Category: Resources for Yoga Teachers

AI is here to stay, and this is not an argument against using it.

It can be incredibly useful for research, refining ideas, learning new skills and supporting the work happening behind the scenes of your yoga business.

The problem begins when we outsource too much.

Your intelligence. Your expertise. Your creativity. Your writing. Your imagery. Your voice.

Particularly in marketing, using AI badly can save time while quietly making your yoga business less distinctive, less engaging and potentially less trustworthy.

Do Not Outsource Your Creativity to AI

One of the greatest strengths you have as a yoga teacher is your uniqueness.

Thousands of people teach yoga. What distinguishes one teacher from another is not simply what they teach, but how they teach it.

Your interests. Your humour. Your perspective. Your language. Your experiences. The particular aspects of yoga that fascinate you.

That individuality allows the right students to recognise that your teaching might be for them.

Generic AI generated flyers, imagery and copy can strip much of this away. When businesses across entirely different industries begin using remarkably similar layouts, fonts, graphics and language, nothing stands out.

Professional looking does not necessarily mean effective.

Sometimes the slightly imperfect thing you created yourself communicates far more about your business than something technically polished but completely generic.

Marketing Needs Human Connection

People rarely make buying decisions from information alone.

They need to connect with the person, experience or idea first. The practical details then help them decide whether they can attend.

This matters enormously in yoga because students are not simply buying an hour in a room. They are choosing who they feel comfortable being taught by.

Your marketing therefore needs to help people experience something of you.

Real photographs matter. Your face matters. Your words matter. Your personality matters.

When marketing becomes entirely AI generated, potential students lose many of the cues that help them feel they know, like and trust the teacher behind the business.

And trust is particularly important in an age when people are increasingly asking whether the image, video or words in front of them are real.

Stop Filling Flyers with Information

Another problem with many AI generated flyers is information overload.

Times. Prices. Location. What to bring. Booking details. Icons. Multiple fonts. Several paragraphs squeezed into one image.

That is not the primary job of your marketing image.

Online, the first job of an image or video is simply to interrupt someone’s scrolling long enough for them to become interested.

Marketing calls this a pattern disrupt.

Something catches your attention because it looks different from everything around it. Perhaps it is unexpected, funny, beautiful, intriguing or simply very human.

Once someone is interested, they can read your caption, visit your website or follow the booking link for the practical details.

Your poster does not need to contain the entire contents of your booking page.

There is also an accessibility consideration. Large amounts of tiny text embedded within images can be difficult for people with visual impairments or some forms of neurodivergence, and important information contained only within an image may not be available to screen readers.

Keep the image simple. Put the detailed information somewhere designed to hold it.

Social Media Is Not a Noticeboard

People do not generally open Instagram because they are hoping someone will advertise a yoga class to them.

They go there to connect, learn, laugh, discover something interesting or simply be entertained for a few minutes.

Marketing that looks immediately like an advert is therefore easy to scroll past.

A simple five second video of you can sometimes outperform an exquisitely polished graphic.

Talk about what you are teaching this week. Show something interesting. Make someone curious. Share why you care about the workshop you are running.

Raw and human can be far more compelling than polished and generic.

AI Does Not Write Better Than You

AI may write more quickly.

It may correct your spelling, improve a sentence or help organise a messy collection of thoughts.

That does not mean its version is better.

AI generated writing can easily become long, overly polished and strangely impersonal. It may use three examples where one would be stronger or introduce language you would never naturally use.

Even when AI has been given examples of your writing, it can produce an approximation of your voice rather than your actual voice.

Your students do not need the artificially perfected version of you.

They need to recognise you.

Start with your idea, your expertise, your stories and your words. AI can then help you refine, question or edit what already came from you.

Use AI to Help You Learn, Not Avoid Learning

There is another subtle danger in asking AI to complete every task you do not yet feel confident doing.

You never develop the skill yourself.

If you do not know how to edit a Reel, design a simple graphic or improve your writing, AI can be an excellent teacher.

Ask it to explain the process.

Ask for step by step instructions. Learn the skill. Practise it. Improve.

Then perhaps ask AI to critique what you produced rather than asking it to produce the whole thing for you.

There is an enormous difference between using technology to extend your abilities and using it to replace them.

AI Should Be the Tool, Not the Source

AI can support your yoga business enormously.

Use it for research. Use it to organise ideas. Use it to challenge your thinking. Use it to proofread. Use it to help you learn unfamiliar technology. Use it to explore different approaches before deciding what actually sounds like you.

But do not automatically assume its answer is better than yours.

And be particularly careful when it comes to specialist knowledge. AI can still produce incorrect information. It does not automatically know more than an experienced yoga teacher, therapist, astrologer, nutritionist or other trained professional simply because its answer arrived instantly and sounded confident.

The starting point should remain human intelligence, knowledge and creativity.

Then let AI support the process.

Your yoga business does not need a more polished synthetic version of you.

It needs you.

RELATED: Trust: The Most Undervalued Asset in Your Yoga Business

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #YogaBusiness #AIForYogaTeachers #YogaMarketing #AuthenticMarketing #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaBranding #TeachingYoga #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Yoga philosophy can sound simple when reduced to an isolated quote or a single translated line.

Yet these teachings emerged from particular historical periods, cultures, communities and spiritual traditions. When that wider setting is removed, meaning can shift. A teaching may become softened, misunderstood or reshaped to fit a modern worldview it was never originally addressing.

Understanding context does not make yoga philosophy less relevant. It helps us teach it more honestly. We explore this further in this workshop with guest expert Katharine Pincham.

Yoga Philosophy Is Not One Fixed System

The term yoga philosophy can create the impression that yoga presents one unified worldview.

In reality, there are many branches, lineages and interpretations. Different traditions explore consciousness, liberation, practice and reality in different ways. Some are described as dualistic, meaning consciousness and nature are understood as distinct. Others are non-dual, teaching that all experience arises within one underlying consciousness.

Texts have also been debated, translated and commented upon for centuries. A single scripture may therefore be interpreted through very different philosophical lenses.

This is not a flaw in yoga philosophy. Questioning, dialogue and commentary have long formed part of the tradition.

Translation Always Includes Interpretation

A translation is never entirely neutral.

The translator brings their own lineage, worldview and understanding to the text. One translation of the Bhagavad Gītā may emphasise devotion, while another foregrounds knowledge, action or non-duality.

This is why reading several translations can be useful. Differences between them reveal where interpretation has entered the process.

It is also important to avoid building large conclusions from one translated phrase. A verse sits within a wider text, and that text sits within an even wider cultural and philosophical conversation.

Ancient Texts Addressed Particular Audiences

Historical context becomes especially important when ancient teachings appear difficult to apply today.

The Yoga Sūtra, for example, emerged within a very different social world. Its practices were not originally written for the average twenty-first-century householder balancing work, family and modern life.

Brahmacarya is a clear example. It is often translated today as moderation or wise use of energy, yet its more literal historical meaning is celibacy. Understanding the original setting helps explain why.

That does not mean the teaching must be discarded. Its deeper purpose can still be explored through questions about desire, distraction, attention and the conservation of energy. The original meaning is acknowledged, then its relevance is considered carefully rather than quietly replaced.

Context Changes How We Read the Bhagavad Gītā

The battlefield setting of the Bhagavad Gītā can be confronting when encountered without guidance.

