I want to be a yoga teacher, now what?

One of the most popular questions we get at YogaBC is "Where should I take my teacher training?" Here are 11 questions to ask before you take the plunge.

1. What are my reasons for taking yoga teacher training? For my own interests, to deepen my practice, or to teach yoga on completion? Make sure your potential school can meet your needs.
2. What is my learning style and time I can commit? Many programs run weekends make sure you have carved out the time needed for the program, practice and homework.
3. Is the teaching program registered and recognized, are they a member of YogaBC?
4. How many classes have graduated from this Teacher Training program? Ask to contact and speak to a past graduate.
5. How big is the class size? How much one-one attention will I get?
6. Who are the primary teachers, how many hours will they be teaching?
7. What is the Teacher Trainer's background and experience? Take their class, get to know their teaching style.
8. Is there a code of ethics or a code of conduct for the program?
9. Will a practicum or mentorship program be offered as a part of the Teacher Training?
10. What happens after the program? Who I am qualified to teach? If your dream is to teach prenatal yoga and your teacher training doesn't cover it, you will need additional hours and certification.
11. What are the costs (text books, classes, trips, and fees)?
    

Any questions I missed? Post them here to help your fellow yogis navigate their teaching journey.

Warm, super warm, regards,
Simone

Simone Riml

Community Relations Manager

AGM Report

Hello Everyone,

On behalf of the board, I am pleased to share the growth in activity over the last year, and achieving a few important milestones for this association.


For this I give my heartfelt thanks to our members who are supporting the vision, the Ministry of the Solicitor General who has approved the Direct Access grant for the last two years, and most notably, our staff Lesley, Simone, Miranda, our volunteers, and board of directors.


Highlights:

- The Re-Branding Project. Jason Yoshioka has completed a $4,000 grant to to help us update the visual aspects to YogaBC.
- Committed staff: At last year’s AGM, we had a goal to have a paid leader in place to handle the day to day activities of the association. We're grateful for Lesley Kovitz' work as Executive Director, Simone Riml as Community Relations Manager, and Miranda Post as Newsletter Editor.
- A new membership system. Not without it’s growing pains, this system will help us better manage our relationships with students, teachers, and other providers in the community.
- Meaningful Outreach: Simone’s work at events and going out to studios and teachers such as the Teresen Gas employee health fair, the Yogathon, the Yoga Health fair at Vancouver Public library, and going out to many studios to meet studios in person. These kinds of activities are what make YogaBC special and unique from Yoga Alliance.
- Partnerships: Drishti Point: had been using YABC community Calendar on air so we offered a banner add to DP to let people know about the radio program that profiles BC yoga teachers. Helping Langara College set up a Yoga Teacher Training program: the first public college to offer yoga in Canada, and special thanks to their group for their work on the Code of Ethics. Yoga Outreach – working with them on their fundraising plans.
- Insurance/Extended Health: New partners on both fronts are helping to provide services teachers need for their practice.

Looking Forward:

We must continue listening closely to the needs of members, and adapt programming to contribute in a meaningful way, such as marketing and business services to help studios and teachers prosper

A new website is in consideration to better serve members and the general public
And most importantly – we will continue to improve services that help teachers connect, and advance the practice of yoga in BC through continuing education programs.

The Board over the next year is tasked with significantly raising revenue to deliver better services, and continue to refine our vision, mission and mandates for how best to serve yoga practitioners in BC.This can happen with wider participation around BC, and using online tools for communications as well as more frequent in person meetings for fostering better peer-to-peer relationships.

Regards
Ryan Smith

Fee to Teach Yoga Outside

Hi Everyone,

We wanted to make sure everyone knows about the new fees and licence requirement for teaching yoga in Vancouver parks. Here is a link to the CBC news article, "New fees squeeze Vancouver's outdoor fitness operators," outlining the new requirements. A decision by the Parks Board now requires yoga teachers to apply for a licence and pay a $13 hour fee to teach yoga in Vancouver parks. "The Park Board is launching its own outdoor workout programs this summer, but insisted the licences aren't meant to stifle the competition." Rather it is a decision made because the parks are being taken over by outdoor fitness programs.

I talk to lots of yoga teachers and know teaching in the park is either an option to offer free classes (like teaching a group of friends) or as an extension of their class and studio experiences. For the majority of teachers this licence and fee will mean no longer being able to offer outdoor classes. I wonder if the Parks Board knows that?

What do you think about this as a yoga teacher? What about as a practitioner?

Post your comments here and/or forward the article to yoga friends.

Look forward to hearing from you,

Simone

YogaBC 2009 AGM: A Newbie's Perspective

I attended my first YogaBC AGM last week, June 13, 2009. I have attended many Annual General Meetings and sort of assumed I knew how this would go - presenting of annual reports and financial statements, amending bylaws, motioning, approving, and abstaining, all combined with an anticipation of heated discussion.

Essential stuff for an organization. Interesting? That all depends.

