The Pulse

A Scope of Practice is, at heart, a simple promise to work within your agreed field of competency as a yoga teacher. For us at the American Yoga Council, that agreement is made even more explicit, because we credential you on the basis of your competencies – your skills – rather than on the number of hours that you have trained.

We know that completing a training is only the first stage in mastering the skillsets that flow from it. Modern yoga teaching is an embodied process, embedded in the teacher-student relationship. The proof of each student’s dedication is in their relationships with their teachers and fellow students, and the proof of each teacher’s influence is in their relationships with their students and colleagues. Working within your agreed scope of practice, therefore, is a commitment to hold ourselves to account, to teach what we know in humility, to signpost students on when needed, and to never stop learning and growing.

Your Competencies are reflected in the badges you earn, but those badges only reflect the trainings you have taken. The levels of membership below represent more than just your training history. They represent your ongoing commitment to both your practice, and your students. This is why our levels of membership also take into account how much experience you have as a teacher and practitioner.

The Practitioner Training level reflects the fact that not everyone wants to or is ready to teach, and recognises a significant dedication to the practice of yoga. As a Practitioner, we ask that you refrain from teaching others.

A Level 1 Yoga Teacher is closest to what used to be a 200-hour certification. At this level, you are just starting on your teaching journey, and are competent to guide general yoga classes in a safe way.

A Level 2 Yoga Teacher is closest to what used to be a 500-hour certification. At this level, you have significant experience and can lead some trainings.

A Level 3 Yoga Teacher is an advanced teacher who is a specialist in two or more categories, and can teach and train those specialisms to others.

A Level 4 Yoga Teacher is an advanced teacher who can teach a range of specialisms to a wide range of populations.

A Master Yoga Teacher is an advanced teacher that we recognise as a leader in their school or style of yoga.

Finally, any subject matter specialist with sufficient experience can apply to be a Continuing Education Provider.

To conform to your scope of practice, all we ask is that you teach according to your recognised competencies and your agreed level, in full and open transparency. 

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