Read only as a story about war, it may feel distant or troubling. Within a philosophical reading, however, the battlefield can also represent the conflict of the mind.

Arjuna expresses fear, confusion and resistance. Kṛṣṇa represents the wisdom that helps him see beyond those movements of mind. The setting remains important, but its symbolic and philosophical dimensions change how the text can be understood.

This is why isolated verses can mislead. The speaker, the wider conversation and the purpose of the teaching all matter.

Relevance Does Not Require Dilution

Making yoga philosophy accessible is not the same as making it more palatable.

Some teachings are meant to challenge the ordinary assumptions of the mind. If every difficult idea is immediately reframed to match what we already believe, the teaching loses its ability to change our perspective.

This does not mean dismissing lived experience or human suffering. It means allowing a teaching to retain its depth before deciding how it speaks to contemporary life.

A useful approach is to explain:

What the teaching originally meant.

Who it was intended for.

What philosophical tradition shaped it.

How it may still inform practice today.

This preserves both honesty and relevance.

Yoga Philosophy Was Traditionally Unfolded Through Dialogue

Many yogic teachings were passed down orally before they were written.

They were explored through repetition, questioning, commentary and sustained relationship with a teacher. Texts such as the Yoga Sūtra are extremely condensed. They were not necessarily designed to function as self-explanatory books.

This matters for yoga teachers today. Reading is valuable, but discussion and guidance help reveal assumptions, clarify terminology and prevent us from making imaginative leaps between fragments of information.

Repetition also matters. We do not practise an āsana once and assume we fully understand it. Philosophical knowledge develops in much the same way. We return to it, hear it differently and gradually understand it from within.

Teaching Yoga Philosophy with Greater Integrity

Teaching with context does not require turning every yoga class into an academic lecture.

It means being clear about what you are sharing.

Name the text or tradition. Explain the original context where it matters. Distinguish the historical teaching from your own interpretation. Avoid presenting one lineage as though it represents the whole of yoga.

Most importantly, allow yourself time to study. Yoga philosophy is vast, but its purpose is not intellectual performance. It is an exploration of consciousness, identity and the nature of being.

Context helps us honour where the teachings came from while allowing them to remain alive.

Find out more about Katharine’s work: https://unchangingbeing.com/

RELATED: Teaching the Yama & Niyama

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #YogaPhilosophy #YogaHistory #YogaTexts #TeachingYoga #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaTeacherTraining #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Confidence is one of the biggest concerns for newly qualified yoga teachers.

Many people assume they should feel confident before teaching their first class. In reality, confidence usually comes afterwards. It grows through experience, repetition and seeing the positive impact yoga has on your students.

Every experienced teacher was once a nervous beginner. Feeling uncertain does not mean you are not ready to teach. It means you are doing something new and that you care about doing it well.

Confidence Comes Through Teaching

You do not need to wait until you feel completely confident before getting started.

Confidence develops class by class. Each time you teach, you gather evidence that you can guide people safely, respond to the room and recover when something does not go exactly to plan.

Nerves often return whenever you begin something new, whether that is your first workshop, retreat or teacher training. Confidence is not a permanent state. It is something you continue to rebuild as your teaching evolves.

Believe in Yoga Before You Believe in Yourself

When self-belief feels difficult, place your trust in the practice itself.

Think about what yoga has changed in your own life. It may have helped you breathe more consciously, manage stress, become stronger, develop resilience or feel more connected to your body.

These simple elements of yoga are often the most powerful. Build your early classes around the practices you genuinely understand and value rather than trying to create complicated sequences or impress your students.

You do not need to believe fully in yourself yet. Begin by believing in yoga.

Prepare Enough, but Not Too Much

Good preparation can help you feel grounded, but over-preparation can increase anxiety.

Create a simple lesson plan that fits on one page. Give the class a clear intention and include a small bank of useful words or cues. This provides structure while still allowing you to respond to the people in front of you.

A lesson plan is not a sign that you lack confidence. It gives you a reliable foundation, which often makes it easier to remain present and adapt your teaching when needed.

Let Yourself Make Mistakes

Every yoga teacher makes mistakes.

You may confuse left and right, forget a cue or miss something on the second side. Your students are unlikely to be troubled by small errors, particularly when you acknowledge them calmly and continue.

Being human often makes you more relatable. The value of the class is not erased by one imperfect instruction. Yoga is considerably more powerful than a minor teaching wobble.

Stop Comparing Your Beginning to Someone Else’s Middle

The teachers who inspire you have often been teaching for years.

You did not see their first class, their early nerves or the mistakes they made while learning. Comparing yourself with an experienced teacher creates an impossible standard.

Your aim is not to become a copy of another teacher. Build strong foundations, then allow your own personality, experience and interests to shape the teacher you become.

Give Your Class Time to Grow

A new class may take months to become established.

Starting with a pre-booked six-week beginners’ course can make the process feel more manageable. It gives you a clear start date, allows you to focus on marketing beforehand and creates continuity for both you and your students.

Once the course begins, your attention can move towards planning, teaching and listening to feedback rather than trying to promote the class every week.

Confidence is not the starting point. It is the result of showing up, teaching and allowing yourself to improve over time.

RELATED: What It Takes to Sustain a Yoga Business – The Difference between Growth and Sustainability

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #NewYogaTeacher #YogaTeacherConfidence #YogaTeacherTraining #TeachingYoga #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaBusiness #BeginnerYogaTeacher #YogaPodcast #Workshop

July 2026 marks one of the biggest astrological turning points of the year.

Whether you follow astrology closely or simply appreciate it as a language of archetypes, this month invites yoga teachers to reflect on growth, leadership and the next chapter of their business. Rather than predicting the future, astrology offers a framework for understanding the cycles we naturally move through in life, teaching and business.

Honour the Cycles of Growth

Yoga reminds us that life is never linear. Every cycle contains a beginning, a period of growth and an ending before something new can emerge.

The same is true of your yoga business.

Periods of feeling uninspired, creatively flat or uncertain are not necessarily signs that something is wrong. Often they are the space that appears before a new direction begins. Instead of resisting these quieter seasons, allow them to create room for fresh learning and new possibilities.

Learn, Teach, Grow, Repeat

One of the healthiest rhythms for a yoga teacher is:

• Learn
• Teach
• Grow
• Pause
• Learn again

Many teachers become stuck in endless learning, while others teach from the same material for years without refreshing their inspiration. Sustainable growth comes from moving through the whole cycle, allowing new study to deepen your teaching and your teaching to reveal what you are ready to learn next.

Jupiter in Leo Invites Bold Leadership

One of the biggest astrological shifts this July is Jupiter moving into Leo for the next thirteen months.

Symbolically, Jupiter represents wisdom, learning and teaching, while Leo brings themes of confidence, creativity and leadership.

For yoga teachers, this is an invitation to stop following trends and start leading with clarity. Ask yourself:

• What do I genuinely want to teach?
• What direction do I want to lead my students towards?
• Where am I ready to become more visible?

Growth often requires stepping beyond your comfort zone rather than waiting until you feel completely ready.

Let Go to Create Space

Alongside this expansion comes an equally important lesson.

Growth requires endings.

Outdated beliefs about visibility, leadership or confidence may need to be released before new opportunities can emerge. Sometimes the next chapter begins by letting go of an old way of teaching, communicating or thinking about yourself.

