By Faye Martins
There is so much information available about teaching yoga classes, but there is not much information about making a living. Some certification courses teach you everything about running a safe class, but they teach you nothing about finding a teaching position, private lessons, or the many opportunities outside of the yoga studios. Outside of Aura Wellness Center and Bikram’s Yoga College of India, I don’t know of any instructors who have learned anything about marketing or business. Teaching full-time requires instructors to be creative in their business plan. If you teach for donations, you probably don’t need the money or someone made you think that taking payments for services is wrong. Yet, you paid thousands for lessons and possibly thousands more for a yoga teacher’s diploma.
Teaching yoga can be a fulfilling career, but it may not be the most lucrative option available if you don’t understand marketing yourself. Those who choose this career path often have to supplement their income somehow. Some remain working a full-time job and teach a few night classes per week. Some manage to teach full-time by taking private students or offering home classes. Other teachers find a second part-time job in a relevant field. Most yoga instructors live a simple, comfortable lifestyle that does not require the support of a high income.
Private students may be an ideal source of additional income for some yoga instructors. Working with an individual, outside of a group, often requires more patience than teaching an entire class. Private students may be willing to pay higher prices than people who are joining a class, and the demand on the teacher is lessened. The teacher has more ability to focus on the student, without having to divide time between multiple students.
Along with private students, yoga instructors may also find it lucrative to offer in-home lessons for the individual or group setting. People enjoy the comfort of their own home, and they are often glad to pay for private, in-home lessons to gain the most relaxation and health benefits from yoga. This also opens the yoga instructor to the possibility of doing in-home parties or demonstrations for small private groups.
Taking a part-time job may not seem like the best option, but there are many job opportunities that can complement the lifestyle associated with practicing and teaching yoga. Working in a health food store or a meditation tea shop can be both relaxing and enlightening. A part-time job related to a favorite hobby, such as working in a crafts store or in a bakery, may also provide a steady source of income and a comfortable and stimulating work environment.
Dedicated yoga followers tend to live a healthier and more simplistic life than those who do not practice yoga. They tend to be more comfortable in a smaller or cheaper environment. As such, their need for a high income becomes less of a problem, and they often spend less money as a result. Living a simpler lifestyle helps a person avoid financial difficulties.
Teaching yoga is a career path best followed, only if it is what the person truly has a passion for, because it is not a career that will aid in quick financial success. Often it must be supplemented with additional income sources and a simpler lifestyle.
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