Yoga is becoming the most chosen spiritual activity all around the world. There are many reasons to choose yoga, some opt it for personal wellness, and some for professional opportunities. If you are looking to join it for professional culture, then you might come across the word, “Yoga Alliance”.
The question that strikes your mind is “What is Yoga Alliance?” and “Why it is necessary to be a registered teacher by Yoga Alliance?” Apart from Yoga Alliance, you also come across other words like RYT, E-RYT, RYS, YACEP, RPYS, RCYS, RPYT, and RCYT.
So, here in this article, we are explaining these terms with the opportunities you get after being registered with the organization.
What is Yoga Alliance?
The United States based non-profit organization, Yoga Alliance is the one that
registers yoga schools and teachers making them eligible to teach in most parts of the world.
Presently, over 300 million people from different parts of the world are choosing yoga for better health and wealth, of course. It is also increasing rapidly by a great percentage. That’s really a huge number and undoubtedly, an organization is needed to register them so that they can get a platform to register themselves as an RYT.
With this blusterous growth, the USA based organization comes up with the standard set for yoga school and their certification courses. The organization, at present time, is known as Yoga Alliance.
What are the working criteria of Yoga Alliance?
Yoga Alliance is growing their importance at a really fast rate as a recognized yoga entity in the world. This means, travelling to different parts of the world and you will come across at least one Yoga Alliance registered yoga school offering at the RYT program with Yoga Alliance.
Make it clear, Yoga Alliance does not conduct any specific course, training or program yet it sets the standard for RYT certification courses conducted by the registered yoga school globally. It recommends schools and instructions to follow certain guidelines and regulations at different levels.
So, let’s now understand the categories of certification credentials.
- Registered Yoga School (RYS)
RYS stands for Registered Yoga School. These are the schools, centers, or
studios that are recognized by Yoga Alliance. After meeting the standards and
credentials of Yoga Alliance, a yoga school comes under the category of RYS. A
yoga school needs to submit the syllabus of the courses to Yoga Alliance which
after getting verified by their credentialing team covers the category of RYS.
Yoga Alliance has five RYS credentials for various yoga courses and programs.
RYS 200 – This is the foundational and basic level of the RYS credential.
When a school submits the syllabus for the 200 Hours Yoga Teacher
Training Course to Yoga Alliance matching the standards set by the
organization then it becomes RYS 200. With this, when a trainee opts for
the 200 Hours Yoga Course and completed the course successfully
becomes RYT200 after receiving the certificate from the institute.
RYS 300 – This is a professional level RYS credential which makes a
school eligible to conduct a yoga alliance registered 300 hours yoga
course. So, when a trainee complete the course from the given institute
and completed it matches all the standard and credentials received RYT
300 certificate.
RYS 500 – it is a Professional-Level RYS Credentials matching the
standard of the yoga alliance course of 500 hours. A school conducts the
500 hours of yoga course for the students looking for the opportunity to
become a 500-hours registered yoga teacher.
RCYS – RCYS simply elaborates as Registered Children’s Yoga School. It
is a specialty level credential of RYS. Yoga is not limited to any age nor
there is any age decided to start this yoga practice. So, children are also
independent to choose the yoga course of their choice. When a school
sets a yoga course and program for Children matching the standard of
Yoga Alliance, USA; then the school becomes RCYS.
RPYS – RPYS stands for Registered Prenatal Yoga School. Prenatal yoga is now adopted by women in large numbers. They are getting aware of the benefits to do yoga in pregnancy. It is undoubtedly beneficial to the mother and the baby. Doing yoga during pregnancy needs utmost care and safety, therefore Yoga Alliance sets various requirements and standards for prenatal yoga. When a yoga school adopts the set standards by Yoga Alliance, then the school comes under the category of
RPYS.
- Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT)
When one opts for a course, one makes sure to choose Registered Yoga
Teacher Course to make a career in this bright field. There are various schools
conducting registered yoga teacher training courses in different genres. When
a yoga aspirant opts for the course and completes it successfully, then after
receiving the certification from the registered school becomes RYT.
