The Biggest Challenge I Encounter as a Yoga Teacher? Taking Someone Else's Class.

"When I started teaching yoga, I went on a full-blown ego trip each time I took someone else's class. Instead of being in my body, I was stuck in teacher-brain mode and too busy evaluating and critiquing to actually settle into my own practice. Sometimes I sat there the entire time grading the teacher in my head. That cue was good. That transition was sloppy. I'd never sequence it like that. Other times I left feeling irritated, even angry, because class wasn't what I'd wanted."

"Because if we're honest, we can get something out of every single class as a student. Even when the teacher repeats the same phrase what seems like a hundred times, barely preps the class for the peak pose, or the music is so loud you can barely hear the cues. Yoga teaches us to sit in discomfort and to notice strong feelings without getting swept away by them. Sometimes the irritation itself-and discerning how to navigate and detach from it- is the practice."

A yoga teacher habitually critiqued other instructors during classes, remaining in teacher-brain and unable to settle into personal practice. The persistent internal grading produced irritation and reduced the benefits of practice. The teacher resolved to find at least one positive element in every class. Every class can offer learning, even amid repetitive cues, weak sequencing, or loud music. Noticing how frustration appears in the body became an intentional aspect of practice. Catching ego reactions, embracing imperfect classes, and listening quietly often improved personal practice and teaching over time.

Read at Yoga Journal