The Responsibility of Teaching

Most yoga teachers begin teaching because of the benefit and transformation they've undergone through their practice. They want to share that tool of transformation with others.

We must hold tight to this purpose and inspiration. It is so easy for it to fade as we deal with the logistics of teaching. We get tired, we get frustrated, our own practice loses its immediacy and passion, we struggle to find time for teaching, practice, our day job, our family, etc.

Teaching of any sort is a high responsibility. What you teach will inform the minds and lives of your students. Don't brush it off, thinking "I'm just a yoga (or any other subject) teacher." Don't push the responsibility for understanding onto the students. Sure, it is vitally important that a student be passionate, curious and discerning. But those qualities brought them to your class, and you have the power to put thoughts in their head for the next hour or so.

The role of teacher is the highest in the realm of learning. Only a teacher has the ability to lead students where they can not go themselves. A student's own knowledge will not take them there, even personal study may be insufficient since it relies on the indwelling logic and structure of the student's mind. Only a teacher who has greater knowledge and experience can open the student's eyes to things they are unaware of. This is not to be taken lightly.