“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn”
Beginning Yoga can seem a daunting prospect – just by the very nature of moving into a new and unfamiliar environment. All sorts of things can arise and become a challenge that can potentially sabotage your experience before you’ve even rolled out your mat.
Due to yoga’s growing popularity over the last 20 years, and an extremely saturated market of various styles, a big demographic of teachers and too many choices of settings, finding the right teacher – for either home or studio – can seem bewildering.
…and then, sometimes just by sheer chance – when the student is ready; the teacher will appear!
As a student, I was fortunate enough to find a few wonderful mentors that really taught me by involving me in the practice of yoga – body, mind and soul. Each provided lots of opportunities to listen, see, feel and practice so that it became this wonderful residual and wholistic experience that I couldn’t get enough of.
Now, as a teacher, I advocate those very same qualities by involving my students and empowering them to really take notice of what they are experiencing, so that they have a strong desire to become the master of their own yoga destiny, too.
When seeking out your teacher, I implore you to explore your options until you find what also resonates with you.
Empowerment - Goal Setting
A teacher that can put him or herself in your shoes, that understands the difference between gentle support and encouragement and empowerment is that person that you will more than likely want to come back to again and again. They somehow just – by their very nature – have that way of guiding you towards the choice of exploring ‘exactly what you want from this!’ and helping you understand that you are capable.
Setting one or many goals is an important step in the process of empowering you to create and set up a new practice for yourself, with a long shelf-life. An intention (particularly when written) can offer you the motivation to persist and pursue your practice with a much greater investment and chance of witnessing and watching your pathway to success unfold.
Adaptability - Inclusive learning environment
Teaching a beginner’s class is way more challenging than leading an intermediate or advanced yoga session, in my personal experience.
There are so many variables, physical challenges (mental resistance also) and unique situations that need to be considered and accommodated in this environment and your teacher’s ability to make each individual feel valued is what you should be looking for.
The backbone to any thoughtful teaching is empathy and should promote a safe space where you feel supported (according to your own challenges) and nurtured so that you feel you have a choice in what you do and to what extent.
An inclusive environment should look and feel like you are being provided with your own specific tools to become a more confident practitioner.
Preparation - The Value-Add experience
If it’s your first ever class, for one moment, set aside your nerves, expectations, self-judgement and preconceived ideas long enough to feel that this teacher knows his or her shit and wants you to have the opportunity to know it also.
The well-prepared teacher is that person that moves their own body and mind through their own devoted practice regularly and you will more than likely feel this as a good gut instinct because they radiate authenticity and humility.
Your teacher will be teaching you what they know and understand from their own yoga practice and experience. They will accommodate you by taking their time to explain, demonstrating the pose (or at least variations of it) and giving you the opportunity to feel what that feels like in your own body. They will provide prompts, based on what they notice in a classroom and this is the value you are seeking.
Looking for the right teacher is not a one-size-fits-all garment.
It is a very personalised and tailored journey and is worth the research (sometimes through trial and error) to find what is just right. It’s kind of like the ‘goldilocks theory’ – not too heavy, not too light, but just right for you.
Namaste.
