Skills for yoga teachers to help you to be the best teacher that you can be.
When we are faculty, we think our job is to tell students what we know. This is a recipe for disaster. A studio owner recently spoke to me about the problem with this very issues: “One of our faculty – he’s so smart and experienced. But a student asks a question that’s off-topic, and suddenly […]
Four tips for yoga teachers on supporting emotional yoga students. Yoga is a practice where we can invite students to arrive authentically in their bodies, minds, and feelings. For some practitioners, there aren’t many safe spaces to connect to their feelings. When they arrive on the mat and begin to experience their sensations – maybe […]
When To Use We often incorporate this transition casually into our sequences, but it is not easy! It’s harder to step forward from downward facing dog than it is to step back into a lunge from the front of your mat. The stepping forward action is really only appropriate for: vinyasa classes flow classes power […]
At some point, most of us will experience knee pain. The knee joint is essential in propulsion and weight bearing and experiences a lot of wear and tear over a lifetime. My knees first started getting angry at me from over twisting the joint in ashtanga yoga, then got angry when I started wearing a […]
I get this question a lot from students who are considering doing a teacher training, or from graduates who are wondering if they should quit their corporate day job. They wonder, “Can I really have a yoga career?” Here’s the thing: it depends what you mean by “good.” Here’s what’s good about being a yoga […]
Six ways to stay in the black Surviving as a yoga studio is hard. I know: I’ve been behind the scenes at Yoga Works in New York City and YYoga in Vancouver, Canada. Both of these entities are what we would call “corporately owned yoga:” they have multiple locations managed from a central business and […]
So you’ve just finished your 200 hour yoga teacher training. Now what? Here are five things that you should do to get your yoga teaching engine running. 1. Keep practicing One of the biggest mistakes that new yoga teachers make once they graduate is to focus on teaching to the exclusion of practicing. I can’t […]
This is part 3 of a three-part series. To read part one of the series on goal-setting, click here. To read part two on Taking Action, click here. Goal setting is a critical part of achieving what you want in your personal and professional life. Taking steps to accomplish your goals is incredibly powerful and cultivates a […]
This is part 2 of a three-part series. If you missed part one of the series on goal- setting, click here to read the article. You have identified a goal. Fabulous! However, now the “real” work begins. It’s one thing to have a goal but quite another to commit to consistently doing what it takes to […]
Being a yoga teacher is hard. It’s time to think beyond the class to class grind and create a business strategy that helps you not just survive – but thrive financially. While creating a signature educational program can be a keystone of a successful business strategy, not everyone feels the call the be an educator in […]
This is part 1 of a three-part series. You want to take your career to the next level and move beyond that survival mindset. You’re ready to feel like you’re proactively creating versus scrambling and reacting. But, what do you want? Take a few minutes to really think about what YOU desire. Maybe you want […]
This week I caught up with Anastasia Shevchenko, founder of the Berlin Yoga Conference which is coming to Germany this May 24-26, 2019. Anyone have a hankering for Europe in the spring? Anastasia Shevchenko is the founder and the managing director behind the Berlin Yoga Conference and is a freelance yoga teacher. She is a […]
You want to host your first yoga retreat, but are paralyzed by self-doubt. You know it’s time to try broadcasting live on Facebook…but can’t work up the nerve to do it. You know you’re not “just” a yoga teacher and have a mission to help people connect with their purpose and live healthier lives, […]
At some point, every teacher struggles with the question: how much should I be paid? Yoga teachers often feel disempowered when it comes to setting pay rates. After all, we are auditioning to teach in a competitive market and usually feel like we need to take what we can get. (If you’re scared about having […]
Is anyone else tired of seeing, “I made 7K in my online course!” on every social media feed? These days, education is big business. Earn 7K in two weeks! Increase your passive income! Make a blockbuster course in three easy steps! Most of these people who are selling these courses aren’t educators. They’re playing on […]
How often do you put off or totally avoid having difficult conversations? You know the ones you’ve been intending to have: asking management for more classes taking time off studio policies addressing student complaints, or replacing props Does the mere thought of speaking up or asking the studio for what you want create a knot in your […]
First of all, I rarely teach shoulderstand in a public class. Rarely. Let’s say, once a year. Maybe. Here’s why: in most public class settings, I don’t have enough time or props to set everyone up safely. And by safely, I mean so that the students have enough support to protect their neck and access […]
Every training has a few students who love to talk. These students will be the first to raise their hands to answer questions, dominate discussion groups, and talk at length about their experiences. Students can be big talkers for different reasons: They process information by verbalizing it They like the validation of being in the […]
I love teaching anatomy in yoga teacher trainings. LOVE IT. Sharing the mystery and miracle of the human body is incredibly inspiring and satisfying. However, teaching anatomy in a yoga teacher training course can be difficult, and it’s easy to fall into traps that can turn anatomy into a drag! Top mistakes I see? Cramming […]
Stopping a class to demonstrate a complex pose is an excellent tool to teach key alignment points, inspire your students, and convey important information. While providing a visual guide to your students can be very useful, there is an art to creating an effective demo. Check out these five tips to rock your demonstrations and […]
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