Yoga teacher training in India is gaining popularity at a very fast pace. The individuals who take up yoga and have experienced it first-hand know how beneficial yoga is in helping them change their lifestyle, and in turn, want to help others do the same.

The courses for yoga teacher training in India are being taught at select schools and the courses are certified. Yoga is an intricate art form and the roots of yoga run deep and only if a person has a complete understanding of that, can he/ she impart the knowledge to another person. As a teacher, you will be expected to have a clear idea as to how to take this forward and define your long- term goals.

When a person chooses to take up yoga teacher training in India and become a yoga instructor/ teacher there will be a lot of unanswered questions. “How do I become a yoga instructor?”, “Is there a course that I could do?”, “how do I go about to becoming a teacher?”, “Do I need a certificate stating I am certified to teach yoga?”, “How do I evaluate my students and know what is right for them?”, etc., are just some of the questions that pop up.

Well, you need not worry anymore if you follow this short guide on how to become a yoga teacher in India.

Becoming a yoga teacher in India involves five basic steps as listed below,

• Research about the style of yoga and accreditation
• Your budget
• Choosing the right school
• Choose your specialization
• Set your goals and motivations

1. Research about the style of yoga and accreditation

Yoga has evolved in the past few decades. There is the traditional form of yoga which is restorative yoga and the other form is more like a workout called hot yoga. Before deciding which one you want to practice and teach it is always advised that you try both forms and see for yourself which is more beneficial for you and also which form aligns with your personal goals.

To benefit from the practice of yoga it is also important to find the right guru, even if that takes a few years. A good teacher is one who can communicate properly to the entire class, keeping in mind the different needs of the entire class. In addition to guiding their students in the right path, a yoga instructor should also aid their students to find the answers on their own and subsequently find the solutions too.

The bigger challenge is to find a school that is accredited. To make things easier you can always look on the Yoga Alliance website and their accreditation partners The British Wheel of Yoga and Independent Yoga Network to select from the list of recognized institutions.

• Your budget

Most people after finishing yoga teacher training in India would want to start their own studio. So, it is wise to start thinking about how you are going to set up your studio and get the required financial help. It is great if you can financially support yourself, or else if you need to depend on loans, then you have to first consider if it is a good choice to drop your regular job and choose to be a yoga instructor as a profession. To figure that out, one could start by instructing part-time at a studio and see how it works out before starting their own studio independently.

• Choosing the right school

The yoga school that you are going to choose should not just be a good one in terms of location and the way of teaching, but also pocket friendly. One can start narrowing down where they want to start their journey by going through the numerous yoga schools that are listed on the Yoga Alliance website.

• Choose your specialization

Through the practice of yoga, one needs to figure out which form of yoga suits them the best and figure out what unique trait they have. It is this unique specialization and the willingness to pass that on to their future students is what makes every teacher unique and special.

• Set your goals and motivations

The final step is to define what you want to achieve by becoming a yoga teacher and how you are going to achieve it. Ask yourself every time “Why did you choose to become a yoga instructor?” and remember the first answer that comes up in your mind. That answer is the driving force for you to achieve your goals.

There could be a lot of hurdles on your path to becoming a teacher and yoga teacher training in India is very competitive but if have what it takes to be a good yoga instructor combined with your determination, you will be on your way in no time.