Community Is Becoming More Valuable Than Ever

Another major theme highlighted this season is community.

As technology continues to evolve, genuine human connection becomes increasingly valuable. For yoga teachers, this is an opportunity to create spaces where people can gather, practise and connect in meaningful ways.

Whether that is a book club, teacher circle, workshop, retreat or local community event, don’t wait for someone else to build the community you wish existed. Lead it.

Step Into the Next Chapter

July’s astrology is less about dramatic overnight change and more about conscious expansion.

Continue learning. Trust the creative pauses. Release what no longer serves you. Lead with courage and create the kind of yoga community you want to see.

Sometimes the greatest opportunities arrive when you are willing to begin a new cycle.

RELATED: Feeling Stagnant: Top Tips to Get Your Mojo Back

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #JulyAstrology #AstrologyForBusiness #JupiterInLeo #YogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #SpiritualBusiness #BusinessGrowth #YogaMentor #TeachingYoga #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Instagram is often viewed as a place to post beautiful yoga photos, but its real strength lies elsewhere.

Used well, it becomes a place to start conversations, build trust and create genuine relationships with the people who may one day become your students.

This workshop with guest expert Lillie Hussain, explores how yoga teachers can use Instagram more intentionally to grow their communities.

Stop Thinking About Followers. Start Building Community.

One of the biggest mindset shifts is to stop seeing Instagram as a collection of followers and instead see it as a community.

Every story, comment and message becomes an opportunity to connect with real people. The aim is not simply to gain more followers but to build meaningful relationships with those already paying attention.

Instagram Stories Are Where Conversations Begin

While many teachers focus on creating feed posts, using Instagram Stories can be a great place to start conversations.

Simple interactive features such as polls, quizzes and question boxes invite people to participate rather than simply scroll past.

For example, instead of posting that you have a beginner yoga class, ask:

• Are you thinking about starting yoga?
• Would you like to improve your mobility?
• What questions do you have about yoga?

These small interactions identify people who are already interested in what you teach.

Use Direct Messages to Build Relationships

Once someone has responded to a Story, the conversation can naturally move into direct messages.

Rather than immediately trying to sell, start by asking questions, learning about their challenges and understanding what they need. When your classes genuinely solve that problem, sharing your offer feels helpful rather than pushy.

People are far more likely to join a class when they feel personally invited rather than simply marketed to.

Encourage Interaction

Instagram rewards engagement, and so do your relationships.

Quizzes, polls and question stickers make your audience part of the conversation. They also help position you as a knowledgeable teacher while giving you valuable insight into what your community wants to learn next.

Find out more about Lillie’s work: https://lovinglifelillie.com/

RELATED: How, What, When to Post on Social Media

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #InstagramForYogaTeachers #YogaMarketing #YogaBusiness #SocialMediaForYogaTeachers #YogaTeacherSupport #TeachingYoga #YogaTeacherLife #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Conclusion

The biggest takeaway is simple.

Every profile represents a real person.

When you approach Instagram as though you were speaking to someone over a cup of tea rather than broadcasting to strangers, your marketing becomes warmer, more authentic and far more effective.

Social media does not have to feel overwhelming. Used thoughtfully, it becomes an extension of the same relationships you build every time someone walks into your yoga class.

Teaching yoga asks us to be visible.

Whether we are guiding a class, writing a newsletter, posting on social media or speaking about our work, we are continually inviting people to connect with us. For many yoga teachers, that visibility also awakens an old fear of being judged, rejected or not being enough.

In this conversation, Laura Green is joined by author and coach Nicola Humber to explore how we can let go of these patterns and step into a more authentic, unbound version of ourselves.

Why So Many Yoga Teachers Hold Themselves Back

Many people come to yoga teaching because they genuinely want to serve others. Yet that desire to help can sometimes become people pleasing.

This can be described as the “inner good girl”, the part of us that seeks approval, avoids conflict and believes our worth comes from pleasing everyone else. These patterns can quietly shape the way we run our businesses.

They often appear as:

• Perfectionism and fear of making mistakes.
• Difficulty charging sustainable prices.
• Saying yes when we really want to say no.
• Working excessive hours to feel productive.
• Holding back our authentic voice through fear of judgement.

Authenticity Builds Stronger Connections

One of the biggest shifts comes from recognising that students do not need perfection.

They connect with honesty.

Rather than hiding mistakes or trying to present a flawless image, allowing yourself to be human often creates deeper trust. Vulnerability, handled with integrity, helps students relate to the person behind the teacher.

The Courage to Be Visible

Showing up authentically means accepting that not everyone will like everything you do.

Whether you are sharing your ideas online, increasing your prices or creating something new, there will always be differing opinions.

The goal is not universal approval. The goal is to build a business that reflects who you truly are rather than who you think you should be.

Meeting Your Unbound Self

Nicola introduces the idea of connecting with your unbound self:

The fullest, freest expression of who you are.

Through meditation and self reflection, we can begin reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that have been hidden through fear, criticism or the need to fit in. Rather than pushing these parts away, we learn to welcome them with curiosity and compassion.

Find out more about Nicola’s work: https://nicolahumber.com/

RELATED: Trust: The Most Undervalued Asset in Your Yoga Business

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #UnboundSelf #YogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #AuthenticTeaching #CreativeLeadership #YogaTeacherLife #PersonalGrowth #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Conclusion

Building a sustainable yoga business is not only about marketing, pricing or strategy.

It is also about having the courage to be seen.

As you become more comfortable expressing your authentic voice, setting healthy boundaries and trusting your own way of teaching, your business becomes a more genuine reflection of who you are. That authenticity is often what allows your students to connect most deeply with both you and your teaching.

The yama and niyama are often the first philosophical teachings yoga teachers encounter, yet they can also feel some of the most difficult to teach.

How do we honour the depth of these ancient teachings without oversimplifying them? And how do we introduce yoga philosophy in a way that feels relevant and accessible for modern students?

In this workshop, Laura Green is joined by yoga philosophy teacher Katharine Pincham to explore how the yama and niyama can become living practices, rather than simply ideas to memorise.

What Are the Yama and Niyama?

The yama and niyama form the first two limbs of Patañjali’s Aṣṭāṅga Yoga.

The yama are ethical principles that guide how we relate to others, while the niyama invite us to cultivate qualities within ourselves. Together, they provide a practical framework for living yoga beyond the mat.

Rather than seeing them as rigid rules, we might want to view them as reflections of our deeper nature. As our understanding of yoga matures, these qualities begin to arise more naturally through practice.

Teaching Philosophy Through Everyday Practice

Yoga philosophy does not need to become a ten minute lecture at the start of every class.

Instead, the yama and niyama can be woven naturally into teaching through language, reflection and the choices we make as teachers.

For example:

• Ahiṁsā can shape how we cue movement, encourage self compassion and communicate with students.
• Satya invites honesty in both our teaching and our relationship with ourselves.
• Asteya encourages generosity and giving credit to the teachers who have inspired us.
• Aparigraha reminds us to let go of possessiveness around students, ideas and success.

These principles are not abstract concepts. They become visible through how we teach, communicate and hold space.

Ask Questions Rather Than Give Answers

One of the simplest ways to introduce philosophy is through thoughtful questions.

Rather than telling students what they should believe, invite them to reflect.

