1. What is meant by Modern Yoga? 

Modern Yoga refers to any practice that combines modern science with the  time-honored techniques of classical yoga to help practitioners cultivate self awareness and balanced health. There are many schools and styles of Modern  Yoga, including but not limited to Ashtanga, Iyengar, Sivananda, Power Yoga,  Vinyasa Flow, Vinyasa Krama, Rocket, Anusara, Viniyoga, Restorative, Yin and  Kundalini. Though many of these practices emphasize the physical, the goal  of all authentic Modern Yoga practices is ultimately to help practitioners  become more aware of themselves—physically, mentally, emotionally and  spiritually—in order to live happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives. 

2. What are the techniques of classical yoga? 

The AYP considers the techniques of classical yoga to include the eight limbs  as defined by Patañjali in the Yoga Sutras—Yama (ethical disciplines), Niyama  (personal disciplines), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breathing exercises),  Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (freedom from suffering). Other techniques of  classical yoga include, but are not limited to mantra (repetition of sacred  words or sounds), karma (selfless service) and jñana (study of sacred texts).

3. I’m a yoga teacher who’s already registered through another  organization. Do I have to take another Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) to  become AYP certified? 

Not necessarily. If you have already successfully completed a YTT from a  school that isn’t yet AYP accredited, it’s possible that you can make up the  additional requirements through independent study, or possibly through  shorter modular trainings that focus on areas where your YTT didn’t fulfill  The AYP’s minimum standards. The AYP’s Study Guide will help you  understand the requirements to become an AYP Certified Yoga Teacher. Once  you feel ready, you are welcome to take the AYP Certification Exam, and upon  passing, you will be eligible to receive your CYT credential.

4. I’m an aspiring teacher who’s never taken a Yoga Teacher Training  before. How do I make sure the training I’m taking is AYP accredited? 

If a yoga school is an AYP Accredited Yoga School (AYS), they will most likely  list their YTT as AYP certified. If you wish to verify that a given school is AYP  accredited, you can always check The AYP Member Directory.  

5. I’m a teacher who’s already registered with another organization, do I  still have to take the AYP Certification Exam to become AYP certified? 

Yes. Anyone who wants to become an AYP Certified Yoga Teacher must take  and pass The AYP Certification Exam. This is to ensure that teachers are held  accountable to a common knowledge base. 

6. There are things on the exam that I didn’t learn in my YTT. How am I  supposed to know all this stuff? 

This is to be expected. Given the vast scope of the yoga tradition, as well as  the different points of focus of various YTT’s, it would be virtually impossible  for all trainings to cover all of the same things, or explain them all in the same  ways. The AYP has done its best to create an exam that tests what it considers  to be a general working knowledge and comprehension of classical yoga’s  core concepts, as well as the ways in which Modern Yoga works to  help people improve their physical and mental health and improve their  overall quality of life. That said, The AYP is always open to hearing from you  about any elements that you feel should or should not be included in the  exam. In the meantime we’ve made this Study Guide to help you prepare for  the current exam.

7. Once I take and pass the certification test, do I ever have to take it  again? 

Yes. In order to maintain your credential as an AYP Certified Yoga Teacher,  you must take and pass the certification exam every three years. The  questions will likely change somewhat over time, and you can always review  The AYP’s Study Guide in order to keep your knowledge base up to date.

8. I’m a yoga school with a training that’s registered through another  organization. I like The AYP and what it stands for, but I have a limited  budget for accreditations. What should I do? 

Don’t worry. If you run a yoga school that currently offers a YTT that’s  registered with another organization, The AYP will grandfather your training  in for one year at no annual fee. You pay only the one-time $50 administrative  fee. Once you’ve submitted a syllabus for a training that meets The AYP minimum standards, your school will officially become an AYP Accredited  Yoga School.

 

9. How are The AYP’s standards different than the standards established  by other organizations? 

The main difference is that The AYP is focused on making sure that aspiring  teachers understand how and why Modern Postural Yoga works on both a  scientific and personal level. This requires a comprehensive knowledge not  only of anatomy and physiology, but also of classical yogic philosophy. In  particular, The AYP standards place an emphasis on both svadhyaya and  Isvarapranidana as essential aspects of an effective postural yoga practice. 

10. Will The AYP standards ever change? 

Most likely. As the world evolves, yoga teachers will need to know different  things and hone different skills in order to serve the community, and we  expect the minimum standards to change accordingly. We don't expect that  they’ll change too drastically too often, but there will likely be small  adjustments here and there, which we will announce periodically on The  AYP’s Instagram page (@yogaprofessionals.ayp), where you are always  welcome, and indeed encouraged, to share your thoughts.

11. Which schools and/or styles of yoga does The AYP support? 

The AYP supports all schools and styles of Modern Yoga. 

12. How do I apply for a scholarship? 

As soon as a scholarship becomes available, it will be announced via The  AYP’s Instagram page (@yogaprofessionals.ayp). Instructions will be posted  with the announcement on how to apply. 

13. How can I contact The AYP? 

You can always contact The AYP by sending an email to: info@theayp.org