Scrolling through the search results for ‘yoga teacher training’, there are literally thousands and thousands of institutions that offer yoga instruction across the world. From independent yoga teachers, local studios, to lengthy retreats, it can be hard to decide what’s right for you.

One major decision you’ll have to make is whether to go with a Yoga Alliance Certified School.

So, what is the purpose of Yoga Alliance accreditation exactly? Does the yoga industry need to be standardized? How is Yoga Alliance working to make sure their benchmarks are met around the world?

But first and foremost:

What Is Yoga Alliance?

Formed in 1999, Yoga Alliance is a non-profit organization and for the last 20 years, Yoga Alliance has authorized and administered a standard for yoga teachers to follow within registered yoga schools on the yoga teacher training courses they offer all across the world.

Their mission is to:

• Foster and support high quality, safe, accessible, and equitable teaching of yoga
• Advocate for and provide self-regulation of the yoga teaching market
• Ethical commitment and Equity in Yoga
• Leverage yoga for social impact and foster an expansive community.

The main purpose of the organization is to set the curriculum for the different levels of yoga education.

Standardized Curriculum

Yoga schools offering registered trainings must include specific hours in the following categories: practice, teaching methodology, anatomy, philosophy & ethics and teaching practice. The content of each area is up to each independent school in many ways.

All of the requirements were updated recently, providing new guidelines for the RYS 200 common core curriculum, which is the first level of everybody’s yoga teacher education.

The standards of each level are set to provide yogis with a pathway to becoming a E-RYT 500 Yoga teacher, which requires years of experience, teaching and continuing education.

Benefits of Yoga Alliance Membership

Ethical governance

The accreditation adds professionalism for a yoga teacher. By regulating any industry, an opportunity is created for safe and ethical guidelines.

Insurance cover

Yoga Alliance certification for teachers means that some liability insurance companies will cover teachers in case of an accident, as they are perceived to have the required standard of training.

Is it totally necessary to be registered?

Is there an absolute conclusion from yoga instructors and students? Not quite, there are important issues to consider here.

Although there are many positives to registration, some do wonder if it is truly needed. Renowned Gurus, some schools and teachers have never been registered. But with reputation and image being so important these days it makes a lot of sense to be so.

Some question the standardization of yoga. But perhaps asking yourself why you’re registering with Yoga Alliance would be a better question. The stamp of approval is a great benefit to your teaching opportunities in the future.