Frequently Asked Questions

Upon graduation from this Teacher Training, what qualification do I receive?

You will receive a Certificate of Training for either 200-hour training or 500-hour training, depending on which course you attended.  If you do single modules only, you will receive a Statement of Training.

Should I apply for the 200-hour or 500-hour Teacher Training?

If you have not completed a Teacher Training course previously, you will need to apply for the 200-hour training at a minimum.  Alternatively you may apply for the whole 500-hour training if you wish to gain the full 500-hour certification.

The 200-hour is the minimum training required to go out and start teaching yoga classes to the public, and to obtain Association memberships and Public Liability Insurance.  It will enable you to teach group classes as well as private classes in many of the locations where yoga is generally available.

The 500-hour is an advanced training, focusing on Yoga Therapy, and is ideal if you want to gain a greater understanding of yoga, as well as specialize in teaching one-on-one Yoga as therapy.

What if I have already done a 200-hour Teacher Training?

If you have already completed a 200-hour Teacher Training at a school other than BodyMindLife Yoga, you may opt to attend the 300-hour training only, and receive certification for 500-hours in total.  You will need to specify this on the application form, email a scanned copy of your Teacher Training Certificate, and complete an online questionnaire.

How full is the study work load?

If you take full-time option, it is 5 ½ days a week, 8 hours each day (Saturdays will be 3 hours). There will be assignment work to complete and occasionally homework.

You could expect to put in an extra 1 to 2 hours per day to absorb the information and complete all assignments.

If you take the part-time option, the retreat and weekend intensive sessions will be full, although you will have a longer period of time to integrate the information.

What does the daily schedule look like?

Full time course: Monday 9am - 5pm, Tuesday to Friday 6.30am - 5pm, Saturday 9am - 12pm.

On week days, there will be a 1-hour break each for breakfast and lunch. Each day will commence with a Yoga class, with the rest of the day devoted to lectures, theory, group-work and discussion.

Part-time course:

During the 6-night residential retreats, days will start at 6.30am and go through until 7pm, although there will be plenty of time during the day for resting and exploring the retreat environment. Arrival is on the Monday evening, the course commences on Tuesday morning and goes through until Sunday morning. Departure is Sunday afternoon.

During the Sydney Weekend Intensives, times are: Friday 5pm - 8pm, Saturday & Sunday 7am - 5pm

What is the assessment process to gain certification?

200-hour Training:

There is one major assignment of 1500 words to be handed in at the end of the training. Additionally, you will be asked to teach a 50-minute yoga class to ensure you have embodied the information taught. Pass mark is competency based, ie there is no pass or fail. You may repeat the assessment if necessary until you are able to demonstrate competency. There will also be some homework given throughout the course.

300-hour Training

There will be one major assignment to be handed in after each module. Generally you will have one month from the end of the module to complete the assignment.

What style of yoga will I be qualified to teach?

We do not advocate a certain “style” of yoga.  Our unique philosophy and principles of practice can be applied to all major styles of yoga.  However as BodyMindLife Yoga offers primarily Vinyasa yoga, this style is more widely emphasized.

How long can I take to complete my training?

You may take up to 2 years to complete the 200-hour training and up to 3 years to complete the 300-hour training.  You are required to keep up a regular, documented yoga practice while enrolled in a Teacher Training program.

Does enrolment in this course entitle me to a “Certificate of Enrolment” (COE) so that I may apply for a study visa?

We are not a Registered Training Organization (RTO) and therefore are unable to issue a COE to those wanting to apply to the Australian Immigration Office for a study visa.  We happily accept international students into our Teacher Training programs but are unable to assist with visa documentation.

Which Yoga Associations can I join, and how do I join?

BodyMindLife Yoga is a Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance, for 200-hour and 500-hour Teacher Trainings. Yoga Alliance recognizes Yoga Schools who meet certain standards in Teacher Training curriculums.

Upon receipt of your Certificate of Training, you may apply directly to Yoga Alliance to become a “Registered Yoga Teacher”.  Forms may be downloaded directly from www.yogaalliance.org.

We are currently in the process of registering our Teacher Training Programs with Yoga Teachers Association of Australia (YTAA). Please stay tuned for further information.

Can I get Yoga Teacher’s Liability Insurance upon completion of this course?

Upon receipt of your Certificate of Training, you may apply for Yoga Teachers Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance through OAMPS Australia, or other Insurance providers.

Will this course be suitable for me if I am not interested in teaching?

Taking a Yoga Teacher Training course is a wonderful way to immerse yourself and develop a greater understanding of Yoga and the role it plays in your own life.  Many of our students participate with a desire to deepen their own personal practice.  Our Module 1 subject, Living Yoga, offers students an opportunity to look at Yoga not just as a practice, but as a lifestyle, and an effective tool to bringing about greater health, harmony and balance to one’s life.  We recommend anyone who is interested in creating lasting good health and wellbeing take this course!

Who are the teachers and facilitators of this Teacher Training?

BodyMindLife Yoga’s Teacher Training combines the experience of Nicole Goodwin and Mark Breadner.  Mark has been teaching for over 20 years and training Yoga teachers for over 10 years and has a wealth of experience in corrective exercise therapy, somatic psychotherapy, and elite sports. He has worked extensively with the Australian Olympic Swimming Teach and Rip-Curl Pro-Surfers.  Nicole is the co-founder and owner of BodyMindLife Yoga studio and has been involved with yoga for 10 years.  She has studied extensively with well-known yoga teachers such as Shiva Rea and Baron Baptiste.

Other teaching staff members are considered to be the best in their respective fields, and include Aaron McKenzie (Ancient Wisdom and Overcoming Gravity), Rama Prasad (Ayurveda), and Heather Moritz (Yoga Philosophy - Bhagavad Gita). From time to time, we welcome International teachers to our Teacher Training staff, such as Twee Merrigan (Prana Flow Yoga and Energetic Alignment) and Wade Imre Morissette (Kirtan).