These are principles we focus on at The Expanding Light Retreat and in our Ananda School of Yoga and Meditation for teaching yoga and training teachers.
- Practice what you teach. Always teach from your own experience and realized knowledge. Constantly draw from this well of inspired, ever-n
ew experience through your own daily, dedicated practice.
- Always be a student. Study and practice with beginner’s mind. Never be satisfied that you have it all figured out. Be willing to be wrong, keep your heart and mind open to all, and be humble.
- Pray for yourself and your students. Pray to be a channel for the light of yoga to flow through you, and for God to bless your students with receptivity and grace in their practice.
- Meditate daily. Meditation is the foundation of all yoga practice. Even a brief daily practice will enhance every aspect of your own yoga practice and ability as a teacher.
- Bring joy into everything. Be happy. Help your students be happy. God is Satchidananda: existence, consciousness, JOY. Happiness and joy are essences of all yoga.
- Meet people where they are. Try to never judge or hold people to expectations. Help your students grow with patience and respect. Never force your perspective (even when you know you’re right) on those unable to accept it.
- Explore your highest potential. Never limit yourself. Constantly and creatively expand your horizons in teaching and life. Pursue your dreams, overcoming all obstacles to achieve success.
- Focus on sharing. Instead of teaching, feel that you are simply sharing yoga with friends.
- Live your yoga. Don’t limit your practice or sharing of yoga to any corner of life. Practice raja yoga: in all thoughts, actions, and words strive always to grow, improve and be a channel.
- Above all, practice kindness and love: for your fellow yogis, for nature and all mankind, and for God, the Spirit and origin of all yoga teachings, and the giver of all blessings, grace, and power.
28 Comments
Beautifully inspiring! Thanks for sharing :-)
Mediation sounds so good right now. I’ve always wanted to attend a yoga class, but I’ve always been scared to embarrass myself. I’m hoping that my friends will join me to the next yoga class.
I really liked your tip to yoga instructors to always be a student. I can definitely see how making sure that you are striving to be learning continually would be a great way to keep your student’s interested and coming. I would definitely prefer to be taught by an instructor with an open mind over one who was convinced they knew everything there was to know.
Very Inspierd words
Thank Yoy
This article is very insightful and I found it answered a lot of my questions about teaching. Think outside the box.
Thanks for sharing this post teaching yoga to the yoga practitioners is always an extension of yoga vidya, as teachers always guide the students with their best expertise
Thanks for helping me know and learn more about yoga and why it is so beneficial to the body and mind. I had no idea that it was so good for you mentally to do yoga and how it relaxes you completely. My wife is undergoing a lot of stress at work and just like you said, yoga can really bring joy into just about any situation. I definitely will show her this and see if she will try yoga for a change. Thanks again!
I cannot thank you enough for this. Today I woke up thinking, I will attempt whatever comes at me. It’s been a difficult couple weeks. With a fall at work and worrying about my health and this information couldn’t come at a better time.
i like meditation as well as yoga. thanks for posting the tips about yoga. it will help a lot.
I love to read this post. it is very nice information. Thank you
I really liked your tip to yoga instructors to always be a student. I can definitely see how making sure that you are striving to be learning continually would be a great way to keep your student’s interested and coming.
These tips would be useful to any beginner. Thanks for this great post. Please keep sharing!
I enjoy being a student and practice yoga under the supervision of my senior instructors.I maintain my practice and enjoy the Savasana.Most of all,I alway pick some points from my teachers to enhance my teachings.Thanks a lot for the most wonderful knowledge.Practice kindness is a great message, it comes with time.One of my student other day I was subbing and I supported her for the position, she yelled real loud as she does not want to be touched.After the class,I try to talk to her nicely and she yelled again.I did not take it personal rather felt her pain and prayed for her during meditation. Thanks.
I feel blessed to be part of ananda yoga teachers like Badri Matlock,whose teachings are very simple & inspiring.I have been teaching LNRC for the last 20 years & enjoying practice as a student as well.
Yoga Alliance keep us updated with the most recent policies of teaching.Thanks.I enjoy part ob being Ananda yoga, they have helped me a lot to understand about myself.We can’t change others we must pray for others who get upset without reason.My students enjoy practicing Ananda yoga’s it teach us the steps.We must stay honest surrender to God’s will and not loose patient.Circumstances,times change and our thoughts change accordingly.People hold things back and feel miserable.God forgive us for wrong doings so we must forgive others as well.Yoga teaching is a passion, we must follow our inner soul, help others, surrender to God and teach simple asanas to release the stress.Thanks Badri Matlock.
Yoga is exceptionally useful for wellbeing. Prior to the top of the line don’t take overwhelming supper else you may feel fairly unbalanced amid the preparation and dependably wear happy with dress as this causes yoga instructor to show signs of improvement thought of stance and arrangement.
There are many factors that will make or break your training experience, so keep the tips shared here in mind before you take the plunge.
Excellent post. I’m so pleased the post was helpful. Really nice work done by you.
I like what you said about praying for yourself and for your students when training to be a yoga teacher. Personally, I think yoga is one of the healthiest ways to revitalize the body and mind. My wife is thinking about becoming a yoga instructor and she’ll be sure to put you helpful tips to good use if she undergoes training.
good one keep it up
Beautifully explained the fundamentals of teaching yoga.It will definitely help and always inspire all yoga teachers.thank you!
Aum..
Hello Badri!
These are nice tips! I like tip number 2, to always be a student because there are always room for improvement and learning. Every day, every person we met teaches us something to help us improve and to help others too. I like all your tips. Thanks for sharing it!
-Mindy
Thanks Badri Matlock,I really enjoyed the most as a teacher we must stay as a student too. Thanks for your guidance
Thanks for mentioning how a good yoga teacher should be happy. It is important to understand that finding someone like this can help you enjoy yoga more. My wife wants to get training as a yoga teacher, so I’m glad I found your page.
Marcus,I read your reviews & want to personalize my answer to your question.I graduated from Ananda yoga 2004, even though I joined 2003.My graduation was delayed as I used to teach taekwondo & my way of teaching was not serene as Ananda teachers expected. God tested my inner strength, it was challenge to make video & arrange students to teach close to my home. My local yoga instructor,Bob Metzler helped me a lot, where there is will, there is way .Master was helping me but testing my devotion to Ananda yoga teachings. Struggling few months, finally I passed & have been teaching Ananda yoga for the last 20 years. I volunteered my time teaching senior centers with my certification of taekwondo & cardio kick. Integration of yoga & taekwondo brought joy, peace & entertainment with music. It became my passion.I was invited by Master Lee,Black Belt Club to present integration of Ananda yoga & taekwondo. They inducted me in to Hall of fame with my demonstration May 2017.I feel blessed.At the age of 81,I am humbly proud of myself to practice yoga & teach LNRC. Inspite of COVID-19. I am teaching three days a week at the outdoor balcony,#social distance yoga classes.I teach with Ananda philosophy, but my own authentic yoga moves. Badri Matlock is a wonderful Ananda yoga Instructor & his guidance is appreciated. Namaste
Thanks for explaining simple steps of teaching yoga Badri Matlock..Most important point, every teacher should be a good student too.As I am maturing learning to add kindness & love more & more every day during my teaching sessions.God Bless you all.Maintain social distance & keep inspiring the world
Thanks for adding my postings & opinions.I have been enjoying teaching & practicing myself as well. My husband visited few times ,Expanding light Retreat & enjoyed taking few courses not with the intention of teaching rather developing the understanding of yoga practice .My practice is resilient along with Ananda yoga philosophy & meditation.I certainly modify in simple steps as some students have some physical injuries, including myself chronic knee pain & arthritis. Practice of yoga & teaching is inspiring for me & for my students. Trying to help my students to grow with respect & patience as Badri Matlock Ananda yoga Instructor guide us some times is harder . Some students want to move faster & others slow. Normally, I practice myself alone so certain injured body parts can be experienced before I teach my students. I appreciate learning through your points & so far feeling blessed.Stay safe & healthy & keep helping the world. Master is watching all of us to make the world better place. Thanks
Great tip about never putting artificial limits on how much you can improve in yoga. I need to get more flexible to not have so much back pain. I’ll have to consider getting a yoga instructor to help me with new poses.