Behind the Yoga Teacher, You See in Front of You
There is this unspoken reputation that a yoga teacher is an all-powerful, all-knowing individual. Holding this preconception can create pressure on both the teacher and the student. Teachers may feel the weight of expectations, and students may feel like there is this space that separates teacher and student. However, yoga teachers are just like everyone else. They may enter the teaching space after receiving life-altering news, or they might simply be having an off day. Anything is possible. Of course, teachers are encouraged to leave their "baggage" at the door, which is important to some extent. But what if that "baggage" could be used to the students' advantage?
Entering the space with raw emotion can change the way a student may perceive a teacher. It reveals the humanity behind the role—showing that, in many ways, "this teacher is just like me." We often forget that we are all experiencing the same spectrum of emotions, and through that shared understanding, a deeper connection can be made between teacher and student. Some of the best classes I have taught or taken were given from fresh emotions guiding the practice. In those moments, everyone in the room feels this web of connection—that we are bound by this shared experience. The “ah-ha” moment, I am not alone.
Most teachers, if not all, teach from their hearts, sharing lived experiences. If we hold the belief that a teacher must be all-knowing, it implies that the teacher has reached a state of enlightenment, and thus, no longer needed to teach. They would be starting a new journey. But, this is not the case. Teachers are still learning, experiencing, and feeling all the emotions their students are, which allows the teacher to give as much as they can to their students. The teacher doesn’t seek validation or something in return— they simply want to share what they have learned and help others along their journey. The teacher learns just as much from the student as the student learns from the teacher.
Simply, yoga teaching is not about perfection or having all the answers. Rather, it is about showing up as authentically as you can to share from a place of true experiences. Creating a space where both teacher and student can grow together. To allow a space where vulnerability is accepted. The reality may be tough, but it is this, we need to accept that we are all on the same path. On this path, we are all learning, evolving, and supporting each other along the way. Erase the idea that the teacher is this distant authority, untouchable, and all-knowing. The shared experience of both teacher and student is what makes the yoga practice powerful.
Written by: Alina Garcia