why yoga teachers are hired and fired on a regular basis

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By: Sylvie Gouin

though it’s not for the reasons you might expect

When I teach yoga teacher training I always explain to new teachers that being hired and fired is a regular happening for a yoga teacher.

In fact, the more classes we teach the more often we will be hired: by a student who comes to your class for the first time and chooses to keep coming back. However, the more classes we teach the more often we will be fired, when, after coming to our class for the first, eleventh, or one thousandth and eighth time, the student stops coming.

Some students will come to our class and love our approach, and others not so much. Everything ebbs and flows. At some point we may be associated with the current trendy place, which will make us feel popular, but if our student is a trend seeker, we are soon replaced. Sometimes students choose our class because the location, cost, and time suit them. Sometimes they choose our class because they appreciate what we have to offer.

Sometimes we are fired because they can’t commit to the practice, have no time, moved, their schedule changed, or they are in need of a different approach. Sometimes students will fire us because they don’t like our vibe, style, voice or sequencing.

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Sometimes it’s personal, and sometimes it has nothing to do with us. Sometimes not liking our style has to do with them not being ready for the depth of teachings we offer, and sometimes it has to do with us not providing the depth they are seeking.

I could go on and on with this, but the point is that it does not matter. What does matter, is the following:

• Having a passionate interest in sharing yoga.

• Remaining a student.

• Developing the courage to keep up with our practice.

• Accepting that we will not be everyone’s teacher.• Teaching with generosity by providing opportunities for our students to exceed us – like raising children, we want them to be seven times the yogi/person we are.

Remembering that the practice is the teacher and that the most important teacher they/we will meet is within.

Staying committed and grounded with who we are and what we have to offer (and avoiding comparison).

Teaching yoga is an opportunity to share a practice that not only strengthens and stretches the body and mind but connects us with our essence. As a yoga teacher, being hired and fired is a natural cycle of coming and going. A cycle of sharing, growing, integrating and starting over. Just like with meditation and asana we are asked to keep up with our practice and let go of attachments/expectations of what we think should arise, well the same applies with our teaching.

“May we be blessed with the courage to always keep-up and the wisdom to always let go.” Sylvie Gouin.

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