Yoga For Business: Empowering the New Yoga Teachers of Tomorrow

When starting out as a yoga teacher, there are a lot of logistical and practical steps you need to take, like getting qualified, finding a studio, planning a marketing strategy and much more. In fact, we’ve covered a lot of those steps in our other Yoga For Business articles, in case you’re interested. But there are other lessons to be learned when it comes to starting out and fulfilling your potential as a yoga teacher and in some ways these lessons are even more important. These have to do with your mindset and feeling empowered as a leader.

Similarly, it’s important to remember that there’s always more to learn and there are always things you can do to better yourself as a yoga teacher, no matter how long you’ve been doing it for. Be willing and ready to accept feedback from your students. They’re actually your best source of information when it comes to professional development because they’re the ones who are experiencing your teachings first-hand. So many of the best yoga teachers out there are as great as they are because they see every class they teach as a learning opportunity.

There’s only one you. You’re a unique human being with a one-of-a-kind story and when you recognise that fact, you can use it to your advantage as a yoga teacher. Being a yoga teacher isn’t just about having the right technical knowledge or qualifications, it’s about sharing your experiences, your insights and your wisdom through your teachings. It’s great to learn from mentors and your own yoga teachers but you’ll never be able to teach exactly like they do- because you’re not them. When you find your own teaching style that reflects your journey, you’ll be offering your students a much more authentic and fulfilling experience every time they walk through the door to your class.

When you start out as a yoga teacher, you’ll likely feel a bit nervous before your classes. This is completely normal and in fact, some very experienced yoga teachers still get pre-class jitters. These can actually be a great thing because it shows how passionate you are about showing up and doing a good job for your students. Nerves can be a great motivator and chances are they’ll help you to bring you’re A game to your classes.

If you find that your nerves are a bit overwhelming before your classes, then practice what you preach and make sure you leave time for a few breathing exercises before each of your class so that you can channel your nervous energy and use it productively.

Yoga is such a personal experience. Everyone does it for different reasons or to achieve different outcomes and, just like in our day to day lives, different people are attracted to different qualities in the people around them. Some people might enjoy a fitness focused yoga class while others might enjoy a more meditative experience. Some people might like a yoga class where the teacher gives consistent vocal instructions while others might prefer more silence. Your classes will never appeal to everyone and as soon as you accept that, you’ll begin finding your ‘tribe’ of yogis who feel as though your classes and your teaching style are exactly what they’re looking for.

If you’re a Yoga Teacher who would like to bring your teachings to a new audience, you can register to teach a Yoga For Good Foundation community class. It’s a paid opportunity and a great way to share your wisdom with our community. We’re also opening our grants portal on 30 January 2023 so if you have a yoga project or course that’s doing good in your community, we’d love to read your application. You can read the guidelines here.