Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Namaskar Dear Ones,

Your opinions are appreciated, but let's be constructive in finding solutions. When you feel a Yoga Alliance (YA) policy is unfair, you should contact them. YA will either respond, or not respond, to your feedback. The only way for change to happen is to keep calling and Emailing (YA).

I for one, hope that the current YA contact hour policies will change for the better. This is needed at a time, when many families need two pay checks to make ends meet. Unfortunately, many families are lucky to have one pay check coming in, at this point in time.

About video testing: Any teacher trainer can give constructive feedback from reviewing video. If a Yoga teacher is safe on film, he, or she, will be just as safe in a face-to-face training session. On the other hand, an unsafe teacher can be reviewed in the same way.

If an intern needs constructive feedback, it is up to the certifying organization, and its trainers, to help an unsafe intern improve. These same scenarios play themselves out in face-to-face Yoga teacher training courses. For example: Trainers have to make sure each intern is up to standard before graduation and receiving a Yoga teacher certification.

It is sad, when I have to let an intern know that he or she must resubmit work or do a practical exam again. However, corrections are itemized and these situations can usually be resolved. A few year back, we had an intern who trained out our facility twice (2 years of Yoga teacher training sessions) and assisted in classes for those two years before she graduated, but she is an extraordinary teacher now.

Problems can arise when pushing interns through, without properly reviewing them. These problems can happen in a face-to-face training session or in a correspondence course. It is up to the trainers to have integrity.

Nevertheless, this is the 21st century. The Internet and video technology ds play a constructive role in the education of all of us. We cannot afford to ignore Yoga enthusiasts who have children, work obligations, or live in remote areas. If someone has the desire to become a Yoga teacher, and the foundational training, there should be an organization to meet their needs.

Lastly, we need Yoga Alliance and all the other Yoga teacher associations, whether they are state or International level organizations. Each of them may have different policies, but many provide educational tools.

I wish each of you much success and happiness.

Om Shanti,

Paul