“Great” can be a subjective term to many people, but in the world of yoga, there are certainly common qualities that make some teachers stand out from others. Every yoga teacher is going to be different with their own qualities that make them unique. In this blog post, we will be going over 11 qualities that make yoga teachers unforgettable in a positive way.

1. Authentic
Great yoga teachers are always authentic in their teaching. This means not striving for perfection or trying to be someone that you are not. We’re not perfect human beings as yoga teachers, so it’s okay to make mistakes from time to time. The more you show up as your authentic self, the more you’ll be able to connect better with your students and create a following with them.

2. Be Present
Great yoga teachers always teach to who is in front of them and stay present when offering guidance and cues. This means sometimes having to stray away from a lesson plan that you might have created, if you see that it’s not working for who is currently in your class. Leading classes requires a degree of flexibility and sometimes you may need to change up your sequence or offer more guidance on a certain pose if you see that your students need more help with something. By staying present, you can be aware of these things and be able to adapt more quickly in your teachings.

3. Communication
Communicating with your students is one of the most important skills you will need as a yoga teacher. Communication will be your key to connecting with your students. As teachers, we are often guiding students in our classes through our verbal teachings cues. It’s important to be fully educated on teaching cues and how to communicate these to your students in a way that is clear and that they understand.

4. Flexible
A good yoga teacher is prepared but is always flexible in their teaching style and sequences to cater to students of different levels. Thinking outside of the box in your classes can help to bring flexibility and creativity to your sequences. If you find that your students are not responding well to the way you sequenced Dancer pose for example, you could take the time to break this pose down and demonstrate how to do this with some prop variations. It might throw off your pre-planned class sequence but your students will definitely appreciate you being flexible in order to cater to their needs.

5. Personable
Being personable, warm, open, and inviting will help your students to connect with you. From a business perspective, it will also help you build your class audiences. Teachers who are warm and always smiling make their students feel welcome and safe in class. Stay later after your classes are over to be there for your students if they have any questions for you. Another great tip is to remember your student’s names. This will make a big impression on your students and will keep them coming back to your classes.

6. Prepared
A great teacher is always prepared for class by creating lesson plans in advance and rehearsing teaching cues before classes. It’s also a good idea to prepare what your class themes will be, peak poses, how you’ll be ending your classes, etc. Being prepared will lead to your success as a yoga teacher. Your students will also appreciate you being prepared as it will create a better class experience for them. Also to be prepared, you should always arrive early to class to help set up the room if needed.

7. Honesty
Honesty is vital to being an excellent yoga teacher. Honesty means being true to yourself and to your students. If there is ever anything you don’t know, be honest with your students and let them know that you don’t know the answer to their question. It’s okay to admit that we don’t know everything as yoga teachers.

8. No Ego
Checking your ego at the door is important as a yoga teacher. Even if you might know more than your students, always be humble and kind when offering adjustments or yoga tips. Also, keep in mind even as a teacher, you’ll always be a student first and have something to learn. Sometimes our best teachers can be our own students. The more we can remove ourselves from our own egos, the better we can be open to learning new ideas that can help us to grow.

9. Inspiring
A great teacher knows how to inspire and empower their students to evolve and grow in their practice. This could be from offering inspiring stories, quotes, or inspiring sequences. Always be on the lookout for inspiring ideas or quotes that you could weave into your classes. Help your students grow in their own personal practice by encouraging them to explore how poses feel in their own bodies versus how the pose looks on everyone else. Going above and beyond in class preparation to make your classes inspiring will help you be a successful teacher.

10. Passionate
Having a love of yoga and being truly passionate about it will show in your classes and to your students. Always be learning as a teacher whether it’s from reading books, attending classes with other teachers, or workshops. Your passion and knowledge will show in your teachings and will draw students to your classes.

11. Share Knowledge
Sharing knowledge is such an important role for yoga teachers. Sometimes it could be when you’re explaining the importance of a pose and its benefits. Other times it could be answering questions for your students after class. Remember that your gift is sharing the beautiful practice of yoga with your students. Share your knowledge with others and inspire them in their own practice.

Dread the idea of getting in front of a group and leading a yoga class? Afraid of speaking in front of others? Yoga is a passion for many people but sometimes the transition from student to teacher can be a terrifying one! Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with 6 ways you can cope with the fear of teaching yoga.

1. Preparation

The amount of time and effort you put into rehearsing and practicing your yoga sequences and your classes will help to build confidence in your ultimate delivery. You may not want to jump into a retreat with 50 yogis your first time teaching – it can be quite intimidating. Preparing in front of smaller class sizes when you first start off can help build your confidence. Its important to be yourself in front of the classroom, and in order to truly accomplish this, you’ll need to find some comfort in your own skin – starting small can help you do this.

If you aren’t able to get in front of a classroom for whatever reason, you shouldn’t feel bashful about asking some other yogis or friends if they’d like to let you lead a small class for them. Ask them for their honest feedback about your teaching style and be open to any constructive criticism they give you.

You also want to make sure you plan out your lesson plans ahead of time and keep them to refer back to. Having detailed class sequences that you’re familiar with will go a long way in building confidence in your delivery.

