TEACHING YOGA: A CAREER PATH FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND HELPING OTHERS
Have you ever thought about exploring a new career that gives you greater balance in life?
Have you ever thought about exploring a new career that gives you greater balance in life? Yoga teacher training is one of several vocational pathways reflecting a lifestyle choice favouring personal and community wellbeing over status and wealth (although teaching yoga can provide a good income).
Yoga teacher training isn’t just for advanced yogis with an eye-watering daily practice—it’s for anyone interested in cultivating their personal wellbeing while helping others. Whether you’re a health enthusiast, someone returning to work, or seeking a second part-time career with purpose, undertaking yoga teacher training could provide you with an enjoyable and rewarding job. Even people who are new to yoga can train to teach.
Personal growth through teaching
Yoga teacher training provides more than just the skills to teach yoga. It can also:
1. Improve physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing
Through teacher training, you’ll learn practices that boost your personal wellbeing as well as that of your students, including yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and even nutritional guidance. Incorporating these into your life can elevate your mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical health.
2. A flexible career opportunity
Yoga teaching is a flexible occupation. You can teach full-time, part-time or every now and then to make some extra income. You can work for yourself or an employer such as a local gym or yoga centre. In many ways, teaching yoga can be an ideal vocation for those returning to work after a career break, a period of illness, or wanting to escape the corporate grind. You can teach in studios, gyms, schools, health centres, or virtually from home. This versatility can give you a work-life balance far beyond that offered by an office-based job.
3. Accessible
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be super fit or an experienced yogi to train as a yoga teacher. Many programmes welcome beginners to yoga practice, making it accessible to people at all levels.
4. Broad curriculum
Training goes far beyond learning how to lead a yoga class—it involves understanding anatomy, physiology, yoga philosophy, breathing techniques, meditation, Ayurveda, and even chair-based yoga. This well-rounded curriculum is designed to develop exceptional instructors but also help individuals develop and connect with their own practice.
5. Transferable skills
Yoga teacher training, as with any programme of teaching, is about self-discovery as well as skill-building. Thinking about imparting skills and knowledge to others involves exploring the self, so it’s a chance to grow emotionally and spiritually. Many graduates report feeling more confident, grounded, and connected after completing the training. These qualities and skills are transferable to whatever job role you decide to take up after you complete your training, whether it’s related to yoga or not.
6. Build a community
Joining a yoga teacher training programme will connect you with a network of like-minded individuals—both teachers and students. This community often becomes a source of inspiration, friendship, and mutual growth.
7. Make a positive impact
Teaching yoga can bring significant job satisfaction. You’re not just helping people improve their flexibility; you’re guiding them towards healthier and more balanced lives. Knowing that your work is making a real difference is one of the most fulfilling aspects of this career.
Shivayoga Teacher Training in Liverpool
If you want to explore what’s involved in becoming a qualified yoga instructor, Liverpool-based Mohan, an experienced and classically trained yoga teacher, offers informal advice and insight. He undertook his training under his uncle in India and has over 37 years of experience, including many in Liverpool. He has helped over 1,000 yoga teachers qualify through the Shivayoga International Teacher Training programme.
Graduates of this course earn a certification accredited by Yoga Alliance Professionals UK, ensuring credibility and professional opportunities globally. It’s suitable for experienced yoga practitioners or those brand-new to yoga. The programme is structured with a blend of practice, technical knowledge, and philosophical discussion, ensuring every graduate leaves with a holistic understanding of yoga.
Course details
The next Shivayoga Teacher Training Course begins on Sunday, 25th May 2025, with a free orientation session from 2 pm to 6 pm at the David Lloyd Leisure Centre in Speke, Liverpool. Over ten months, you’ll develop the skills and confidence to teach yoga across four levels of proficiency: Beginners Level 0, 1, and 2; Intermediate Level 3. The curriculum also includes breathing techniques, meditation, anatomy and physiology, yoga philosophy, nutrition, and more. For hands-on learners, there’s even an optional first-aid course.
Kathryn, now a successful yoga teacher, shares her experience of the Shivayoga Teacher Training Programme:
“Mohan has so much knowledge and experience, and I felt truly humbled and privileged to be his student! I have gone on to have an extremely successful career teaching yoga, and I will be eternally grateful.”
Kathryn’s story is just one example of someone who has gone on to build a successful career after completing this course.
To find out more about becoming a yoga teacher, contact Mohan at the Shivayoga International Yoga Centre on 077911 48410.
