New Regulations for Yoga Teacher Training Programs
Thursday May 14, 2009
As I've mentioned before, many yoga studios depend on their high-dollar teacher training programs to keep themselves in the black. But those in New York City have just found out that the state now wants them to be licensed, just like other vocational training programs. Apparently, it's a long and arduous process, and will put some training programs and the studios they support in jeoprady of closing down. Read the whole story at Yoga City NYC.
Comments
It seems that it is only a matter of time before all states beging to require yoga teacher training programsto be licensed, new York is just ahead of the game.
Yoga is no longer a fringe activity, it is mainstream and it is time that it is held up to the same standards as other businesses.
Some yoga studios may face financial hardships as a result of this process but long term this process stands to help studios.
Students will be able to apply for state and federal grants or loans to take the teacher training program and there will be consistency amoung classes and studios. it will certainly lend more credibility to the studio.
True, a licensing requirement may benefit yoga schools in the future. That’s what Mark Davis of Yoga Alliance is saying. However I wonder if the process needs to be so…harsh? In Michigan – just 7 days to pay $1,275 license fee and complete reams of paperwork? Having to wait 8 months for the license or otherwise face a $1,000 fine + 90 days in jail, even if you have a program already running? Surely there is a better way for the states to put this new requirement in place?
Had yoga been held carefully there may well be little to no reason for licensing. However it’s been both diluted and perverted by some. So it does appear (past) time for some regulation.
The problem comes in levying that regulation, who is overseeing it, how it is being overseen, enforcement, and red tape.
Hopefully licensing of yoga teachers will be administered a bit more mindfully than yoga itself has been held here in the U.S.
Background information on this issue as it unfolds in New York – http://www.yogaforawareness.org/yogaregulation.htm.
I am a certified yoga teacher who has practiced yoga for more than forty years. I am not for licensing because it won’t work. There already is an overseer of Teacher Training Programs, Yoga Alliance. Yet, I know of two well known teachers whose training programs do not meet the criteria of Yoga Alliance. An overseer usually doesn’t care about whether the criteria is met or not, just the money they get.