The coolest things happen when I’m teaching yoga, so I decided to start sharing some of my yoga teacher tales here on the Daily Downward Dog. I can’t tell you how many times a student has told me how much better they feel after practicing yoga – their aches are gone, they sleep better, or they are using their breath to take them through difficult situations off the mat. These stories warm my heart and are what make sharing the practice of yoga so gratifying.
The other night when I was teaching a class for beginners, one student commented about how she felt she would never get all the asanas and breathing techniques correct. I reminded her that this was only her third yoga class ever, so it was perfectly normal that she didn’t remember some of the steps of a sun salutation. I always try to encourage students by letting them know that they don’t have to do the poses perfectly. As long as they are breathing and coming to the yoga mat with an open heart, they have a lifetime to refine their practice.
It was so much fun teaching the beginners’ group how to do virabradhasana 1 and 2, trikonasana, and of course ending with some cool-downs and twists. After bringing the class out of savasana and closing with seated breath meditation and namaste, I looked up at that student who had a blissed out look on her face as she proclaimed for everyone to hear,
“I love yoga!”
The entire class, including me, busted up laughing because it was such an enthusiastic, heartfelt expression of how the practice of yoga can enrich our lives. I loved hearing these words from a student who had come to class that night expressing judgment and doubt; in contrast, she found peace and joy in her practice. For me, that’s what teaching is all about! I love seeing the transformation, seeing students get hooked on the practice of yoga.
I love teaching yoga!
Got a good yoga teaching tale or inspirational ah-ha moment from your own practice? Please share with a comment below.
When I was teaching last week, I had a very young girl and it was her very first yoga class. And this class I was teaching was open level. The students were in prasarita, and I have the option to do a tripod headstand. One guy went up so gracefully, and she just got up and was like “wow that is sooooo cool!” really loudly. Everyone laughed. And then she said she is going to keep coming so she can do that someday.
Asana is the gateway limb of yoga, haha.
It’s stories like this that really make me miss practicing and teaching in an actual studio and not just at home or online! I’m so looking forward to our upcoming move to Florida…and this is one of the main reasons! 🙂
Adrienne –
I hope you will keep doing your videos after you move – they are awesome http://yogadrienne.com !!
Hilarious! I can’t wait to hear more stories! Keep ’em coming!
Since I have been practicing yoga for the past 15 months pain in my right shoulder has totally gone away. Before yoga I had right shoulder pain for over a year and I could find nothing to alleviate the pain. It also helps me with my arthritis. I can truly say “I love yoga!”
In the very first weeks of my yoga teacher training I was suffering from multiple aches and pains and those nagging injuries from my past were rearing their ugly heads. I spoke with the head of the program and he assured me that if I came that weekend and still didn’t feel like this training was for me, he would understand. That week we focused on Anusara yoga, which I had never tried before. The instructor really focused on proper alignment and working through injuries. It was if he was speaking directly to me. I learned that day that wherever you are in life is exactly where you need to be. And that doesn’t mean that you have to feel good every day or things are always going to go your way. It’s about accepting it all, on and off of your mat. I love yoga!
Jeanette
I love this! please continue to share more! I hope that my students feel this way too. http://extendyoga.com