Is Yoga Teacher Training Necessary? The Aims of YTT!

In this draft, I explore the The Aims of Yoga Teacher Training in a series dedicated to yoga education.

Background

Before we get to the necessity of a yoga teacher training program, it’s important to examine what a yoga teacher training, or YTT, aims to do.

With this in mind, I’d like to share with you that I am writing this from the view of yoga educator of 20 years. Education and expertise can, at times, eradicate the beginner’s mind. I will keep this framework in sight as I share.

As a curriculum designer and program director, I have built many teacher training programs throughout the world. Sometimes, this role entails designing a program ground up. At other times, the content building must encapsulate the existing lineage and traditions. A studio generally upholds particular lessons, bits of philosophical frameworks and styles.

My interests in yoga started in an area that had little notoriety at that time. Now, I am often brought into a program as an expert with lesson plans that challenge and expand upon existing and standard course curriculums. This can be difficult as there are a lot of personalities amongst yoga staff and redundancy in the existing educational frameworks.

What do students want

Students seem to consider similar factors when considering a yoga teacher training. Ranging from style to price to length of the program.

While some students generally want to learn how to teach, many consider a program for knowledge alone. Or, if suggested to them by favor of their regular yoga instructor. Students tend to consider an entry level program (e.g. 200 hour) close to or where they practice. Whereas, students looking for an advanced program (e.g. 300 hour or more), are usually more particular about the material, the teacher, or what skills they will gain from the program. COVID, to some degree, has allowed more accessibility to training; yet, has flooded the online market with teachers who have little experience with online curriculum, design and organizational instruction.

In a perfect design, a teacher training would aim to meet the needs of the student while imparting knowledge of the lineage or tradition of the practice in a way that is self-sustaining for the practitioner. These skills will help experiential knowledge, provide resources for future growth in practice and experience through reliable frameworks. Ideally, the program will give access to a mentor (educator) for touch points or 1-to-1 learning.

The intensity of the discipline may also play a role. I studied a traditional, or classical path, through initiation. Initiation-based studies consider the teacher (guru) to give permission to the student. This protects the lineage and allows transmission of the teachings via the lineage. The teachings depend on the lineage. Varying levels of discipleship determine which lessons are transmitted. Specific techniques are generally asked upon and permitted by the guru. This can have its own difficulties; such as identifying who is authorized to teach.

The teacher has the only right to tell if you can teach and what you can teach. I know someone dislike this method, and though that may be true, this is the classical relationship between teacher and student. Additionally, the lessons can be kept alive with similar essence from teacher to student over many generations.

Eknath Eswaran shares a funny story about this process, revealing that because the student is spending so much time with the teacher the questions are not about what they will teach but how early you have to wake up, what kind of food you receive, and how the teacher will discipline you if you make a mistake. I find this a nice perspective to lighten the seriousness that is often associated with initiation.

There is much more discipline in this approach but having taken initiation and a teacher training program, the discipleship is much less about the time it takes to complete a program and much more about embodiment of the science of yoga. It is through this approach that you can transmit the teachings because you have lived them.

Overall, a teacher training program has a deadline of completion or a course structure, so you are aware of a date of completion. Additionally, though you are learning a set of topics based on the curriculum, you may not cover all topics or practices. The embodied state of practice is rarely a goal of the course administrators. One of the beauties of the YTT is that ends. You can complete it and walk away with some gained knowledge in foundational skills to teach. Another boon of a well-rounded teacher training is that exposes the student to other practices of yoga. Rarely, do global yoga markets emphasize pranayama (breathing and energy practice), meditation, and philosophy. This is changing to some degree but more in theory than prescriptive practices.

Takeaway

I stand by the above definition of what an ideal YTT would include. Furthermore, I’d make time to talk with the course director or one of the specialist on the course. See if you gel as people; talk about approaches. As a student, it’s good to listen. Express your ideas but listen to their agenda and ask how it helps you achieve your goals. If you’re seeking initiation or a traditional route, the same inquiry applies. Additionally, I’d ask the questions that Eknath Eswaran did and what your duties are to your guru as a student. Talk to other initiates too.

Feel free to write me on your questions.

In the next installment, I will discuss certification or credentialing in the yoga industry.