Teaching Yoga Even If You Don’t Fit The “Yogi Mold”
Picture yourself as a new practitioner. Remember those days when you were trying out this new thing called yoga. Maybe you’ve done a bit of research before you stepped in or you have a passionate yogi friend who dragged you to a class, whatever the situation was at the time. What were your first impressions of the teacher as they entered the space?
15 years ago, I decided to give yoga a real try. By this, I meant that the class I took was by choice and not an event I was pushed into attending by my social circle. It was a Hot Yoga class. After I got dressed––or I should say dressed less, I was asked to acclimatize my body in the heated room while we waited for the instructor. As the “noob”, I observed the regulars catch up with each other and the little groups, perhaps even hierarchy that may have formed by their common discipline.. As I mentally prepared myself for the impending 90 hour sweat session, She walked in. This tall, tattooed figure with the most athletic body I have ever been face-to-face with. She saunters into the practice space with perfect posture and a confident yet calm flair to boot. I thought, What did I walk into? Can I still make a run for it? Too late, after a small greeting she began immediately. I was intimidated yet exhilarated the whole time because this person made me move, focus, most importantly relax in one session. I was hooked. So I practiced under this studio for 2 years. I learned asanas, breathing, meditation, and other practices out there. Eventually, my immersion in the practice grew to the point that I took the next steps to dedicate myself to Yoga.
Here we are a decade and a half later, I am sharing facets of my career path with you. What I’ve learned is that becoming a yoga teacher is much more than asanas or yogic philosophy. The internal work I had to do (and still doing) to reach a point wherein I can walk into a class with that air of zen I saw all those years ago is all-continuing. This article is all about that and what I have so far because as the adage goes, A good teacher is always a student. In approximately 1,500 words, I will be busting some myths, sharing a couple of techniques to overcome impostor syndrome and tackling insecurities head-on.
1. The ideal yoga teacher doesn’t exist
If there is one lesson I will repeat until my last breath, it’s this one. Just because your teacher or an instructor you follow seemingly has it all, don’t be so sure about that. The ideal yogi is just that, an idea. We project an image to make an impression resulting in a rising client base. We know this, so how come we still put our teachers on pedestals? Do they have the right look? Is it because they have more experience? Are they more flexible? Do they have influence? Or are they surrounded by affluence? Whatever the case may be, we should not forget that they are all humans dealing with issues as our species do.
2. The “yoga mold” and why we should break it
When one hears the words yoga teacher, what comes to your mind? Are you thinking of a lithe-bodied person who has the ability to transform into a pretzel all while remaining perfectly at peace? Most likely only 3%-5% fit that description in the population of yoga teachers out there. The rest of us come in all shapes, sizes and skill levels––that’s ok. Yoga is for every body. So how come we still look up to olympian-level individuals to lead our industry? Media and cultural influence could be culpable for our perfectionist attitude. I had these “standards” in mind until I saw that some of the best teachers I’ve had were far from perfect. Everyone had something to offer in spite of their differences. So if the perfect yogi doesn’t exist then the image doesn’t either. We need to look into ourselves and what we can bring to our students. We can be old, young, voluptuous, slim, tall, short, even missing an appendage, or mentally struggling and we can find our target audience because there’s a type of practice for everyone.
3. How do we break away from from this frame of mind?
In my first 5 years of teaching, I was on research mode for the next teacher training or CE course to fuse with my 200-hour certification. I felt that in order to be effective, I had to learn as much as I could. It sounded like a solid plan at the time; until I calculated how much it would all cost in terms of the time and money needed for me to reach a level I considered as “expert”. My plan was neither feasible nor practical. As I continued to grow, I became resourceful, using things within my reach to cater to my students. Most importantly, I practiced. I played with shapes, breathing and meditation. I became the subject of my experiments. It was this that pushed me forward into becoming a knowledgeable teacher. While I will probably never call myself an expert yogi or “guru” (shudder), I am certain that I have something to impart when my students walk into my class. Which is enough for now. So let’s stop comparing ourselves to other teachers or media examples of what yoga professionals are “supposed” to be. When you concentrate on your growth, the only direction is up.
4. Identify your insecurities
One of my first steps into self-development as a yoga teacher is identifying who I am as a teacher. This included my flaws. As I listed them down, I found ways to challenge them. For example, I had body issues. I have short and stocky features for which I envied my graceful ballerina statured colleagues. I challenged this unhelpful thought by focusing on building my skills and studying anatomy. I have Adhd. I have trouble focusing in yoga nidra or meditation sessions. I practiced meditative walking or movement. Now, I have a niche in my style of teaching. Usually the aspects you feel lacking in are the treasure troves inside of you. So start digging.
5. Kidlin’s Law
“If you write the problem down, then the matter is half solved.” I am a firm believer of this quote, because if you can put pen to paper all your doubts, you can debate with them. Since yoga is a lifelong practice/process, then we can modify this quote a bit by journaling. I have about 5 journals with different themes to organize my very scattered brain. I have my planner, wherein I write about my day, schedule, classes given, including all my appointments. I have a planner for my social media and writing. The articles I post, instagram ideas, content for producing, etc. I also have a journal for the details of my day, the thoughts and emotions I went through along with my reasoning for said notions. I have a commonplace journal wherein I write information that I find useful. Beautiful words and their meanings, soulful quotes, insights, mindfulness techniques, etc. Lastly, I have a shadow journal where I get to know my dark side moreover, acceptance of that part of me. These very personal logbooks have been tremendously helpful in navigating my mental health in order to acquire a healthy mindset. Try it out. It takes a while to make it a habit but It can be quite fulfilling.
Professional growth is a coming-of-age story. We take a step, fall, and get back up. Repeat. Personally, this is what I love about being a yoga teacher. Money can’t make you a better teacher. Even if you pay for all the Yoga TT’s in the world, they won’t necessarily make you a better teacher. There’s no fast-forward button to experience which is why we should make the most out of it. I hope this article has served you well.
Take care and good luck Momoyogis!
