Ethics

Teaching Syllabus

Teachers are qualified to teach asanas and pranayama from the practice sheets up to and including the level they are certified. However, teaching at one level above the level certified for is applicable if the teacher intends to upgrade shortly and has the guidance of a senior teacher.

Pregnancy Classes

Pregnancy classes can only be taught by teachers once they have attained Level 2. Teachers at Level 1 can continue to teach in general classes their regular students who become pregnant (with the understanding they follow the guidelines of asanas for pregnant women).

Private Classes

These can be taught by teachers at Level 2 and above.

Therapy Classes

Therapy classes can only be taught by teachers Level 3 and above.

Use of the name Iyengar

The current directors, Geeta and Prashant Iyengar, of Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, have permitted all Certified Teachers to use the name ‘Iyengar’, which has been registered as a trademark. Therefore, any person who is not a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and uses the name ‘Iyengar’ in their advertising, including expressions such as ‘Iyengar-style’ yoga or ‘in the Iyengar Yoga tradition’, is infringing upon RIMYI’s rights and is contravening the Trade Marks Act. In such cases, the Association will write requesting that the person cease using the name. It is therefore the responsibility of Certified Teachers to notify the Association if they have any knowledge of teachers, other than those certified, who use the name Iyengar in their advertising.

Use of the name “Iyengar” in the name of a school

A license to use the Certification Mark is not a license to use the name ‘Iyengar’ as part of a Teacher’s business name, website and email address.
Certified teachers who wish to use the name ‘Iyengar’ in their business names are required to obtain permission by applying to the Executive, Moderators, and Assessment & Teacher Training committees.

In applying to the Association for the use of the ‘Iyengar’ name in the business name the following criteria need to be met:

1. Only Iyengar Yoga can be taught in the place(s) of that business
2. All teachers at this place(s) of business must be certified or in the process of becoming a certified teacher.

If these conditions change the name ‘Iyengar’ may no longer be used (for a business name, email address and website).
All certified teachers who wish to use the name ‘Iyengar’ in the name of their Yoga school/business will need to complete the REQUEST FORM. This form will be available from the Association website. Please print, complete and post or email this form to the Executive, Moderator, and Assessment & Teacher Training committees.

Note
In using the ‘Iyengar’ name for a business name, web address, email address and other online addresses only one suburb name can be used.
New applications (as of August 2014) for using the ‘Iyengar’ name in the business name can no longer use the name of the city or region in which the business operates.
In new applications, distinctions need to be made with existing centre’s/school names.

• The same suburb name can’t be used.
• The terms centre, school, studio etc must also be different when there are businesses with the ‘Iyengar’ name in adjacent and nearby suburbs.

In very small centres, i.e. towns with no discernible suburbs, dispensation needs to be applied for by the Executive, Moderator, and Assessment & Teacher Training Committees to use the town name.