How to Get Yoga Certified

Yoga seems to be everywhere all of a sudden. Large chain stores sell yoga mats and clothing, health food stores sell yoga bread and even small towns have at least one yoga studio. Even dogs can do downward dog at studios offering yoga for pets. Words like "hatha" and "ashtanga" have entered the popular lexicon, and practitioners can choose between a dizzying array of styles. Different schools have different requirements for certification, but teaching yoga of any style has become a viable career choice.

Things You'll Need

  • Established yoga practice
  • Yoga teacher
  • Yoga school with teacher certification program
  • Yoga textbooks
  • Tuition money
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find a style of yoga that resonates with you and immerse yourself in daily yoga practice for several years. The American Yoga Association cautions that yoga is not just asana practice; it is a deep commitment to ethical living. For example, the Jivamukti school in New York City espouses vegetarianism as essential to practice of a yogi committed to ahimsa, or non-violence.

    • 2

      Find a teacher you love and, under her tutelage, study the major yoga texts, such as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Bhagavad Gita. Many yoga schools require that their teachers exhibit thorough knowledge of these works as well as world philosophy. Some even require Sanskrit classes for teachers seeking certification.

    • 3

      Speak to a trusted teacher about the requirements for becoming certified to teach at your school or in your chosen method. Because yoga was traditionally passed down one-on-one, with a student apprenticed under a beloved teacher, some schools require their teachers to go through that school's training program in order to teach there. Others accept teachers who have studied outside the school as long as the teacher demonstrates proficiency in the style of yoga the school offers.

    • 4

      Begin an intensive study of physiology and anatomy. Thorough knowledge of how the muscular and skeletal systems work is essential for guiding students safely and effectively into poses.

    • 5

      Apply for and gain acceptance to a teacher training program. Expect to study for a minimum of one year. The Iyengar Yoga certification program, for example, requires students to train for a year before taking the Level I examination and another year before taking the Level II examination. Level II certification is the minimum requirement to teach Iyengar yoga classes. Consider a Yoga Alliance registered school if you are in the United States. Upon completing the 200-hour program and passing the certification exams, you will be a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher.