Know These 10 Essential Qualities to Become a Great Yoga Teacher

The most famous and inspiring writer of America, William Arthur Ward quotes about a teacher as “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” This maxim is closely connected to the experience of teaching of Yoga.

The journey of teaching yoga is lifelong learning experience as the teacher needs to learn and evolve continuously through the constant self study and practice yoga for years. The efficiency and skills of teaching are harnessed through suitable Yoga Teacher Training Course. These are the 10 essential qualities which will be helpful to enrich the qualities of the teaching of Yoga for a teacher.

1) Learning Facilitator: The Yoga class always will be like heterogeneous mix of the diverse nature. The teacher needs to learn the quality of the facilitation of the learning experience in line with the principle of unity in diversity.

2) Expertise in Curriculum:  The preparation of teacher requires enough self study and practices on the principles and practice of Yoga. The expertise in the curriculum of different modules will be of great help in designing and executing the appropriate level of yoga class. The knowledge on Teaching Methodology of different yoga techniques will be an added advantage for the expertise of the teacher.

3) Mentor: Mentorship is another important quality of the yoga teacher. He should be capable to guide and mentor his students according to their ability in the yogic life. Suitable guidance and care for the students help to develop their journey as yoga teachers and they can advance in the professional life with great support of the mentorship of an experienced teacher.

4) Learner:  It is always good for a Yoga teacher to be open for the learning opportunities. One can find the time for the continued education program in view of the improvement of the skill sets and update with contemporary teaching needs. As a constant learner he has potentiality to express himself as confident and capable teacher on various yoga practices.

5) Catalyst for Change:The teacher is always instrumental in changing and improving the student life. Hence he needs to  inculcate the quality like  a catalyst for this change.

6) A passionate Yoga Practitioner: He can lead his life like a best example of teacher for his students with the practice of the yoga philosophy and practices in all the dimensions of his personality such as ethical life, physical and academic compatibility to teach and practice through the constant passion for the subject of his studies.

7) Cultural Competence and Fluidity: This quality of teacher helps to have the feeling of accommodation for his students. The vision of equality for all his classes irrespective of any of the parameters of the students such as their age, gender and nationality etc.

8) Clarity of Thought and Patience:  The practice of Yama and Niyama in Yoga boost the will power, intellect and stability of the emotions of the teacher. These aspects of our personality will improve the patience and clarity of thoughts engage the class effectively with inspiration.

9) Humbleness: The teacher needs to cultivate the quality of humbleness, courtesy and shed his egoism when he reaches to his teaching environment. This will be useful for open hearted and encouraging learning environment for the students.

10) Dynamic personality: The last but not the least is the energy of the teacher. The vibrations of the energy level of teacher are experienced through his dynamic personality. He should be meticulous in his observations, focused on his thoughts, and command on his class through his voice, pitch and clear pronunciation.

The virtues of the quality of the teaching is not limited only to this list , there is always possibility  and scope for enriching and rewarding the beauty for this teaching life.