Becoming Yoga Certified

Yoga has been around for centuries, and while the practice has its roots in Buddhism, yoga has since branched out to become a very popular way for all people to work their bodies and calm their minds. As yoga becomes more popular, especially among college students, more and more yogis are taking their practice further, and earning their yoga certification. 

This past week I had the pleasure of interviewing two yoga certified Elon students, and ask them some questions about their experience to becoming a certified yoga instructor.

Emma Scott Singletary, or E Scott as she typically goes by, is a sophomore Communication Design major and has been a yogi for many years now. Singletary completed her yoga certification course this past semester at Om Shanti, in Burlington. 

“I’ve always wanted to do my yoga training and after developing such a close relationship with a Cricket at Zenitry my freshman year, I knew I wanted to continue that and she offered me a student discount,” Singletary said. 

Now that she has fully completed her training, Singletary has seen a dramatic change in her own practice since gaining her certification. 

“I now actually do a home practice every day instead of going to studios a lot because it works better with my schedule...it also helps me plan and organize classes”, Singletary said.

With mandatory classes every weekend, becoming yoga certified is certainly no walk in the park. Yet once the training course is over and the certification is complete, trained yogis feel a great sense of pride for their hard work and dedication. 

“The most rewarding part was when I taught my graduation class and all my friend showed up, it helped me realize how impactful the yoga community is,” Singletary said.

Sam Eisenstadt, a senior environmental studies major, is another Elon student who recently became yoga teacher trainer certified. Similar to Singletary, Eisenstadt went through several weeks of training to gain his certification. 

“The most difficult [part] was getting outside my comfort zone constantly...whether that was sharing a part of my life or teaching in front of people,” Eisenstadt said. 

Through pushing himself outside of his comfort zone in his training, Eisenstadt also grew immensely in not only his practice, but in his mindset. 

“One thing I have taken away is going for things in life even if you don’t feel ready. To really get comfortable being uncomfortable” Eisenstadt said. “The most rewarding part of training was getting to see the immense growth I went through along with the other trainees. It was a team effort!”

Whether you want to go through yoga teacher training to teach, further your own practice or learn more about yourself, there are a number of amazing benefits that can come from becoming yoga certified. There are several studios in the Elon area that offer training, Om Shanti and Feel Better Burlington are two well-known options. You can see information on training classes and prices on their websites, or by contacting the studio.

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