In 2016 there were only three online yoga teacher training options. Brett Larkin’s Uplifted 200-hour yoga teacher training, My Vinyasa Practice’s 200-hour yoga teacher training, and Yoga & Ayurveda Center’s 200-hour yoga teacher training. These three schools pioneered the market and brought traditional in-person training to the masses online. Each company offered its own spin on YTT and all through had in-person training that was accredited through Yoga Alliance, which substantiated their online YTTs.
In 2019 COVID-19 started to hit the scene and put a damper on in-person gatherings. As a result, Yoga Alliance instated its temporary provision for online learning which allowed yoga teacher training to move online for a certain amount of time. At first, the provision was only for a few months, but as time passed it became apparent that the virus was not going to let up any time soon. As a result, Yoga Alliance extended the provision through 2023.
As a result of the extension to the temporary provision for online learning, studios started to move their yoga teacher training online. My Vinyasa Practice’s owner, Michelle Young, decided to pause hosting in-person yoga teacher training in Austin, TX due to elevated COVID cases and the city staying in stage five for a lengthy period of time. Other studios followed suit, and in 2022 there were thousands of online ytts being offered online.
Now, 200-hour YTTs and 300-hour YTTs are being facilitated online, and consumers are thrilled. Students can study from anywhere in the world and earn their yoga certification online. Whether you want to be a yoga instructor or whether you want to deepen your practice, yoga teacher training is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the history and lineage of yoga while refining your practice and learning techniques.
The International Association of Yoga Therapy, IAYT, followed suit. They are also allowing the facilitation of Yoga Therapy online for the next two years. Their provision is slightly more comprehensive than Yoga Alliance’s provisions; IAYT’s online learning provision allows for students to complete their entire training online as long as they are registered with the program they are enrolled in by January 23, 2023. So, if an individual registers for a Yoga Therapy training on January 1, 2023, they can complete their training online no matter how long it takes. This is a huge benefit to students who are wanting to take advantage of these online provisions but don’t want to travel and complete training in person.
Now that yoga teacher training is more accessible, some students are taking multiple trainings to immerse themselves in the ancient wisdom teachings of yoga. Over time, this will impact the yoga community as a whole by creating a global sangha of practitioners who are highly trained and deeply practiced. Michelle discussed her perspective on online ytt and how she thinks it will revolutionize the practice of yoga in the United States.
“The flood of online yoga trainings is actually a blessing. It is making yoga teacher training accessible and affordable. Now students can access trainings that they might not have been able to access previously, and through this access, they are able to deepen their practice. As they deepen their practice, they shift their perspectives and learn how to respond to stress rather than react. Their stress levels decrease, their relationships improve, and inevitably they have more balance in their lives. The more individuals practice mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and integrate yoga philosophy into their lives the more we uplift the collective and shift the energy of the world.”
Michelle is proud to be a part of the movement, although she is just a small piece of the puzzle. Yoga Alliance hosts thousands of Registered Yoga Schools, all of which have the option to lead training online through 2023. Over the next two years, there is no doubt that we will be seeing momentous shifts in global energy as the vast majority of practitioners begin to wake up to their truth through the practice of yoga.