The Best Online Yoga Teacher Training
Are you looking for the best online yoga teacher training? Are you having a hard time identifying which training will work best for you? We hear you, and we are here to help. We’ve been facilitating online yoga teacher training for over six years and we have learned a few things about facilitating training online. In this article, we’re going to share valuable information about online yoga teacher training, what to look for, what to avoid, and how to make the best decision for you.
Myth: The best yoga teacher trainings costs a lot of money.
Fact: Yoga teacher training can range from several thousands of dollars to a few hundred dollars, and now that training has moved online students are seeing a lot of diversity in the market. The price of training has nothing to do with the quality of the training and it doesn’t necessarily reflect the amount of live interaction you have with lead trainers.
Prior to 2020, all yoga teacher training had to take place in person which limited the number of participants based on the location and number of lead trainers. Now that we’ve moved yoga teacher training online we can scale operations to create an efficient and truly connected experience. Rather than using price as an indicator for quality, ask the prospective school how they provide community involvement and how you connect with lead trainers.
There are many options for online yoga schools these days, so connection is key. Some schools offer connection in the form of live Zoom calls which require participants to be present at certain times. This is one way to ensure connection with other participants that is academic and fosters learning. Unfortunately, this type of connection can be overwhelming for some or difficult to access due to one’s schedule or location. The best online yoga teacher training options offer a mix of academic, social, and intellectual connections that meet learners where they are in their process.
At My Vinyasa Practice, we’ve created a four-pronged approach to fostering community that includes support, structure, social engagement, and self-study. We do it by offering personalized peer support representatives that work with students one on one to ensure success. You’ll always receive an answer from your dedicated peer support representative within a reasonable amount of time, and they are available to meet with you on Zoom or over the phone as needed. There is no limit to the number of meetings you can have with your dedicated support person.
We structure our lectures in a way that is engaging and interactive. Every lecture is offered live on Zoom and is recorded for individuals who can’t attend in real-time or for individuals to rewatch. Each lecture delivers new content and outlines clearly defined objectives. Our lecture presentations are available to students so they can study and refer back to the content at any time. All lectures are done in real-time by lead trainers who are listed on our Yoga Alliance profile as authorized trainers. This is important if you’re interested in registering with Yoga Alliance upon completion of your certification. If a trainer is facilitating training they must be listed on the school’s Yoga Alliance profile for the hours to count towards your certification.
We offer social engagement opportunities like book clubs, movie nights, and karaoke nights. In addition to these social events, we offer office hours daily in multiple time zones to make sure that students can ask questions in a timely manner without going back and forth in email.
Our training puts a huge emphasis on Svadyaya, or self-study, in relation to the Yoga Sutras and yogic philosophy. It’s never about the teacher with My Vinyasa Practice; it’s always about the student. Our lead trainers are experts in the field with decades of personal practice and lived experience, but the program has nothing to do with the teachers projecting their experience onto students. We believe that the spiritual journey is about going inward and working on our inner material so that we can compassionately hold space for others.
Myth: The top yoga teacher training will have celebrity teachers.
Fact: I think we covered it in the last paragraph, but in case we were not clear, it is never about the teacher. The days of sage on a stage are over. One of my teachers, Nischala Joy Devi talked about the old days of Sage on a stage where students would gather in convention halls to listen to different teachers talk about their philosophy on enlightenment. She often tells stories about how she met her teacher at one of these events. Nowadays, there are so many teachers that have valuable things to share that we need to be conscious of our tendencies as humans to look to someone else for the answers. If we put a teacher on a pedestal and buy into the idea that they are better than we are we run the risk of stagnating and not moving forward.
My Vinyasa Practice is the only online yoga teacher training that has been written and organized by a professional trainer and lifelong yogi. Michelle started meditating over thirty years ago, has practiced yoga for nearly two decades, and has a Master’s degree in Curriculum Development. Her ability to organize content, facilitate learning, and create a conscious connection is unparalleled. Where ever you decided to get your yoga certification it’s important to make sure that the facilitators are trained educators who have experience in curriculum development and personal practice. All that said, Michelle is passionate about creating an environment where students understand that all beings are born into Enlightenment; the projections of society are the veils that prevent us from seeing ourselves as spiritual beings in a human experience. Enlightenment and Self Realization are for everyone, and the experience of life is in effort to our awakening and uplifting the collective consciousness.
Schools that claim their teachers are “stars” might be steeped in ego, which can cause dissonance in the learning process, especially when it comes to yoga. Regardless of the yoga school you select, make sure that the teacher is coming clean and teaching from a compassionate heart. Any teacher who dismisses their students’ lived experience or projects that they have “more” experience is teaching from a place of insecurity. Of course, a teacher is supposed to be knowledgeable, but not at the expense of students.
Myth: You can’t learn to teach yoga online.
Fact: You can learn to do anything online. From playing guitar to painting with oils, you can learn any skill in an online environment. Some students adapt to online learning better than others which is why it is so important to have many options for students to take advantage of with regards to learning styles and formats. Students learn through visual, auditory, or kinesthetic techniques, and having access to multiple formats including pre-recorded, live recorded, podcasts, written materials, and live practices is important.
You will know the school is one of the top yoga schools if they are offering diversified opportunities to take in the content. Schools that offer personalized support and community-focused opportunities demonstrate their understanding of the learning process and pedagogy. Online universities have proven that learning online is not only possible but is scaleable, and for some, it may actually be a better option than in-person learning.
Myth: All yoga teacher trainings are created equal.
Fact: Every yoga school is different. Check-in with the school and ask questions. If you don’t receive a timely response that is a red flag that the school is at capacity. Ask questions about the school’s pedagogy, their method of teaching, and how they ensure the success of their students. Ask if the school offers one on one support, access to lead trainers, community events and opportunities for involvement, and whether they have a refund policy.
My Vinyasa Practice offers all of these things and more, but you don’t have to take our word for it. We have thousands of reviews on Google, Yoga Alliance, and Facebook that authentically and transparently critique our training. We believe that it is valuable to show all of our reviews and the reviewer’s comments so that we accurately portray the way our trainings are perceived as well as how we utilize information and feedback from reviews. We take student’s opinions to heart and when necessary we use feedback from our graduates to improve the content and processes. We believe this level of transparency demonstrates our values and commitment to our students’ success.
Myth: Yoga Teacher Training is only for people who want to teach yoga.
Fact: over 50% of our population are students working on deepening their practice. Yoga teacher training doesn’t need to be reserved for individuals looking to teach yoga. It can be a powerful and transformative tool to help individuals come into their own personal power while establishing their practice. When you participate in yoga teacher training you are participating in a journey through your lived experience into the heart of your being. Online yoga teacher training can help to establish your practice in the comfort of your own home.
In conclusion, not all yoga teacher trainings are created equal. Many online yoga teacher training programs have been thrown together out of necessity, so it’s important to do your homework. Find a school where you will have access to live support, lead trainers, content for life, and where you know that the trainers are thoroughly trained in both yoga and education.
If you’re interested in deepening your practice or becoming a yoga teacher you can check out our online yoga teacher training. With a 30-day money back guarantee, solid reviews, and an unbeatable price there has never been a better time to come home to your practice. The first 100 people to register with TAKE20 can take an additional 20% off their training.