I was about three years into my personal yoga practice when my teacher asked me to demonstrate a pose for the class. Afterwards, she pulled me aside and said, “You have a gift for this. Have you ever thought about teaching?”
My immediate response was, “Oh no, I could never do that. I’m not that kind of teacher—I’m an English teacher! I’m not spiritual enough. I don’t know enough.”
But that seed was planted. And for months, every time I was in class, I found myself mentally teaching along—thinking about how I would cue that pose, or wondering why the teacher chose that particular sequence.
I now call this Phase Zero of the Yoga Teacher Success Timeline: the pre-teaching awakening. If you’ve been secretly wondering whether you could teach yoga, or if you find yourself naturally helping other students, or if people keep telling you that you should be a teacher, this is for you.
What Is Phase Zero?
Phase Zero is that liminal space where you’re no longer just a student, but you’re not yet ready to call yourself a teacher. You might not even consciously know you want to teach, but something is stirring.
The Eight Signs of Phase Zero
You find yourself naturally helping other students. Maybe you’re the person who shows new students where the props are, or you share what worked for you to find comfort in downward-facing dog or lift into your first crow pose.
You’re mentally teaching along during class. You catch yourself thinking, “I would have cued that differently,” or “I wonder why they chose to do arm balances after backbends.”
People keep telling you that you should be a teacher. Friends, fellow students, even teachers themselves suggest that you have “teacher energy” or a natural gift for explaining things.
You’re insatiably curious about the “why” behind yoga. You’re not just doing the poses anymore—you want to understand the anatomy, the philosophy, the sequencing principles.
You feel called to share yoga with specific populations. Maybe you think about how yoga could help your stressed-out coworkers, your athletic friends, or your aging parents.
You have moments of clarity during practice that feel teachable. You experience something profound in a pose or meditation, and your first thought is “other people need to know about this.”
You’re spending increasing amounts of time and money on yoga. You’re taking multiple classes per week, attending workshops, maybe even going to retreats. Yoga is becoming less of a hobby and more of a passion.
You feel frustrated by classes that don’t serve you or other students well. You start to notice when teachers are unprepared, when sequences don’t make sense, or when the energy in the room feels off.
The underlying theme of Phase Zero is this growing sense that yoga has given you something valuable, and you feel called to pass it on. But you’re also wrestling with doubt, fear, and questions about whether you’re “qualified” to teach.
Why Phase Zero Exists (and Why It’s Necessary)
The call to teach yoga is unlike the call to most other professions. It’s not just about learning a skill set or pursuing a career—it’s about stepping into a role that involves other people’s physical safety, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual growth.
That’s why it feels so scary. And it should feel a little scary. If it doesn’t, that might be a red flag.
Phase Zero Is a Testing Period
The universe, or your intuition, or whatever you want to call it, is checking to see if this calling is real or just a passing interest. Teaching yoga requires dedication, ongoing education, and genuine care for others. Phase Zero weeds out people who aren’t really committed.
I see people who decide to do yoga teacher training on a whim—maybe they want to deepen their practice, or they think it would be fun, or they’re looking for a career change. There’s nothing wrong with any of those motivations, but they’re different from feeling called to teach.
The people in Phase Zero are the ones who can’t stop thinking about teaching. They’re the ones who wake up with sequence ideas in their heads, or who feel genuinely excited about the possibility of holding space for other people’s practice.
Phase Zero Builds Your Foundation
This phase gives you time to become a really solid student before you become a teacher. I’m a firm believer that you can’t teach what you don’t embody. You need to have your own relationship with the practice before you can guide others into theirs.
I had been practicing for several years before I did my teacher training, and I’m grateful for that foundation. I had experienced yoga’s benefits in my own body and life. I had worked through my own resistance, my own ego, my own physical limitations. That gave me empathy and authenticity when I started teaching.
If you’re in Phase Zero, don’t rush it. Use this time to deepen your practice, to study with different teachers, to explore different styles. The more diverse your foundation, the more you’ll have to offer your future students.
Phase Zero Develops Your Unique Perspective
This is where you start to develop your unique perspective on yoga. You begin to notice what aspects of the practice resonate most with you. Maybe it’s the physical challenge, or the meditative aspects, or the community building, or the philosophical teachings.