You might ask:

• How do you speak to yourself when practice feels difficult?
• What happens when you let go of judging the outcome?
• Where might you be holding on more tightly than necessary?
  

Questions create space for students to explore the teachings in their own lives without feeling that philosophy is being imposed upon them.

Honour the Original Context

Some teachings, such as brahmacarya, are often simplified for modern audiences.

Don’t erase the original meaning, but explain the historical context. Traditionally, brahmacarya referred to celibacy within a particular renunciate tradition. Understanding that context allows us to appreciate the teaching while also exploring how its essence may apply today through the wise conservation of energy, attention and intention.

Honouring the roots of yoga creates depth without sacrificing accessibility.

Live the Teachings Before You Teach Them

Perhaps the most valuable insight is that philosophy is best taught through embodiment.

Rather than trying to master every concept before speaking about it, spend time practising it yourself. Reflect on where a teaching feels challenging, how it changes your own life, and what you continue to learn.

Students connect most deeply with authenticity, not perfection.

Find out more about Katharine’s work: https://unchangingbeing.com/

RELATED: Reflections on the Teachings of Hanuman for Life and Business

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #YamaAndNiyama #YogaPhilosophy #YogaEthics #Patanjali #TeachingYoga #UnchangingBeing #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Conclusion

The yama and niyama are not simply ethical checklists.

They are invitations to observe ourselves with greater honesty, compassion and awareness. As yoga teachers, we do not need to have every answer. Sometimes the most powerful teaching begins with a thoughtful question, a lived example, and a willingness to keep learning alongside our students.

Hanuman is one of the most beloved figures in yoga mythology.

Known as the monkey god, Hanuman appears throughout the Rāmāyaṇa as a symbol of strength, courage, devotion, and service. Yet beneath the epic stories and heroic adventures lie timeless teachings that remain deeply relevant for modern life and business.

Stories endure because they carry truths that transcend time. Each time we hear a story, we discover a new layer of meaning, a different lesson, or a fresh reflection on our own lives.

Remembering Your Gifts

One of Hanuman’s lesser-known stories tells of a young Hanuman who was bound by wise yogis after causing mischief with his extraordinary powers. He forgot his gifts and strengths until the day he discovered his dharma, his deeper purpose. Only then did those powers return.

This teaching feels remarkably human.

Many of us begin life with confidence, creativity, imagination, and courage. Yet over time, criticism, disappointment, or self-doubt can cause us to forget our own gifts. Hanuman reminds us that our talents are not lost. They are often simply waiting to be reclaimed through purpose and meaningful action.

The Courage to Love What You Love

Hanuman is perhaps best known for his unwavering devotion to Rāma.

His love is wholehearted, fearless, and visible. One story tells of Hanuman covering himself entirely in orange vermilion powder after learning it was used to protect those you love. If a little offered protection to Rāma, Hanuman reasoned, then covering himself in it would offer even more.

The story is playful, but the lesson is profound.

How often do we hide the things we genuinely love?

As yoga teachers, we may love mantra, meditation, philosophy, storytelling, or devotional practices, yet hesitate to share them because we worry how others will respond. Hanuman teaches us to be courageous in our devotion and unapologetic about what matters to us. When we teach from genuine passion, people feel it.

Action Needs Wisdom

Hanuman is also famous for taking decisive action.

When Lakṣmaṇa was gravely injured in battle, Hanuman was sent to retrieve sacred healing herbs from a distant mountain. Unable to identify the exact herbs, he uprooted the entire mountain and carried it back. The herbs saved the day, but damage was also caused in the process.

This story highlights an important teaching.

Strength and action are valuable, but they are not enough on their own.

In Non Dual Śaiva Tantra, manifestation arises through three forces: Icchā Śakti (desire), Jñāna Śakti (wisdom), and Kriyā Śakti (action). Hanuman’s mistake was moving too quickly from desire to action without pausing for wisdom.

In business, this lesson is particularly relevant. Before launching a new offering, setting a price, or making a significant decision, there is value in pausing, gathering information, and allowing discernment to guide action.

Sometimes carrying the whole mountain is unnecessary when a few carefully chosen herbs would do.

Hanuman’s Teachings for Modern Life

Hanuman’s stories remind us to:

• Reclaim the gifts we have forgotten.
• Let purpose guide our actions.
• Be fearless in what we love.
• Serve something greater than ourselves.
• Balance enthusiasm and action with wisdom and discernment.

These teachings are as relevant in business as they are in yoga practice.

Whether we are teaching classes, leading retreats, growing a business, or simply navigating life, Hanuman offers a powerful reminder that courage is most effective when rooted in devotion, and action is most powerful when guided by wisdom.

RELATED: The Bhagavad Gītā & Beyond: Yoga Philosophy for Yoga Teachers

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #Hanuman #YogaPhilosophy #YogaMythology #Bhakti #Dharma #YogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #TeachingYoga #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Conclusion

The enduring appeal of Hanuman is not simply that he is strong.

It is that his strength is directed towards service, love, and purpose.

His stories invite us to remember who we are, trust what we love, and bring our gifts into the world with courage, humility, and heart.

There is a conversation many yoga teachers avoid.

Money.

More specifically, the financial burden that can arise when teaching yoga becomes your sole source of income.

For many teachers, yoga begins as a passion. It is meaningful work. It allows us to support our communities, share practices we love, and create genuine impact. Yet when yoga becomes responsible for paying the mortgage, feeding a family, or funding the life we have built, the conversation changes.

The Reality Behind a Sustainable Yoga Business

Today, there are more examples than ever of yoga teachers creating successful, full-time businesses. This is encouraging because it shows what is possible.

However, it is important to remember that we often see the outcome without seeing the years of work that created it. Many established teachers have spent years building their reputation, developing skills, expanding their offerings, and growing their communities before reaching a sustainable income.

Success is possible, but it rarely happens overnight.

Is Your Income Goal Realistic?

One of the most important questions to ask is:

What do you actually need to earn?

Many yoga teachers come into the profession after careers with higher salaries and different financial expectations. The lifestyle, mortgage, family commitments, and responsibilities that income supported do not automatically disappear when you retrain as a yoga teacher.

This is not about lowering your ambitions.

It is about honestly assessing whether your current stage of teaching can realistically support the income level you require right now.

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Sometimes the answer is not yet.

Yoga Teaching Is Still a Career

A common misconception is that because yoga is meaningful work, it should immediately provide a full-time income.

Like any profession, yoga teaching has stages of development. New teachers are building experience, confidence, classes, and community. Over time, opportunities often expand into workshops, retreats, teacher trainings, mentoring, and other offerings that increase earning potential.

The income grows alongside experience, responsibility, skills, and the value you are able to offer.

There Is No Shame in Supplementing Your Income

One of the most empowering decisions a yoga teacher can make is recognising when additional income is needed.

A part-time job or supplementary income stream is not a sign of failure. In many cases, it can remove the financial pressure from your teaching and allow your business to grow more sustainably.

When every class has to pay the bills, it can be difficult to make calm, strategic decisions.

Sometimes stability creates more freedom, not less.

Are You Running a Business or Hoping for One?

If yoga is your sole income, your finances deserve serious attention.

That means understanding your numbers, forecasting income, planning for seasonal fluctuations, and knowing exactly what your classes, workshops, retreats, and events need to generate across the year.

Many yoga teachers rely on hope.

