Yoga in America reflects the melting pot that America is. Many American yogis have trained with Indian yogis, or the students of Indian yogis (or the students of the students….), and they have taken the treasures of the ancient teachings and presented them in their own way. Thus instead of the five primary ‘schools of yoga’ that I recall from years ago, now we have numerous primary ‘schools of yoga,’ each one with a different focus, perspective, approach, and gift. I used to teach workshops describing the different ‘styles’ of yoga. I’ve given that up since there are more new styles now than I could ever keep up with!
One other big change in the field of yoga in America is related to certification and registration. Yoga has become more professional, with the registration of certified yoga instructors with Yoga Alliance and other similar organizations, and clear guidelines for the skills, knowledge and background needed in order to teach yoga.
What is Yoga?
Over the years, I studied the four paths of yoga (Devotion, Discipline, Meditation, Service), from the perspectives I learned as a student and teacher of Iyengar, Sivananda, and Synergy Yoga over the years. I also studied Vedanta Philosophy as described by Swami Vivekananda, and Mindfulness Meditation, as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh, Sylvia Boorstein, and Jack Kornfield. These approaches are an integral part of the yoga classes that I have taught at health clubs, spas and community centers. It is the energy, the chi, the ‘prana,’ the ‘life-force’ that we share as yoga teachers that is the primary element, and that comes from our own depths, the essence of the ancient teachings that we have gleaned from all we have learned.
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Hannah Caratti, LMFT, integrates psychology, trauma-informed yoga, and iRest® Yoga Nidra to help individuals cultivate resilience, healing, and lasting well-being.
She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT 50289) and an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT).
