What is it like to be a Yoga Teacher?

Yoga is something I got into recently, over the last couple of years. I found it when I moved to the US. Whilst I was living here on my own I was looking for something to help break out of the vicious daily corporate cycle - drive into work, meetings all day, force myself to stay focused and engaged all day, drive home too exhausted to do anything else. I wanted to find something as a complete change of pace and where I could meet people outside of work. I’m very much into sports but had to stop all high impact activities after being told I spinal disc issues in my back. I’d bumped into different people who had recommended yoga so I gave it a try.

I used to think yoga was going to be too ‘slow’ for me, having been into running, lacrosse, tennis and badminton but I later found out I was wrong. Once you learn what yoga is really about - it is so much more than poses and a fitness exercise as it is sometimes portrayed. Yoga has a very deep spiritual meaning. There are many different texts on the real meaning of the practice so I will give you my summarised interpretation of what it is.

The word ‘Yoga’ in sanskrit translates into meaning 'union'. The practice was formed thousands of years ago to help unite our human spirit with the 'Divine' or 'Supreme'. It's about practicing discipline, focus, concentration, love and selfless giving. It's about understanding yourself, creating awareness of your conscious reality, detaching yourself from suffering and your ego bringing you closer to your divine self and liberation. It's not just physical but mental too.

It’s very important to find a good studio and a teacher who really understands what yoga is. Having found a beautiful studio near me where I felt comfortable, welcomed and amongst a like minded community I added it to my weekly routine. I started to wonder what it would be like to be able to share the teachings of yoga to other people, to help others find their inner selves, their internal compass and compassion towards others, to love and respect themselves and to ultimately find more peace and joy. It would be such a fulfilling gift to give someone. When I was back in Miami I decided to spend the day with Samantha Reynolds, a yoga teacher as my next Lifestyle Adventure. Sam is a very good friend of mine whom I met before she embarked on her own yoga journey and has some breakthrough stories to share about her experiences from living and working in the US, Central Europe and Africa. In 2013, Sam chose to work at Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV) in Rwanda, a residential community home to 500 youth orphaned during and after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Sam lived and worked on-site managing partner and donor relations. Her greatest role though was being a mentor to 16 teenage girls. She found yoga on her return to the US. The day I spent with Sam in Miami was the anniversary of the Genocide. She had organised an extra special workshop to commemorate the Genocide and raise funds for the Youth Village. I stepped inside her world to find out what it was like to be a yoga teacher for the day. I helped Sam prep for the workshop, the logisitics, playlist, the flow, the technology and helped set up the gifts from the village. I have been so used to just turning up for class and rolling out a mat, it was insightful to see what else goes into class preparation for different types of classes and audiences. One of my observations was the sporadicness of classes. (Isn't sporadicness a great word?!). On one hand the flexibility is liberating, however on the other with not much control over what demand comes in when trying to build your own schedule the classes could be in multiple different locations so the travel and effort to go from class to class can be tiring and time consuming. It's important to fill your sessions and classes can change around a lot. With this I think you have to be open to change (like a true yogi) and must not be afraid to put yourself out there and market yourself when seeking more work.

I also noticed that many teachers do other things aside from pure yoga e.g. combing it with sound healing, acro yoga, even teaching alongside studying to either supplement their income or follow additional interesting paths that appeal to them which I love the idea of. You could even go the retreat route with this. Here are the 9 Adventure Questions for a Yoga Teacher

Answers provided by Sam.

Qu 1. What is the best thing about what you do? Sharing and bringing people together.

Qu 2. What is the most challenging thing about what you do? The instability and income, although there is no real security anywhere.

Qu 3. What was the most surprising thing you found out after embarking into this lifestyle path? I didn’t have any expectations when I became a teacher so I have just taken it in my stride. The moment you have expectations of yourself, you are heading away from yoga.

Qu 4. What do you think is the most common misconception about being a Yoga Teacher?

That all yoga teachers are spiritual and enlightened beings where you can come for advice. People often confuse us for doctors or therapists, which we are not!

Qu 5. Can you make a living out of being a Yoga teacher alone?

Yes you can. There are many different branches of things you can do with yoga. Sometimes you have to get creative. It's not like a steady pay check in the corporate world, your income can differ month to month.

Qu 6. Have you always known what you’ve wanted to do?

No, I had never wanted to be a yoga teacher. I got into it for myself, to heal and to understand how to thrive in a world, despite suffering. As I found a way to reconnect with myself and focus on wellness and healthy living, I continued to practice yoga. The teacher training course came up and I took it from there.

Qu 7. What do you think is the future of Yoga teachers?

Interesting question. I have seen a trend of blending yoga with something else e.g. the fusion of yoga and fitness, soul cycle - with affirmations.

I also envisage yoga therapy growing with more ways of using yoga as a therapeutic tool for stress, anxiety, addiction. As more diseases are being explored I think there will be a greater need of alternative forms of healing and using the mind. Yoga has been around for thousands of years, I don't see it disappearing any time soon.

Qu 8. What do you have to be passionate about to be a Yoga teacher?

Yoga!

Teaching, learning and sharing

Always being a student

Qu 9. Are you happy?

Yes, I'm doing what I love and I wake up smiling every day.

My Analysis of my experience using Jim Collin's Hedgehog Concept

(for more details click here):

1) is this something you are deeply passionate about? Score 3/4

2) can you be the best in the world at it? Score 2/4

3) will it drive your economic or resource engine? Score 2/4

I am really passionate about helping others find their inner calm and bringing together a like minded community. Being a Yoga teacher in itself does not seem to hit the spot for me, but a beautiful experience it was.

For more information to connect with Sam, follow the link below:

https://journeysforthesoul.com/