Sustainable businesses rely on planning.

The more responsibility you take for your finances, the more empowered you become to make informed decisions when class numbers fluctuate or an offering does not sell as expected.

Balancing Soul Work and Financial Stability

Teaching yoga is deeply meaningful work.

But meaningful work still exists within practical realities. Age, life stage, energy levels, financial responsibilities, and personal capacity all influence what is possible and sustainable.

The goal is not simply to earn more.

The goal is to create a business that supports both your livelihood and your wellbeing.

Because a stable income does not diminish the soul work of teaching yoga.

Often, it is what allows that soul work to continue for years to come.

RELATED: What to Do When Things Aren’t Selling Out

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

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Conclusion

Supporting yourself through yoga is absolutely possible.

But it requires honest expectations, realistic financial planning, consistent business development, and patience.

The question is not simply whether yoga can support you.

The question is how to build a business that can support both the teacher and the life around the teaching.

Not every yoga class fills.

Not every retreat sells out immediately.

Not every workshop lands the way you hoped it would.

For many yoga teachers, this can feel deeply personal. It is easy to spiral into thoughts like:
“Maybe I’m failing.”
“Maybe nobody wants this anymore.”
“Maybe I’m not good enough.”

But slow sales are not automatically a reflection of your worth, your teaching, or the quality of your work. Often, they are an invitation to pause, analyse and respond strategically rather than emotionally.

Slow sales happen to every business

Every business has offers that do not perform as expected.

Even experienced teachers, established brands and major companies have launches that flop. The difference is rarely perfection. It is resilience.

Successful businesses are usually built slowly through trust, consistency, refinement and meaningful connection over time.

Stop taking it personally

One of the most important things to remember when something is not selling is this:

Your bookings are not your self-worth.

When yoga teachers attach personal validation to numbers, it becomes very difficult to think clearly. Emotional spirals often lead to reactive decisions rather than grounded strategy.

The first step is to detach your identity from the outcome and move into analysis mode.

Look at what is actually within your control

External factors do matter. The economy, school holidays, timing, competing events and seasonal spending habits can all affect bookings.

But blaming everything on external factors stops teachers from examining what they can improve.

Some of the most important areas to review include:

The name of the event

Clear names usually outperform overly abstract or clever titles.

People need to immediately understand what the event is and why it matters to them. Sometimes changing only the title can completely shift bookings.

The imagery

Images create emotional connection far faster than text.

Generic stock photography or overly polished AI imagery often lacks warmth and humanity. Real photographs that capture atmosphere, feeling and connection tend to build far more trust.

The marketing language

Many teachers simply describe what happens at an event.

But effective marketing communicates how someone will feel.

Students are rarely buying “a yoga workshop.” They are buying rest, connection, inspiration, clarity, healing, challenge or transformation.

Make booking easy

Complicated booking systems quietly lose people.

If the process feels confusing, lengthy or unclear, potential students often drop away before completing the booking. Clear webpages, simple information and smooth systems matter more than many teachers realise.

Review pricing properly

Pricing needs to be analysed practically, not emotionally.

One of the biggest mistakes yoga teachers make is building events that only work financially if every space sells. A sustainable business model should still be viable before full capacity.

When planning retreats or workshops, it is important to understand:

• your actual costs
• your break-even point
• what capacity creates a fair wage
• whether unnecessary luxury expenses are inflating the ticket price

Sometimes a simpler venue and leaner setup creates a more accessible and profitable event.

Originality matters

In many areas, yoga communities are saturated with similar offerings.

Sound baths, cacao ceremonies, moon circles and yin events are now everywhere. That does not make them bad, but it does mean teachers need to ask:

“Why this?”
“Why me?”
“What makes this genuinely distinctive?”

The most compelling offerings are usually deeply aligned with the teacher creating them rather than copied from trends.

Give your offers enough lead time

Different students book differently.

Some people need months of notice to organise finances, childcare or annual leave. Others only decide at the last minute. Good marketing allows space for both.

Launching too late often removes the possibility for early planners to attend at all.

Avoid the echo chamber

One subtle trap for yoga teachers is seeking reassurance only from other struggling teachers.

When everyone in a conversation is saying:
“Things just aren’t selling right now.”

…it can become an echo chamber that prevents honest analysis.

While external conditions may influence bookings, businesses still need clear reflection, refinement and adaptability.

Create from genuine enthusiasm

One of the strongest point is this:

Passion sells.

Many teachers create offers because students asked for them or because something is currently popular. But when an event is not deeply aligned with the teacher’s genuine excitement, that lack of energy often filters into the marketing.

The most magnetic offers usually come from authentic enthusiasm, curiosity and devotion to the subject itself.

Should you cancel the event?

Sometimes cancelling is the right decision.

If an event will create a significant financial loss, cancelling may simply be responsible business practice. But if an event is breaking even, there may still be value in running it through:

• relationship building
• testimonials
• photography
• teaching experience
• community growth
• creative development

Not every successful event is measured purely through immediate profit.

RELATED: How to Keep Teaching Yoga in Challenging Socioeconomic Times

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

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Conclusion

Not selling out immediately does not mean your work is failing.

Often, it means the business is asking for refinement, patience, clearer communication, stronger positioning or more time.

Businesses that endure are rarely built through panic or perfection. They are built through resilience, trust, creativity and the willingness to keep learning.

Lick your wounds. Analyse honestly. Adjust clearly. Then keep going.

Many yoga teachers train because they love teaching yoga.

They imagine classes, students, sequencing, connection, community and meaningful work. What often comes as a shock is how much of running a yoga business is not teaching at all.

For many full-time yoga teachers, teaching may only be around 30% of the workload. The rest is administration, emails, bookings, marketing, content creation, tech, customer service, event planning, retreat logistics and all the unseen work that keeps the business moving. That hidden workload is often where burnout begins. In this workshop with VA Mae Skelding, we explore the hidden workload behind running a yoga business.

The business behind the teaching

A yoga teacher is rarely just a yoga teacher.

Behind the scenes, they are often also the administrator, marketer, customer service assistant, content creator, tech support, event coordinator and inbox manager.

There are emails to answer, booking systems to update, timetables to maintain, newsletters to send, retreats to organise, social media posts to create and students to support across multiple platforms.

Email, WhatsApp, Instagram messages, Facebook messages, comments, texts and voicemails can all become separate streams of communication. Even when each message is small, the combined mental load becomes heavy.

Why yoga teachers struggle to ask for help

Many yoga teachers feel they should be able to manage everything alone, especially if the business still feels small.

There can be guilt around paying for support, embarrassment about needing help, or fear that no one else will understand the business properly.

But needing support does not mean the business is failing. It often means the business has grown beyond what one nervous system can comfortably hold.

Just because you can do everything does not mean you should.

What a Virtual Assistant can help with

A VA can support many of the tasks that drain time and headspace, including inbox management, social media scheduling, newsletters, website updates, retreat admin, booking lists, forms, launch planning, research, customer communication and systems.

Some tasks can be fully handed over. Others work better as collaboration.

Social media, for example, often works best when the teacher provides the ideas, voice and core message, while the VA turns that into graphics, captions, emails or scheduled posts.

This keeps the content authentic while removing the time-consuming admin around it.

Support does not have to start big

Getting help does not mean hiring someone for 25 hours a week.

