From the article: How to Become a Yoga Teacher
Many yoga students who have practiced seriously for several years start to think about becoming yoga teachers, especially those who are dissatisfied with their current careers. Post here to share if you've done a yoga teacher training program in order to make a career change. How did it work out? Readers Respond
good start but slow
- I quit working in airline after delivered my second child. I was jobless then while raising them til age 2. Then i was in a corporate world for 2 yrs...which i hated it. Too much of politics and gossip and also long working hour with low pay! I was a yoga practitioner before i while i was conceiving my child. Since then i just love practicing yoga! and always looking forward for my class. Then i decided to leave and resigned corporate world and took up yoga international courses for all levels. currently i am teaching part time while becoming a house wife. I only teach 5-6x a week and i am comfortable with my average income. Imagine that..with a full time house wife work and teaching the evening ...u barely spend most of yr time in work! it only take about 1-2 hrs of your time in teaching...i even planned one day..i will surely own a yoga center in order to expand my teaching with my fellows friends while earning full time income.
- —Guest IVY
Why not?:-)
- If one feels like changing career, becoming a yoga teacher is a very humanistic decision. I did it and I have not regeret it at all. Its really rewarding to see all these people feeling better and having their quality of life increased! When it comes to where a teacher can support herself/himself..well..it depends how good the teacher is. If people enjoy your classes, they will pay and if you count the private classes as well, it will make a pretty good living. I highly recommend opening a studio, relesing DVDs, brand products....and most importantly have faith in what you are doing. The rest will follow. Good luck!
- —MilkanaG.
Live up to your dream !!!
- I worked in the corporate world for over 20 years, I got to Yoga as a way of reducing my stress but with regular practice my life started to change for good. With the intention to deepen my personal practice I took my first TT in Hatha, a few months later I realized that I wanted to share this beautiful practice with more people, that's when I became really serious about teaching, quit my formal job and started to teach while doing some consulting work for a few years while doing some additional training here and there and after five years I'm finally seeing the fruits of my effort. I opened a small Yoga shala in my home (for about 12 people) teach an average of 12 classes per week , a few of them off-premises still but I pay my bills and I am doing what I love, my students are reflecting the benefits of Yoga in their lives and I'm happy as I can be. It is not easy to make the change, it needs a lot of courage, a lot faith in yourself.
- —parroyoga
from corporate cube dweller to yoga
- I completed my teacher training while having a full time career in the corporate world. I knew I wanted to teach more than full time eventually. I taught part time for a few years and then lost my full time job and jumped head first into teaching full time. I have been doing it for almost 2 years now and am able to pay my bills, and live my life the way I desire. Granted I am not driving a mercedes or living in a mansion, but I am quite happy and able to make ends meet. There have been times when I taught 23 classes a week to get myself established and earning enough money to pay my rent. Now 2 years into it I have found opportunity to teach better paying classes with less energy output. I also practice thai yoga massage to supplement my income, which keeps me in the realm of yoga and healing, but gives my voice a break from teaching. I am blissful and humbled to be able to do what I love. Follow your heart if yoga is what you love, find a way to make it your career.
- —Guest yogasteph
Filled with possibilities
- I left corporate life years ago to stay home with my kids. As they grew I was able to get a Yogafit 200 ryt. I now teach a few classes a week and look forward to the possibilities that this offers me. I have many of ideas for bringing yoga to different populations and am excited by the challenge. I won't make a lot of money with this career but will continue to learn and teach yoga for a long time.
- —Guest Guest Nancy
Teaching for a Living
- I became a Yoga Teacher 10 years ago. Yoga has boomed in that time so there are a lot of opportunities to teach a myriad of classes. For the first 6 years I taught part time while keeping a regular full time job. Now because of my husband's support I teach full time, 7-8 classes a week. I make between $50-$100 a class, depending on the size of the class. There is really no way you could support yourself on teaching alone...granted I'm 46 years old and 8 classes is certainly enough for me. If you are thinking of changing your career to be a full time yoga teacher really look at the reality that you get paid per class...how many classes a week do you really think you can teach? Perhaps owning and running your own studio is a goal. This also involves big start up costs and no guarantee of a large student base. I'm not trying to put anyone off becoming a teacher, but you must consider what you want your quality of life to be and how long you can realistically keep teaching. Namaste
- —Guest Elaine
Great Topic!
- I began practicing yoga three years ago. Following the inclusion of Yoga in my life, I left a fiffteen year marriage and began seeing a counselor to work and process through the grief of losing both of my parents (which I have carried for many years). Yoga was life changing and I thought I wanted to share it with the world (still do on some level). I began teacher training and became a Yoga teacher. How Yoga Continues to Change My Life.. I work in corporate america and have been unhappy for many years (my company is great - just cannot seem to find passion in my work). In January of 2010, I will return to school full-time as a middle age divorcee (who is proud of her life and all the gifts of love and loss) to pursue a career which brings me happiness. I am hopeful that Yoga will be an avenue to support this new journey of life for me. It is amazing to be on the other side of the mat and to watch students come alive and come into their bodies.
- —Guest Brandi
Think twice!
- I went through yoga teacher training, because I wanted a different career (have worked in offices my entire adult life). The teacher training was fantastic. The problem is ... money. You do not make much money as a yoga teacher (especially as a beginning/new teacher). ALSO you are expected to take many extra trainings, which are marvelous, but they COST ALOT !!! One weekend can cost hundreds of dollars. I love teaching, but can't afford the trainings, especially in this economy.
- —Guest Laurie
blissful
- I am a high school PE and agriculture educator, and became dismayed at the focus of teaching to a test as mandated by no child left behind. I had not practiced yoga before, but was told it was a great way to de-stress. Well, I trained with YogaFit, and continue to branch out to all styles, and this is the second year of offering yoga to high school students as a PE elective, and this semester (fall, 2009) I practice with 5 classes, a total of 155 students. And, it makes a huge difference in their lives...as well as mine.
- —Guest Ricky
Teacher Trained
- I did my yoga teacher training after I was laid of from an office job that I hated. The timing was perfect. I taught for a bit after YTT, but ultimately moved on to other things. My training really deepened my practice though. That was five years ago and now I'd like to do another YTT, not to teach but just to explore more practices. YTT is amazing even if you don't want to teach.
- —Nola
