Yoga teachers have an incredible influence on a yoga practice. For every style of yoga, each teacher adds their personal touch and flair, making each class unique. Because of these differences, some yoga teachers will affect you more than others. Think about it: what characteristics does your favorite yoga teacher have? What gives them their greatness?
Students will have different definitions of what makes a great teacher, but certain qualities always win. These basic qualities are what make the best teachers stand out.
Keep it Personal
Teachers who are friendly and warm can help ease any fears a student might have about attending their first yoga class or starting the practice. Great teachers are genuine, kind, and willing to explain yoga in a way that makes sense to the student.
Flexibility in More Than One Way
Yoga teachers don’t need to have exceptional flexibility in order to excel at their job. Yoga teachers need to be mentally as well as physically flexible.
This flexibility is used to adapt the yoga practice to meet the needs of students and the entire class. It can also be used to adjust verbal cues and poses to match the level within the class. Great yoga teachers also need flexibility when it comes to how they perceive movement. They can adapt a yoga practice according to the needs and wants of their students.
Maintaining an open mind
Open-minded teachers can adapt their yoga practice to the needs of each student. Open-mindedness allows you to be flexible and sensitive to the needs of students.
Knowing but willing to learn
There is currently no system that can be used to evaluate the qualifications of a yoga instructor. It’s not enough to have a lot of hours behind your name.
Yoga teachers, like all instructors, need to be knowledgeable about the practice that they teach and willing to improve their existing skills and knowledge. Yoga is a broad subject that includes everything from breathing techniques to philosophy. Teachers should be knowledgeable about these topics or be honest if they are not.
Cueing Effectively and Clearly
Students need to be able to communicate clearly in order to grasp what is going on. Yoga is a great example of this since students must be able to control their movements. To ensure a safe and beneficial yoga practice, it is important to use cues for students that they can understand, such as visualizations or simply explaining how to enter, stay in, and exit a particular pose.
Promote self-care and positive vibes.
Each interaction with someone is an energy exchange. Yoga teachers who can provide positive energy for students will help create a comfortable and happy atmosphere. This can then be carried over to the students’ practice and how they feel.
Take care of yourself so you can have the energy to transform your practice.
Yoga teachers have flaws and are full of insecurities. They also have a lot of successes, failures, and other exceptional qualities. Yoga teachers, like any other form of teaching, require study, practice, and figuring out the best ways to communicate with their students. All yoga teachers are unique, but certain qualities can be used as a foundation. What qualities do YOU look for in a yoga instructor?