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Teaching Hatha Yoga for Beginners
By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500
There are some Yoga teachers who refuse to teach beginner students. Their staff teaches new students, while they work with the “advanced” Yoga students, or they teach specialized master classes. It is understandable that if you run an extremely large ashram or studio, with hundreds of students, it may be difficult to bond with every new student who comes through your doors.
I know one Yoga teacher who has a strict policy regarding students. They must attend classes in her school for two years before she will grace them with her presence. This also includes making an appointment for admission to her office. As a result, most of her students have never met her, but they have the privilege of saying they attend her school.
On the other hand, a very different Yoga teacher, with an ashram, and an International following, makes time to meet every student who participates in activities within her ashram. She travels abroad to teach, but her beginner students have all met her, in or out of, classes.
Humility is a quality all of us should have. False pride can easily possess anyone who has success and prosperity. It happens to Holy men, who forget that people visit Holy grounds to worship a higher power. Sometimes, the Holy man begins to believe that participants are worshiping him. False pride has created poor political leaders, who forget they represent the interests of the people who elect them.
Beside humility, there are other reasons to spend quality time with beginner Yoga students. Beginners require extra attention; and that makes us think, which ultimately makes each of us better teachers. No two beginners are alike. We could profile similarities in our minds, but there are many differences in the body and mind of a new Yoga practitioner.
When we work with new students, who have unique problems, or less than ideal conditions, we learn and they learn from us. If we work with experienced Yoga students who never need help, modifications, or adjustments, our teachings have reached a “dead end.” They do not learn anything new from us, and we do not polish our skills.
When we reach a point where we cannot accept new ideas, or learn new methods to help students, we become “set in our ways.” There is a saying, “You can’t teach an old dog, new tricks.” As time goes by, some of us become rigid in our thinking. Worse yet, rigid thinkers rarely work toward improving anything. Rigid thought requires us to deny change and to repeat the same mistakes.
Therefore, enjoy teaching Yoga classes for new students. The energy and interest, within new students, is like a breath of fresh air. It will keep your mind young and your thoughts clear.
© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
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Namaskar, Paul: Thank you for this wonderful article. I consider it an honor and a privilege to be the one who introduces Yoga to a beginner. To see how people respond to this amazing practice fills me with satisfaction, and I love that I have been the vehicle to bring this experience to them. Wise words, Paul! Gillian
great article…as i am getting a few new students this coming week!!!! how true that we get used to our regulars knowing what to do and we don’t pay as much attention to what they are doing…..new students keep us on our toes and should make us feel privileged that they are trusting us with their body…mind and spirit….thanks paul….namaste…
It is very nice you explained humility with examples. Keep it up. Iam an weightlifting coach in Australia of Indian origin and I want to teach yoga to my weightlifters can you help me. Thanks, you have a nice day. With regards – ARJUN TOKHI, national coach of Australian weightlifting federation, head coach South Australian Weightlifting Association.
How very true. I continue to learn so much from each student in the beginner classes I teach. Sharing their progress is also very exciting for me as a teacher. Thank you for a great article. Namaste, Chris
I agree. New students can be a challenge. It happened to me with a friend, who had limited mobility. I am still teacher training, but it really made me work my brain to adjust postures due to limited flexibility. Exams are this month and I hope to progress to learn from other courses in the near future.
Namaste
Hi,
I have been teaching Yoga since 1995, more I teach more I learn. I have realized that one can never become perfect (even as teacher of Yoga). We can only move in that direction, for perfection is BRAHMA (I am not talking about religion, . . . its the definition).
Only a good student can be a good teacher. One who stops learning becomes incapable of being a good teacher. Now a days anybody can become a yoga teacher, but without personal experience of yoga practice it would be shallow. Any teacher who keeps a distance from his/her students would become shallow too.
A Yoga teacher can hope to become a Master only by constant practice and by consistently helping the students for many many years. Degrees, certificates and amount of money made can not elevate anyone.
Blessed self Paul: Hari OM
May HE shower His blessings on you. You have conveyed the words of wisdom.
In India, the recently celebrated Deepavali conveys this wisdom.
“Egoism or Ahamkara is the real Narakasura. Kill this egoism through the sowrd of Atma Gnana or knowledge of the Self, merge in Lord Krishna, the Supreme Light of the world and enjoy the spiritual Deepavali of inner illumination.
Be humble. VIDYA VINAYASAMPANNA – the more one learns the more humble he/she is supposed to be. This is apt to all – in any walk of life.”
May the Supreme Self give everybody to understand this in right spirit and put into their life and every action. Om Tat Sat Swami Bhakti Chaitanya
I have had many new students tell me about negative experiences in classes that were too big, the teacher did not acknowledge them or the teacher was militant! I have been practicing now for about 13 years, been teaching for about 6 years. However, I still remember being a new yoga student and how nervous and intimidated I felt. I also remember having teachers that were patient and willing to work with me. I embrace the new student or the student with special needs. It makes me slow down, refocus and be more in tune to what yoga does for us and how it is designed for the individual to become more connected and aware. How lucky we teachers are to be a part of that!
Namaste,
Anna
I have been teaching now for about 4 years and I have come to realise that I prefer teaching the beginners. They are like children, wide eyed & eager to learn. I watch them discover yoga in wonderment. They are surprised to discover the ease and benefits. But I have to admit that my favorite part is after the final Savasana, they slowly stretch, slowly move around, and when they come back to their favorite seated position, 90% of them smile at me. They smile not only with their mouth but it seems with their entire face, body & soul. They are relaxed and enjoy that feeling. Sometimes we will sit quite for a little time. That, they tell me, is their favorite time of the day. I feel blessed to be able to witness this.
Namaste, Lucie