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By Asha Saith The word yoga has been a part of my existence since I was a child. My mother employed the exercises for an injury to her spine and my grandmother, noting the benefits started Yoga in her forties and was able to achieve an unassisted headstand in her fifties! For me personally, I do Yoga classes because I leave each class feeling good - rejuvenated and relaxed and also recharged - and ready to face whatever life has in store for me. In my humble opinion this mental state is a strong contributor to good health.

By Faye Martins When we take a yoga certification course, each style has a different answer for dealing with anxiety. As a Yoga teacher, you may wonder about how to dial up a specific routine for each student's anxiety level. One idea is to have a gentle and a vigorous class (two separate classes) for specific personality types to help yoga students release mental, emotional, and physical tension.

By Sangeetha Saran Hot yoga has become a popular option in gyms and fitness centers around the world. It's based on the idea of creating a warm, moist environment to imitate the climate of India. Since its introduction to the United States around 1970, Bikram's heated style has morphed into other various forms of hot yoga. Class structures can vary, but a heated yoga class basically involves a room that's heated to around 105 degrees and 40 percent humidity.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. In an ideal world, the idea of practicing Yoga solicits feelings of calm equipoise, energy and vibrant health. However, for many people the idea of practicing Yoga in the context of a structured class can bring up feelings of apprehension and fear. There may be any number of reasons for this apprehension. Some of these reasons include being physically or emotionally fragile. This sense of being physically fragile can come from being injured or in the process of healing from a surgical procedure.

By Foras Aje After my interest was sparked a while back in regards to becoming an actual Yoga Instructor (or at least certified to teach it), based on my present schedule and commitments, I looked to see if there were any options online to get a certificate, hence the interest in online classes to teach Yoga.

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 Faye Martins How to open a Yoga class is a unique craft, but it is not that complicated. Yoga students need to unplug from the world around them first. The Yoga teacher is a guide on the path to inner peace and the opening is the first step on this path.

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.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed How do we go about nurturing harmony in our Yoga classes? According to BKS Iyengar, who is one of the most well loved and highly respected Yoga teachers of our time, "Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit." He goes on to state that, " When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open up." Ultimately, the goal of all Yoga practices is to know God intimately in the depths of one's own being. Along the way, of course, you may experience a stronger, lighter, more flexible body and a trained mind.

By Faye Martins Why should yoga teachers and serious practitioners study healing methods? To many enthusiasts, yoga is more than the mastery of asanas, pranayama and the rest of the eight limbs of yoga. The practice and study of yoga is a lifestyle that pervades all aspects of living rather than a selective application of principles. This is even more so if you aspire to share your knowledge and passion by leading a class of like-minded people. For some people, it will be enough to teach classes, but for others the power of healing attracts them like moths to a light bulb.

By Sarah Fisher After graduating from Yoga teacher training, I look back at where I was when I went to my first class. I was so stressed that it was difficult to get up for work. I was starting to make excuses to avoid leaving my home. Jobs are stressful, but these days, you want to keep the one you have. At the same time, I needed to get some physical activity. Luckily, my friends got me out of the house and into a fitness-based Yoga class.

By Bhavan Kumar The romance between yoga and your hinge joints is a bittersweet one. In addition to being very conscious of your knees, it is also imperative to be mindful of your elbows. Either of these complex hinge joints can easily be hyperextended, which can lead to injury and pain. Generally speaking, hyperextensions require rest to heal, which means that holding postures will be better for you than flowing through them. For teachers, this means recommending a student to the restorative class and advising him or her to avoid the vinyasa class. Additionally, postures that stress the elbows will not help the healing process.

By Jenny Park Every teacher has his or her special mat. One of the many benefits of practicing yoga training is that practitioners need few pieces of equipment. While some classes may use props, the most basic piece of equipment in a yoga class is the mat. Lightweight and small, mats afford a yoga student the luxury to practice pretty much anywhere.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Gentle forms of Hatha Yoga can help anyone who suffers from arthritis. Depending on the type, stage, and where arthritis is located in the body, a Yoga session will have to be modified to match the needs of the student. This can make the search for the right Yoga class, and a compassionate teacher difficult, at best.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What is unbalanced praise in a Yoga class? If you teach classes, you may have learned about "unbalanced praise" in Yoga teacher training; but let's go over the basics. Essentially, unbalanced praise is favoritism when one student is praised, above all others, by the teacher. There is a flaw in this method in that the teacher does not see the big picture.

By Kathryn Boland Have you noticed the positive effects of students feeling a sense of community with those whom they practice? Have you thought about how you might be able to encourage that to emerge as a yoga instructor? I personally started to think about this topic more seriously as I joined a yoga studio, as a member. I had previously taken a few classes here, a few classes there - all enjoyable, but lacking in truly meaningful connections with my teachers and fellow students.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What is the value of Yoga Nidra (sleep of the Yogis)? Deep relaxation techniques, taught in Yoga classes, can become life savers outside the class. Although we should not take sleep period short cuts, Yoga Nidra is effective for bringing the mind and body to a state of rest, while the mind maintains awareness.

By Bhavan Kumar If you are a yoga teacher, then it is essential to keep students interested in enrolling in classes several times a week. Students who feel bored by their instructor or the classroom environment may decide to take classes from a different teacher, leading to a loss of income for a yoga business.

By Lisa Beasley It doesn't matter what you are taught during your Yoga instructor certification course, some people will always see Yogic practices as a form of exercise that is used to achieve different goals. Some people use it as their main form of exercise. There are numerous types to choose from, ranging from the gentle stretching and low impact of Hatha to the very intense and invigorating Power Yoga. Athletes often rely on Yogic methods as part of their training regimen and as a way to increase flexibility and strength. The bottom line is that anyone, regardless of fitness level, (or lack thereof) can benefit from doing Yoga. A certified Yoga teacher will be able to communicate with his or her class to see what the students are expecting, as well as offer variations on different poses.

By Rachel Holmes If a yoga teacher has taught classes for any length of time, he or she will have at least one story about a student who struggles with in-class etiquette. Fortunately, most practitioners have no problem catching on to the generally unspoken rules of a studio that other students' behavior makes apparent. On the other hand, it not uncommon to come across that one student who seems oblivious to the codes of conduct others are following.