Crafting Your Authentic Teaching Style

Strategies for Embodying Authenticity and Confidence For New Yoga Teachers

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Going through your first 200-hour teacher training course can be very intimidating. You may have been practicing yoga as a student for many years, but you’ve never practiced queuing someone into yoga poses. In many yoga teacher training classes, you must practice teaching with fellow trainees.

I imagine in most people it can create anxiety, nervousness, or just be outright scary to put yourself out there. I found that imitation can be the highest form of flattery, meaning that you may learn by imitating your favorite yoga teachers* as you begin your journey. Here are three ideas to practice to embody a quality teacher.

Cultivate Self-Awareness Through Self-Practice:

You must continue to practice your skills as a student. Even though you’re becoming a teacher, if you continue the self-practice, you will only become more aware of alignment, cues, and sensations by feeling them in your body.

Though the 200-hour training can be a huge time commitment, set a time for yourself to observe your practice through the lens of a teacher. This will improve your quality as a new teacher because you’ll be more self-aware of your needs. Remember, there is going to be a yogi who may be more advanced than you, but the asanas are only part of a yogi's practice. Your journey is never done. Continue to evolve with time and practice.

Honor Your Unique Voice and Style:

All of my favorite yoga teachers have different tones, cues, and sequencing. Even though these are different, each of them allows their unique voice and style to shine through. Yoga is all about tailoring to the needs of your students and allowing your individuality to shine through your practice.

You could be a teacher who sets up their sequencing with themes. Maybe you’re a teacher who adds in readings and poems to create a more reflective practice. You could be a teacher who holds space for the students in your class with long pauses of silence to create a time of introspection. Honor your authenticity. There are bound to be students who keep coming back because they enjoy your style of teaching.

Practice Mindful Communication:

Communication in a yoga class is critical for students to practice proper alignment. Avoid being too technical, wordy, and unclear. Use simplistic terms to guide them into the initial posture. From there you can begin to use refinement cues to tailor to the needs of your class.

Use accessible language as you are training to become a teacher. Simplicity is best. I recommend asking for feedback throughout your training. This is a great habit that creates some of the best yoga teachers. I’ve had several high-quality teachers close their classes by asking for feedback or comments to continue improving.

Choosing to go through a 200-hour teacher training course requires reflection, dedication, and continued practice. Always be a student first, it will bring you self-awareness.

Authenticity will inspire students to attend your class because of your unique voice, mindful communication, and guidance as you practice with them. Don’t be intimidated into signing up for your yoga teacher training course. There is a future student somewhere that needs your unique style of guidance.

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