2. Connect With Your Students

One way to help alleviate your pre-class jitters is to connect with your class. Getting to class early, and talking with the students beforehand can go a long way in helping to familiarize yourself with the class and remove some of your fears. Ask your students for feedback about what they liked about your class and what they would like to see more of. Again, be open to any constructive feedback they give you. Its important to be comfortable in your surroundings so connecting with your students will help you.

3. Stay With Your Breath

Breathing is an important part of yoga, but also an important part of presenting. As you slow down and connect with your breath, it’ll help you pace yourself, slow your heart rate, and ultimately relax. Focus on your breath – get lost in its motion and let its power release you from the anxiety of your task at hand. Fear by its nature lives in the present but is rooted in our perception of the future. Focus on controlling your breath and your thoughts will shift from the future to the present, where they should be. In addition to alleviating fear, breathing will help you keep pace in the delivery of your lesson plan. Allow your breath to absorb the silence when it comes, and drown out the sound of your fear consciousness.

4. Transform Fear To Excitement

I know someone who once used to say “it is not fear that gives me the jitters, it is excitement!” It is interesting how we as humans, with awareness, can channel our jitters into excitement rather than fear. To help you, focus on the positives of sharing your gift of yoga to others. Think of teaching yoga as a positive challenge that will help you grow and evolve to reach your highest potential. It also helps to think back on your past accomplishments and how far you’ve come as a yoga teacher.

5. Use Failure As A Learning Experience

Despite what happens, continue moving forward in a positive direction. As a yoga teacher it is completely normal to make mistakes in your classes. Don’t be embarrassed and use them as learning experiences. After you a teach a class, take time to reflect on your class and see if there are any areas you could improve on. Also, take the time to reflect on the things that you liked about your class to help you clarify what you want to expand on in your teachings.

6. Be Persistent

Continue to push through your fear and keep teaching classes. The more you teach, the more confident you will become as a teacher through your experience. Remember, your gift to the world and your students is offering your knowledge of yoga – the world needs your gift! Be persistent and with time, you will find teaching classes a breeze and a less fearful experience.

There’s a lot of debate about the use of music in yoga classes today. Most traditional classes use music that fits the tone of their class, while some teachers argue against the use of music all together. While there be alot of different opinions on what is best – we believe that there is really no right answer.

Most information today related to music in yoga is meant to support a specific objective, or the opinion of one person – but yoga is universal and also a very personal practice. What one teacher prefers may be different from the next.

Choosing Right Yoga Class Playlist

With all these differing opinions, we’ve created a simple guide for you on how to build your next yoga class playlist.

1. Choose Ambient Music

For many people, yoga is a way to access to their own personal sanctuary. A place where the rest of the world stops and an internal peace calmly rises from within. A ton of studies have been conducted into the power of sound as a way to help provide focus and inner peace. Ambient music can help to quiet the conscious mind, providing an avenue for the deeper parts of a yoga practice to arise. If you’re looking to provide a calming and meditative experience to your class, ambient sounds can be a valuable tool.

2. Use Themes

Themes can be a powerful way to inspire your students in their personal practice. Choosing a yoga class playlist that relates to your class theme is a great way to create an empowering class experience. If you have a class theme that focuses on balance, you could choose calming ambient music to help balance the mind, or you could even use songs with lyrics related to balance. Another example would be if your class theme was inner power or confidence, you could use more uplifting and energetic music with your sequence. Planning your music with your class themes is a great way to create a better class experience for your students.

3. Choose Appropriate Music

As a teacher, using your creativity and personal preference when picking your list is great. However, it is important to keep in mind the style of yoga you are teaching when curating your music list. A high cardio power yoga class might be better suited with upbeat and lively music. At the same time, a restorative yoga class might need a more calm and quiet play list. A vinyasa flow class could have a mix of calming music for the warm up and cool down and more upbeat music during the peak poses.

4. Use Music With Lyrics

Often time yoga teachers will avoid music with lyrics for a number of reasons. But sometimes lyrics can actually pull the listener into the song and away from their internal self. Voice is a powerful entity. As teachers, we strive to find a voice that caters to our students. If you do choose to use music with words, make sure it’s appropriate to the theme of the class. Another option is to choose music with light lyrics but mostly instrumental music.

5. Time Your Playlist

Another consideration when picking your yoga class playlist is the structure of the soundtrack itself. As a yoga teacher, you’re leading your class on a journey, and you want to provide a soundtrack which will complement this experience. Think of the different sections of a well sequenced yoga class – the intro, the warm up, peak poses, cool down, and Savasana. In each of these sections, your students will experience something different. For example, the intro and warm up is most likely going to be calm and slow. In contrast, the peak pose section may be more upbeat and lively.

6. Volume Is Important

The volume of your music is also important when planning a yoga class playlist. You want to make sure the music is not too loud where it drowns out your instructions or distracts the class. Use a good quality speaker for your classes and make sure the volume is timed for each of the different sections of the class. For example, you may have the volume turned down a bit for the intro and warm up section of the class and then turn it up a slight notch for the peak poses. Once you get to the cool down and Savasana, you’ll want to turn down the volume again.