The following information is for teacher trainers and for teachers who have significant experience with yoga and yoga teaching.
If you’re a less experienced teacher, you may be interested in perusing this section, but please know that we have other support for you.
It’s common for yoga students to express an interest in taking a teacher training not because they plan to teach, but because they wish to deepen their practice and knowledge. When we see a student’s desire to deepen her understanding of yoga, we’re observing a natural and sincere evolution of practice.
Do you remember the curiosity you had before you took a teacher training? It may have been a small and nagging desire to know more, or it may have been a full-on obsession. Yoga keeps blowing our minds and improving our lives no matter where we are on the path. Once exposed to such rich and practical teachings and practices, our curiosity is forever awakened.
I propose that we’re wired to remember and reclaim our divinity and, therefore, whatever spiritual path we choose, whether yoga, shamanism, a major religion of the East or West, or any combination of paths, our curiosity and desire to learn more is continuous. But whatever your belief, isn’t it interesting how that desire to know more has never left you?
If you feel drawn to supporting our brothers and sisters worldwide in following their impulse to learn more and to deepen their practice, please read on for support in doing so.
If we consider the many ways we can respond to the sincere desire of students who wish to learn more, it’s certainly not only with teacher trainings. And yet, so often I only see offerings for the tired and inadequate “200 hour teacher training,” which requires forcing all curious students to conform to a model that may be a mismatch to their needs.
In contrast, teachers and trainers who offer workshops and series that support a deepening of yogic studies are finding more ways to tap into this powerful opportunity with students. (And I propose we can take this a big step further by offering a more comprehensive and structured path.)
For many students who don’t actually want — or feel ready — to teach, the common teacher training model presents major obstacles, including time and cost. And how about the fear related to being squeezed into a training that is targeted for teachers? Many potential students who struggle or fail to commit because of such obstacles are wise to be concerned. The fact is that their desire and the offering are, in many cases, a mis-match.
Granted, some trainers explicitly acknowledge this situation and invite students to use the teacher training as an opportunity to deepen their practice without needing an intention to teach. That’s better than NOT acknowledging this vital student desire, for sure. But it’s still missing a crucial opportunity to offer a yoga immersion that is specifically designed to meet this common need.
(Because so many trainings have been offered over the years using the “200 hour teacher training” model, we’ve got ourselves “an industry” that has been ripe for corruption and has resulted in a glut of unprepared teachers. There is now a widespread misperception that anyone who takes 200 hours of training is capable of teaching. Not only is this demonstrably untrue, it has resulted in harm. More information here and here and here.)
Wouldn’t it be a boon to our world if more of the population who tasted the fruits of yoga had an easy way to step onto a more structured path, thereby gaining a deeper knowledge of yogic wisdom and a consistent and functional personal practice?
Please know that you are more resourced and prepared than most people on the planet to offer a path for curious students to deepen their understanding and practice of yoga.
Wherever you are in the process of planning or executing on immersions and trainings, we can make it far easier and more effective for you. With our support, you can focus on mentoring and diving into the subjects where you excel. But to make this a reality, you have to believe in the idea of offering immersions and be willing to get started.
We recommend having a longer-term curriculum so that you can guide students in a structured way. (See below for access to our excellent curriculums.)
And wouldn’t it be ideal to structure immersions as modules that can be applied toward a teacher training as desired? For example, the philosophy immersion you offer to curious students could be the same philosophy foundations module in your Yoga Teacher Training and thus, students who start out curious who then wish to pursue training already have one module complete. (I recognize this makes creating a consistent cohort not possible but I propose considering such trade-offs and meeting the need for community and connection in additional ways.) With this model, you’re not only connecting with curious students, you’re providing a more accessible and effective pathway to teaching as well.
But even if you’re not yet ready to commit to offering a more complete curriculum, you can still offer workshops or immersions in any of hundreds of yoga subjects. You may begin marketing immediately. Or you may wish to first test out the idea and some of the various formats you could offer. In that case, you might speak with and write to some of your dedicated students. Ask them questions. Run ideas by them. Listen to their responses with an ear for really hearing both the logistical concerns and the deeper needs. Sit with the ideas. Meditate. Make a decision to begin.
If you’re a current trainer member, you’ve got access to the highest quality curriculums and a massive library of lessons, presentations and assessments. You might consider the following:
If you were a trainer member in the past, email us for 50% off the published rate.
If you’ve never been a trainer member, you can get more information here:
