|
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
|
Yoga Studios Defeat State Regulations |
|
|
|
|
After vowing to fight attempts to regulate Yoga Teacher Training programs, Yoga teachers in Virginia have achieved their goal. Virginia governer, Bob McDonnell has signed a bill into law that exempts yoga teacher-training programs from state regulation. In addition, other states seeking to regulate yoga teacher trainings like other vocational programs are considering exemption.
The exemption is expected in New York as well after a well-mounted opposition from yoga teachers and studio owners from all backgrounds and styles. A non-profit group was even established to oppose the regulation effort called Yoga for New York. It is expected that New York governer David Patterson will also sign a bill exempting teacher training programs from state regulation within days. What does this mean for our local yoga communities, and especially for teacher training programs? To begin on a very black and white level, it will keep yoga studios and teacher training programs from having to pay additional state mandated fees that run in the thousands, and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars, and it will keep the unrelated state regulations out of the yoga classroom. One thing that state regulation would have provided is the ability to receive licensure in addition to certification, which is the current modus operandi is in the yoga profession. Often licensure is seen on a more professional level, and often involves accreditation and other higher qualifications for practice. The American Counseling Association defines licensure in this way: Governmentally sanctioned credentialing is usually called licensure and is based on the legal concept of the regulatory power of the state. This power holds that the state has the right and obligation to pass laws and take other such actions as it may deem necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens. Passage of a state licensure or credentialing law for a given profession restricts or prohibits the practice of that profession by individuals not meeting state-determined qualification standards, and violators may be subject to legal sanctions such as fines, loss of license to practice, or imprisonment. For most yoga teachers and teacher training schools, this amount of regulation and oversight is not only unnecessary, but it is offensive to an ancient and vast practice. So for months yoga teachers have fought to maintain their autonomy from this kind of regulatory body, and the resistance has paid off. The exemptions in Virginia and New York will set a precedent for other states who seek this kind of measure, and thanks to the commitment of a few dedicated teachers who made the commitment to stand up against this move, even after being threatened with fines of up to $50, 000, the whole yoga community benefits. 2 Comments
We have been dealing with this in Michigan for the past year and a half. After thousands of unecessary dolllars and many hours spent, we are once again dealing with our Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (the last part of their title rings a bit ironic.) and their short sighted ways. This blog ignited the tapas in me and inspired me to write a letter to our leadership to offer my respectful protest. Thank you. Namaste
1
April 21, 2010
Good for the teachers. I hope it will not be long before every other state has achieved the same goal as Virginia & New York.
2
April 30, 2010
Write comment
You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.
|
Our Sponsor
 Our
Yoga for Beginners book takes you through the basics of practicing yoga and then teaches you the poses in the context of a yoga practice sequence. |
| Free Newsletter |
|---|
| Premium Content |
|---|
| Our premium members have access to deluxe features, detailed yogic information and downloadable MP3s. Check out our Premium Membership Benefits page to find out all of the rewards of joining. |
| New Users |
|---|
| To get the most out of our site, we suggest you take some time to explore before jumping into the practice. Browse our yoga 101 section for general info on the history and types of yoga, then start exploring asanas the physical postures used in hatha yoga. Remember to breathe and always start your yoga practice with a brief meditation. Questions? check out our yoga message board. If you are new to yoga, please read our Yoga for Beginner's page |
| Yogic Wisdom |
|---|
|
I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes
from the development of love and compassion.
The more we care for the happiness of others,
the greater is our own sense of well-being.
Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others
automatically puts the mind at ease.
It is the ultimate source of success in life. The Dalai Lama |
| Our Most Popular Pages |
|---|
| RSS Syndication |
|---|
 Subscribe to our RSS feed to keep informed on all new updates to YogaBasics.com.
In order to use our Newsfeed you need to cut and paste the URL into a RSS reader or use your browser's RSS "subscribe" button.
|
Ahimsa, the yogic practice of non violence must be adhered to when engaging in the practice of hatha yoga. Respect your body's limitations and inner wisdom, if something feels wrong or dangerous, please do not do it.
Please consult your health care practitioner before starting a yoga, pranayama or other exercise program.
All contents copyright 2001-2012 Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com. All rights reserved. Om shanti peace.
Please consult your health care practitioner before starting a yoga, pranayama or other exercise program.
All contents copyright 2001-2012 Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com. All rights reserved. Om shanti peace.
