The Benefits of Teaching Yoga

Becoming a yoga teacher is an incredible step into living a fully intentional life and while the benefits of doing yoga are immense, the benefits of teaching yoga are just as far reaching and incredible. In a profession that spends so much time giving to others, what do you get from teaching? We will explore the top benefits of teaching yoga to others here:

1. Your yoga practice will expand. With hours of training, practicing, planning and sequencing, your practice will flourish. Everything you once practiced as a student will now begin to open up to you.
2. Seeing your students progress will give you the ultimate satisfaction. Watching new students return week after week, seeing that inflexible student finally touch their toes, or having a student trust you enough to lead them into a tricky inversion, well, those moments are the best. They show you that people are listening, they are learning and that you are the cause of that.
3. Your lifestyle will change. As a teacher you must practice what you preach. You will find yourself making better choices in diet and exercise. You will spend more time with your intentions and your energy. When you ask this of your students.
4. You will learn to be a leader. Whether you are leading class, taking charge of your schedule, or negotiating your rate, you will learn to be the leader that you need for yourself and ultimately the leader your students will come to respect.
5. You will find freedom. This freedom will come in many ways, whether its traveling the world teaching or running around your town between classes, you become the creator in your life allowing you to design the lifestyle you want.
6. You will find a peaceful mind. The deeper you delve into meditation and mindfulness, the more you will be required to deal with your own inner workings. This will cause your mind to open in ways you may not have been able to access before.

What are some ways you can maximize those benefits to really gain the full benefits of one of the greatest jobs in the world?

1. Trainings can be expensive, finding free resources can be a great way to advance your practice. Taking on a work/study at your local         studio or checking out the great videos on youtube.com or mindbodygreen.com can be a great way to access free classes and to not only grow as a student but as a teacher as well. (We will have some great videos for yoga teachers soon so just sign-up for our newsletter to be notified when they are online!)
2. Spend a few extra hours to develop a great playlist or to reach out to students for feedback regarding your classes. Making these small connections will guarantee that students come back for more and that you will be able to build a following that will keep you teaching for many years.
3. While your lifestyle will change, those changes will only stick if you really make time for them. As a teacher you definitely should practice what you preach so to stay in line with the walk you are walking, take some time to set up a simple meditation practice or a cooking day where you can nourish your mind and your body.
4. Invest in your business. No one gets in to teaching thinking of the business aspect of things, but you are performing a valuable service to your students and while karma and community classes can be a great way to give back, they can’t be done at a detriment to your survival. To keep yourself in kale and good vibes, spend a little time getting to know your business. Using services like mint.com to manage your banking or LearnVest.com to set up your business accounts and goals can help you to get an easy handle on your numbers.
5. With all your newfound freedom it can be incredibly easy to get off track. Try creating a vision board on Pinterest.com to create a visual representation of the teaching life you’d love to lead. While it may seem silly, having a vision for your teaching career can be one of the easiest ways to stay happy while leading asana, be it in your own studio or traveling the world teaching workshops in far off places.
6. While creating a meditation practice can be easy, keeping up with it can be incredibly difficult. Finding a meditation center or group can be a great way to make sure your mental health and commitments are maintained. Even finding a group of like minded teachers can be a great way to create a supportive group for all of your teaching trials and questions.

The biggest benefit of becoming a yoga teacher is in knowing that you affect peoples’ lives every day. You wake up with a willingness to put yourself in front of others in order to give them a bit of peace. It is just as important to remember that before you can benefit others, you must first benefit yourself. Have you ever thought of becoming a yoga teacher? Why not stop by the Bali Spirit Yoga Festival to practice with your favorite teachers, connect with a community of like-minded individuals and be reminded why you love teaching? Super early bird passes are on sale here.

Written by : BaliSpirit