Support can begin with just a few hours a week or a small monthly retainer. Even two and a half hours of focused VA time can clear tasks that might take a yoga teacher much longer when fitted between teaching, messages, laundry, family life and general brain spaghetti.

A helpful starting point is to notice what drains you most.

What do you avoid? What do you resent doing? What takes up too much mental bandwidth? What keeps falling through the cracks?

That is often where support should begin.

Support can create more income, not just more cost

A VA is not only an expense. Good support can help ideas move from your head into the world.

When you are not constantly treading water with admin, you have more space to develop retreats, courses, workshops, collaborations and long-term plans. You can spend more time in your actual strengths: teaching, creating, holding space and building community.

Support can also improve the student experience. Messages are answered faster. Booking systems are clearer. Launches are more organised. Students feel held before they even arrive on the mat.

Choosing the right person

The right support person needs both skill and alignment.

For yoga teachers, it can be especially helpful to work with someone who understands wellness, heart-led business and the rhythm of a small creative company. A generalist VA can often be useful because a yoga business rarely needs only one thing. The work may shift from newsletters one week to retreat logistics the next, then website edits, forms, inbox support or launch planning.

The key is to find someone who is capable, clear, trustworthy and ideally better or faster than you at the tasks you are handing over.

Find out more about Mae’s work on Instagram @soul.syncva

RELATED: What It Takes to Sustain a Yoga Business – The Difference between Growth and Sustainability

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
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Conclusion

The hidden workload of running a yoga business is real.

It is not just the teaching. It is the inbox, the admin, the launch, the booking system, the customer care, the website, the reminders, the follow-ups, the tech and the constant mental tabs left open.

Getting support is not a luxury for people with huge businesses. It can be the difference between barely coping and building something sustainable.

A well-supported yoga business gives the teacher more space to teach. That is the whole point.

Growing a yoga business is one thing. Sustaining it is another.

At the beginning, there is energy, urgency and momentum. You are telling everyone about your classes, putting up posters, flyering, emailing, networking, launching new ideas and learning as you go.

But once your business is established, a different question appears: how do you keep it going without burning out, becoming bored, or quietly letting everything decline?

Growth and sustainability are not separate

Many yoga teachers imagine growth belongs to the early stage of business. You grow your classes, build your email list, add workshops, perhaps launch retreats or trainings.

Then, once things are working, it is easy to stop doing the very things that created the growth.

You stop telling new people about your classes. You stop flyering. You stop posting in local groups. You stop following up with students. You stop creating new offerings. Then, months later, class numbers begin to dip.

This is not failure. It is the natural cycle of business.

Students leave for ordinary human reasons. They move house. They change jobs. They have babies. They get puppies. Their schedule changes. They get injured, go on holiday, or simply fall out of rhythm.

To sustain a yoga business, you need to keep welcoming new people in.

Business has seasons

A yoga business moves through cycles, just as nature does.

There is the beginning, the spark, the birth of an idea. There is the sustaining phase, where something is held, maintained and nourished. And there is the ending, where something has served its purpose and needs to be released.

In yogic language, this can be understood through the trimūrti: Brahmā as creation, Viṣṇu as preservation, and Śiva as dissolution.

Your business needs all three.

If everything is always new, you exhaust yourself. If everything is only maintenance, the business becomes stale. If nothing is ever allowed to end, resentment builds.

Sustainability comes from honouring the whole cycle.

Keep bringing in something new

To sustain your yoga business, it helps to have at least one new offering each year.

This does not mean constantly reinventing everything. Rinsing and repeating what works is wise. It protects your energy and gives your students consistency.

But your business also needs fresh growth.

That might be a new workshop, course, retreat, collaboration, pop-up class, theme, venue, or community event. Something that brings energy back into your teaching. Something that stretches you slightly. Something that reminds you that you are still growing.

Newness keeps your business alive.

Keep marketing, even when classes are full

The work that grows your business is often the same work that sustains it.

Flyers, posters, newsletters, local Facebook groups, networking, conversations, guest sessions, community visibility, free resources and thoughtful follow-up emails all matter.

When your classes are full, you may not need to market with the same intensity. But you still need to keep the flow moving.

A few new students every few months can be the difference between a stable class and a slow decline.

Sustainability is not passive. It is active maintenance.

Let things end before resentment begins

One of the hardest parts of sustaining a yoga business is knowing when to stop.

You may outgrow a class, a workshop format, a venue, a niche, or a version of yourself as a teacher. That is not disloyal. It is part of growth.

If an offering no longer serves you, drains you, or quietly makes you resentful, it may be time to let it go.

Where possible, pass it on to another teacher. Invite students into your other offerings. Give the class a graceful ending.

A clean ending creates space for the next beginning.

Review your business every year

The questions you asked at the start of your business need to be asked again.

What do you want your business to feel like now? What do you need to earn? What do you most want to teach? What schedule actually supports your life? What have you outgrown? What feels alive?

You are not the same teacher you were a year ago. Your business should not be trapped serving an old version of you.

Annual review is not admin. It is alignment.

RELATED: Feeling Stagnant: Top Tips to Get Your Mojo Back

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #YogaBusiness #SustainableBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #BurnoutPrevention #StudentRetention #YogaMarketing #TeachingYoga #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Conclusion

A sustainable yoga business needs reliability, creativity and honest pruning.

Keep serving your students well. Keep telling new people about your work. Keep bringing in fresh ideas. Keep letting go of what no longer fits.

Growth is not just expansion.

Sustainability is the art of staying alive without losing yourself.

In this workshop with guest expert Helen Cooper, we explore a part of teaching many yoga teachers are only just beginning to understand: trauma, and what it means to teach in a trauma informed way.

For many teachers, trauma informed yoga can sound like something reserved for specialist settings. It may bring to mind work with veterans, people recovering from severe abuse, or those in clinical therapeutic environments. Yet this workshop points to something much wider. Trauma is not rare, and trauma informed teaching has relevance far beyond specialist classes. It matters in ordinary weekly drop in classes, community spaces, and open level teaching where we may know very little about what each student is carrying.

What is trauma

Trauma is the result of being exposed to a deeply distressing or disturbing event. That may be a single major event, or something that builds over time through repeated exposure, prolonged difficulty, or chronic stress.

The causes can be very wide ranging. It may be an accident, injury, bereavement, illness, abuse, rape, war, or civil unrest. It may also be something more cumulative, where the body and mind have gradually been overwhelmed. In simple terms, trauma can create such a strong shock in the system that the usual communication between brain and body becomes disrupted.

The symptoms are equally varied. They can include anxiety, depression, fatigue, nightmares, flashbacks, agitation, and a general sense of disconnection or overwhelm.

One of the most important reminders is that trauma does not look the same in every person. Different people respond differently, and we cannot assume we know what someone’s experience is just by looking at them.

Why trauma informed teaching matters in general classes

If you are teaching an open class in a church hall, village hall, studio, or gym, it is highly likely that at least one student in the room has experienced trauma. In truth, probably more than one.

That means trauma informed yoga is not just for specialist work. It is part of teaching responsibly in everyday settings. We are often blind to what students are carrying when they arrive on the mat, so it makes sense to teach in ways that reduce unnecessary activation and increase a sense of safety, agency, and choice.

This is not about becoming a therapist. It is about becoming more sensitive to the nervous system, to the language we use, and to the way our class environment may affect people.

