Tips for Crafting Your Yoga Bio 

As part of a social media contest in 2014, we asked Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT®s) to fill out the bio section of their online profile. As the first assignment in the five-week contest, we asked you to simply, “tell your story.” 

With this simple instruction, over 100 of you responded in astoundingly creative, colorful and personal ways. This was the first time our staff had the chance to get to know you, as the bio is one of many new features of  our online profiles. While reading your bios, we felt inspired that we have the opportunity to work with such an amazing community of yoga teachers. As teachers and practitioners ourselves, we connected with so many of your stories about what brought you to yoga and what you offer as a yoga teacher. 

We promised to share a handful of RYT profiles, and while it was hard to choose, we selected a few profiles that illustrate how to craft a well-rounded yoga bio (on our Directory, on your personal website, or anywhere else).

Here are a few ideas we gleaned from perusing the bios of your fellow RYTs that may help you to create a bio that appeals to potential participants or trainees:

Define Yoga in Your Terms

Dawn Marie, E-RYT 200, RYT 500 from California, includes in her bio a description of what yoga means to her. With so many perspectives and types of yoga out there, honing in on what your concept of yoga is can help you reach students that connect with your perspective.

“Yoga is the relationship that is built between the body, the mind and the breath. Yoga is creating space free from obstacles in your own body to live. Yoga is freedom and release. I am here to help others find this release so that they can comfortable and competently move their bodies through life.”

Dispel Misconceptions

What are the barriers to someone trying yoga for the first time? If relevant to you, you can share some misconceptions you may have had about yoga, like Karyn, RYT 200 from Texas, did.

“With an extensive background in dance and fitness, I always thought yoga would be fun and easy. After my first class I found it was NOT as easy as I imagined, but the true surprise was the sense of peace and joy I found.”

Set Expectations

What can a student expect if they join you for a yoga class? Stacy, RYT 500 from Florida, shared a little bit about what her classes are like in her profile to help set expectations for a new student.

“Stacy is know for her authentic, non-judgmental teaching style and compassion-centered philosophy. Availing herself to continuous philosophical education from various spiritual disciplines, Stacy weaves thought-provoking meditations throughout her classes, applying ancient wisdom to our contemporary western world in a useful and understandable way. She encourages growth of the physical and spiritual self, citing the interconnectedness to each other, to the world and to the universe at large.”

Know Your Audience

If you have a specialty or enjoy teaching to a particular population, here’s the place to say so! It’s clear that Lindsey enjoys teaching kids yoga. Did you know that any word entered in your bio will enable your profile to appear in a keyword search on our new Directory? For instance, if someone is searching for “kids,” the profile below from Lindsey, RYT 200 from California, will appear in his/her search.

“She holds educational but fun kids yoga classes, certified by miniyogis. If you’ve ever wanted to teach your kids California History, Math, Science or any other subject, she will tailor classes based on each student’s needs.”

Let Your Personality Shine

Give students a sense of your personality, even before they’ve had the chance to meet you. Marketing doesn’t have to be formal, so use your own voice like Kira, RYT 200 from Virginia.

“Kira Mickle is a cheeky diva whose classes are powerful, playful and heartfelt! She likes reading, watching angsty teen vampire soaps and singing along to Tom Petty. She loves yoga because it makes her feel good and allows her to eat more pie. Her favorite place is anywhere people are gathered to sweat, breathe and break boundaries together.”

Be Brief

The average reader on the web is not as willing to read a lengthy article, so be brief, like Monica, RYT 500 from Florida. In a few crisp sentences, she describes how yoga has benefited her, her training and what her classes are like. It’s a quick and enjoyable read.

“Yoga has been a part of my life for over 10 years, and my practice has helped me grow stronger, more flexible and fearless, both on and off the mat. Yoga inspires me to live each moment more mindfully.

I completed my 200 hour Vinyasa Flow training with Frog Lotus Yoga International and my 500 hour advanced training with Asheville Yoga Center. I will always be a student of the practice and am deeply grateful for the loving wisdom my teachers have shared with me.

In my classes, I love to combine creative sequencing, a spirit of playfulness and a dose of inspiration to help you deepen your practice. I seek to help others thrive in live by nurturing body, mind and soul with yoga, and my hope is that you step off the mat feeling refreshed, nourished and balanced.”

Thank you all for sharing your personal stories with us, using the bio feature in your online profile. And if you haven’t updated your profile, use these tips and tricks to make your RYT profile shine. 

How to Choose Your Yoga Pictures
As part of an ongoing social media contest, we asked our RYT®s this week to upload a picture to their new online profile...read more

Describe the Types of Yoga You Teach
The fourth assignment in our profile completion contest was to “Enter the Types of Yoga You Teach” in your RYT® profile…read more

Build Your Online Yoga Resume
The fifth and final assignment in our profile completion contest was to “Share Where You Teach” in the "Teaching Experience" field of your RYT® profile…read more