Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Yoga Teaching Opportunities Outside the Studios

The majority of yoga teachers cannot survive on the salary of a studio instructor, despite the simple lifestyle that is often chosen by yoga teachers or dedicated students. Most seek other avenues of income that utilize their skills. Ideally, these other opportunities will involve teaching yoga directly, but many yoga instructors do not realize the wide array of options that they have available to them.

While many yoga classes involve meditation as an important aspect, teachers may not realize that teaching classes devoted entirely to meditation can also be lucrative. Meditation and yoga are both extremely popular exercises, but there will always be students who do not wish to combine the two or who only partake in one of the two. Teaching a separate meditation class can be a relaxing and fun way to utilize an instructor's skills.

Corporate yoga sessions can be a more lucrative option than teaching private students or studio classes. Many times, corporations will pay more money for yoga sessions than other clients. This type of business arrangement can be long lasting, as many teachers who do teach corporate yoga have a continued relationship with the business. The classes are often held on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, and can provide steady income from a different teaching environment.

Students are willing to pay higher prices for privacy and direct instruction, which can make the possibility of taking private students a golden one for many yoga teachers. Private lessons allow for one-on-one teaching and frequent assistance during poses, and the student is often able to relax more deeply. This option for utilizing teaching skills can be good, particularly if the teacher has a fair bit of spare time that can be dedicated to multiple private students.

Along with private sessions, in-home party sessions can be a good opportunity for yoga teachers to explore. Teaching a group of friends in a home setting can be fun, and there is the option to market your teaching abilities to the guests and offer to teach a party session in their home as well. Home parties are increasing in popularity for a variety of products, and yoga parties can be lucrative.

Offering therapeutic yoga classes can also be a good opportunity for teachers, though it requires a love for healing and knowledge of disease and pain processes. Many doctors prescribe yoga for a variety of health problems, and offering these classes cannot only provide an increased income, but also an increased level of positive karma.

Teaching Corporate Yoga Sessions

The workplace can be one of the most stressful environments to be in, and yoga can be used in corporate settings to relax employees and help them feel connected to each other. It can also cause stress through uncooperative employees, poor location choices, and the variety of skill levels presented in this type of class. This option can be a lucrative one for yoga teachers to pursue, as corporations often offer higher pay options than private students or studio classes do.

Corporate yoga sessions can be difficult to host in some businesses. The location would ideally be a large and spacious room. Natural light is more conducive to a comfortable toga session than the harsh fluorescent lights found in most corporate buildings. It should be a quiet and relaxing space, and the temperature should not be cold, as this can lead to tightened muscles and the need of a longer warm up to avoid potential injuries. Finding a location that fits these requirements may not be easy in a corporate building.

All that said, if an instructor is certified in chair yoga, he or she can teach in any office. This is why you should make it clear that if you are qualified - you can teach office yoga. Many yoga teachers get all hung up on the fluorescent lights and decide to give up on teaching in the business sector. Let me tell you: If you want to make a living, contact the business sector. They need our help and most yoga instructors need to earn an income. There are not many vacancies for yoga teachers who want to give their work away. You might find a vacancy at the local homeless shelter if you don't ask to get paid.

How to Teach in a Corporate Setting

Learn the company policy in each facility. You may have to deal with cell phones, if everyone is on call. Teaching poses and sequences that can be performed outside of the classroom can be a good choice when teaching corporate sessions. The students are then able to take what they have learned and apply it to their lives outside of work. If the class will have multiple sessions, this will also allow the students to prepare for the next lesson at home.

The lucrative benefits of teaching corporate yoga sessions are balanced with the negative aspects of doing this. Some students may have little to no interest in participation, particularly if the corporation makes the session mandatory in an effort to reduce workplace stress, and may arrive late or be disruptive with their behavior. It can be difficult to work with such a wide variety of skill levels, and a teacher must know how to divide their attention and recognize where they are most needed.

Many of the students in corporate classes are dealing with a high level of stress in their lives, and while yoga can be used to induce relaxation, some students with higher stress levels may find that it is frustrating to be in a class that they may not have ever imagined for their future or to be at a completely different skill level compared to other employees. If this is the student's first class, they may feel uncomfortable, and they may also avoid asking for assistance for fear of ridicule or judgment from their fellow employees.