|
Lifestyle & Ethics
|
-
Explain ayurvedic foundations for balanced living by describing core concepts—such as daily rhythm (dinacharya), digestion (agni), and seasonal awareness (ṛtucharya)—and articulating how small, practical shifts in routine support steadiness in practice, balance, and vitality in daily life
-
Apply habit change through breath, kriya, and mindfulness by using foundational awareness tools—such as pranayama, kriya practices, and simple mindfulness techniques—to interrupt unhelpful patterns, regulate the nervous system, and choose responses that align with personal growth and intention
-
Describe daily devotional practice (sadhana) for yogic self-study and personal awareness (svadhyaya) by explaining how consistent practice supports self-awareness, reveals habitual patterns, softens reactivity, steadies the mind, and cultivates clarity and ease in daily life
-
Explain the guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas) as tools for energetic balance by describing how they manifest in everyday life and demonstrating understanding of how intentional choices—such as breath practices, routine, and lifestyle habits—can cultivate greater sattva and influence mood, energy, and overall wellbeing
-
Discuss healthy boundaries, ethics, and responsible teaching by explaining why clear boundaries and ethical grounding are essential in the role of a yoga teacher, including understanding consent, clear communication, scope of practice, and the ability to hold space without hierarchy, pressure, or dependency—honoring both student wellbeing and personal integrity
-
Discuss the yamas and niyamas by explaining them as living, practical principles that guide communication, self-responsibility, and everyday choices, and reflect on how embodied ethics naturally shape one’s presence and integrity as a yoga teacher
|
|
Practice Skills
|
-
Perform chanting and mantra as personal energetic tools by using sound, rhythm, and repetition to cultivate focus, mental steadiness, and embodied awareness
-
Demonstrate embodied alignment and intuitive awareness in asana by self-adjusting based on breath, sensation, and internal awareness
-
Demonstrate kriya practice with energetic discernment by applying techniques with appropriate pacing, intention, and self-regulation, recognizing their effects on energy, breath, and mental state while adjusting practice to support balance, safety, and clarity
-
Demonstrate focused, non-reactive meditation practice with steady posture, breath awareness, and skillful return to attention
-
Apply conscious breath coordination in personal practice by intentionally synchronizing breath with movement, sensation, or stillness to support regulation, focus, and embodied awareness
|
|
Teaching Skills
|
-
Plan a class arc with energetic intention by designing a thoughtful, coherent sequence that opens, builds, peaks, and integrates the practice while balancing prāṇa, honoring anatomical logic, and creating a grounded, supportive experience for a wide range of students
-
Create safe, functional, and accessible progression by sequencing postures in a logical, progressive flow that prepares the body effectively, honors varying speeds of practice, and integrates warming, stabilizing, strengthening, and releasing in a way that is adaptable for diverse bodies
-
Cue offering clear, inclusive, sensation-based instructions by offering simple, grounded language that prioritizes felt experience over performance, guiding students toward internal awareness, intuitive alignment, and a sense of safety within their own practice
-
Lead lead a complete 45-minute yoga class by their own design by integrating thoughtful planning, coherent sequencing, clear cueing, and grounded presence, guiding students through a unified experience from opening to closing while remaining responsive to the room and student needs
-
Teach by leading bodies, breath, and energy in the room through non-judgmental observation accurately noticing movement patterns, breath quality, and energetic shifts, and responding with skillful adjustments to pacing, emphasis, or instruction based on what is present in the space
|
|
Yoga History & Theory
|
-
Describe describe the evolution of vinyasa yoga by tracing its development from traditional haṭha yoga roots and krishnamacharya’s lineage through ashtanga-based methodologies to contemporary, studio-based vinyasa practices, recognizing shifts in intention, structure, pedagogy, and cultural context.
