December 30, 2014

News • Events • Member Perks • Member Tip

News

Protect Colorado Over the past several weeks, the Colorado Division of Private Occupational Schools has sent letters to yoga teacher trainings (YTTs) in Colorado asserting that they may be subject to requirements governing private occupational schools/programs. According to the Division, institutions that offer education designed to “fit individuals for gainful employment” are required to meet these regulations. This could mean burdensome record­keeping procedures, excessively strict trainer requirements and other unnecessary rules and conditions for YTTs. We know the majority of yoga teachers (about 70%) do not earn their primary income from yoga—it’s one of the many reasons why we’re fighting this troubling development.

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Update for Arkansas Yogis You may be aware that two weeks ago pushed back against the Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education’s (SBPCE) efforts to impose regulations on YTTs. After a four­hour meeting, the SBPCE chose not to reverse its position, and will likely move forward by sending YTTs another round of letters. Like you, we have significant concerns about these onerous and expensive licensing requirements, and we are committed to working with you to oppose this unnecessary regulation. Register for our virtual town hall meeting to learn more about the next steps for the Arkansas yoga community.

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Continuing Education Reminder Our Standards Committee issued changes to Continuing Education requirements that take effect on January 1, 2015. New guidelines for providing and earning Continuing Education include changes to experience requirements for providers, clarification about who must report their Continuing Education hours, and a new ratio for earning Non­Contact Hours. Visit our website for the rationale behind the Committee’s decision, and to learn how the changes may affect you.

> Read more Optimize Your #YogaBiz Through User Experience You may have heard of the term “user experience” as it relates to website optimization, but how can those best practices be applied across the board to all aspects of your yoga business? In her 2013 Business of Yoga Conference session, Katie Myer draws on her experience as a Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) and user experience strategist to explain how to optimize student interaction for peak yoga business success.

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Encinitas School District Case Update In the case Sedlock v. Baird, plaintiffs claimed that an elective yoga program offered by the elementary school district in Encinitas, California violated their constitutional right to religious freedom because yoga is inherently religious. The trial court determined the yoga program does not violate constitutional rights and the plaintiffs appealed the court’s decision. Yoga Alliance’s amicus brief argues the trial court’s decision should be affirmed, not only because the school district’s yoga program is not religious, but also because yoga itself is not inherently religious. Rather, people may, and often do, practice yoga for non­religious reasons, and yoga may be practiced free of religious ideology.

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Important Update on Health Insurance Perks Yoga Alliance has terminated its exclusively endorsed partnership with Association Health Programs (AHP), which includes ASPCA, Wellcard Health and Careington, effective December 12, 2014. If members have obtained insurance policies through AHP, the termination of Yoga Alliance’s agreement with AHP will not affect that coverage. Yoga Alliance will look into establishing a partnership with a different organization that can offer health insurance policies to our members; we welcome feedback about whether that is a benefit of value to our membership. If you used AHP’s services and would like to offer feedback, we also welcome your comments about your experience. Please send any responses to businessdevelopment(at)yogaalliance.org.

Events

Give Yourself the Gift of Education Cultivate your personal and professional practices at our Business of Yoga Conference, August 6 ­ 9, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Get your prana flowing with daily practice and make connections with other yoga entrepreneurs, all while learning priceless skills from world­class teachers to make the most of your yoga business. Whether you’re a part­time teacher or a studio owner, our 60+ presenters offer information valuable to all. Register now through March 31, 2015 and take advantage of our special early bird prices.

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Upcoming Online Workshops This new year, fill those empty spaces on your calendar with one (or all!) of our upcoming online workshops designed to help you further your yoga business and stay on top of emerging legal issues. Our 2015 schedule kicks off with Gary Kissiah’s (RYT 200) workshop “The Horns of the Dilemma: Independent Contractors or Employees?” on January 29. Check out our full schedule for more workshops on topics ranging from liability and insurance needs for studios and teachers to finding professional success outside of the studio.

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New Workshop Recording Available Did you miss last month’s online workshop with Francesca Cervero (E­RYT 200) on the Science of the Private Yoga Class? In her online workshop, Francesca covered how to build a dedicated clientele for private classes, deal with “difficult clients” and establish professional boundaries. Francesca also offered advice on self care – an integral component of quality teaching – and shared her tried and true tips on how to flourish as a private yoga instructor, on both a professional and personal level. Members may watch the full presentation (including Q&A) by logging on to our Online Workshops page.

Member Perks

To access these benefits, visit the Member Perks page on the Yoga Alliance website (you must log in to your YA account to access).

Introducing Two New Member Perks Ahnu offers 50% off four pairs of shoes from the women’s or men’s Yoga Lifestyle collection per year and 30% off apparel. Ahnu shoes are designed with modern aesthetics in a variety of vibrant colors. Ahnu is also a partner of the Breast Cancer Fund, donating $10 from each sale of the Give Back Racerback Bra to this fund. Integral Yoga Distribution offers individuals 43% off and business owners 45% off yoga books, props, home décor, music, chimes, jewelry, natural body care, tea and other goodies. Find books by such yoga authors as , Sadie Nardini, Sri , Ana Forrest, David Frawley, Ray Long and more.

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Get helpful tips on managing your registration, using our online system, making the most of your member benefits and much more.

How to Keep Your Syllabus Updated One easy way to ensure your RYS Tracks provide trainees with the best education possible and comply with our standards is to keep an updated syllabus. Track syllabi may be updated by RYS Owners or staff assigned as Syllabus Managers. To enter of edit your syllabus

1. Click on the "Manage Schools" section of your RYS dashboard, 2. Select the “Tracks and Syllabi” section, 3. Click “Edit Syllabus” to enter your updated information.

For RYS Owners and Syllabus Managers, access your RYS profile through your RYT account. To learn more, watch a brief video or access our Syllabus Guide.

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