Health and Wellness Trends
Meditation and Breathwork are trending
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years, (wait, we sort of have…), you’ve heard all the buzz around meditation and breathwork! They’re both trending on social media and all over the internet, and instructors are in hot demand. But as a certified yoga instructor, will you be capable and qualified to lead meditation and breathwork sessions? The answer depends on your Yoga Teacher Training course.
A graduate of a YTT-200 hour program should be able to teach yoga, meditation, and breathwork sessions. But all teacher training courses are not created equal. Some of the less robust courses out there just concentrate on teaching yoga. They concentrate on the poses, and the clothes, and the chic, boho fashion and accessories. (And that’s fun, too!) But they may not teach you how to TEACH all the different practices. There’s a difference between learning yoga and teaching yoga. And, a great course will include meditation and breathwork. Not just the practices, but also how to teach them. Like Claire always says, “If you really want to learn something, learn to teach it!”
Meditation
There are many scientific and medical studies that have proven the benefits of meditation not just for emotional well-being and mental clarity, but for physical health and wellness as well. Some teachers include group meditation, or satsang (keeping good company) at the end of an asana class, while others prefer to practice meditation on their own. The type of meditation practiced most commonly in yoga is Mantra Meditation. (This uses a repeated sound, word, or phrase during meditation.) Our YTT course will teach this practice, and prepare you to teach it to others.
Breathwork
In yoga jargon, breathwork is known as pranayama. Prana is the energy, or life force, that flows through every living thing and the universe. Eating whole foods and drinking clean, clear water are prana-enlivening activities. The best way to enhance prana is with breathing techniques, or pranayama, which you’ll learn in our YTT course. Specific pranayama techniques can energize or relax the body and mind, enhance mental and physical well being, encourage control over our emotions and reactions, deepen certain asanas, and quiet the mind for meditation.
Get certified to Teach Yoga and More...
The American Yoga Academy’s online Yoga Teacher Training course prepares competent, confident teachers and certifies graduates to teach yoga, chair yoga, meditation, breathwork, mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and more. You’ll learn the art of teaching and become a Health and Wellness Educator, teaching more than just a yoga class. You’ll have access to all the course material, recordings, lectures, and live support 7 days a week.