-
Describe classical tantra as an energetic worldview by explaining its foundations in non-duality, prāṇa, and the dynamic union of śiva and śakti, and articulate how tantric principles inform everyday life, energetic balance, and the deeper purpose of yogic practices such as kriya and meditation
-
Discuss vedic philosophy and the foundations of yogic thought by integrating key ideas from the vedas and upaniṣads—including dharma, the nature of the self (ātman), and the evolution of consciousness—into written reflection, demonstrating understanding of how these teachings continue to guide modern practitioners toward clarity, purpose, and inner alignment
-
Discuss origins and philosophy of himalayan kriya yoga by explaining its lineage, purpose, and place within the broader yogic tradition, and reflect on how kriyā differs from posture-centered yoga, emphasizes personal evolution, and informs one’s own relationship with practice
-
Discuss the yoga sūtras of patañjali as a map for the mind by explaining key sūtras and the eight-limbed path in a way that connects philosophical principles to lived experience, demonstrating understanding of how discipline (abhyāsa) and surrender (vairāgya) support meditation, self-study, and steady progression on the yogic path
-
Describe subtle body theory — chakras, koshas, prana vayus, and bandhas and explain how these energetic maps support practice and self-awareness
|
|
Business Skills
|
-
Write a living mission statement for one’s relationship with yoga by articulating personal values, intentions, and sense of purpose around practice and potential teaching, honoring both the choice to share yoga publicly or to keep the practice personal as equally valid paths
-
Apply marketing basics for yoga teachers by identifying who they wish to serve, communicating offerings clearly and honestly, and sharing classes or experiences in a way that reflects personal values without exaggerated claims or pressure-based language
-
Write clear and inviting copy for classes or events by creating simple, honest descriptions that communicate what students can expect, reflecting clarity, accessibility, and warmth without jargon, exaggeration, or over-complication
-
Describe essential insurance and scope-of-practice considerations by explaining why professional liability insurance is necessary for yoga teachers, identifying basic coverage needs, and demonstrating understanding of appropriate scope of practice, including when to refer students to qualified healthcare or mental health professionals
-
Create basic budgeting for yoga offerings by identifying pricing, expenses, and income considerations, and demonstrating understanding of how to make offerings financially viable while remaining aligned with values of service, integrity, and sustainability
|
|
Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics
|
-
Experience anatomy through kinesthetic awareness by accurately relating felt sensations in muscles, joints, and breath during practice to anatomical concepts illustrated in science of yoga, demonstrating embodied understanding through verbal or written reflection
-
Identify joint actions and safe range of motion by accurately describing how major joints articulate in common yoga postures, recognizing when movement remains within a safe, functional range, and reflecting on felt experiences of stability and mobility, including the influence of individual structural variations or limitations
-
Describe the role of the nervous system in yoga practice by accurately explaining how sympathetic and parasympathetic responses influence breath, balance, coordination, and emotional state
-
Teach to individual anatomical variation by recognizing structural differences in joint shape, limb length, and mobility, selecting and practicing appropriate pose variations that honor their own anatomy, avoiding comparison, and demonstrating respect for individual differences through informed, self-supportive choices
-
Identify major muscle groups used in yoga postures by accurately naming primary muscles that activate, lengthen, or stabilize in key poses, distinguishing felt engagement from compensatory patterns, and explaining how strength and mobility interact to support functional alignment
|
|
Other
|
-
Explore pregnancy modifications and adaptive safety explore how to safely adapt postures for pregnant practitioners by understanding common contraindications, supportive variations, and the overall intention behind modifying movement during pregnancy. their reflections show awareness of how to prioritize comfort, breath, and spaciousness, and how to choose options that maintain stability without compressing or overstretching the body.
-
Demonstrate discernment in teacher–student relationships by reflecting on power dynamics, humility, and ethical responsibility, and articulating ways to maintain healthy boundaries that foster student autonomy, consent, and personal agency rather than hierarchy, projection, or pressure
-
Explain archetypes, gods, and goddesses in yogic tradition by describing how mythic stories and symbolic forms offer energetic and psychological insight into the human experience, and reflect on how these teachings can illuminate personal themes or patterns to support self-inquiry without requiring adherence to a specific belief system
-
Explore seasonal embodiment and practice yoga in alignment with nature by recognizing seasonal shifts in energy, environment, and physiology, and adapting movement, breath, pacing, and intention to support balance, resilience, and well-being throughout the year.
-
Describe pregnancy modifications and adaptive safety by explaining how to adjust yoga postures for pregnant practitioners through understanding common contraindications, supportive variations, and the intention behind modifying movement to prioritize comfort, breath, stability, and spaciousness
|