This emerging perspective will eventually become your teaching niche. I was drawn to the ways yoga could complement athletic training. That early interest eventually became my specialty in teaching yoga to athletes.
Working Through the Fears
The fears that come up in Phase Zero are actually wisdom in disguise.
When you think “I’m not qualified,” what you’re really recognizing is that teaching is a serious responsibility that requires preparation. That’s true. The solution isn’t to give up on the idea—it’s to get the training you need.
When you think “I’m not spiritual enough,” what you might be recognizing is that yoga is more than just physical exercise. That’s also true. But spirituality isn’t about being ethereal or perfect—it’s about being authentic and committed to growth.
When you think “I don’t know enough,” you’re acknowledging that there’s always more to learn. That’s the mark of a good teacher—recognizing the vastness of what you don’t know and maintaining humility about it.
The teachers I worry about are the ones who think they know everything after their first training. The best teachers are the ones who remain curious and continue learning throughout their entire careers.
Phase Zero is also where you might encounter resistance from people around you. Family members who think yoga is “just stretching” and can’t understand why you’d want to make it a career. Friends who worry you’re getting too “woo-woo.” Partners who are concerned about the financial viability of teaching yoga.
This resistance can be discouraging, but it can also help you clarify your motivation. Are you called to teach because you genuinely want to serve others, or are you trying to prove something to yourself or others?
The people who make it through Phase Zero and into successful teaching careers are usually the ones who can articulate why they feel called to teach, despite the obstacles and uncertainties.
What to Do If You’re in Phase Zero
Trust the calling but don’t rush the process. If you feel drawn to teaching, that’s worth paying attention to. But use this phase to prepare thoroughly rather than jumping into training immediately.
Deepen your personal practice. Take classes with different teachers. Explore different styles. Attend workshops and retreats. Build a strong foundation of personal experience before you start thinking about teaching others.
Start paying attention to what aspects of yoga excite you most. Are you drawn to the physical challenges? The philosophical teachings? The community aspect? The therapeutic applications? This will help you identify your future teaching niche.
Begin developing your voice and perspective. Start journaling about your yoga experiences. Notice what insights arise during practice. Pay attention to what you would want to share with others. Join The Zone for my free mini-course on finding your voice as a yoga teacher.
Research teacher training programs thoroughly. Not all trainings are created equal. Look for programs that align with your interests and learning style, led by teachers you respect and want to learn from.
Start building relationships in the yoga community. Attend workshops, volunteer at events, get to know teachers and studio owners. This network will be invaluable when you’re ready to start teaching.
Address the practical concerns. Think honestly about the financial and lifestyle implications of pursuing teaching. Having a realistic plan will help you commit fully when you’re ready.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re feeling ready to move from Phase Zero into formal training, I want to tell you about my 200-hour Hybrid Online + Destination Yoga Teacher Training. This unique format includes a 50-hour self-paced curriculum with me online at Comfort Zone Yoga, followed by two weeks on the beautiful Caribbean island of Dominica with Amy Boerner.
What I love about this program is that it combines the flexibility of online learning with the transformative experience of immersive training in a stunning natural setting. You’ll build a solid foundation of knowledge through the online portion, then deepen that learning through hands-on practice and community building in Dominica.
This training is designed for people who are serious about teaching but want a more intimate, personalized experience than large group trainings often provide. It’s perfect for Phase Zero students who are ready to commit but want to do so thoughtfully and thoroughly.
But whether you train with me or someone else, the most important thing is that you choose a program that feels aligned with your values and your vision for teaching.
You’re Exactly Where You Need to Be
Feeling called to teach yoga is a gift. It means you’ve experienced something valuable through the practice, and you feel moved to share that with others. That’s not a small thing—that’s a sacred calling.
But callings require preparation. They require dedication. They require stepping into your own growth and development as both a practitioner and a human being.
If you’re in Phase Zero, know that you’re in good company. Almost every yoga teacher I know went through this phase of wondering, questioning, and gradually stepping into their calling.
Trust the calling. Prepare with wisdom. You’re exactly where you need to be.
Ready to explore your calling to teach? Join 1,200+ yoga teachers in The Zone—our free community where you’ll get monthly live calls, lesson plan templates, and support for every phase of your teaching journey.