What trauma informed yoga looks like

Trauma informed yoga tends to be gentle, spacious, and choice based. Rather than imposing a shape or demanding a certain experience, it invites the student into a more personal relationship with their practice.

Language matters here. Invitations are more supportive than commands. Rather than telling someone exactly what to do, trauma informed teaching leans towards phrasing such as perhaps you would like to, you might explore, or notice how it feels if. This helps restore a sense of agency, which is especially important for anyone whose choices or boundaries may have been compromised in the past.

The practice itself may be very simple. It can include small movements, clear options, basic awareness of sensation, and slow exploration rather than intensity. The aim is not performance. It is helping someone reconnect to their body safely.

Creating more safety in class

Safety is not only about what we teach. It is also about the room, the timing, and the atmosphere.

An important part is the beginning of class. The few minutes before the formal practice starts can feel chaotic. People chatting, mats shuffling, bags moving, late arrivals, general noise. For some students, that can already feel dysregulating. Creating a calmer transition into class matters more than we may realise.

Physical space matters too. If mats are packed tightly together, that may feel uncomfortable for some students. A clear route to the door can matter. Being able to see the exit can matter. Not assuming that an enclosed cocoon like atmosphere feels safe for everyone also matters.

Touch and physical assists need particular care. Permission should not be treated as something given once and then assumed forever. A student who was comfortable with touch last month may not be comfortable with it today. Consent needs to remain active and current.

Śavāsana and vulnerability

Śavāsana can be deeply restful, but it can also feel highly vulnerable. Being still, lying down, closing the eyes, and softening into the floor is not neutral for every student.

A trauma informed approach does not mean removing Śavāsana. It means teaching it with options and sensitivity. That might include offering bent knees, alternative resting positions, or permission to remain more alert if needed. It also means noticing if someone seems agitated or unsettled and resisting the urge to interfere too quickly. Sometimes leaving space is the kindest response.

Trauma informed yoga is not therapy

This is a crucial distinction. Trauma informed yoga can be therapeutic, but it is not therapy.

Teachers do not need to analyse, fix, or draw out someone’s story. Students do not need to disclose trauma in order to benefit from a safer class environment. In fact, pressure to disclose would work against the very safety we are trying to create.

For teachers offering one to one work, boundaries become especially important. Compassion does not require constant emotional availability. It is possible to be warm, responsive, and caring while still being clear that the yoga session is the appropriate space for the work you offer.

Why this matters for yoga teachers

Most of us want our classes to feel welcoming, inclusive, and supportive. Trauma informed teaching helps us do that more skilfully.

It invites us to think more carefully about language, consent, pacing, spaciousness, and the nervous system. It reminds us not to assume that what feels safe to us will feel safe to everyone. It asks us to teach with more humility and more care.

That does not make our teaching smaller. It makes it wiser.

If yoga is about connection, then trauma informed yoga asks an essential question: how do we create the conditions in which connection can happen safely.

Find out more about Helen ‘s work: www.helencooperyoga.com

RELATED: The Art of Circe Holding

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

Connect With Laura:

• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

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Yoga philosophy is not something separate from teaching yoga. It is the ground beneath it.

This workshop with guest expert Katharine Pincham explores the Bhagavad Gītā, ancient yoga texts, and how yoga teachers can bring philosophy into classes in a way that feels meaningful, accessible, and rooted in lived experience.

Why the Bhagavad Gītā matters for yoga teachers

The Bhagavad Gītā is one of the most beloved texts in yoga philosophy because it speaks to people living active lives. It is not written only for renunciates, monks, or those who have left the world behind.

It meets us in the middle of life.

This matters deeply for yoga teachers. Most of us are not teaching from caves, monasteries, or remote āśrams. We are teaching in village halls, studios, online spaces, community centres, gyms, and retreat venues. We are navigating money, relationships, uncertainty, responsibility, fatigue, purpose, and service.

The Bhagavad Gītā offers guidance for that exact place.

At its heart, the text asks: how do we act wisely in a world we cannot control?

Dharma: doing the work that is yours to do

One of the clearest teachings from the Bhagavad Gītā is dharma.

Dharma can be understood as your duty, purpose, or right role in the fabric of life. For yoga teachers, this does not have to mean doing something grand or dramatic. It may mean turning up for your students. Holding steady. Creating a space where people can breathe, soften, move, and remember themselves.

In difficult times, this matters.

When the world feels heavy, it can be tempting to question whether teaching yoga is enough. Yet the Gītā reminds us that our work is not to fix the whole world in one sweeping gesture. Our work is to do the next right thing with clarity, steadiness, and devotion.

For a yoga teacher, that may mean teaching the class. Sending the email. Holding the retreat. Offering the practice. Continuing to serve.

Karma yoga: action without attachment

Karma yoga is often misunderstood as simply volunteering or doing unpaid work. In the Bhagavad Gītā, it is much deeper than that.

Karma yoga is an attitude to action.

It asks us to act wholeheartedly, but without clinging to the result. As yoga teachers, this is painfully relevant. You can plan your class, promote your workshop, prepare carefully, and teach with sincerity. But you cannot fully control how many people book, how people respond, or what happens next.

The work is yours.

The outcome is not entirely yours.

This teaching can bring real steadiness to the business of teaching yoga. It helps us keep showing up without becoming consumed by numbers, comparison, fear, or disappointment.

Teaching philosophy without overwhelming students

Bringing yoga philosophy into class does not mean turning your 60-minute class into a lecture.

It starts with living the teaching yourself.

Do not rush to teach a text you have only just read. Let the philosophy steep in you first. Read it. Reflect on it. Practise with it. Notice where it speaks to your own life.

Then bring it into class in small, natural ways.

For example, when teaching a challenging posture, you might introduce karma yoga by reminding students to give their best effort without judging the result. This makes the philosophy practical, embodied, and immediately relevant.

Philosophy lands best when it helps students understand their own experience.

Make ancient teachings accessible without diluting them

Yoga teachers often face a delicate balance. We want to make philosophy accessible, but we do not want to flatten, sterilise, or disconnect it from its roots.

One way to honour both is to give context.

Ancient yoga texts were written in specific cultural, spiritual, and historical settings. Some teachings were originally intended for renunciates or particular communities. Rather than pretending that context does not exist, we can name it clearly, then explore how the teaching may apply to modern life.

This approach respects the tradition while making it useful for students today.

Accessibility should not mean removing depth. It should mean building a bridge.

Philosophy is not performance

There can be pressure on yoga teachers to sound wise, spiritual, or impressive.

The real work is simpler.

Let philosophy change how you teach, how you act, how you meet your students, and how you move through uncertainty. Then your words do not need to be elaborate. They will carry weight because they come from practice.

The Bhagavad Gītā is not asking us to perform wisdom. It is asking us to live it.

Find out more about Katharine’s work: https://unchangingbeing.com/

RELATED: Yoga Philosophy and Business

Join Our Community

For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

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• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Facebook: [@lauragreenyoga]
• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

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Conclusion

The Bhagavad Gītā offers yoga teachers a way to stay steady in the middle of life. It teaches us to act with courage, serve with sincerity, and loosen our grip on outcomes.

For teachers wanting to bring more depth into their classes, yoga philosophy does not need to be complicated. Begin with one teaching. Live with it. Practise with it. Let it become part of your language slowly.

