Reflecting recently about my first 4 months as a “real” yoga
teacher, I discovered that I have some valuable advice to pass on to other new
teachers.
These top 4 tips might seem pretty basic, but as we all
know: simple is usually best.
1.
Keep up your sadhana –
Hopefully you established a regularly
scheduled daily practice either before or during your teacher training
program. Don’t let this beneficial habit
slip by the wayside. It’s of utmost
importance that we “walk the talk” so our students trust us, but allow your
personal practice to organically fit in to your schedule if you’re busy. Also, if your sadhana is too long or
complicated for your current time allotment, maybe you need to simplify something.
Personal practice also gives us an
opportunity to experiment with ideas for students before their classes &
keeps us in a beginner’s frame of mind.
2.
Meditate –
Really a part of #1, but meditation truly
deserves our attention because it helps in observable ways. We all know how powerful this yoga tool can
be. Once again, make sure to carve out
the time & observe without judgment.
3.
Listen more, talk less –
Honestly, I’m still working on this
one. I danced semi-professionally &
I was a ham and a stage hog! After one
of my first classes teaching, a dear friend & student made the comment that
I needed to leave more silence during my teaching. I took this to heart & I think about it
every class. Once you’ve used the right
words to cue the students into the āsana & guided them to their own
breath awareness, let them go inside on their own mindful yoga journey. Plus, being quiet helps you really listen to people.
4.
Trust yourself –
Let go of the notion of perfection &
trust that you’ve prepared yourself to teach to the best of your ability. Then remember, all teachers make mistakes. The trick is being able to honestly laugh it
off. This is pretty easy for me (again
because of my dance improvisation & performance background), but I know it
can be tough for many. Yoga students are like dogs & horses; they can smell
fear. When you laugh off your own mistakes & accept that you’re not
perfect, you might even create an opportunity to address & bring more awareness
of this universal fear to your students.
As I travel on my yoga teaching journey, I know these simple
yet valuable ideas & tools will help me continue to experience smooth
sailing in the classroom.
