Traveling this summer? Go to take a class at a new studio with a new teacher! If nothing is available locally, choose an online class to enjoy.
Every teacher has something to offer you. Sometimes it’s a turn of phrase, or a new approach to a familiar shape. Sometimes it’s a lesson in what not to do. The teachers that most push your buttons may have the most to teach you about what you value in a class and in an instructor.
Every trip to a new place is a new opportunity to start afresh as a student. Find a local studio and observe how easy or difficult it is to navigate their website to choose a class. Watch the process as you park, walk in, pay for the class, and get centered. How does the teacher welcome you? How do their cues land? How is the transition out of class? In every experience, you’ll find a rose and some thorns, and taking careful note of the negatives will help you find ways to enhance your students’ experience. Keep a journal or a notes file and write down what you learn in each class you go to.
If you always only practice on your own, you are like a terminal pond: there is no incoming source of freshwater to refill you. Remaining a student keeps you from being a closed system. Regular infusion of fresh teaching, poses, transitions, language, and music will keep you developing as a teacher.
The Professional Yoga Teacher’s Handbook is full of advice like this, with timelines to keep you growing as a teacher at every stage of your career. You can buy it wherever books are sold, or order it from your library. If you’ve read and loved it, I’d appreciate a five-star review on your favorite online bookstore or on Goodreads! That helps get the book into the hands of others who will find it helpful. Thanks in advance!