A stressful life and the many ill-effects of lifestyle changes has attracted people
from across the globe to the ancient Indian practice of Yoga. Ruchi Deshpande explores
the options of a career as a Yoga trainer
In today's competitive world where more career options are
being added to the list by the day, youngsters have a lot of options to choose from.
These careers range from being creative to intellectual to plain exciting. One of
the careers that have caught the fancy of the youth is that of teaching yoga.
Assessing the growing popularity of this art of living, career as a yoga trainer
has more returns than investments from every aspect. Be it job satisfaction or monetary
remuneration, being a yoga trainer is immensely fulfilling. Highlighting this aspect
of yoga is Dr. Nitin Unkule, a yoga teacher at the Kaivalya Yoga Institute in Pune.
"Sky is the limit when it comes to teaching yoga. A person who has enough experience
in yoga along with a lot of patience is capable of taking up yoga training as a
career," he said. The openings in this field are numerous and gaining popularity
as the exposure of to this particular field is on the rise.
There are certain skill sets that are required before taking the plunge as a yoga
teacher or trainer. Any aspiring yoga teacher should understand the deeply rooted
philosophies that give yoga a holistic effect. Physiological and anatomical knowledge
of the human body is essential regarding teaching yoga. Moreover, being innovative
and knowledgeable of the type of yoga you teach is also important. The types of
yoga that can be taught include Purna, Ashtanga, Bhakti, Bikram and Hatha yoga,
the most commonly taught being Hatha and Bikram yoga.
Training as a yoga teacher offers the rare opportunity of job satisfaction, that
many career oriented youngsters look out for while job hunting." As potential students
discover newer techniques while learning yogasanas, different sources of energy
and novel techniques are discovered within you as teacher, that enhance your teaching
and your art too," asserts Abhijata Sridhar, a senior teacher at the Ramamani Iyengar
Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune. She also insists that most yoga teachers start
off as students and then graduate to teaching the art of living to others. "The
best way to become a yoga teacher is to be a student first, where you learn various
concepts as they come along, even by observing others practice their yogasanas,"
she adds. There are various institutes in India that offer formal training according
to the level of yoga an individual wants to learn, these include Ramamani Iyengar
Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, Mysore and Parmarth
Niketan, Rishikesh.
Monetary remuneration ranks high on the list of prospective jobs for any student
these days. No matter how creatively stimulating careers are, the amount of money
earned ultimately takes centre stage. A yoga trainer teaches asanas that can prevent
ailments, promote spiritual fulfillment besides mental and physical wellbeing. "As
there is a growing demand for all the different tenets of yoga, experienced trainers
are paid well. However, it is also based on the expertise of the trainer. A beginner
can earn between Rs. 8000 - Rs. 10, 000 per month, while an decently experienced Yoga
trainer can earn up to Rs. 40, 000 per month," adds Dr. Unkule. The employers range
from resorts to wealthy individuals who create demand for yoga teachers.
Foreigners from all over the world visit India to experience and learn yoga. They
prefer learning yoga at the renowned institutes here and then practice it in their
own countries. Catherine Hayes, a Canadian national says, "I learnt yoga at the
Iyengar Institute two years ago and have my own successful yoga practice back home.
I visit India every year to brush up my knowledge of the art." Teaching yoga as
a career is rapidly gaining momentum abroad.
It looks like teaching yoga is all set to join the ranks of interesting and lucrative
professions as it fulfills all the criteria required for an ideal career. Life as
a yoga trainer enables you to experience a growth for yourself, besides contributing
to society. It won't be out of place to quote from a renowned yoga instructor who
said, "Yoga offers me the joy of self discovery through the process of teaching
it. It allows me to contribute to society in a way that makes me feel good."
Courtesy: Yahoo Campus
