Teaching Hatha Yoga - Ethics and Professionalism

Any time you are sitting at the front of the Yoga class,curve, so learn and avoid "beating yourself up."
in a teaching capacity, your role must fit comfortablyYou must avoid self-doubt, and the appearance of
into Yoga teacher / Yoga student relationshipself-doubt, when you teach Yoga classes. Learn to
guidelines. This concept of "role playing" is a difficultseparate friendships from professional relationships.
transition for any Yoga intern, regardless of pastThis is a "hard line to walk;" especially, if long-time
experience.friends are in your Yoga class.
It is one thing to make sure you are concentrating onHowever, you have a mission, a task to perform, and
your breath, alignment, mantra, bandhas, or Mudra; buta Yoga class to lead. If you want your classes to be
when you teach Yoga, you must focus on a room fullflawless, forget about special relationships during class
of students with separate thoughts. With responsibility,time. You will be a better Yoga teacher, when you
changes come from within you.treat everyone the same.
Suddenly, the standard of your classes are in questionRemember that if you praise one student for
- within your own mind. This is the real issue, withinsomething, it would be fair to praise all of your students
your own mind; your classes may be criticized, but dofor something else. Yoga teachers, who take the time
not criticize yourself in public.to show positive reinforcement to their students,
If you have taken the time to develop a lesson plan,cultivate an atmosphere of positive energy.
and guided a Yoga class from start to finish, do notWhen you teach a Yoga class, your mission is "to
ask any of your students for criticism. If another Yogaserve." The Yoga class is for the student's benefit.
teacher offers some tips, you can always listen andThink about this, from the beginning, to the end, of your
learn, but your students have never taught.class. Be mindful of your words and be careful not to
You will also reinforce doubts from your students byoffend anyone.
asking them for a critique. Many new Yoga teachersWhen your students leave feeling better than when
go through a "learning curve," but you do not have tothey came in - that is your reward. Do not seek praise;
make an announcement. Consider this: Every Yogait is the natural product of a good Yoga class.
teacher, before you, went through the same leaning