Summary:
Having a good or bad experience in a yoga class, can make all the difference in whether a person continues with it or not. This article gives suggestions on what to look for and how to choose a yoga teacher and class that is a good fit for the student. The end of the article has an alphabetical list of the different yoga styles and their web addresses. The article is approx 2600 words.

Details or Sample:
For several weeks, Anna had been bugging her mother, Cathy, to try the yoga class she had been taking. Finally, Cathy went. At the end of the class, Cathy told her daughter that yoga was not for her; she did not like it, and would not go again. A year later a friend of Cathy’s invited her to her yoga class and after much protestation, Cathy finally gave in and went. She went just to get her friend off her back. This time when the class ended Cathy felt yoga was just the thing she needed and readily signed up for a series of classes. What was it that made Cathy hate yoga the first time and love it the second time?

For Cathy, there were differences between the classes: The styles of yoga taught were not the same, and the teachers’ demeanors were dissimilar, resulting in Cathy’s expectations being met in the second class. In the first yoga class Cathy attended, the yoga was physically demanding; she thought the teacher was almost militaristic. Especially, after the teacher told Cathy that she would have her flexible and in shape in 3 months. This was not the perception Cathy had about yoga. She thought the class would move slower and the poses would be gentle. In the second class, that is what she found. Choosing a yoga class and teacher that is a good fit makes all the difference in the experience a person comes away with and whether they stay with yoga.

With over 20 styles of yoga and with estimates of over 50,000 teachers nationwide, choosing a class that is right for you can be daunting. However, having some knowledge about what to look for will give you the confidence to seek out the yoga class that is right for you.

Safety First

The right fit with a yoga teacher begins with safety. It is one thing to come away with a little soreness from stretching tight muscles, and another thing to leave class with a dislocated knee cap because the knee was twisted while in Warrior II. Sore muscles should feel better after a few days; a kneecap out of alignment could have a long term effect on the body. Yoga like any other physical exercise program requires you to be responsible for what your body can and cannot do. However, you want to make sure that the class has a framework for you to be safe within.

In the yoga community, there are 2 schools of thought regarding regulating teachers. One side believes that given the proliferation of the yoga industry, there needs to be uniformity and standards by which teachers are certified. The other side of this discussion believes that regulating the teaching of yoga conflicts with the different traditions and nature of the discipline. They also believe that licensing or registering does not guarantee a professional is competent.

Yoga, teachers are not regulated or licensed by any state. However, there are organizations like Yoga Alliance that have set standards for teachers registered with them. Yoga Alliance and other registering organizations usually require that yoga teachers have a minimum of 200 hours of yoga instruction that not only covers postures, but also covers basic body anatomy, nutrition, philosophy, and ethical behavior. Yoga Alliance also regulates schools that teach yoga.

To be sure, there are excellent yoga teachers who are not registered. However, you do not want a teacher who has read a book, or who has taken a few classes and now thinks she can teach yoga. So, to ensure that you have a somewhat competent teacher ask them were they were trained and how much training they have had. If they were self-taught, you may want to investigate further into their knowledge of yoga.

As mentioned before, credentials do not always translate into having practical knowledge. So, take a class or two and observe the teacher. Here are some things to notice: Is she aware of proper body alignment? While demonstrating a pose or when students are practicing, does she talk about alignment; does she assist students with proper alignment? (There are some styles of yoga where the teachers do not do physical assists or walk among the students. They verbally instruct and direct students.) Does she offer suggestions for other ways to do a pose, or use props for those students who are physically challenged with a posture? Is she pushing students to go beyond what their bodies are capable of doing? This observation is most noticeable in how she treats a student who is not in full extension of a posture. Is she telling you what your body can do instead of encouraging you to listen to your own body and go at your own pace? Is the teacher compassionate? How does she frame the study of yoga?

Beware of the teacher who construes proper alignment to mean a “perfect posture.” There is no perfect posture or look in yoga. Given that each person’s body is unique, there can be no universal form to a yoga position. You want a teacher that understands this and works with you where you are.

Contrary to what is happening in a lot of yoga classes, yoga is not a competitive sport. That includes being competitive with yourself. When competition enters the yoga class, injuries are bound to happen. You want a teacher to remind you that yoga is not goal oriented and that your ego has no place on the mat.

It is very important that the teacher has control of the classroom; she needs to be able to speak-up when issues arise. For example, many yoga teachers tell students to listen to their own body while in class. This could mean resting instead of doing a posture, or adapting the posture for your own needs, or staying in the posture a shorter or longer period of time. Sometimes, however, there is a student who interprets this to mean he can do his own thing, like do a head stand while everyone else is in a supine position. This then becomes a safety issue. The students lying next to him are in a very vulnerable position both physically and emotionally. What if he loses his balance and falls on them? So, you want a teacher who can set boundaries and rules and makes certain they are followed. Your physical safety is not the only area of wellbeing where you need to have a concern; emotional safety is equally important.

Not Just Physical Safety…

The practice of yoga often leads to emotional awareness and release. Sometimes, a pose can release emotional energy; it can be laughing, crying, or something in between - a feeling that is not definable, but present all the same. For many yoga students, that is the beauty of yoga; it enables the inner self to open and expand to the authentic self. Even if you never have an emotional release in a yoga class, you want to have a yoga teacher that honors and respects the student’s process. The teacher should never berate, laugh at, judge, or criticize their students. While a teacher sometimes needs to correct a student, it is always done with respect and concern. Emotional safety also includes improper touching.

In many styles of yoga, the teacher will help the student with hands-on assists. Hands on assists done properly are yummy; they can make the posture go from feeling okay to giving the student an “aha” moment. They can help correct alignment issues, or help stretch a stubborn muscle. However, not everyone likes to be touched, and unfortunately, a few teachers have used assists to touch students improperly.

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Written by: Denise Karson
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