Teacher Training FAQ
How much practice should I have prior to doing a teacher training?
We highly recommend a committed practice at least 5 times per week for at least one year. This practice should be focused and of high quality.
How do I know if a teacher training is right for me?
Well, that depends. Teaching is a calling, not just a career. Anyone can pay to get a certification to teach yoga, but few are true teachers. Ask yourself what motivates you to become a teacher? How do you view your role in the yoga community as a teacher? Are you studying with teachers that are of the highest caliber (not just the most well-marketed- there is a difference the discerning yoga practitioner quickly finds…) and are a good fit for you. The teacher-student relationship is sacred in the East, so find a teacher devoted to you, your practice, and your overall well-being.
What if I take the course only to discover teaching is not for me?
That is not so uncommon. We take plenty of time to be introspective, share our feelings, frustrations and struggles. You are not alone in this journey of accelerated learning and personal evolution. We end the training with four tracks, one of them is devoted practitioner which enables you with tools to continue to evolve and keep your practice rigorous and challenging. This will be like a personal marathon, extremely rewarding, even if in the end teaching as a career is not your path. We do encourage everyone to think bigger than just being a yoga teacher in the conventional sense; there are many ways in which you can touch the lives of others through yoga.
What can I expect in the Teacher Training?
Not all trainings are created equal. We are a demanding and rigorous program seeking to draw out excellence and accountability in your yoga practice and the quality of your everyday life, subscribing to the yamas and niyamas. We expect full commitment to the program and completion of all the training modules. In addition, we aspire to create a self-sustaining community of yogis, serving and loving one another and their students. You are asked to complete a minimum of 8 yoga classes per week during the training (five of which are conducted over the training weekends) as well as a seated practice. We will have fun, but we will work hard. We want to collaborate and enable people passionate about yoga! You will not be given a script, told what to say, or walked through a watered down version of some self-esteem program. Instead, we just help you come to your authentic voice as a teacher, strengthen, endurance-train, and stretch your practice, providing you with practical application of ancient yoga insights to create a profound and functional yoga class for the general public, using your own brain, body & creativity.
What kinds of trainings does Sattva offer?
We offer a full service Hot Hatha and Vinyasa power, each 200 hours with our 500 hour program launching in January 2013. In addition, we offer a 95-hour Yin, or “Tha” style to round out a 500-hour certification, and coming soon, Kids’ Yoga 95-hour module for those who want to explore the extremely exciting world of make-pretend worlds, silly songs, and yoga play. Beyond certifications, we also are a Conitnued Education program working on-going with the Yoga teacher community to fortify their knowledge and expand the learning beyond 200 hour programs.
What Can I Expect Financially From Becoming A Yoga Teacher?
Sattva Yoga is the only program that have senior business leaders helping with a portion of the content. We bring in studio owners, other teachers, yoga entrepreneurs and have a whole section of our training designed to help you create your yoga career. This is one of the only programs in the world where the business of yoga is not a casual after thought. Sattva is invited to conferences to address this very topic around the country because of our track ready is helping others combine their passion for yoga with the practicalities of everyday living. We provide you with the tools to succeed, on every level, with your yoga practice.
Can I get certification hours from a Sattva Yoga retreat?
Some retreats will offer a supplemental Teacher Training set of hours. These hours plug and play and are designed to augment the regular 200 hour curriculum. In 2012, we will be doing this most likely in Thailand and Hawaii. In 2013, we are offering this option in Brazil and Mexico. Sattva reserves the right to accept or apply any of the content hours of a retreat towards a certification based on performance and in compliance with Yoga Alliance standards.
What about if I am interested in a 500 hour certification?
This will be available to any Sattva certified and other 200 hour program certification (that meets our standards) in 2013. Currently Sattva is partnering with Terra Yoga in Issaquah, Washington and Sundance Yoga in Pearland, Texas in 2012 and 2013 will deliver 500-hour certifications of our own in both Hatha and Vinyasa.
My family is asking if yoga is a religion; what is the Sattva stance?
Great question. Yoga is an ancient science and philosophy that has its roots in many Eastern traditions, notably Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. Many philosophical ideologies were birthed from religious formats and over the centuries have diversified into many different styles and traditions of yoga. At Sattva, we recognize that people are coming into the yoga fold from various philosophic, religious paths, and we welcome them all. A portion of our curriculum is designed to study many of the world’s religions and philosophies to find common universal themes in the human condition and abide to high ethical standards recognized across religious strata. For additional questions, please reach out.
What if an emergency comes up and I cannot complete the course?
The only constant is change, and our recommendation is good communication. We examine each situation on a case-by-case basis and take great efforts to accommodate. Whenever possible, we work to make arrangements to allow the student to complete the course at a different time.
It’s go-time! Are you ready? If so, let your yoga journey being NOW!
