The Power of Presence:

As yoga teachers, it can be easy to put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We desperately want to please all of our students at once, give them a “great” class, and hear them leave raving about it. But the truth is: that’s impossible.

Everyone has different needs, is going through different life circumstances, is struggling with different limitations in their body (and mind), and is at a different place on their yoga journey — they may even be just starting out. And then we layer specific expectations of ourselves on top of what we think is a “great” class (and the bar is usually set pretty high here, let’s be honest). All of this is a recipe for disaster. We miss the whole point of teaching when we get stuck in this mindset.

The great news is that the one thing we can give to every single one of our students during class — is our presence. We can see and connect with our students in various ways. This, my friends, is the secret sauce to teaching a “great” class… and better yet, it doesn’t require us to do anything but show up and teach what we already know.

Yoga = Connection

The word yoga means ‘to yoke’ — it is about union… connection. Connection of body, mind, and spirit. Connection of our inner and outer worlds. Connection of all the layers of ourselves that make us a whole human. Connection of ourselves to others.

Renowned research professor and author Brené Brown emphasizes the significance of connection in her work on vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy. She defines connection as “the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment.” Connection is a fundamental human need, essential for emotional and psychological well-being.

Teaching Yoga = A Live Conversation

A yoga class is a live conversation between teacher and student(s). The aliveness of the class can only be maintained if the teacher is truly seeing their class — seeing the bodies in front of them and teaching to those bodies in a relevant way. The teacher cues, the class responds — it’s a continuous cycle.

The “best” classes are never the ones with the fanciest sequences or the largest attendance. They are the ones where the teacher sees every single student in front of them and acknowledges their presence through words, hands-on assists, eye contact, or calling them by name.

Sure, you need to now how to teach a solid sequence with effective cues, and that’s why you go through yoga teacher training. But there is nothing you can prepare for a class that is more important than preparing your own self to show up with presence and authenticity when you walk through the door.

An Unforgettable Experience

The experience you give as a teacher starts long before your students land on their mats. From greeting them by name when they arrive to talking with them before class about their yoga practice to truly seeing them in class to thanking them when they leave — it’s so much more than the class you teach. How are you showing up in these moments?

During class, are you stuck in your head worrying about the next posture in your sequence? Are you worried about how you look or how your students may judge you when you forget to do flipped dog on the left side? How do you handle things when the sound system stops working or when you created a sequence that is just not right for your room full of unexpected beginners? How is your ability to set your personal life aside when you walk through the door and make it about them?

Teaching yoga is the ultimate accountability for living authentically — because it forces us to walk our talk.

You can only show up for your students as good as you can show up for yourself. This spills over into life — it applies to how we show up as humans, too. You can only show up for others as good as you can show up for yourself.

So, yoga teachers (and humans): please, take the pressure off. You are already enough. What you know is enough. Be real. Be you. Be in the moment with your students — or whoever is in front of you. The greatest gift you can give anyone is your presence. Be vulnerable. Be willing to mess up. Be willing to not know how it’s going to go. Just show up. Because when you do this, you give others permission to do the same. And that’s where the magic happens.