It’s been one year since I was in wonderful India doing my Yoga Teacher training course. And what a year it has been! In this blog article I will share 5 key things I have learnt in my first year of being a yoga teacher in Palm Cove Cairns, for all of the other new yoga teachers out there.
1) I will always be a student
A few years before I did my Yoga TTC (teacher training course) I had this idea in my head that after I had completed the course and I was a teacher, that would be it. I would be an advanced practitioner and I wouldn’t need to keep going to classes and learning about yoga, as I would already know it all. How naive I was! In fact, before I committed to doing the course, I still had this idea that I wasn’t ‘ready’. I wasn’t able to perform a lot of the advanced asanas, how could I be a teacher? But if we waited until we really felt ready to do things in life, we would be waiting a long time. Sometimes you just have to jump right in, whether you feel ready or not. And I am so glad that I did.
Completing a Yoga TTC does not mean you know everything about yoga. There is so much left to learn and I love attending classes and reading yoga literature even more than ever. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed at how much there is to know about yoga, and how much I want expand my knowledge. I am so glad that I have my whole life ahead of me to continue being a yoga student and sharing what I already know about the ancient practice with the people around me.
2) Simple is best
When I first started teaching yoga in Palm Cove, Cairns, I would spend hours creating new sequences for every class. I would research new postures to share with my students and stress about giving my students different classes every time. I had an epiphany one day when a friend and student of mine said ‘Maybe you don’t need to change the class every time. Some people like knowing whats coming next anyway’. There’s no need for complex and different sequences at every class, most of my students like coming to class, stretching and breathing and don’t need or want the unknown at every class. Less is more, and whilst a bit of variation is always good, there is definitely no need to stress about it.
Sometimes I don’t plan my classes at all. I have a sequence structure in my head and I completely let go and go with the flow, letting the asanas come to me. This feel like my most inspired classes, and my students often comment on how much they like them. So there really isn’t always need for my avid planning (thank god!)
3)Don’t talk to much
When I first started teaching, I wanted to share every alignment tip, focus point and breathing technique that I could in every class. But this meant that there was too much talking, not enough feeling. Students wouldn’t get the chance to explore their stillness, hear their own breath and observe the yogic process because they were being overloaded with information. Even though it’s all important, I have come to realise one or two pointers in each pose is enough. Let the yoga speak for itself, it’s way more powerful than talking about it.
4) Teach the yoga that you practice
Because I completed a multi-style Yoga TTC, I wanted to share as many of the different styles as I could. But some of the styles of yoga I didn’t often practice in my own time, and so I didn’t feel completely comfortable and connected teaching them. Now I only teach what I practice, incorporating things that I have learnt in recent classes my self and that I am completely comfortable sharing because I know they work. I have felt the benefits of practicing the techniques that I share first hand and know that they can also help others.
5) Don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t like your class.
Whilst I share the yoga that I love and that works for me, it may not be the yoga that works for someone else. It’s easy to take it personally when someone doesn’t come back to your class, but it’s so important not to take it personally. If you tried to adjust your style and classes to suit every single person, your classes would be all over the place! Share what you love. People will like it or they won’t like it, but all you can be is yourself.
Being a yoga teacher in Palm Cove, Australia is my dream come true. To find out when my classes are, click here.
If you would like to join a yoga class in Palm Cove, get in touch.
Until next time,
Beth Hartig