Questioning my place as a teacher

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Namaste.

I have been teaching at a small, local studio for 2 years or so, trained by the owner. Mostly I teach a weekly yin/restorative type class but also fill in for kundalini and anything else that’s needed.

An outfit out of VA who rents studios for a one weekend a month for seven months YTT is currently using our studio for a training and I’m part of the class. I’ve always wanted certification but could never coordinate a month of from my day job or the finances so this training was a great thing for me.

The fly in the soup is that this past weekend during the 4th month training, which covered inversions as part of the weekend, that I was told because of my shoulder structure that I was not a candidate for such postures. I will admit that at 53 years old I am not a spring chicken and that I do have my share of stiff joints at times since I’m not in my 20s anymore. I can add to it that I also do non-yoga activities like weight lifting and cardio which for me is very yogic and that probably adds to my less than optimal range of motion and even if I did none of that I don’t think I have the perfect contortionist body to pull off the perfect picture for the cover of a yoga magazine - but who does?

My concern is now is that I have a ton of doubt about the appropriateness of me being a teacher. If I truly have a body full of physical contraindications, maybe leading a class isn’t the best - I doubt I would leave yoga since it has if anything helped me stay in great shape well into my middle-age. Or, maybe this doubt is part of the normal YTT training process - it is for me frustrating, since I’ve had a decade of practice by what I thought were very fine and inspiring teachers, now being told that what they taught me and what I have practiced is wrong.

What to do in this situation has me way out of my comfort zone of a usually wonderful life.

thanks for listening.

Namaste

#2

What a fabulous post to read, and hopefully for others to read. It is filled with rich topics in yoga and I wonder if you were aware of just how many questions you were actually posing (no pun intended).

To be a teacher of yoga IS to continue to grow and change, to move forward and evolve, to study your relationship with self/others/context in order to experience the depth that this practice has to offer. We never stop exploring, learning, and refining. So kudos for taking this on and yet again wading through what yoga bubbles up to be dealt with.

Part of the reflective process is looking at who and how we are as teachers (and students). We are different every day AND if we are continuing our study, our view of the practice obviously will be ever-changing. So look at yourself yes, if there are places to effect change and grow, go for it. And if there are places where you are sound, acknowledge them and do not dwell (or allow insecurity to fester).

As for your Sirsasana, it would be very helpful to have some additional information beyond “my shoulder structure”. Structure does not allude to stiffness or age. Structure alludes to what is where and how it is where it is. So I can’t comment further on whether you may or may not do Sirsasana and how it may be done for your situation. Regardless, either you can teach the pose or you cannot and having practiced it (properly) previously will put it “in” your body. This is from where we teach - that which we have put “in” our bodies.

It is relevant to note that there are some yoga teachers that teach and do not have any yoga practice at all. None. I can’t fathom how such a thing could be rationalized. It is utterly inappropriate for this particular system of practice as it is from the well of our own experience that the profundity of sharing originates.

Lastly, asana has very little to do with yoga. It is a very small fragment of a gargantuan system. It is akin to calling a “toe” a “body”. It is not a body but it certainly has a purpose and it is pretty darn important to have one - but not much:-) Your ability to teach yoga is your ability to help your students discover themselves, period. Posture just happens to be a very palpable way to begin and it’s helpful to have a sound vessel to hold the spirit.

#3

why not use the problems as a positive thing? Have you thought of teaching a yoga class for people who are 35+ / 40 + in Age?

Being you have taught yoga for long enough to know what you are doing. Experience the joys of getting older, and would have alot of helpful lessons to benefit people who are dealing with the same thing.

Just food for thought, always a positive way to look at things.

#4

Thank you Solidaj,

I agree with InnerAthlete, your words are beautiful. To me, being honest with what you know and don’t know and can and cannot do is one of the greatest gifts a teacher can offer. You teach from your personal experience. What helps you? What do you find beautiful about yoga? What are your understandings? That’s the wisdom that impacts students. When teachers teach outside of their knowledge and experience, that’s when students get hurt.

I heard a story once about this guy who learned a mantra from a book. He practiced it for many months; he had many beautiful insights and touched directly into the spaciousness of being. He was very happy with his practice. Then one day a yoga instructor walked by hearing his recitation and immediately jumped into his space telling him he was pronouncing the mantra all wrong. Having been instructed in the proper way of pronouncing the mantra, the guy was really happy, “how much more benefit will I gain?” he thought.

Only, as time went on he lost the insights, failed to abide within the spaciousness, and eventually became discourage that he was never going to benefit again from japa practice. At that moment a random businesswoman walked by. Seeing this poor guy so dejected, she stopped and asked him what was wrong.

For whatever reason, the guy told her what happened. Patiently and openly she listened and then asked him, “why don’t you go back to what was working?”

Tears rolling down his face, in gratitude, he hugged her.

After that, he continued on with his original pronunciation and became Enlightened.

What does this story have to do with yours ? I don’t know ? I just remembered it while reading your words. One lesson I get from this is to do what works. If you have been teaching for two years and you have found it beneficial for your practice and those that you share your understandings with, then stick with it. The fact is, what you learn from the yoga training should not deplete you nor give rise to doubt, but just further enrich your life and offer more experience from which you can share with others.

Be Blessed
Suba