Yoga- A tool to Reveal The Self

Nidhi Prasad

YOGA made India "Proud of" in the world.  It has contributed in keeping the human beings mentally & physically fit. Yoga is now internationally known and people, particularly in the western world, are keen to learn it. It is not that world was not knowing about it earlier but since last one decade with the efforts of our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi it had gained international fame.

During the lockdown period on account of corona virus disease  it has become almost an integral part of our lives and helping us to keep ourselves fit mentally and physically. It is also contributing in making our lives stress free and strong and to some extent it has also relieving people who are suffering from mild depression e.t.c.  As social-distancing has reduced our physical movements, it is important to uplift vitality without having to step out of the comfort of your home. Yoga is a sustainable practice and a holistic health option that everyone can access.

WHAT IS YOGA?

"Yoga Is When Every Cell of the Body Sings the Songs of the Soul" - B.K.S Iyenger

So, how well do you really know Yoga? As the world gears up to celebrate the International Day of Yoga on 21st June, let us try and unravel the mysteries of the world of Yoga. Most people in this country believe that yoga is just postures which unfortunately are not true today.

The Sanskrit root yuj means to "bind," or "join together." Yoga means "Union" or "Oneness. In our experience when everything becomes one. At the deepest spiritual level, yoga allows us to reveal the Self, the True Essence of our Being.  Yoga is a way of life, an art of righteous living or an integrated system for the benefit of the body, mind and inner spirit.

It concentrates on the emotional and psychological health of a patient along with his/her physical condition. 'Asanas' (physical exercises) and 'pranayama' (breathing techniques), the integral parts of yoga, are performed in correlation with each other. Yoga today is considered far superior to all exercises, because in Yoga the emphasis is not just on exercises but on mind control and a balanced diet as well.

Yoga is no longer confined to the Ashram's of Maharishi's nor is its popularity limited to hippies and fitness enthusiasts. Today, Yoga is an intrinsic part of lifestyle for people across the Country, and the growing number of Yoga studios and personal Yoga coaching classes are a testimony to this trend. And, with the International Yoga Day giving further impetus to the popularity of Yoga, Yoga is being touted as the new currency for fitness. This has also translated into greater enthusiasm to take up Yoga as career.

Now people over the world are taking up yoga as the best way to keep them healthy, the scope for taking up a career in this field is immense. One could become a yoga instructor or a therapist in the field, and be healthy as well as enjoy its lucrative benefits.

BENEFITS OF YOGA:

• Increase your flexibility.
• It helps to build muscle strength.
• Prevents from cartilage and joint breakdown.
• Maintains healthy lifestyle.
• Gives you peace of mind.
• Increase concentration.
• Relief from stress.
• Gaining more control over emotions.

YOGA AS A CAREER OPTION

Yoga as a career can be taken up as either part-time or full-time, has many benefits, with increasing government focus and growing awareness about Yoga, the demand for Yoga instructors is expected to grow by about 30-35 percent in a couple of years, according to a study. Even our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi has recognized Yoga as the best form of fitness regime. 

The scope of Yoga as career is awide canvas - from opportunities to work in nature resorts to Schools to fitness centre's to your own studios to even becoming personal Yoga instructors of celebrities! They can offer private yoga lessons to individuals or conduct group sessions or classes to teach specific yoga techniques, stretching techniques, breathing exercises, strength training, and cardio exercises.

Yoga instructors can easily find jobs in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, health and fitness clubs, yoga and Pilate studios, country clubs, resorts, universities, hotels, and private homes.

Another interesting area of employment for yoga instructors is in the workplace. Large and medium-sized companies are increasingly looking at ways to reduce the stress levels of their employees and providing them with opportunities to improve their health and well-being. Some companies organize yoga workshops as a part of their health and fitness programs for their employees. A growing number of colleges and universities are also hiring yoga instructors for the benefit of the students.

HOW TO MAKE A CAREER IN YOGAELIGIBILITY & COURSES

To become a professional in Yoga, one needs to simply have passion and interest to start with. To make it a profession, there are no requirements as such, but many Universities require a basic high school degree in any stream.

Professional qualification in the field of Yoga is imparted at both under graduate and post graduate levels. For seeking admission to under graduate program, one must pass 10+2 in any stream from a recognized Board.

