The Benefits of Ashtanga Certification

Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is a powerful yoga style that facilitates a profound transformation of your body, mind, and spirit. Through the process of ashtanga certification, you are not only preparing yourself to become an ashtanga yoga teacher, but you are also expanding your personal yoga practice. Ashtanga yoga certification forms the foundation for your skills as a yoga teacher and can strengthen your abilities, no matter what yoga style you prefer to teach.

Pursuing ashtanga certification takes time, but it is an exciting and rewarding process as well! In this article, we will explore some of the many benefits of pursuing ashtanga certification to support you in making the decision that is right for you. Now, let’s get started!

14 Benefits of Getting Your Ashtanga Certification

1.    Deepen Your Ashtanga Yoga Practice

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when choosing to become a yoga teacher is that the best teachers are also the best students. The stronger your personal yoga practice is, the better able you will be to teach others the techniques and experiences that yoga provides. Ashtanga certification sets a strong foundation for your personal yoga practice, giving you the tools to continue to dive deeper on your own.

2.    Learn the Theory of Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga yoga is commonly considered to be one of the traditional or original yoga styles passed down from Krishnamacharya, seen as the father of modern yoga. Ashtanga yoga is grounded within yoga philosophy and draws on all eight limbs of yoga to create a truly holistic and integrated practice. Through the depth and breadth of ashtanga yoga, you can firmly ground yourself in the theory and philosophy of yoga as you embody this wisdom on and off the mat.

3.    Gain Skills as a Yoga Teacher

The more yoga styles and yoga techniques that you expose yourself to, the greater your abilities will be in the vast world of yoga. Learning a range of yoga styles gives you a more well-rounded education that you can draw from when teaching your students. Every student has different needs, and the more tools you have to support them, the better you will be as a teacher.

4.    Build a Technical Foundation in Vinyasa Yoga

Ashtanga yoga practices can be found in nearly every yoga style, as many yoga styles drew their wisdom from this original technique of ashtanga yoga. Particularly in the case of vinyasa yoga and power yoga, these yoga styles are actually an adaptation of ashtanga yoga. By going back to the source and getting your ashtanga certification, you can build a strong foundation as a vinyasa or power yoga teacher.

5.    Reduce Anxiety and Stress

As you teach ashtanga yoga, you will also gain many of the benefits of this practice in your personal life. Practicing and teaching ashtanga yoga can be incredibly relaxing for your mind, helping to reduce anxiety and stress. There is nothing more rewarding than teaching an ashtanga yoga class and witnessing the transformation of your students from start to finish. Being part of this journey as a yoga teacher makes the work all the more worthwhile!

6.    Build Strength and Flexibility

Becoming an ashtanga yoga teacher can be a challenging job that requires endurance and physical ability. Through this process of teaching and practicing ashtanga yoga, you will naturally build strength and flexibility. As an ashtanga yoga teacher, you will learn the art of adjustments and supporting your students in this process of increasing flexibility and connecting with their inner selves at the same time.

7.    Learn the Art of Sequencing

Ashtanga yoga is unique due to the set sequences of this practice. Some yoga teachers believe that this makes ashtanga yoga an easier yoga style to teach as it doesn’t require the teacher to get creative. But this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Learning ashtanga yoga actually builds your skills in yoga sequencing even more than other yoga styles because you can directly observe and feel the impacts of yoga pose sequencing from a true master. Inspiring your sequences from ashtanga yoga in different yoga styles can help you to link together poses in a safer and more beneficial manner.

8.    Explore Additional Yoga Styles

The more that you expose yourself to a range of yoga styles, the greater your abilities will be as a yoga teacher. Every yoga style has a unique perspective and benefits that it can provide. By having a broad understanding of various yoga styles, you are able to converse with yoga teachers from many different traditions and draw benefits from a multitude of practices at the same time. The more you explore, the more you can find what works best for you and begin to dive deeper into the practice that feels most aligned with your inner self.

9.    Build Confidence as a Yoga Teacher

Ashtanga yoga is an incredibly powerful practice that is rooted in the ancient tradition of yoga. By learning ashtanga yoga, you can gain confidence in your abilities by feeling this connection to a lineage of teachers who have passed this wisdom along through the sacred Parampara of teacher to student. By knowing that you are connected to this tradition, you can draw from this confidence that what you are teaching is truly beneficial to your students and has the power to transform from within.

10.Expand Your Teaching Opportunities

As you learn additional yoga styles and techniques, you will also increase your work opportunities. Many yoga studios or retreat centers are looking for teachers who have a multitude of skills and can serve their clients in a range of different styles. Rather than being limited to only one style, ashtanga certification can add to your toolkit as a yoga teacher and make you more hirable in the eyes of a future employer.

11.Learn Adjustments and Modifications

A significant component of ashtanga certification is learning hands-on adjustments and modifications of some of the most popular yoga poses. The ashtanga yoga tradition has a long history of powerful adjustments, which has adapted over time to prevent injury and promote greater accessibility in this tradition. Ashtanga certification is a valuable opportunity to deepen your skills in adjustments and modifications in any yoga style that you choose to teach.

12.Explore the Art of Vinyasa

Ashtanga yoga or ashtanga vinyasa yoga is the root of the widespread vinyasa yoga practice. Vinyasa means to place in a special way, but on a deeper level, it refers to the method of linking body, mind, and spirit together through flowing movement and unity with the breath. This profound union through vinyasa can harmonize your entire being and help you connect to the transcendent experience that yoga provides. As an ashtanga yoga teacher, you are offering your students so much more than just a physical practice; it is truly a unity of body, mind, and soul on the mat!

13.Engage in a Journey of Self-Discovery

Remember, ashtanga certification isn’t just about serving others and becoming a teacher; it is also a profound journey of discovering yourself. Through regular ashtanga yoga practice, you can dive deeper within and connect to that sacred space that lies within each of us. Ashtanga yoga truly quiets the mind and helps you turn your awareness inwards, seeing the habit patterns of your mind and helping you untangle the webs of karma, keeping us bound into negative cycles. Ashtanga yoga is a path to deep awareness.

14.Start an Exciting Career as an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

As you might have guessed, pursuing an ashtanga certification prepares you for a promising career as an ashtanga yoga teacher. There are so many opportunities that are just waiting for you as you embark on the journey of becoming a yoga teacher. With an ashtanga certification in your back pocket, you will set yourself up for success and increase the many possibilities that can come your way as you take the leap and follow your passion to become an ashtanga yoga teacher!

Become a Certified Yoga Teacher in Our Online YTT Today!

Ashtanga certification takes diligence and time to complete, but it is a rewarding path that can set you on a life-changing journey moving forward. Ashtanga certification is an excellent way to build a foundation as a yoga teacher in traditional practice and technique while establishing yourself within your personal yoga practice. The drive and dedication it takes to become an ashtanga yoga teacher can feel overwhelming at times, but set your sights on the destination and remember that the many benefits will come with time!

If you are interested in becoming a certified yoga teacher, make sure to check out our online yoga teacher training courses today, including our ashtanga yoga teacher training online. Starting the process of becoming a yoga teacher is an exciting journey, and we are here to support you as you begin this exploration into the world of yoga. Reach out to us for more information on how you can become a certified yoga teacher online today!

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