The inappropriate physical contact between yoga teachers & students has received significant media attention. However, this doesn’t imply that we should completely refrain from adjustments. Touch is an essential aspect of the human experience, albeit one that can also have negative consequences. To protect both our students & ourselves, it is crucial to prioritize consent & establish strong boundaries. Creating a safe environment is paramount, & ‘safe touch’ doesn’t necessarily imply a complete absence of touch.
Nonetheless, it’s important to acknowledge that non-sexual abuse of power over students can also have a profound impact. This includes belittling, labeling, ostracizing, ignoring, dismissing, excluding, intimidating, or public humiliation. Such behavior undermines the trust & nurturing necessary for any meaningful yoga teaching. It leaves students feeling ashamed, excluded, & powerless & can have lasting effects on their self-esteem.
As teachers, we too are human, & we may sometimes suppress our own humanness due to fears about how we may be perceived on our yogic path. However, it is important to recognize that the students we attract often mirror & support our personal journeys, presenting growth opportunities.
Being a yoga teacher requires engaging in profound self-inquiry. This involves seeing our entire selves, including the aspects we may not favour, embracing all our shadows & areas for personal development.
Our purpose as yoga teachers is to serve our students. When our teaching becomes solely driven by self-serving motives & ego, we compromise our integrity & miss out on valuable opportunities.
To maintain integrity, we must embrace ruthless self-honesty. This entails being open with our students about our own journey & acknowledging when we make mistakes.
Much like peeling layers of an onion, our thoughts & beliefs are often rooted in assumptions about ourselves & the world. These assumptions are often shaped by our life experiences & the influence others have had on us, whether consciously or subconsciously.
As teachers, we can be triggered by our students just as we can trigger them. By turning our attention inward & embarking on a journey of self-discovery, we can identify the limiting thoughts, beliefs, & triggers that give rise to our shadow behaviors & unhelpful patterns.
When we cultivate deep self-awareness, we unlock the door to self-understanding. This allows us to practice true patience, humility, empathy, & compassion toward ourselves first, which naturally extends to our teaching & students.
As a result, the journey we embark on with our students becomes profoundly transformational, transcending mere instruction & reaching the realm of personal growth & change.
Dive deeper into the ethics & boundaries of a Yin Yoga Teacher
Want to share your passion for Yoga with others & now feel ready to begin your teaching career? We offer a Yoga Alliance 200-hr Vinyasa & Yin Yoga ‘equally balanced’ Training with three experienced lead teachers in Vinyasa, Yin Yoga & Anatomy. Following Yoga Alliance ethos for both styles with Training & Techniques, Philosophy, Subtle body, Anatomy, Teaching Tools, & practicums. Our 200-hr training is a sure way to begin your teaching in confidence.
Or maybe your focus is more on all the aspects of Yin Yoga? Including our role as teachers, practice teaching all seven archetypes, & explore the vast creative variations we can incorporate. Different anatomy is also included, where we further explore the Fascia system, particularly in relation to pain, & the Autonomic Nervous system. Also,both Spine & Shoulder anatomy & how this affects functional movement, together with diving deeper into Chinese Medicine.
Maybe teaching isn’t so important for you, but you still wish to learn more about Yin Yoga. This one-week program includes all the fundamentals: philosophy, meridians, principal Chinese Medicine & our well-being. We explore all 7 archetypes, have twice daily practices, & complimentary fascia techniques. Anatomy is also explored: fascia layers, holding patterns, Hip anatomy & effects on movement, functional yoga, & apply this to your body.
Prefer to study an accredited Yin Yoga & Chinese Medicine training entirely at your own pace & in the comfort of your home, returning to your study as often as required. This online TTC gently guides you through all the fundamental aspects of the Yin yoga practice, including essential philosophical & physiological aspects, the meridians, essential Anatomy, Teaching Tools, & how to place the theory into your Yin yoga with full class practices, with reflection on difficult emotions.
FREE YIN YOGA CLASS
Copyright © Akira Yoga 2019. All Rights Reserved.
akirayogaLTD 13569397
akirayogaLTD 13569397
Copyright © Akira Yoga 2019. All Rights Reserved.