Confessions of a yoga teacher – 5 things you won’t learn in class
Updated: Oct 3, 2023
Do you ever imagine your yoga teacher setting up their mat in front of a beautiful altar at 4:30am to begin a two-hour morning practice? Have you wondered if we enjoy a couple of glasses of red on the weekend, or ditch our evening meditation to binge-watch reality TV? Well, we’re here to spill the beans today, yogis, revealing to you the inner workings of our hearts and minds. We hope this story inspires you to see that we are mere mortals just like you, and you don’t need to be a flexible guru to become a yoga teacher. Let’s dive in and expose the truths and hidden realities that rarely find their way into the serene ambiance of our yoga classes.
We don't all do yoga every day
Sure, some of us do, but most of us don’t move through a full sequence on the mat every single day. Like the seasons, our practice ebbs and flows. There are times when we go to classes, and times when we’d rather sit on the couch eating chips and chocolate. There are times when we practise asana, and times when we’d rather go for a walk in the sun or to a Pilates class. There are seasons in our lives for travelling to Bali and India and indulging in learning the secrets of yoga, and seasons for raising little humans, making money, and spending time with the people we love. What most of us do, however, is integrate the practices we’ve learned over the years into our everyday lives. That might look like striking a Pigeon Pose in front of the TV in the evening, taking a few rounds of our favourite Pranayama (breath-work) practice in the shower, or simply being of service to our loved-ones. There are many ways to be a modern yogi, and it doesn’t always look how you’d imagine.
We haven't perfected every pose
Most of us are human and can’t do all the poses. There’s a misconception that to be a yoga teacher you must be able to morph yourself into a pretzel. But the truth is that many of us couldn’t do half of the poses we now teach when we first began our teacher training (at least not perfectly!). We’ve learned to refine our asana over the years and adapt the shapes to suit our bodies. We’ve endured injuries and ageing, and our physical practice evolves with us through it all.
We get anxious sometimes
Modern life can be stressful – even for the most Zen among us. We still feel stressed out and overwhelmed sometimes. The wonderful thing about yoga is that it provides us with a toolkit to dive into in these moments. Sometimes, instead of reaching into the toolkit we’ll indulge in unhealthy habits to provide a quick-fix (like horrible reality TV shows or a bar of sugar-filled chocolate) and at other times we’ll remember our practice, take some deep breaths, and bring ourselves back to presence.
We have pet peeves
Every teacher is different so we’re not all annoyed by the same things, but we have our pet peeves when it comes to teaching. Some teachers find it off-putting when a student comes to class late, some can’t stand it when someone’s phone rings, some feel frustrated when students wriggle around in meditation, some are sick of hearing the phrase, ‘I’m not flexible enough to do yoga’, and some cringe when a student takes off before Savasana (it’s the best bit!). We’ve seen it all a million times over, but we won’t hold it against you, and at the end of class we’re feeling just as relaxed as you are.
You inspire us
When we see you coming to class week after week, or day after day, we are truly inspired by you. You have become such an integral part of our lives. We love seeing the enthusiasm you have for your practice and watching you evolve over time. We are impressed by your discipline and devotion when you wake up in the cool early hours or leave the cosiness of home in the evening to come to the studio. You inspire us as much as we inspire you.
Much love,
~Caroline & the myDrishti team