4 min to read

Why is it important?
This blog summarises 5 simple mind-sets that help every yoga teacher to create a healthy working life. This will allow the you to concentrate on the most important goal, the sharing of knowledge and inspiring others with yoga. We begin with 3 typical mistaken mind-sets, which push teachers into trouble and tension.

3 typical mistaken mind-sets

• “Only give, never take!”
  Sometimes yoga teachers feel obliged to give the impression that they are pure creatures without the need to earn money

• “Always be lovely and kind”
  Some yoga teachers are afraid to look less spiritual or kind, if they enforce their own boundaries and interests

• “Keep the right (hence only yoga) company”
  Some yoga teachers try to limit their network to individuals within yoga community

5 mind-sets to create a healthy working life in the modern world:

1. Forget about cheerleading You do not have to radiate happiness 100% of the time. You do have to be mindful and engaged during your work with students, however, it is not about being loud and impressively positive. Cheerleading is not an example of the quiet self-reflection a yoga teacher should practice in our loud modern life. 

2. We are not gurus in a classical sense There is nothing bad or wrong with being a real and grounded person. I believe a self-content, wise woman who gives yoga classes before picking up her child from kindergarten might be a source of great knowledge and inspiration in our modern world. She may even become a guru for someone who faces the same worries and challenges in life.

3. Payments are natural It is totally fine to combine yoga teaching with another profession to finance life. Sometimes we need to gain more experience to start teaching full-time; sometimes we feel that too much sharing might be exhausting. However, whether you teach full-time or occasionally, your classes should be paid. 3 solid reasons for this:

1. Our community quite often sees anything without a price as less valuable or insignificant –it is not about your classes for sure!
2. You have to manage administration issues as a modern, adult person: rent the premises, spend time teaching, travel to the studio. If you end up with no money, you are at risk of giving up what you love so much! The reality will push you out of your dream!
3. You lose the means to re-invest and boost your knowledge by attending great educational opportunities, or by spending time reading and writing. Receiving payments gives you some freedom to grow.

4. Set functional boundaries A long time ago, I heard the Buddhist term “Bodhisattva”. I was excited by the idea of being an exceptionally kind creature who never argues and supports everyone. After some years of really struggling with the search for balance between being endlessly kind and setting boundaries, I have realized that we are here to teach and to be taught. Just smiling and nodding “yes, please” are ways to stagnation. Set your boundaries and ask with full respect for respectful treatment. Say “No” without negativity, but with the intention to raise your voice for kindness and mindfulness.Moreover, “No” without negativity is a great practice of Ahimsa, Satya and the art of letting go.

5. Balance your life network There is something exceptionally beautiful in socializing with someone who has no clue about yoga. Believe me, I enjoy it regularly. If you stick to yoga dogmas you might get trapped into the belief that everyone outside the yoga world just gravitates between the TV and refrigerator. You might be positively surprised by how calm, internally rich and wise a person might be without formal spiritual practices. It is possible to learn many things through tough life challenges and daily struggles. Listen to them carefully, there is much to learn in exchanges with modern, intelligent people!

Three key points I would love for you to remember 3 things from this blog:

1. We are here to teach and to be taught without becoming classical gurus of yoga
2. We ask in a respectful manner for respect. This includes getting paid for sharing knowledge as well as setting boundaries by saying “No” without negativity
3. We should include people in our social network that not only practice yoga, but also other intelligent, modern people who may not practice yoga. Remember that we are here to teach and to be taught.