Trust the Inner Teacher August 16, 2008
Posted by admin in : Yoga Tags:1st class, inner teacher, Law of Attraction, yoga teacher , add a commentBefore I sent out information to companies interested in yoga, I set an intention for my business to attract those who would most connect with my teaching style. Anyone who practices yoga knows the importance of finding the right teacher in order to get the most out of their practice. There are many styles and varieties of yoga and each teacher adds his or her own creative personal touch based upon his own life experiences.
I think its important people find the right teacher, as they will not get as much out of a class if there isn’t a connection with the instructor. I left the corporate world to teach yoga to businesses because yoga is a healing art and I wanted to open myself up to be a channel of the sacred yogic teachings. Knowing how the Law of Attraction works, I set an intention to attract students who would get the most out of my class both physically and emotionally. Once I set the intention, I knew it was important to stay open because the Universal Law of Attraction doesn’t work if we are not open to receive. The universe will guide you and show you the way, but you have to be fully present, which demands conscious awareness.
One of my students approached me after class one day and asked if I knew about Plum Tree Yoga, which I found interesting because Plum Tree was a place I had heard wonderful things about and always wanted to try, but never got around to it. Long story short, my student said the studio was looking for a new teacher and told me to call and speak to the owner because my teaching style was very similar and she thought my energy would fit right in. I didn’t say anything, but I thought she was crazy because Plum Tree was one of those places you dreamed of working. To imagine actually working there didn’t seem realistic, as most of the teachers there have been teaching for years and much more senior than me. I thanked my student for being so sweet and thinking of me, but then brushed it aside knowing Plum Tree would never hire someone like “me”.
A couple weeks later my student asked if I called the studio, but of course I didn’t so she asked if she could pass my name and number along to the owner. What was I going to say, ”no?” Not even a week later the owner called and asked if I could come in and meet with her and whether or not I would be open to teach a class. I was nervous and there was a part of me that just wanted to make some lame excuse and bail, but then I remembered my intention and how important it was to stay open so I faced my fear and went to meet her.
Her spirit was so sweet and genuine and the energy of the studio was warm and inviting. I connected immediately. It was obvious I was brought to Plum Tree for a reason so I told the owner I would teach the class and that was that. Thursday was the first class and I wasn’t that nervous until the students walked in. You could tell they had been coming to this class for a long time and were use to the other teacher and were skeptical about a new person coming in, but we all get that way, right? We walk in to our favorite class looking forward to the practice and then we see some stranger there to sub and we immediately feel grim and want to leave.
It was intimidating sitting in front of 12 women who were expecting someone else and who were use to a certain style of teaching, but I just said a little prayer and asked the universe to make me a channel of love and light and then I let go. I was convinced everyone hated the class and they were all going to tell the owner I was terrible and ask for someone else. Right? NO! Why are we so hard on ourselves and why do we not give ourselves enough credit? It’s amazing the grief we put ourselves through and for no reason. It turns out the students actually liked my class and the owner asked me to come back and teach the following week so I wasted all that energy on silly self-defeating thoughts.
It’s not easy teaching a class to a room full of strangers all coming in with expectations, but you have to trust your ability as a teacher, as you are simply a vessel of divine love and light. Being a teacher is a gift. You are giving your students joy, inner peace, and an opportunity to get to know themselves better. Yoga is so much more than a physical practice of poses. It connects the mind and body and offers many physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Open yourself up to give and to honor the practice that brings people back again and again. Stay centered and let go of any nervousness knowing your spirit attracts students for reasons you may never know. Trust in yourself and allow the teaching to move through you…not from you.