By Karen Fabian
At first I was going to write an article called How to Teach Yoga When You’re in a Bad Mood, but I decided the title was too negative.
The more I thought about it, I realized that the theme behind it was a central one to teaching yoga; that of the act of getting out of your own way while teaching.
It might sound like a New Age phrase, “Get out of your own way,” but it’s really true. In order to be an effective teacher, we have to be a facilitator and a guide to helping people focus more on their experience than the fact that we’re the one leading them through the practice.
So, our challenge as teachers is to teach without making it about us but yet still show authenticity. So, to that end, here are a few suggestions:
Speak to what you see: If you’re in your head, thinking about your day or your own troubles, chances are you’re teaching from autopilot. As you get more experienced, you will find you can teach and still have distracting thoughts, just as when you sit in meditation. This is only short changing you and your students from having an experience that truly creates presence and connection.
Use silence: A great way to create presence for you and the class is to stop allow for silence. When we’re constantly chattering, it’s a distraction and brings our students into their heads. I always have to balance this because I like to bring anatomy tips into class. But I try to share a little and then let the class be in silence before we begin.
Take a moment before you teach to come into your body: When we’ve had a bad day or have a great deal on our mind, it’s an awful place from which to teach. Before you go into the room, take a deep breath and connect to your body.
Feel your feet on the floor: A basic technique to help ground you into the present is to stand tall with the class before the first “Om.” Use the moment to come into the present, feel your body, connect to your strength and come out of whatever has you in your head.
Teach from what you know. When we teach an ever-changing sequence, it means we’re really thinking about what to offer next. This can get in the way of our ability to be present.
Assist to facilitate not necessarily to deepen. If you really dive into teaching the class, chances are you’re going to be assisting the students as well. Rather than try to take them deeper into poses (not a bad idea but a technique to be used judiciously), look for assisting to reinforce alignment. I always find that the classes where I assist really bring me out of my head and into the moment.
Use the anatomy of the pose to create alignment and awareness: When we refer to the anatomy of the pose, it can potentially help students better connect to their bodies. There is a slight variable, depending on what you say. If it’s too complicated, it will force them to think too much but if it’s just the right word selection, it can help both you and your students become a bit more present.
The more we can connect to the present, the more our teaching is about the class and less about ourselves. I’ve found that the more I can be present on the mat, the greater chance I will be able to put aside whatever has me distracted or caught up in upset in my life. This allows me to find relief in both my practice and teaching.