However, as we took care of business, along the way we engaged in a few passionate discussions. As we moved to pass our first code of ethics for registered teacher members of YogaBC a conversation around its value arose. If it is not possible to enforce a code of ethics, if it cannot be enforced, is a code of ethics of any value? You can imagine the spectrum of thoughts and beliefs that came forward. Some felt this is a place to start, to open up to community for discussion in order to find a way to create an infrastructure of enforcement tools before we adopt the document. Others felt this document represents principles to live by and want to know that their colleagues are aspiring to the same standards. In signing it we agree to a shared professionalism outlined by a code. This is a point of reference document to ‘bump up against’ as issues arise. In the end, we adopted the Code of Ethics with provision for annual review.

Another issue that came up during the presentation of the program reports was around the teacher registry. To be a member of YogaBC as a teacher the minimum requirement is a practice for two or more years, graduation from a recognized 200hr teacher training program and current First Aid/CPR. There is a lot of discussion around attaining documents; for senior teachers it is difficult to attain documentation at all. Does checking all the boxes mean you are a yoga teacher? After some discussion, the point was made that there are requirements to be a YogaBC teacher member, and therefore a part of a provincial and professional association. These requirements give the Association the ability to, and are for the purposes of, moving forward the goals and interests of yoga teachers and studio owners in BC while safeguarding the public trust with education and information.

So after these two issues were presented and discussed, where there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers, I better understood the importance of these meetings (no matter how dry they can be); they are a part of a much needed structure to house the issues that will shape the future of yoga in BC.

Thoughts? Share them here.

Thanks,Simone

A Code of Ethics for Yoga Teachers

Awhile back I had a discussion with a teacher about a Code of Ethics for yoga teachers. He raised the point that there was no need to sign a Code because of his strong commitment to his yoga tradition demonstrated by daily practice and adherence to the Yamas and Niyamas which in fact provide a ‘higher code’ for him. This got me thinking, “is a code of ethics redundant for yoga teachers?”

As YogaBC, the yoga association of British Columbia, moves to adopt its first Code of Ethics the AGM, June 13th, 2009, I pondered further and realized a code of ethics is not just for teachers; but perhaps more importantly, it is for the public. A code of ethics, code of conduct, teacher registry programs – all of the stuff that makes up a professional association – is put in place for the people we serve. I would suggest that a professional association which consists of these public safety structures is even more essential for the yoga community than in many other professional communities. Yoga practitioners must take a leap of faith as they put their body, mind and spirit into the hands and intentions of their yoga teachers. In fact the number one question we get at the association from the public, “what yoga should I practice, and from whom?” let's us know the public wants some guidance and reassurance.

So I have come to think of signing a code of ethics as the least I can do as a teacher to best serve the public and allow me to share the teachings I deeply believe in. Surely this may seem one sided coming from the yoga association’s community relations manager. I would love to hear your opinions, especially those who disagree and/or can add further insight. In the meantime here is a one question anonymous poll to see what your fellow yogis think.

Regards,
Simone

Simone Riml

Community Relations Manager

The Power of "Common-Unity"

Spending last weekend with over 100 yoga teachers, teacher trainers, practitioners and general yoga enthusiast at Yoga Outreach’s annual weekend retreat fundraiser was truly an experience of the power of community - which was appropriately enough themed ‘Community’ – but not for the reasons I had assumed before I arrived. I love group stuff, I always find it fun, inspiring, and rejuvenating – makes sense as a community relations person. Although, coming from a Kundalini tradition I didn’t think there would be much there for me as a teacher because I practice in a ‘different’ tradition.

However, as I experienced really great workshops from Anusara to Ashtanga and many teachers from ‘different’ traditions, with their own authentic styles, personalities, and belief systems, I moved into a deeper understanding and experience of yoga for myself, and in turn will share with my students. A place I wouldn’t have got to without reaching out and being a part of this large diverse community. Mary-Jo Fetterly, founder of Trinity Yoga, described community as “common” “unity.” For us on the Westcoast we are lucky to have the opportunity to come together and learn from a diverse community but I realized the magic of unity only happens when I a) show up and b) show up as supportive, open minded and ready to receive. The excellent food, beautiful BC surroundings combined with endless sunshine didn’t hurt either!

If anyone has some photos of the weekend I would like to post a couple please send a couple along to simone@yogabc.org.

Regards,
Simone

Inside the Yoga Studio - Meet Karen!

Karen Rempel is a registered yoga teacher and Reiki master, and the director of Monkey Valley Retreat Centre, located near Merritt BC. She leads retreats at the centre, and also apprentices on vision fasts in Colorado and California. She teaches tools to help people find healing and guidance in nature, including the medicine walk, medicine wheel, four shields of (human) nature, other ecopsychology methods, and yoga and meditation, as well as guiding questers on vision fasts.

I asked Karen the ten famous 'Inside the Actor's Studio' questions, here's her answers:

1. What is your favorite word? Pomegranate.

2. What is your least favorite word? Dick.

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Running in the woods, intimate conversations, feeling connected to wild animals and the beloved.

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Commercials, people who say "I love you all."

5. What sound or noise do you love? Birds singing.

6. What sound or noise do you hate? Weed whackers.

7. What is your favorite curse word? Jesus f%&*! christ.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Private detective.

9. What profession would you not like to do? Nurse.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You were right to tell that woman she was loud and obnoxious. It really helped her learn and grow as a person.

Click here to check-out Monkey Valley's upcoming retreats.

Thanks,

Simone