whether or not to teach more.

By Kimaya Singh The way one chooses to earn their living is an important life choice. Most people need to work to support themselves, that's a given. Not everybody does what they love, though. If you have a passion for yoga and would like to share what you know with others, teaching could be your ideal employment solution.

By Faye Martins There is so much information available about teaching yoga classes, but there is not much information about making a living. Some certification courses teach you everything about running a safe class, but they teach you nothing about finding a teaching position, private lessons, or the many opportunities outside of the yoga studios. Outside of Aura Wellness Center and Bikram's Yoga College of India, I don't know of any instructors who have learned anything about marketing or business. Teaching full-time requires instructors to be creative in their business plan. If you teach for donations, you probably don't need the money or someone made you think that taking payments for services is wrong. Yet, you paid thousands for lessons and possibly thousands more for a yoga teacher's diploma.

By Bhavan Kumar, CYT 500 Being a yoga teacher is very rewarding. It's a job where you get to help people physically and mentally, you can be active and moving throughout the day, and you have flexibility and choice in your work schedule. However, like any job, there are going to be days when it's hard to get out of bed and enthusiastically greet the day. This doesn't mean your teaching style and approach has to suffer. By practicing what you teach to your yoga students, you can enthusiastically engage your students even if you are having a rough day. These tips can help you bring your best self to all your classes, whether the day seems bright and sunny or bleary and gray.

By Gopi Rao Sometimes mixing yoga and money can feel about as unlikely as mixing oil and water. Many begin their practice from a personal and spiritual level, which evolves into the desire to pursue yoga as a career. Making the transition from an inward pursuit to a moneymaking opportunity is tricky.

By Kimya Singh Yoga instructors do far more then simply teach students a variety of poses. In many cases, yoga teachers are a role model for fitness, spirituality, and ethical behavior. Because yoga instructors are so influential in so many different ways, there are several ethical guidelines in place for them to follow. As a yoga teacher, it is important to review these ethical guidelines and make an effort to demonstrate ethical behavior, whether you are in the studio, at home, or just out in the world. This will give you the ability to be more then just an instructor - you can be a role model for peace and change in your students' lives.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250 If you have ever seen a master yoga teacher at work, you probably gazed in wonder as he or she created an inviting, calm class atmosphere; put people at ease with a smile, gesture, or comment; or flowed through a series of poses, detailing modifications and potential risks, without a hitch. Although, for some of us teaching yoga comes naturally, there is much to be learned about teaching skills and methods simply by observing others. The best yoga teachers are never satisfied with their own methods, but seek to constantly improve by watching other master yoga teachers in practice. Teachers themselves, then, are nothing more than lifelong students. This is a point that Paulji makes many times.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250 Good yoga teaching encompasses a wide range of skills and knowledge. The best yoga teachers are often "naturals," having an innate ability to reach students in a positive, uplifting manner. However, many important teaching skills and methods can be learned. The most successful teachers are constantly self-evaluating, observing peers, and continually striving to make themselves more effective. Observation in itself is somewhat of an art, with different methods appropriate for various situations. When evaluating other yoga instructors, it is important to focus the observation on a particular skill or method.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 The difficulty and complexity of Yoga techniques can range from quite simple to potentially complex. One of the tasks of a Yoga instructor is to simplify the process of executing the postures. It takes a bit of practice to be able to lead the students into a more complex pose or pranayama technique, step-by-step. You want the movements to be smooth and easy, the verbal cues to be concise, and your physical demonstration to be accurate.

By Faye Martins There is so much information available about teaching yoga classes, but there is not much information about making a living. Some certification courses teach you everything about running a safe class, but they teach you nothing about finding a teaching position, private lessons, or the many opportunities outside of the yoga studios. Outside of Aura Wellness Center and Bikram's Yoga College of India, I don't know of any instructors who have learned anything about marketing or business. Teaching full-time requires instructors to be creative in their business plan.

By Gopi Rao After completing my third yoga teacher training course, one student raised her hand and asked, "Now that you know everything, who has more tension in the hips - men or women?" My answer was, and still is, "I don't know it all, but both genders have a lot of tension and tightness in the hips." Whether we're commuting to work or sitting at our desks, many of us have sedentary lifestyles. When we remain in any one position for too long, our muscles contract, creating imbalances in our musculoskeletal systems. One of the most common of these is in the muscles that move the hips.

By Gopi Rao Assisting asanas is an art form that requires communication and observation skills. Teaching a Yoga class is a unique experience, and every class is different. The range of students, along with their comfort and ability levels will obviously vary. As Yoga teachers, we learn to make Yogic methodology an accessible activity for people, no matter what his or her fitness levels are. Offering alternatives to certain poses along with assisting with asanas are integral parts of being a mindful teacher. After all, one of the many reasons people enjoy the practice of Yoga is that it offers something for everyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or experience.