Thoughts on self-study CYT programs please. « Yoga Teacher Training Forum

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Thoughts on self-study CYT programs please.

(18 posts) (13 voices)

Started 5 years ago by Healthy Insights
Latest reply from Jay Singh

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Healthy Insights
Member

Hi there!
Yes, I am a newbie. New to the forum, that is. My first post.

I have been praciting yoga for a few years and feel called ot teach, specifically special populations. I grew up with hip challenges that required a total hip replacement 15 years ago at the ripe ol' age of 28. Yoga has been such an amazing tool and expression in my life. I love the idea of modifying yoga for those with physical challenges, as I have modified my practice.

My question: I travel a great deal, living in the northern US (rurally) part of the year and in the southwest for several months in the winter. The primary barrier to certification has been the additional travel and time away from family.

I have begun researching online options, specifically looking at the 240 hour CYT program through Aura Wellness Center in Attleboro, MA. I am impressed by the thoroughness of the website, and the thoughtful responses to many questions I would have asked had they not been posted.

Right now the "online" or "self-study" option is the format that feels right for me.

Does anyone have any feedback?
-What are your thoughts on "self-study" programs?
-What do you know of Aura Yoga's program?
- Are there things I should consider before enrolling.

Namaste,
-E

Posted 5 years ago #
Priyah
User

Hi E.,

You see what yoga has done for you and you want to share it with others. This is a primary ingedient in all yoga teachers. About the Aura yoga teacher correspondence program - It is the real deal. I liked it so much, I trained with Paul at his facility later on. Based on your prior practice, you will be fine.

Om Shanti,

Priyah

Posted 5 years ago #
Don Briskin
Member

Hi E - With any program of this type, self-motivation is certainly a key. From your post, it is evident that you certainly have the motivation to complete the program and the training program at Aura is EXCELLENT! When possible, I would also suggest taking Yoga classes from other instructors and in different styles. That way, you get to experience a broad spectrum of Yoga practices and you get to see the techniques and approaches of other Yoga teachers. This can be very useful and enriching in developing your own approach towards Yoga teaching.

Namaste,

-Don

Posted 5 years ago #
Jeanné
User

Hi there,

I think you have gotten some really wonderful answers to your question and I completely agree with the above responses. You really do have to be self motivated and willing to set goals for yourself in order to complete the course. I am a stay at home Mom of a disabled son and could never have trained in a regular setting. I did take classes outside my home as well, but most of what I learned was from Aura. The best part was that Paul is always available to help any time. I think the course is phenomenal in every way.

Best of luck to you!

Namaste,

Jeann

Posted 5 years ago #
Yogi
Member

Hate to seem like a band wagon fan, but this is a great course. I have had a few laughs while on this forum too. With this program, the site, the old articles, the newsletters, forums, ebooks, technical support, and the blogs we all manage to keep current and train at our own pace.

Posted 5 years ago #
Healthy Insights
Member

Hi everyone,

I appreciate your responses. I feel quite confident in my ability to "self-motivate" and successfully and earnestly learn through the program. I do have an overriding concern, however:

I am wondering about the importance of Yoga Alliance criteria. I know that you don't have to be registered to teach yoga, but am wondering just how important they are.

I plan to continue learning & expanding my knowledge base, etc, for a long time to come. In the changing world of yoga certification, I don't see how Yoga Alliance will ever get the recognition they desperately crave.

Any thoughts?

Again, thanks all!
Peace,
-E

Posted 5 years ago #
Tomako
User

Namaste E.,

Many things come into play such as: finances, obligations, and distance. There are solid reasons for each choice, but this is only my viewpoint. If you have a yoga teacher training center close to your home, no family obligations, and / or a very understanding employer, you are all set to become a registered yoga teacher. I had 16 years of yoga practice without a diploma and Paul's course was the best choice for me. Originally, the nearest yoga teacher training center was a 6 1/2 hour - one way ride from my home - and I have kids, night school, a husband, and house work. The Yoga Alliance 200 contact hour requirement presents a hardship for many of us. It is unrealistic for most of us who have families, jobs, tight finances, and cannot spend 13 hours driving every weekend for 6 months. Right now houses are foreclosing, cars are being repossessed, and the option to live on the street is only two or three paychecks away for the average American family. This is the Bush Economy!

Sorry, but the Yoga Alliance is not the the International policeman of Yoga. This is a copy cat of BWY, but that's another story. The RYT does look good on your resume, so if you have the disposable income to meet their 200 contact hour requirements, you should seek out a center which has an E-RYT on the staff. Aura does have the option to train to become a yoga instructor in Attleboro, but you may be closer to another location. Some teachers become a CYT first, gain experience teaching yoga classes, and become an RYT later. Either way, I sincerely wish you the best of luck.

Shanti,
Tomako

Posted 5 years ago #
Priyah
User

Namaskar Everyone,

Tommy, you are making me cry.

The truth is certification is enough to gain liability insurance. Registration is another step beyond. If you easily have the money to spend on an in house training for an RYT, then go for it.

As Tomako mentioned, there are many reasons why someone who is experienced would opt for distance learning. For many yoga instructors it is a good start. There are many RYT programs that teach you nothing about staying in the trade. If I know nothing about business in a bad economy I better pack it in. This is an adverse business climate in the States.

