Yoga is an ancient practice that works to unite the mind and body through the use of meditation and physical poses, as well as other disciplines originating in ancient India. Many people who practice yoga consider taking their knowledge to the next level. With the Registered Yoga Teacher 200-hour course (RYT-200), you will get into the background, underpinnings, and physical forms of yoga, but the more extensive training certification from the Yoga Alliance is the RYT-500, which requires 300 additional hours of training.
Portland Community College offers an extensive 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training course that combines online training with in-person intensives that help you achieve that RYT-500 standard while working around a busy life. Here are five reasons why you should enroll in Portland Community College’s 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training.
1. Yoga Teacher Training Offers Personal Fulfillment and Connection to an Ancient Practice
Many pursue their training as a yoga teacher less for the teaching aspect and more to gain an understanding of the deeper elements of the art. Whether you are studying the sources that outline yoga's history or discussing how ethics come into play when practicing yoga, you'll make connections between the lessons and practices, readings, and discussions you have in class. Many find a completely new appreciation for the art of yoga when they dive deeper.
2. Yoga Teacher Training Gathers Like-Minded Practitioners
Finding a community of people who are as passionate about yoga as you are can be a challenge at times. Joining an advanced-level 300-hour class like the one offered at PCC will introduce you into a cohort of others who care about this discipline and want to deepen their understanding. You'll develop bonds with others who are working toward their teaching certification and strengthen your own knowledge of the practice through the course.
3. Yoga Teacher Training Helps You Grow Your Strength, Endurance, and Overall Health
For many who practice yoga, a major benefit is that their bodies are freed from pain or feel strong and comfortable because of daily engagement with the poses of yoga. By spending ample amounts of time perfecting these postures, you will get stronger and be able to complete more complex poses, all while learning how to do the most intricate movements safely with the least possible risk of injury. If there is a time to challenge your limits and grow your physical expertise of yoga, it's during a 300-hour course where you're surrounded by other like-minded individuals who are looking to expand their knowledge as well.
4. Yoga Teaching is a Rewarding Field of Work
While not every person who completes this class intends to pursue teaching, those who do describe it as a rewarding way to express their care for others and a chance to be part of a ritual that gives many people comfort and relaxation. Yoga teaching can be applied in many settings. In beginner classes, it gives the opportunity to help those who feel that physical activity isn't for them or could hurt them a chance to try as much or as little movement as they are comfortable with at the time.
Yoga teachers often enjoy creating affirming and kind communities where their class participants challenge themselves and gain satisfaction from their growth, but where they can also take a break from the world and not feel the weight of their responsibilities. Given the many expressions of yoga, yoga teachers with this longer 300-hour course have a better sense of which kinds of yoga are their own favorite methods, helping them confidently choose a style to teach.
5. Teacher Training Offers a Flexible Career Path
In addition to being a fulfilling path, teaching yoga is a fairly flexible career. Some yoga teachers work full-time, often owning their own yoga studios and handling the bookkeeping, marketing, and studio management. Others opt to teach at someone else's studio on a schedule that works for them, even only one or two classes a week or month. This makes it a particularly nice fit for busy professionals or those who have caregiving work to do since it is a chance to earn some money doing work that feels very meaningful even if you need most of your time for something else.
While there are many other reasons why people choose to take the 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Portland Community College, the decision is usually an important one that takes time and preparation. A great way to get started is to sign up for our newsletter, where we announce updates and information about the class.
