For the series “Yoga associations introduce themselves” we asked all the yoga associations we know to briefly introduce themselves using a few questions. We would like to give all associations a voice in order to give prospective yoga teachers guidance in choosing the right training, but also for those interested in yoga in choosing their yoga teacher. Second, we received an answer from the Professional Association of Yoga Vidya Teachers (BYV) .
Founding of the professional association for Yoga Vidya teachers (BYV)
Yoga Vidya eV founded a professional association for yoga teachers in 1998. This establishment of the professional association seemed necessary to Yoga Vidya eV, as the association had not yet dealt with professional policy goals due to its non-profit status. This establishment of the professional association BYV was intended to create an opportunity to offer the diversity of traditions with different training paths in the field of yoga. Another important goal for the founding of the BYV was to spread holistic thinking in society. In 1998 there was no professional association for yoga teachers that offered appropriate training - like that at Yoga Vidya with a view to spiritual aspects. This new professional association made it possible for yoga teachers from different traditions to organize themselves into one professional association.
What has changed/developed since it was founded?
The following development confirms to us that the right step was taken with the founding of the BYV. A lot has come from this, as an example I would like to point out the first yoga certificate course in collaboration with the Steinbeiß University in Berlin, which in the long term could result in a yoga master's degree course. This shows that yoga has not only arrived in the middle of society. Since its founding in 1998, the number of BYV members has grown continuously and, with 4,100 members (as of spring 2018), it is now the second largest membership association in Germany. Every year over 1000 new yoga teachers are trained by the BYV. Numerous yoga teachers from all traditions continue their training with our training and further education offers.
Goals of the BYV
There are various goals in the work of the BYV:
- One area is the training and further education of yoga teachers. The training and further education are constantly adapted and expanded to reflect the developments of the times and the requirements of institutions (e.g. health insurance companies).
- The BYV also organizes congresses with international guest teachers in order to enable networking between the different yoga traditions.
- Another major focus is supporting the entire range of yoga teachers . The BYV offers individual advice and help with personal questions and pursues goals at a supra-regional level in discussions with representatives of health insurance companies, institutions and politicians.
The BYV is also a member of various other umbrella organizations:
- German Yoga Umbrella Association (DYV)
- FG (Independent Health Professions) to strengthen networking with other yoga traditions or associations that represent other alternative healing methods.
You can find more information about the FG here: www.frei-gesundheitsberufe.de and the DYV: dyv.de
What does membership look like? When and how can I become a member?
You can become a member if you are a trained yoga teacher (at Yoga Vidya or in another school/tradition) or are in yoga teacher training and have completed at least half of the training. You can find the application for admission at the following link: www.yoga-vidya.de/netzwerk/berufsverbaende/byv/byv-infos/aufnahmewerbung
With a low annual fee of 50 euros, the BYV can offer a lot of benefits for members: among others
- free advice on legal and tax issues,
- discounted insurance,
- Discounts on purchases in the Yoga Vidya Shop,
- Exclusive information on our member-protected service pages, e.g. about self-employment, health insurance recognition and much more
In addition, it is possible to register free of charge in the other BYV branch associations: Children's Yoga, Business Yoga, Yin Yoga, Hormone Yoga, Laughter Yoga and Back Yoga, if you have attended appropriate training.
The members of the BYV commit to clear ethics and quality guidelines, which are defined by the statutes: legal basis, teacher/student relationship, activity and self-image, qualification/training, professional competence, setting, methods, agreements and self-presentation.
You can find the entire text of the ethics guidelines here: https://www.yoga-vidya.de/fileadmin/download/pdf/Verbandsheft.pdf - page 9 and the quality guidelines on page 10
Training concept at Yoga Vidya
Yoga Vidya's origins lie in the tradition of Sw. Sivananda. The Rishikesh series was further developed by Sukadev Bretz and adapted to different target groups. This gave rise to the Yoga Vidya style. The special thing about this yoga style is the integral approach. The areas of asanas, pranayama, meditation, deep relaxation and healthy nutrition form a holistic system that allows people to quickly experience positive change on the levels of physical, mental/mental health and spiritual development.
At Yoga Vidya there are various options for training as a yoga teacher. The 4-week intensive training can be supplemented with the 2-year module training, the 2- and 3-year yoga teacher training, yoga therapy, children's yoga and business yoga teacher training. Almost all of these training courses are recognized for health insurance recognition of prevention courses. All of these standards correspond to the requirements of the German Yoga Umbrella Association. Yoga Vídya's training courses offer a wide range of options. It is very important to us that the trainees not only receive technical and didactic training, but also learn to competently assess their own skills and pass on what they have learned within these skills.
Basic understanding of yoga and yoga training
There are many different styles, philosophies and ways of thinking when it comes to yoga. Every path has its justification. It is important that every student finds a path that suits their own personality. It's not just about passing on the knowledge you've learned, but also about personal experience through your own practice. Yoga Vidya offers different training concepts to address the different needs of people. For some people it is important to take part in intensive training, others need regular, consistent practice over several years. It is even possible to switch between the different training paths if the participant's life situation changes.
Yoga Vidya has supported several studies on the development of participants in the various yoga teacher training courses. You can find the results of the studies here:
- wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Transformationprocess
- wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Transformationsprocesses_w%C3%A4hrend_einer_zweij%C3%A4hrigen_Yogalehre_Ausbildung
What should those interested in yoga consider?
The yoga teachers should have attended a training course recognized in Germany. They should also have a high degree of transparency in the presentation of their offers so that those interested can receive all the important information on the homepage, brochure or upon request. For us, a sign of openness and transparency is that interested parties have the opportunity to take part in free, non-binding trial lessons. If these points are met, there is an opportunity to build a long-term, trusting relationship with the teacher. This can create a space in which the participant can feel comfortable, open up and develop.
The professional association of Yoga Vidya teachers eV (BYV)
Niddastrasse 76
60329 Frankfurt/Main
www.byv.de
berufsverband@yoga-vidya.de
Tel.: 05234 87 2113
The headquarters of the association office for member support is:
Yoga Vidya Bad Meinberg
Yoga path 7
32805 Bad Meinberg
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Text by: Sandro, former operator of Find Your Yoga
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You can find a list of all yoga associations in the article “ Yoga associations in Germany, Austria and internationally ”. Would you like to know more about people and their personal path to yoga? We have put together all the articles on this topic for you here: Why yoga . We also let yogis present the values of our society and our coexistence in the series Yoga and Values , conduct exciting and inspiring interviews and introduce you to great yoga projects with heart . Enjoy browsing!
And if YOU have something exciting to tell about yoga and would like to write a blog article for us, then write us an email to mail[at]findedeinyoga.org . We look forward to hearing from you!
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