For your information, here is an open page that gives details of what's going on behind the scenes at Yoga Alliance. YJ removed link in 2011.
Yoga Teacher Training Forum » Yoga Teacher Training Forum (issues, concerns and questions for teachers) » Regulations
Are you sick of Yoga Alliance?
(15 posts) (13 voices)-
Posted 3 years ago #
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How many times do we have to say, "Yoga registration is not required to teach." YA has no state or federal authority anywhere! As long as you have documentation that your yoga certification meets or exceeds YA standards, most employers see this as a 200 hour or more standard and you don't have to be registered with YA in order to be recognized as "valid." You should have some verifying documentation.
As more and more employers adopted the 200 hour minimum standard, yoga trainers started developing programs based on this standard. I find it ironic that an online registry discriminates against online training. You have to study 100 hours to get 20 non-contact CEUs. I ran across a site that said 60 online hours would give you 60 non-contact CEUs. Wrong! 60 online study hours would give you 12 non-contact CEUs.
Now I'm explaining YA policy to employers and interns because YA's site was written up in "law speak. Is there really a difference between YA registered or 200 hr certified teachers? No!
To register a yoga school (RYS) is expensive, unnecessary, and filling out the paperwork for the school is ridiculous. YA wanted access to our promotional materials. Why? So they could turn over our materials to their investors? Many inferior yoga teacher training programs are out there who are registered, and many excellent training courses are not registered.Posted 3 years ago # -
Try to consider Yoga Alliance USA's (not to be confused with Yoga Alliance America) ascention to fame from a different karmic view. If it were not for the online yoga registry, hatha yoga might not be what it is today. Yes, the truth will finally come about, (big ashram investors prop them up) but yoga teachers should thank them for all they've done. They helped put yoga on the map with their self-promotional yoga day. They've also registered many thousands of yoga teachers and moved in on every yoga registry around the world. What a karmic legacy! As a business model they are fantastic. Bravo! In eleven years they have risen to global fame.Posted 3 years ago #
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Yes, this is good for yoga, but I feel I have been tricked into thinking the yoga alliance was a part of the US government. I've been researching this and feel that many yoga sites don't have the truth in writing. Now, I see that yoga alliance isn't recognized by any government agency as an authority with any power.Posted 3 years ago #
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YA never claimed to be a government agency. That's just misinformation. Yoga teachers are free to join YA or not. I joined YA, but not one student ever asked to see my card. I'm a little upset with their lack of ability to thoroughly explain their complicated rules and policies. Help changes often over there and they move a lot so it must create disorganization. But I think their hearts are in the right place.Posted 3 years ago #
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Namaskar!
If one wishes to become a Yoga teacher for the general public, then any form of credential can help this person find a teaching position. Some teachers have no Yoga certification at all. After one successfully completes the foundational Yoga teacher course, a specialist training, 500 hours or 750 hours will state your case as a well versed Yoga instructor.
That said, centres of Yoga learning, ashrams, and Yoga teacher training programmes may wish to have even more credentials in North America. As is the case at most Yoga centres, you may join a first level Yoga teacher course. A student’s completion of a first level Yoga teacher course entitles him or her to a certificate of achievement or a diploma.
Shanti,
SangeethaPosted 3 years ago # -
After researching this more, it's obvious that a campaign is ongoing to make people think they have to be registered.Posted 3 years ago #
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Yoga teachers are uncertified, certified, registered, or certified and registered. Amazingly, I was up for a job and the other teacher was registered but let her original certification expire. Yoga Alliance never asks if your original diploma expired!
I'm certified only and my certification won't expire for a few years. Guess what? I got the job, because her lack of certification was a warning sign that on further investigation made the studio manager realize she hadn't taken any CECs. Continuing education is the key if you want to find and keep teaching positions.Posted 3 years ago # -
I can't believe how many people still buy into the idea of registration for yoga teachers. YA has a lengthy application, but no exam, no test, no practical exam, no interview; and they are an online registry that discriminates against online training. So strange!!! Almost every university has online college level courses. Harvard Extension School brings high-quality academic classes to the public through evening and online courses and part-time degree programs. Is an online trained Harvard graduate inferior? The Yoga Alliance has to get out of the dark ages and look in the mirror.Posted 3 years ago #
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Namaskar Everyone,
There was a time when I used to be upset by all this. As time passed, I found students experienced comfort in my methods for teaching yoga classes. You can teach yoga without joining and following any groups. Yoga teachers aren't sheep. If you need to belong, become part of a cause that really wants to help people.
Shanti,
TomakoPosted 3 years ago # -
Thank you for this insight. In my former country the way you think was regulated. If you were caught practicing yoga in the Soviet republics, you would be sent to a labor camp. Now living in the west, it is a maze to determine what is real and what is not. If thousands of yoga teachers believe they have to register to gain protection it seems real. But the reality is thousands of people pay for things they don't need.Posted 2 years ago #
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Yeah, YA is doing a great job. That Yoga Journal article is spot on. OMG They made a Pak Mail box in Weston Florida a registered yoga school. Real good! FYI Bikram says you don't need the lamers.Posted 2 years ago #
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Hi dcalvert,
You write in riddles and puzzles. Please provide facts only and leave rumors to those who desire to read them. This is not doing any good. Bad enough that people may see YA in a bad light, but to fan the flames is not good.
Hari Aum Tat SatPosted 2 years ago # -
YA won't register you for many reasons. The Bikram Yoga teacher course isn't recognized by Yoga Alliance. Many health clubs offer fitness yoga or yoga exercise classes, but the greater majority of yoga instructors are not certified at all or have an expired certificate. Some of them have only 50 hours of yoga teacher training. YA doesn't care if you have an expired certificate because they don't check.Posted 2 years ago #
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Hey Gator,
YJ pulled the page off their site because YA is a major advertiser at their conferences. Money talks.
Posted 2 years ago #
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