On teaching yoga

'yoga teacher'

what does that even mean ?

Honestly, I don't know.

what does it mean to be a yoga teacher?

I find labelling very confusing. Specially when the word 'Yoga' is in it.

'yoga teacher' ‘yogi’ 'yoga' can mean anything to everything nowadays,

right?

It took me three years to start teaching yoga after I graduated. Becoming a yoga teacher seemed way out of my league. A standard I could never reach. Do I have to dedicate to this practice, morning to dawn, like the ‘yogis’ I met in India to be called a teacher? Do I have to know all about the history? all about the body? the sanskrit ? Do I need to write deep and meaningful captions on Instagram? I don’t know. Maybe I should take off my clothes.

There is a voice in my head telling me that I cannot be a yoga teacher, nor a yogi,

because I don’t seem to dedicate as much as I should. I feel like a fraud at times.

When I talk about non harm, non violence, or when promoting kindness and self love each and every day. Because really, I often fail at those. It can be hard to be kind and measure your words sometimes. Sometimes I get messy. Sometimes even messier.

Where should I stand between the ancient culture and the modern world?

i don't know. Do you?

All I know is, how much I love to explore the relation between the mind, the body and the breath, I find it fascinating. I also love to share wisdom that resonate with me.

I'm no more of a genius than you are. I just share what helps me grow.

.and I like doing it my way.

Not the yogi way. whatever that even means.

" you have to plan your class ahead" they say, "you can't show up to a class unprepared " Well, turns out I can.

I guarantee you, you don't want to be in my class when I'm - all prepared and ready - seriously. It's a shit show.

The worst classes I've ever taught were when it was all written down, all set.

Actually, that was the main reason teaching seemed unavailable to me, scary,

because this way is not my way.

But now I know, 'being prepared' means something different for all of us.

I'm prepared because I practice what I teach and only teach what I practice. I'm prepared because I’ve learnt to adapt, I’ve learnt to listen. Not just my needs, the collective's too. When I guide others, there is a greater force vibrating inside me, saying words out of my mouth that I have never heard before. Showing me where we need to soften, where we need to go. I feel aligned and it flows. it's powerful, inexplicable but it is.

not everyone who practices yoga is a yogi,

not everyone who teaches is a teacher,

So, what is a good teacher ? what is a true Yogi ?

And who decides that really? maybe there is no right answer. Maybe there never was.

It’s a shame, all those labels that we stick on ourselves because, really,

we are so much more than that.

i hope you know that.

be you, stay true

x

Aurélie