Yoga Schools Facing Regulation

Photo: natalielucier, Flickr

So you signed up for a yoga class -- good for you! But exactly how qualified is your instructor to lead the class?

As yoga's popularity started to climb, a voluntary registry was created by Yoga Alliance to ensure that schools met certain standards for training instructors. The list was certainly a good idea; a way to make sure instructors were properly trained and could conduct classes effectively and safely. The registry eventually listed nearly 1,000 schools across the U.S.

That voluntary list, however, is now being used as a target for government regulation of yoga schools. Some states, including New York, Virginia and Michigan, have made strides towards requiring schools on the list to become certified by the state. Those that do not become state-certified will have to pay hefty fines or cease operation.

In addition to paperwork and red tape, becoming state-certified can come with a price tag. Virginia, for example, charges $2,500 which, for a small yoga school, can be quite a hit. Lisa Rapp, owner of My Yoga Spirit in Norfolk, Va., told The New York Times that this was the end of her seven-year-old business. "This caused us to shut down the studio altogether," said Rapp. "It's too bad, because this community really needs yoga."

State-certifications may be new to yoga schools, but it's a common practice in many industries. Just picture the framed certificate on your hair stylist's wall and it should make you feel good to know that schools that train truck drivers have to be certified as well. A common list of requirements for yoga instructors could be a beneficial thing for consumers in the long run. Or, does a required state certification dampen the free-flowing spirit that is yoga?

Do you think yoga schools should be state certified?