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10 Qualities Of An Amazing Yoga Teacher

Teaching Yoga | Yoga

An amazing yoga teacher can have a massive impact! They can uplift and inspire us, they can help us to relax and rejuvenate, they can even help us push through mental barriers we didn’t know we had.

While there is no quintessential yoga teacher image, there are definitely some qualities that the super awesome teachers all have. Check these out.

1. They connect with everyone in The Class

A great teacher can lead a class of 50 just as effectively as a class of 5 because they have the ability to make everyone feel connected to them in some way (even the person in the back corner trying to be inconspicuous).

2. They Have A Way With Words

A yoga teacher’s voice is perhaps their most powerful tool. Being able to confidently direct a group of people in and out of postures using only words can be challenging enough, but doing it in a smooth and clear way that maintains the flow of the class is a trademark of a top teacher.

3. They Leave Their Ego At The Door

They understand that the purpose of the class is not about their own practice. It’s to lead and support their students through an experience of yoga and with this in mind they teach and demonstrate postures that are suitable for the level of the class. Ego-less teachers are happy to share their wisdom and knowledge openly and they can totally laugh at themselves when they make a mistake.

4. They Love (And Respect) Yoga

Yoga works on the mind, the body and the spirit. This holistic approach is what makes yoga more than just a stretch class and a great teacher can easily find the balance between the physical and the esoteric. Their deep love and respect for this amazing life science can be a real source of energy and inspiration for their students.

5. They Let Their Authentic Personality Shine Through

No matter what we are doing, we do it better when we operate from an authentic space and a yoga teacher is no different. A few well-timed jokes in a class can really relax everyone and bring a light heartedness to the room but it works better when the teacher has a natural sense of humour. If a teacher’s authentic personality is more about warmth and compassion and they teach from their heart, they too have the ability to create a really beautiful and uplifting class.

6. They Are Prepared

This could be a debatable point, as some people like to create a specific class plan while others support a more spontaneous, intuitive style of teaching. Either way, a great teacher will have given time and thought to how they are going to lead a class and it usually results in a better experience for their students. Preparation also takes into account arriving early, setting the scene and creating an environment…

7. They Cater To All Levels

These days, many yoga classes are open level, which means there will be a range of abilities, from beginners to advanced. Yoga can be intimidating for beginners and it’s a real skill for a teacher to make them feel supported and included without compromising the challenge for the more advanced students.

8. They Share Their Knowledge

Okay, none of us really want to hear a lecture at the start of class on all the great Sanskrit scholars or the history of yoga but it’s comforting when a teacher clearly knows their stuff. Whether they explain the medical benefits of postures as we hold them or confidently offer variations for people with injuries or limitations, by demonstrating their knowledge they gain credibility, leading nicely on to the next point.

9. They Gain Trust

When we have 100% trust in a yoga teacher, we are willing to push outside of our comfort zone and test our boundaries both mentally and physically. If you’ve ever had a teacher like this you’ll understand what I mean. They can help us take our practice to a whole new level, to a place where we can really start to transform, both on and off the mat.

10. They Share Their Light

Perhaps the most important point of all, an amazing yoga teacher is a beacon of light and willingly shares that light with everyone around them, making their class a really special place to be.

So who are your favourite yoga teachers and what makes them special?

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