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So, you have decided to move from being a student of yoga to become a teacher and you are wondering where to start. The best place is a basic course that will give you a general overview of the fields within yoga. Then you will have the knowledge to take the option of specializing your certification if you are inclined to do so. This will come from the demand potential students have for a particular form of yoga instruction.
Yoga teacher training and certification programs can often last anywhere from two weeks to two years. Your first step is to become a certified yoga teacher. The cost can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars. The question is, which one is right for you? It all depends on your objective, level of experience, and knowledge of yoga.
Yoga training courses are offered on location in many countries such as Thailand and India or major cities like Seattle or New York City. If you don't live near a yoga training center or it's impossible to make the trip to Thailand, you can still get certifications through home study courses. However, you must be self-motivated and have prior experience with yoga.
There are many styles of yoga and teacher certifications available to choose from; which is sometimes overwhelming. The following are some of the choices you may consider when looking to become a certified yoga teacher:
Good Yoga programs should cover meditation, relaxation, breathing, postures, philosophy, methodology and history of yoga, and offer time to practice teaching. It should also include aspects of business development and marketing to help build a client list. The number of study hours for a program should be a minimum of 200 hours. You should also be in steady practice for at least 2 years. It is definitely worth talking to someone who has taken a course or a local yoga teacher about their training and what they recommend.