Studying Yoga

Studying yoga is not as simple as signing up for an extension course at the local adult education center. Granted, there may be a yoga who offers classes for those who wish to study Hatha yoga, but if you wanted to study Kundalini yoga, you might find that those who offer instruction in this discipline are a lot harder to find. In addition to the foregoing, while you are more than willing to accept instruction from a yogi who is further along the spiritual path than you, this enthusiasm might wane a bit if it turns out that she or he is the recipient of a home study yoga certification and not the graduate of a more prestigious program.

To this end, here are some tips that will help you on your path to studying yoga for all it’s worth:
1. Before studying yoga, understand what it is that you are looking to learn. For example, do you see it as a way of exercising that is low impact and at a pace that you enjoy? Are you willing to engage in the practice without the spiritual implications? On the other hand, are the physical aspects somewhat secondary to you and instead you are hoping to deepen your spirituality? Answers to these questions will determine what kind of setting is acceptable to you.
2. Become acquainted with the different kinds of yoga there are. Studying Ashtanga yoga is different from studying Hatha yoga. If you are interested in the former, you do not want to make do with a teacher in the latter discipline.
3. Consider the medium that most appeals you when studying yoga. Some need the accountability of going to a school in order to keep up with the discipline, while others will do great with a set of yoga home study DVDs. Still others may wish to enquire about becoming teachers themselves, and thus may consider an online home study yoga teacher certification course that is offered from a variety of venues.
4. If a home study yoga certification course is not what you are looking for, and if the piece of paper that would signal the completion of the Hatha yoga certification home study classes is not worth the effort of printing it, then you are in fact ready to visit a bona fide brick and mortar school.
5. When selecting a school so that you may begin studying yoga – or continue on the path if you have begun in the past but took some time off – make sure you understand the teacher to student ratio. Additionally, be aware how long the sessions run.
6. Last but not least, be honest about your limitations and your willingness to overcome them.