There are few designations in RYT namely,
RYT 200 – This is the first level of registered yoga course, also known as
Foundational-Level RYT Credential. Even a beginner can join the course
and gain the essential knowledge and practice needed to become an
RYT-200. RYT 200 is elaborated as 200 hours Registered Yoga Teacher.
Join a school conducting RYT 200 and start your career in yoga.
E-RYT 200 – It is expanded as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher
of 200 Hours. One can become an E-RYT 200 after matching the
guidelines by Yoga Alliance. Gaining the certificate of RYT 200 makes
you a yoga teacher. After which, you can register as an E-RYT 200 by
getting the teaching experience of at least two years after training. Once
registered, an E-RYT 200 can become a leadership training in 200 Hours
TTC and conduct educational workshops for RYTs.
RYT 500 – RYT 500 or 500 Hours Registered Yoga Teacher means
successfully completing a registered course by a registered yoga school
from Yoga Alliance. This is a professional level RYT credential. The 500
hours of yoga training can be done simply by choosing 500 hours of
yoga course from a school or by splitting it into two parts of 200 Hours
Teacher Training Course and 300 Hours Advanced Yoga Training.
E-RYT 500 – E-RYT 500 stands for 500 Hours Experienced Registered
Yoga Teacher. After completing RYT 500 and registering with Yoga
Alliance, one can register for E-RYT 500 if one gained an experience of a
minimum of 4 years of teaching after completing RYT 200. An E-RYT
500 can further take a step in his career either as a Lead Trainer or
Teacher of the teaching courses of 200-hour, 300-hour or 500-hour or
can conduct various education workshops for other yoga teachers.
RCYT – RCYT means Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher. This is a
Specialty-Level RYT Credentials which allows one to teach yoga to
children as a registered teacher. RCYT can be registered by the teacher
who has completed and matched the standards of 200 Hours Yoga TTC
and 95 Hours Children’s YTT; both registered with Yoga Alliance. Also,
an applicant needs to submit 30 teaching hours in Children’s yoga after
completing a successful training with RCYS.
RPYT – RPYT or Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher is also a Specialty-
Level RYT Credentials. One can register to RPYT after completing the
yoga alliance certified yoga courses of 200 Hours Teacher Training and
85 Hours Prenatal Training. To get registered as RPYT, 30 teaching
hours in prenatal yoga also need to be submitted after getting training
from an RPYS.
- Registered as Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider
(YACEP)
YACEP is a designation introduced by Yoga Alliance, USA for the individuals
teaching continuing various education courses and programs. After being
registered as a YACEP, yoga experts can teach courses that will be meant as
Continuing Education hours for RYTs, setting a new standard for themselves.
At present, the YACEP is available for E-RYT only. That means, if you
successfully gained certification as RYT but haven’t upgraded yourself to an E-
RYT, then you can not get the YACEP designation for now.
Registering yourself as a YACEP is undoubtedly a great chance to grab as it
comes up with lots of benefits including greater experience, wide exposure, an
increase in the number of students, and better growth.
Benefits of Joining Yoga Alliance
Getting registered yourself or your yoga school internationally with Yoga
Alliance gives you a great number of benefits and opportunities. Let’s have a
look at some of these –
Get access to directory pages with more information on yoga.
The globally recognized yoga community will increase your credibility
and growth.
Become a member of the Yoga Alliance community and connects with
the people having the same passion and dedication as you have.
Join Online Workshop for free conducted by Yoga Alliance for better
understanding and growth.
Get the updated syllabus and curriculum for a yoga teacher.
Becoming a part of a yoga alliance opens doors for you as a successful
yoga teacher.
Your yoga school will be more productive after being registered with
Yoga Alliance.
The set standard of yoga alliance defines utmost safety and precautions
for the students.
One can open one’s own yoga school after being registered and follow
the regulations by Yoga Alliance.
