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Previous Episodes of Yoga Hero: Teachers Podcast

Episode 28: What’s your WHY as a yoga teacher

Episode 27: Setting up your own classes as a yoga teacher

Episode 26: How would you teach yoga if you weren’t afraid?

Episode 25: Do I need a yoga brand?

Episode 24: Tips for new yoga teachers

Episode 23: Define who you are as a yoga teacher

Episode 43: Should yoga teachers care about money?

Episode 42: Should yoga teachers demo while teaching?

Episode 41: Should yoga teachers use Sanskrit?

Episode 40: The business of teaching Yoga Nidra

Episode 39: How to develop a consistent Yoga Nidra practice (even with a busy life)

Episode 38: A Yoga Nidra for yoga teachers

Episode 37: Yoga Nidra: The art of sleeping to wake up

Episode 36:: How I Became a Full-Time Yoga Teacher

Episode 35: How to Become a Full-Time Yoga Teacher

Episode 34: Balancing having a job and teaching yoga

Episode 33: Balancing Parenting and Teaching Yoga

Episode 32: How to teach yoga workshops

Episode 31: How much to charge for your yoga classes

Episode 30: How to create your yoga brand

Episode 29: How to layer your asana classes with yoga philosophy

Episode 28: What’s your WHY as a yoga teacher

Episode 27: Setting up your own classes as a yoga teacher

Episode 26: How would you teach yoga if you weren’t afraid?

Episode 25: Do I need a yoga brand?

Episode 24: Tips for new yoga teachers

Episode 23: Define who you are as a yoga teacher

Episode 22: Yoga adjustments: Some important considerations

Episode 21: Tips for teaching yoga beginners

Episode 20: The joys of being a yoga teacher

Episode 19: Overcome imposter syndrome as a yoga teacher

Episode 18: Create your social media calendar

Episode 17: A complete guide to sequencing yoga classes

Episode 16: Do you need to teach a new yoga sequence each week?

Episode 15: Introducing yoga philosophy in to your asana classes

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What’s your WHY as a yoga teacher – Transcript

Hello, and welcome to our Yoga Hero Teachers podcast. This podcast has been created to help yoga teachers teach with passion, avoid burn out and earn a fair living.

You’re a yoga teacher because yoga has improved your life – possibly immeasurably – and you have a desire, a need, to share that with others.

Whilst asana is a hugely important part of yoga, it’s not the full story, and as such, as yoga teachers, sharing the full story; the roots and the history of yoga, is probably part of the job. But it’s not necessarily a part of the job that comes easily, that’s covered in yoga teacher trainings, that’s even accessible…

Well, this podcast episode aims to change that. It’s full of practical tips to layer your asana classes with yoga philosophy, to weave in themes and wisdom without having to be fluent in Sanskrit, without having to be completely knowledgable about the entire history of yoga. Basically, we’re aiming to take the reservations and fears out of sharing the fullness of what yoga is, whilst also deeply respecting yoga and all its roots.

So, let’s crack on.

Start in your comfort zone

Have a think, first of all, what about yoga, yoga beyond the asana, has had a useful or positive effect on you. What would you be happy telling someone about in a conversation? Start there. Start with where your heart is, and go from there. If you find yourself thinking ‘I should do this’ pause, and ask yoursefl where that ‘should’ is coming from and, ideally, put it to one side. Let the class be true to you and trust that it will reach people who need it.

You don’t have to come up with something new every week

Weaving yoga philosophy in to your asana classes can be really powerful – but there’s no need to think that just because you’ve done it one week, that you need to do it every week. Or, if you do include philosophy every week, there’s no need to think that it has to be something new, and enlightening, and life changing. In fact, there’s a lot of sense in revisiting a topic or an idea and asking people to reflect on it, bearing in mind the week that they’ve just had. Yoga philosophy is for real life. It might be that you introduce the idea of santosha, contentment, and someone hears it but they’re not that bothered. Then a couple of days after your class, they find out they didn’t get the job they were really hoping for. Then, they come back to your class, and you revisit santosha – it might be that now, they’re able to resonate with the power of finding contentment with where they are right now. 

Theme the entire class (not just the beginning and end!)

It’s really common for yoga teachers to get everyone set up in Savasana or child’s pose or seated meditation at the beginning of class and say ‘the focus for today’s class is x, y or z’ and then go on to teach some gorgeous sequences, but not refere back to the focus, and then remind people in savasana, so the focus was this, and how do you feel now. I’d really recommend not doing this. I’d really recommend allowing your philosophy theme to lead the asanas you choose, and the way you put together your sequences, to allow for periods of reflection and extra information from you as you go through your class. So it’s sprinkled over the entire class, rather than just being a bit of something at the beginning and the end.

Get feedback

It’s so great to get an idea of how what you say lands on people. So ask them! Maybe you just start a chat after class, ‘did that make sense to you today?’ or ‘have you got any questions about what I said’ – and if people don’t say much, don’t read too much into that, but if people say, ‘wow that really made sense’ or ‘that was just what I needed to hear today’ – let that be a little confidence boost, so in your moments where you’re feeling reserved and shy about sharing your knowledge, you can remember how much it helped someone.

Make it simple

There really is no need to go huge, to include loads of Sanskrit, to include the exact scripture… As yoga teachers, we have to meet people where they are and many could be put off by what might come across as elitist. So, play to your knowledge and your strengths and make it simple, but let people know that you’re happy to expand if they have questions or they want to know more. A good idea is to run through your entire class including your explanation of your focus or theme, and see if you feel nervous at any point, if so, pause and investigate that. Or do you lose your way a little bit – is that because there’s something you’re not sure about? If so, can you make your knowledge, and therefore your confidence a bit more concrete. When it flows well for you, it’ll flow well for your yogis!

Commit to your ongoing learning

This is by far the most, most, most important point in sharing yoga philosophy and the wisdom and life-changing insight with your yogis; keep learning and keep practicing. and remember, yoga philosophy doesn’t have to be learnt from a book. Look for satsangs with teachers that inspire you, look for trainings by teachers that are immersed in it, such as our philosophy training with Hali Schwartz. Trust that you’ll pick up what you need, commit to practicing it and then add to it in time. This is so so so important. As yoga teachers, we often put all our focus on teaching and less on practicing, so, let’s address that balance and be students forever. Well, until we’re enlightened anyway!

If you’d like more information on our philosophy training with Hali Schwarz, take a look at the show notes for this episode at yogahero.co.uk/podcast29 or drop us a line, we’re alway happy to help!

So that’s it lovely teachers! Would you share your why with us on Instagram, at yogahero_teachers? If you have a couple of minutes free, we’d be so so so so grateful if you could rate and review this podcast where ever you’re listening to it, and if you can share with a training, new or experienced yoga teacher too, well that would be just amazing.

And, as always, happy teaching.