Facing Imperfection + Feeding Your Passion & Inspiration to Teach

Questions Answered Here

Here we offer inspiration related to teaching. For inspiration related to your personal practice and study, see here.

1. What are some fundamental sources of teaching inspiration?
2. Describe how you can overcome perfectionism and fear or disappointment arising from personal struggle and failure.
3. Describe a view of struggle, failure and perseverance that can support personal and business fulfillment.
4. Describe the research that shows struggle and failure lead to better outcomes than having not struggled.
5. How can looking to existing teachings, best practices and research inspire you?
6. What else might provide teaching inspiration?

Remember Why You Love It

To do your best teaching, you need a deep well of passion and inspiration.

• One of the fundamental sources of inspiration can be to focus less on oneself and more on the benefits others receive from yoga.
• When you’re overflowing with a desire to share, teaching can flow effortlessly. Let yourself remember the time a student shared with you how much class impacted her, how a quote or pranayama teaching you offered helped her find clarity, or how an asana adaptation you taught helped a student finally find ease or feel the impact of a new action.
• And don’t forget the ripple effect of your impact. When students leave class feeling grounded and balanced, they bring their fullness to their families, friends, colleagues, clients, and strangers in their community.
• Occasionally revisit what you love about teaching—what keeps you engaged. Whether you are excited by anatomy or philosophy, adjustments or chanting, remember to engage in your loves.

Student Thank You

I practice yoga because it helps me relax, slow down my thinking, and I learn something positive every time I come to class. It’s very good for the spirit, body and mind. Thank you [to the teacher who visited the detention center] for coming! – Student at juvenile detention center, Yoga Behind Bars

You’re Bringing Gifts to People You Don’t Even Know!

Through your prayers, your practice and your potent sharing, you’re bringing balance to people of whom you’re not even aware. Just consider the people who live with your students; their lovers, children, parents, friends, co-workers. Remember that you’re helping more than just the people who’ve laid their mat down with you – there are countless more hearts you’re touching, bodies who will now let more light in because of what you do. Thank you. – Elena Brower

Remember What Excites You

I love studying all the neuroscience and western research on mind body practices that has been rolling out over the past decade. Another thing that keeps me excited and engaged is creating room for students to ask questions in class. When my students ask questions or share ideas, it allows me to teach spontaneously and creates an opportunity to relate how the practice can directly apply to our lives and to the actual moment we are in together. The spontaneity frees me up to make things more relevant and relatable. – Jillian Pransky Interview