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Humility & Boundaries

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Express "Teaching Arts for Yoga" in surrealism Teaching Arts
Yoga practice for cultivating humility and setting personal boundaries.
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Overview

In this lesson, we explore the importance of humility, healthy boundaries, and mindful intervention while maintaining embodiment and honoring each student's experience.

Objective

Understand how to stay grounded and mindful while teaching, recognize when intervention is needed, and maintain appropriate boundaries with students.

What You'll Get

You'll learn practices that keep you present and embodied while teaching—continuing to return to your breath, thoughts, energy, and expression. You'll discover the value of being humble and transparent, why it's important to let students have their own experience rather than expecting specific outcomes, and how to protect the integrity of class when distractions arise. This includes knowing when a question is outside your expertise and how to respond with honesty. Whether you're navigating a challenging class dynamic or simply want to refine your teaching presence, you'll gain tools for holding space with respect, empathy, and clarity.

Questions Answered Here

  1. Describe mindfulness and embodiment as they contribute to good teaching.
  2. Describe an example of being humble and transparent as a teacher, and why this is recommended.
  3. What does it mean to see and honor each student?
  4. Why might a teacher avoid describing an expectation that students will feel something or have a particular result during practice?
  5. How can unconscious expectations be passed on to students?
  6. If faced with a question outside of your expertise, what can you do?
  7. When a student is potentially distracting other students, what questions can you ask yourself to help determine whether and how to intervene.
  8. Describe two strategies that can help you to protect the quiet of Savasana.

Overview

  1. Practice mindfulness while teaching: continue to return your awareness to your breath, thoughts, energy and expression.
  2. Stay grounded in your body while teaching.
  3. Be humble, honest and transparent.
  4. Endeavor to truly see students, honoring their wholeness and respecting their individuality.
  5. Allow students to have their own experience.
  6. Create healthy boundaries between teacher and student while avoiding unnecessary distance.
  7. Refrain from giving advice in psychotherapy or other areas outside of your teaching expertise.
  8. When a student is potentially distracting other students, ask yourself mindful questions to determine whether and how to intervene.
  9. When intervention is called for, do so with respect, empathy and clarity.
  10. Protect the quiet of Savasana by ending class on time and requesting beforehand that those who need to leave early, leave before Savasana begins.

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Knowledge · Practice · Wisdom