The only people who can afford to ignore business in yoga are living at home with their parents or bloody rich to start with.

Om Shanti,

Priyah

Posted 5 years ago #
JuliKoini
Member

Either way you look at it - certification for liability - comes first. Many yoga instructors have no intention of joining any organization with aspirations to control yoga. How can Yoga Alliance or BWY control bhakti, mantra, karma, jnana yoga or any other form of yoga? Are we hatha yoga instructors foolish enough to be herded like goats? You must be a free thinker to teach yoga to others. What is the hidden agenda of organization who wishes to control yoga? The agenda is to control you.

Posted 5 years ago #
JopisYoti
Member

Very interesting points of view. I am shocked that people can become homeless in reputable country like the United States. If profit is gained through Yoga teaching, one should contrbute it to a charitable trust to help the homeless. Perform karma yoga. What happened to billions of US dollars spent on yoga in US?

Posted 5 years ago #
Parell
Member

Namaskar Jopis,

Abour billions of dollars for Yoga: I guess if you added all the money spent on props, classes, retreats, and such it could add up. No single Yoga teacher is rolling around in money. For the record, the only US millionaire in Yoga might be Bikram. He ds have a mansion and a fleet of Rolls Royces. Anyone who is doing well here is giving their surplus to charity or sponsoring a charity. In the States, Yoga teachers do give back.

About the CYT - RYT: Well, it ds come down to obligations, finances, travel, and hardships. Women do have a lot of responsibility and most of the Yoga teachers are women in the States. To impose strict contact hour policies for the RYT is alienating the average woman who has children at home.

It encourages the influx of a Yoga teacher, who usually dsn't have the experience, but who has no obligations.

Namaste,

Posted 5 years ago #
Lessers
Member

Healthy Insights,

You brought up a good point, but here is an idea. I have a friend who spent over $10,000 Canadian dollars to become a Yoga teacher at an Alliance school. I know that Paul also teaches a program where graduates can train with him for the RYT, but he is much more affordable.

Getting back to my friend, she doesn't teach Yoga anymore, because she got tired of teaching at a body builders gym. She was burned out, frustrated, and demoralized, by behavior she was never trained for. She knew nothing about marketing, business, or business plans.

If you are taught nothing about these things how can you find yoga instructor employment? The Typical RYT training does not prepare graduaters for the real world. The correspondence course of Aura teaches you all that and more.

Good Luck.

Posted 5 years ago #
Don Briskin
Member

Amongst the RYT registration, I think the E-RYT designations can be useful as they do indicate a level of direct, documentable teaching experience. One gains a tremendous amount of knowledge from the experience of teaching different classes and directly working with people having a wide range in experience and ability. Being able to show this with a designation can be useful to indicate that a particular teacher is highly experienced. Obviously one needs a level of training to get to a position to be able to teach classes in the first place.

Namaste,

-Don

Posted 5 years ago #
Lessers
Member

I agree with you Don, but a CYT is a good place to start if money is tight. Add to this, if I have maxed out my credit card for an RYT training without any marketing or business knowledge - I am up a creek without a paddle. This is what happened to my friend. The RYT requirements of 200 contact hours can be pricey.

Posted 5 years ago #
JamesonKlark777
Member

Pranam,

Credentials, which are enough to gain liability insurance, will give you a start. This level 1 correspondence course by Aura for Yoga instructors is the best of all the correspondence courses. The information about anatomy, subtle body, asan, pranayam, meditation, chakra, bandha, shatkarmas, mudras, sanskrit and much more, is a complete course. for those who want to teach Yoga as an exercise there are over 170 asan in the first book of 3 Yoga teacher texts. Learning useful information is to you advantage and the Aura courses are also good for continuing education.

Namaste,

Posted 5 years ago #
Yogi
Member

Every Yoga teacher training program on the planet is a stepping stone to the next level of training. Whether you study at home, attend a yoga teacher workshop, or practice pranayama in Nepal, it all comes down to the same thing, you have to get off your tail and take some action. You can sit on the fence for life and get nothing accomplished except for splinters where you don't want them.

Becoming a yoga instructor is like becoming an artist. Your paintings are doing the world no good if you hide them in your closet. Imagine if every author hid all of his or her writings in notebooks because of the chance of criticism. None of this would be possible. Thank God for the people who don't sit around waiting for perfection.

If you wait for everything to be perfect, you will never see it. There is no perfect Yogi, book, or person on this planet. If you want to become a Yoga teacher this year - just do it. Yes, there are big money trainings. Heck, Bikram will be happy to ting your bell and there are many more with their hands out.

You can also get a dirt cheap yoga course for $49 that teaches you a few postures and sends you out into the world unprepared. What ds anyone think they will get for $49, except a roll of toilet paper and a diploma to go with it? Totally amazing!

Use your best judgement and don't sit on the fence!

Posted 5 years ago #
jingajong
Member

If you buy dirt cheap, you get dirt cheap. If you're going to buy an online yoga teacher certification course, you might as well get the best one on the market. Yoga teacher training by self-study is so affordable, it's foolish to cut corners.

Posted 2 years ago #
Jay Singh
Member

Dear Jinga Jong,

Your point is well taken. The best bargain in education is online and correspondence education. Yoga certification online has improved by light years.

Namaste,

Jay

Posted 2 years ago #

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