The Importance of choosing a Qualified Yoga Teacher

I have decided to continue writing about Yoga through this blog and extend the journey past India....
Thank you for reading and feel free to comment! Please pass on any good book or article recommendations!

As I have 5 weeks until my Intro I Iyengar Yoga assessment, I study vigorously day in and day out, and I wonder about how people are lead to a Yoga practice? I recommend to do research and try out a few teachers/styles (even though true and true, my heart is committed to Iyengar Yoga) to see where you feel comfortable and most importantly SAFE. I hope people ask these important questions:

What studio is best?
Can a friend recommend a studio?
Do I practice in the morning for an invigorating practice or in the evening when I need more of a relaxing practice?
What type of Yoga do I do?
What is the difference between the Yoga styles?
And the most important question that I think needs to be asked is: Is the teacher Qualified?

Here is an excellent article by John Shumacher who has been visiting Pune and working with the Iyengars for over 30 years about the importance of choosing a Qualified Yoga Instructor.

Article by John Schumacher-Important Considerations when Choosing a Teacher

Communicate with your teacher your goals and questions. Everyone comes into a Yoga class with a reason whether it be a sore back, to loose weight, to de-stress. As my study budies and I talked about this subject in Laurie Blakeney's workshop a few weekends ago, we talked about how goals and injuries change over time, our bodies age. As our daily practice becomes a lifetime practice, Yoga brings us to meditation and a connection to subtle energies within ourselves and the Universe.

Yoga is a wonderful way to be a part of a community and balance that with personal practice in solitude. The environment of a Yoga class is important as it is a bridge to knowing the  "Art, Science, and Philosophy" (as BKS Iyengar says) of Yoga and knowing the true self.

Kindly,
Kelly