Your concerns are validated, and the bar is lower.

I have come across many teachers who complain that their 200 hr training was a waste of time and money because the leaders were solely there for the money. (If you are willing to waste money, then may I offer some Swampland in Florida).

I sometimes hear teachers say, “But everyone wants a certificate these days.” Really? A market-driven by what the client wants is called retail. Yoga or teaching yoga shouldn’t be sold as a commodity (I know it’s a bit late). Teaching yoga should be a vocation that evokes pride in the practice and the endeavors each teacher has undertaken to be fully prepared, know that they are in service, and not be taken lightly. I don’t even want to talk about what is happening locally :((

Nowadays, my teaching’s primary demographic is other teachers: those who have completed a 200-hour, entry-level training and realize they need more information to become good teachers or push themselves beyond mediocre. And thanks to the number of 200-hour teacher training cropping up under every rock, my demographic is growing.

I love what I do. As I pass the 15-year mark as a teacher, I find that I’m passionate about empowering and inspiring teachers and helping them to gain as much knowledge as I can pass on. I value what I do, and I deeply respect others who strive to raise the bar continually. And one day, when we’ve put quality above quantity, and integrity above money in yoga, hopefully, we can make yoga proud again.