Hopefully, you signed up and received Yoga Teacher Journey’s free guide: 10 STEPS TO START TEACHING WITH CONFIDENCE NOW, and you’ve read Step 3, Emulate Other Successful Teachers. This is fundamental when it comes to finding inspiration, your own voice and your own teaching style. By continuing to take classes, observing, and emulating successful teachers, you will discover what you like, what you don’t like, and what feels natural to you as you teach. I don’t recommend that you take someone else’s sequence, theme, or cues, and copy every moment of their class from start to finish. That would just be wrong. I am suggesting that you take bits and pieces of what resonates with you and put your OWN spin on it to make it uniquely yours. Maybe you’ve heard your teacher tell an inspirational story or read a quote in class. If you do a search for that story or quote you will undoubtedly see it or versions of it in many places on the web. Everyone learns the information from somewhere (books, magazines, Pinterest, YouTube, websites, workshops, trainings, etc.). You just happen to be learning it from successful credible teachers – most likely the same way they learned.
Before I share MY favorite teachers (below), what face-to-face teachers do you admire? Did you take classes from your teacher trainer before you signed up for your Yoga Teacher Training (YTT)? Did that teacher’s style inspire you to teach? Surely, you’ve had a few guest teachers in your YTT with whom you connected. What did you like about them? Were there things you didn’t like? Continue to take classes from those respected teachers, and take note – mentally or otherwise of elements of their teaching that you like. At some point in my YTT, I began to carry a note pad in my car. After I left a class that I liked, I would jot down ideas (asanas, transitions, themes, music, etc.) so I would remember to use it or research it later for inspiration. Then, eventually I used some of those notes to help create my own classes.
You will become familiar with your region’s respected teachers who travel to various studios and provide additional teacher credentials. There will be offerings in just about any style of yoga you can think of: Yin, Restorative, Prenatal, Kid’s Yoga, etc. Attending these workshops and trainings is not only good for your credentials and to expand your yoga repertoire, but you will learn elements of their teaching that you favor. Store those elements in your mental library (or jot them down), put your spin on it and try it out.
Once you have your certification, you will most likely want to become registered with the Yoga Alliance to add to your credibility. The Yoga Alliance website offers many online webinars by renowned teachers (such as Cyndi Lee) that provide continuing education credits (CEs). These webinars are an economical way to become exposed to some great teachers and get inspired. Some of these teachers may also travel to your area for face-to-face workshops. Once you find some you like, check-out your local studios’ websites for events and happenings or your local Yoga Teacher Facebook group to see what’s upcoming.
The Yoga Journal magazine is a great resource as well. A subscription to this magazine is offered free by some insurance providers (Teacher’s Plus may be one). The magazine offers a ton of inspiration by renowned teachers in the form of sequences, articles, and stories about their personal yoga journeys. The Yoga Journal has an awesome website as well with a plethora of articles, a guide to asanas, and other resources.
Finally, if you are not already following yoga teachers on YouTube, you need to start now! This is my absolute favorite place to go to for inspiration. If I’m feeling like I’m in a teaching rut, I take a class on YouTube from one of my favorite instructors. Here, I’m sure to get some inspiration. I’ll take the class and say to myself “why didn’t I think of that transition?” Or, I’ll say to myself “oh no, I really didn’t like that so much, but maybe if I get into it from this posture instead, it would feel better.” You just never know. An added bonus is that now with smart TVs you can access the YouTube app right through your TV and you don’t have to watch on your phone! Or, use your tablet for slightly enlarged viewing. In any event, this is what you’ve been waiting for:
MY 4 absolute favorite YouTube yoga teachers for you to try out! If you like them, “like” them, subscribe to their channels and you’ll have inspiration for life – or as long as they keep posting. The first link is to their YouTube Channel.
Yoga with Kassandra – (can also find her at yogawithkassandra.com/). Clear, precise cueing.Teaches Yin & Vinyasa usually with shorter clips. Some great inspiration here.
Yoga with Adriene – (also at yogawithadriene.com) Love this teacher! She is a little bit quirky at times but completely authentic and entertaining. She offers great Vinyasa videos in varied lengths. I especially appreciate her breathing cues throughout her teaching. An added bonus is her dog, Benjie! Such a cutie.
Caren Baginski – (carenbaginski.com) I love Caren for her restorative practices, although she also teaches gentle yoga, and guided meditation. She has such a calming voice which immediately releaxes you.
Ashley Hagan – (ashleyrosehagen.com) I saved the best for last! Ashley is my all time #1 favorite! Ashley’s YouTube Channel seems to cater specifically to yoga instructors (awesome for us!). Here she posts a recap of her lessons from the teacher trainings she leads at her studio, Ashes Yoga Studio in Poulsbo, Washington. You can also catch tutorials on specific poses, and a few full sequences as well.
Remember, learn from these experienced pros and apply elements that resonate with you and will allow you to be the teacher YOU want to be.
