Starting your career as a yoga teacher can be exciting, humbling, and terrifying all at once. As you get started on your journey to find your unique niche and voice in the seemingly saturated yoga community, you want to continue to seek guidance from experienced teachers.
To that end, we asked experienced yoga teachers to share with you the kind of teaching tips and advice that can help you be someone who inspires students every single time they come to their mats. You’re welcome.
8 Expert Teaching Tips from Longtime Yoga Teachers
What would you add to the list? Let us know in a comment.
1. Remind Students of the Breath
The breath is the primary tool through which you will be able to access what’s actually happening in your body. It’s the primary tool to activate change in your structure at a deep level, and it’s the primary tool to link your conscious awareness to the process of change. So think of the breath as an internal flashlight, microscope, viewfinder that helps you discover what’s going on. —Gary Kraftsow, student of T.K.V. Desikachar and founder of the American Viniyoga Institute
2. Be Yourself
Once we accept that it is impossible for us to be everybody’s yoga teacher and that there will simply be many students who don’t resonate with our style and we let go of some of that deep-rooted desire to be liked and appreciated, we become more potent yoga teachers. And not just in the transmission of yoga, but in teaching by example. Be yourself, nobody else can do it better. Work just as hard on transcending some of the regressive patterns of your ego as you are on advancing your asana and your knowledge. —Gina Caputo, yoga teacher and founder of The Yoga Potluck
3. Become the Yoga Lingo
Keep yourself grounded and growing by studying the ancient teachings—like the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and Vedanta—every single day. You’ll have a solid foundation from which to sprinkle in these words of wisdom during a regular asana class.
But beware of parroting the clichéd yoga lingo. Instead BECOME the yoga lingo. Then give your own voice to it from your personal experience. Then your words will have weight behind them and you’ll be authentic in each word that you speak. You’ll inspire yourself and them! —Rina Jakubowicz, longtime yoga teacher and trainer
4. Teach Only What You Know
If I haven’t lived it, felt it in my body and worked toward it, I do not feel like I should teach it. When I feel something viscerally, I know that it is in me, I am clear about what is and is not working, and I can teach it authentically. For example, I would not teach Bird of Paradise. A very popular pose, but with my lower back and SI joint injuries, it does not make sense for me to attempt it and so I will not teach it. —Karly Treacy, longtime yoga teacher and yoga consultant
5. Follow the Lead of Your Students
Don’t teach what you know; teach what they don’t know. Teaching yoga is a conversation. Begin by giving one essential instruction. Then watch your students closely. Their response will tell you what to say next, perhaps a specific alignment instruction or an invitation to open to their experience. If their alignment is clear and their energy is settled, you don’t need to say a thing. Ride the rhythm of speech and non-speech. Avoid reciting every instruction you know for an asana.
Instead, follow the lead of your students so that your teaching becomes a guiding conversation that points them toward the work of the pose. Make your instructions be like crumbs along a path, dropping them one at a time, allowing the students to walk the path on their own. —Cyndi Lee, longtime student of meditation, yoga, and Buddhism
6. Invite Criticism
In order to truly grow as yoga educators, it is very important we never forget how difficult it is for students to deliver critical feedback. We need to use any means at our disposal to let students know we are open to hearing their criticism, not just their praise. I sincerely believe this is the single most important principle we can embrace in order to make our classes safer and more effective. —Leslie Kaminoff, yoga educator, anatomy expert, and best-selling author
7. You Do Not Need to Know More Than You Know Right Now
There are endless tips for teaching yoga but none and I mean none are worth a penny without this one: There is only one you, you do not need to know more than you know right now to teach a great yoga class other than that. Truly knowing your story, your experiences and your wisdom is your treasure and nothing you learn from a textbook or workshop will top that. —Eric Paskel, touring yoga teacher
8. Use Your Fear as Fuel
After 10 years of teaching I still get the jitters! I actually think this is a good thing as fear and excitement are two sides of the same coin. Fear is a very powerful source of energy and if we can learn to guide it in the direction of excitement we can use it as fuel!
Try this to transform your jitters:
• Inhale Deeply, Exhale completely through your mouth.
• On your exhalation imagine releasing the fear out through your legs, soles of your feet into the earth.
Shake every part of your body vigorously for 1 minute. It will free your energy up instantly. Finish off with a few more deep breaths. —Christi Christensen, former gymnast and diver turned yoga teacher
Shake every part of your body vigorously for 1 minute. It will free your energy up instantly. Finish off with a few more deep breaths. —Christi Christensen, former gymnast and diver turned yoga teacher
Shake every part of your body vigorously for 1 minute. It will free your energy up instantly. Finish off with a few more deep breaths. —Christi Christensen, former gymnast and diver turned yoga teacher
Forget About Pleasing or Impressing Anyone
Lessons learned from teaching yoga for the past 14 years: Focus on simply teaching yoga. Avoid trying to impress or please others. Share your knowledge and remain open to continuous learning. Embrace the practice and its benefits, allowing it to guide you in creating a meaningful experience for your students.
Remember, it’s not about you; it’s about the student. Be a clear and skillful facilitator, acting as a conduit for their growth. Dedicate yourself to consistent and continuous practice. Before each class, set an intention or say a prayer. Always maintain the mindset of a yoga student. Explore all aspects of yoga with respect for your teachers, lineage, and the Source. Practice non-judgment and start from where you are. Live your yoga fully. —Coral Brown, yoga educator and holistic mental health counselor
Get Grounded
Sharing these teachings is a privilege, so take a moment to transition from your busy day to the space you will hold for others. Develop a personal ritual to center yourself before teaching. Experiment with different practices, such as closing your eyes, taking deep breaths, saying a prayer, or making an offering before class. I personally say a prayer and set an intention before every class I teach. Consistent rituals build clarity and presence, offering your students the gift of your full attention. —Leah Cullis, yoga teacher and author of Power Yoga: Strength, Sweat, and Spirit
Create Ceremony
Incorporate the beauty of Ceremony into your life as a way to connect with your Spirit. Ceremony can provide clarity on how to navigate challenges or plan your future. Engaging in Ceremony is a deliberate choice to enter sacred space. Seek guidance and listen attentively.
Try this simple yet profound Ceremony: Take a few minutes each day to set your intention. This practice can transform your day, shifting it from mundane to meaningful. For example, you can set an intent to experience beauty that touches your heart. Beauty can manifest in various ways, such as the joy of a yoga pose or the deep connection during intimate moments. Embrace the experience rather than rushing to achieve a goal. —Ana Forrest, founder of Forrest Yoga