We all have teachers we know and respect but it's helpful to remember that before someone becomes a teacher, they are a student! This is the only way to teach others, if you learn and apply the content yourself first. And for most, the student journey never ends; the ongoing path of learning allows us to discover something interesting and then go on and teach it. I personally feel very accomplished and successful when I complete a qualification as I am at my most happy when I'm learning something new.
One of the most difficult yet rewarding processes is to teach from someone's own experience. This is something that comes natural to me, I love sharing my stories and experiences, usually with a humorous twist. It is what shows my authenticity. I can't help but wonder sometimes whether people want to hear what I have to say and if I'm oversharing. Eventually, I attract the ones who want to listen to my narrative as they are the ones who relate to it or perhaps just find it funny!
I feel so humble and honoured to be able to teach yoga. Maybe because I became a yoga teacher in my 40s or just maybe because yoga has that effect on people: it makes you humble and urges you to leave your ego at the door, whether you're practising or teaching. Yoga is not perfect, it's practice, so mistakes are bound to happen and this is how we learn to be compassionate rather than competitive.
Can I do every yoga pose? No way! Can I teach every pose? You bet! Teaching is not about me, is about what I can offer my students in order to keep them safe and allow them to explore. This doesn't pertain to just the asanas, but also to breath work and anatomy as well as how the pose feels for them. I am delighted when my students get into a pose I cannot perform.
Every time a class I taught finishes, I want to cry and sometimes I do. I feel overwhelmed and full of emotions of gratitude to be able to hold space for people who need to connect with themselves. If you've ever been to my class, you know that my signature phrase for closing a session is 'we close the practice with gratitude'. Even if one student shows up for my class, I will teach with the same passion and commitment as if 20 had come. In fact, it's more important to show up for that one student as I am asked to give my undivided attention and not slack not even for a moment.
There is a misconception about yoga teachers that they have to be perfect, young and flexible and know everything by heart. Wrong! I am definitely not flexible or perfect and I sometimes confuse right with left. If I make a mistake, I get disappointed for a moment but I soon remember what the bigger picture is: to have fun and be myself. I am there to teach and not be perfect. Life is unpredictable and messy so why shouldn't yoga be the same?
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