For post-graduation program, minimum qualification is a Bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognized University, although philosophy graduates are given preference. Courses are available in degree/diploma and certificate levels. At times, specific qualification is not required. Instead, experience is counted in this field. There is not any age limit for admission in Yoga courses.

The main subjects of Yoga Theory include- Anatomy, Philosophy, Exercises, Meditation, and Theory and Principles of Yoga and Meditation, etc. A large component of the training is praticals, which include various asanas such as shatkama, yogasana, suryanamaskar, pranayam, meditation, and so on.

There are many courses available in this field by which students can make their career in this field. Some of the most sought courses are:

Bachelors in Arts (Yoga), Masters in Arts (Yoga), PG Diploma in Yoga Therapy and Certificate Courses in Yoga are also available.

One can also opt for Bachelors in Yoga and Naturopathy. It is a 5.5 years long degree, and it combines the knowledge of modern medicine and the traditional medicine. The course will cover all aspects of human health, such as, prenatal to geriatric care, from lifestyle to diet, from the physical to the mental.  During the years you will study about different types of Yoga therapies like color therapy, sun therapy, mud therapy, etc. basics of naturopathy, introduction to hatha Yoga, different diets, etc. If one aspires to continue their studies in the area of research and want to understand and gain more knowledge they can take up a postdoctoral degree in Yoga.

Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy also offers a 1year Diploma in Yoga & Naturopathy (DYN) which is approved by the M/o Health & Family Welfare.  To enable more people to tap this vibrant opportunity, and bring about a standardization in the quality of yoga practices across the world, the Indian Government has launched the "Scheme for Voluntary Certification of Yoga Professionals, and is monitored by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). The Quality Council of India (QCI) will certify all Yoga professionals.

SKILLS REQUIRED

A good yoga teacher can help motivate one to health and healing, or even facilitate life changes. But what makes a great yoga teacher? It goes without saying we must all understand alignment, breath and asanas, but this doesn't necessarily make a great yoga teacher.

Apart from the academic qualifications, it is also necessary that you have some of the following skills which include:

• Good Communication Skills.
• Interpersonal Skills Š
• Skills to motivate others to believe in yoga.
• Strong Determination. Š
• Have a will power to practice the most difficult "asanas" or yogic positions. Š
• A deep desire to help people heal and grow. Š
• A long history of regular yoga practice. If we haven't experienced it ourselves, it is difficult to teach it. Š
• Sensitivity to people's energy. If we can learn to feel and notice what our students are going through, we can tailor our instruction to bring them to the best place for them that day.

On a professional level, one needs to specialize in:

A career as a yoga instructor allows an individual to express his or her creative spirit through yoga classes. A broad range of specializations in yoga have also come up, and an instructor can specialize in a niche area to offer focused expertise only in that area. Some of the popular categories include:

• Yoga exercises for physical fitness
• Spiritual Yoga Therapy
• Yoga especially designed for kids
• Yoga for the couples Š
• Corporate Yoga Š
• Pre-Natal and/or PostNatal Yoga Š
• Private lessons of Yoga Š
• Retreats or workshops

Yoga teachers can expect to enjoy rapid career growth because an increasing number of people are willing to spend more time and money on the improvement of their physical and mental health.

Duties of a Yoga Instructor:

• Design courses & lesson plans.
• Analyze the fitness level & requirements of all participants. Š
• Demonstrate and perform all yoga exercises to participants. Š
• Design safe and comprehensive yoga programs for various participants. Š
• Monitor participant performance and recommend different yoga exercise

With so much of competition around, it is not easy to establish oneself and gain instant riches in this field. Becoming a yoga instructor is not as easy as it seems, as it requires a lot of patience, practice, perseverance and dedication. You need to be able to gauge the right regimen for your students depending on their need, age, lifestyle, body, and fitness.

TEACHING YOGA - THE TOUGHEST JOB YOU WILL EVER LOVE!

It's time to Inhale the Future and Exhale the Past!

(The author is a Senior Counseling Psychologist. e-mail id- nidhiprasadcs@gmail.com    

Views expressed are personal Image Courtesy: Google