The teachings do not belong on a dusty shelf.

They belong in the breath, the body, the choices, and the quiet courage of showing up.

In this workshop with guest expert Lauren Gray, we explore a part of sequencing many yoga teachers overlook: mudrās.

When inspiration feels low, mudrās can become a simple but powerful way to generate fresh class themes, shape the felt experience of an āsana, and bring more subtlety into your teaching. Rather than seeing mudrās as something separate from movement, meditation, or prāṇāyāma, this workshop invites us to use them as a creative thread running through the whole class.

What is a mudrā?

At its simplest, a mudrā is a hand gesture.

But in yoga, it is more than hand placement. A mudrā can be a way of directing attention, shaping energy, and deepening communication between body and mind. Just as we feel different qualities in āsana, such as grounding, spaciousness, steadiness, or uplift, we can also feel those qualities through the hands.

That is what makes mudrās so useful in sequencing. They are not just an add on at the end of class. They can become the seed of the whole practice.

Why use mudrās in yoga class sequencing?

Many teachers hit moments where sequencing feels stale. Mudrās offer another doorway into inspiration.

A mudrā can give you a clear energetic theme for class. It can help you decide the emotional tone of the practice. It can shape how a pose is experienced, not just what pose is taught. It can also bring more coherence between your opening, your āsana sequence, your prāṇāyāma, your meditation, and your Śavāsana.

Instead of asking, “What pose should I teach this week?”, you can ask, “What quality does this mudrā evoke, and how could I build a class around that?”

The five elements in the fingers

One of the reasons mudrās are so rich for sequencing is that each finger is associated with one of the mahābhūtas, the great elements.

The thumb relates to fire. The index finger relates to air. The middle finger relates to space. The ring finger relates to earth. The little finger relates to water.

Once you know this, your hands stop feeling random. They become a subtle map. A mudrā can then highlight a particular elemental quality, and that gives you immediate class inspiration.

If you are working with earth, you may sequence for steadiness, rooting, and containment. If you are working with air, you might explore lightness, lift, and fluid transitions. If you are working with space, you may bring attention to pauses, breath, and the felt sense of openness in the body.

Let the mudrā lead the sequence

A really useful approach is to practise the mudrā first yourself and ask what it actually feels like in your body.

Does it create steadiness, softness, alertness, containment, or expansion? Does it make you aware of your heart space, your back body, your breath, or the spaces between the limbs? Once you know that, you can let the sequence grow from the experience rather than from theory alone.

For example, Haḳinī mudrā, with all fingertips touching, might evoke spaciousness, clarity, and a sense of expansion between the fingers. One teacher may sequence from that into poses that emphasise lightness and breath. Another may feel strength through the back body and build a class around that. The same mudrā can lead to different classes because the felt experience is part of the teaching.

That is what makes sequencing with mudrās both intelligent and creative.

Mudrās in āsana, not only meditation

Mudrās are often taught in isolation, but they can be woven into movement very effectively.

You can introduce the mudrā in seated practice, let students experience it clearly, and then revisit it in selected āsanas. A mudrā might appear in Vīrabhadrāsana, Vṛkṣāsana, Goddess Pose, or a seated fold. It may then return again in meditation or Śavāsana, giving the whole class a sense of continuity.

The key is clarity. Teach the mudrā first. Let students feel it when they are stable and not overloaded with instruction. Then layer it into the sequence in a way that supports rather than confuses.

Mudrās, mythology, and meaning

Mudrās can also open the door to story.

If a mudrā connects with a deity, a symbol, or an image, that can become another layer in the class theme. Garuḍa mudrā might inspire a sequence around wingspan, perspective, and strength. Gaṇeśa mudrā might evoke obstacles, courage, and determination. A mudrā associated with the heart could support a class on giving and receiving.

This does not mean you need to present yourself as an expert in mythology. It is enough to be honest that you are learning, exploring, and sharing what is inspiring you. Often, teaching becomes one of the best ways to deepen your own understanding.

A practical way to begin

If you want to start sequencing with mudrās, keep it simple.

Choose one mudrā. Sit with it. Notice what it does in your body, breath, and attention. Read a little about its symbolism and elemental qualities. Then build a class around one or two core feelings it evokes.

You do not need ten mudrās in one class. One is enough. Introduce it clearly, revisit it two or three times, and let it return in the closing practice. That alone can make your sequencing feel fresher, more integrated, and more thoughtful.

Find out more about Lauren’s work: https://www.laurengray-yoga.com/

RELATED: Mudrā as Living Sādhana: From Gesture to Presence

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Conclusion

Mudrās offer yoga teachers another source of sequencing inspiration that is subtle, embodied, and deeply connected to the wider tradition of yoga.

They can help you move beyond pose based planning and into energy, symbolism, and felt experience. They can support your students to experience a pose differently, and they can help you create classes with more depth and coherence.

When inspiration feels thin, a mudrā can be enough to begin again.

In this workshop, we explore a question many yoga teachers are quietly holding: how do we continue to teach, serve, and sustain our yoga business during challenging socioeconomic times?

With rising costs of living, financial uncertainty, and shifting student priorities, it is natural for concern to arise. Yet alongside that concern sits a deeper truth. Yoga still matters. For many students, it matters more than ever.

Yoga is not just a luxury, it is a necessity

One of the most important shifts for a yoga teacher is how you perceive the value of what you offer.

Yoga can be seen as a discretionary spend. But for many students, it is not optional. It supports mental health, physical wellbeing, emotional regulation, and a sense of stability during uncertain times.

When life feels unpredictable, practices that create calm, strength, and clarity become essential. This is where a yoga class moves beyond being a luxury and becomes something far more meaningful.

As a yoga teacher, it is important to stay rooted in that understanding. Not from a place of ego, but from clarity. When you understand the value of your yoga teaching, you communicate it more effectively and teach with more purpose.

Focus your yoga classes on real, felt value

During challenging times, students are more discerning about how they spend their money. This makes clarity of value essential.

A yoga class plan becomes more impactful when it is rooted in what your students truly need. That may be stress relief, physical tension release, better sleep, or a space to pause and breathe.

Rather than offering broad or vague sessions, consider theming your yoga class sequence around specific outcomes. A month of classes might focus on reducing anxiety, easing back pain, or supporting nervous system regulation.

When students understand the benefit of attending, they are more likely to prioritise their yoga class, even when finances feel tight.

Keep your yoga business lean and sustainable

A key part of sustaining a yoga business during economic pressure is understanding your costs.

Every yoga class, workshop, or event has a price, costs, and a remaining margin. Reviewing that margin honestly can reveal where you can simplify.

Often, teachers increase the price of offerings by adding extras that are not essential. Props, gift bags, guest facilitators, or premium venues can all raise costs significantly. While these can enhance an experience, they are rarely the reason a student attends.

Students come for your yoga teaching. Simplifying your offering allows you to keep prices accessible while maintaining a sustainable income.

This same principle applies across your business. Reviewing subscriptions, software, and recurring expenses can help you operate more efficiently and reduce unnecessary outgoings.

Offer flexible pricing options for your yoga classes

Clarity and choice around pricing can support both you and your students.

A yoga teacher might offer a higher priced drop in yoga class alongside a lower cost membership or class pass. This allows committed students to access classes at a more affordable rate while giving you more predictable income.

Consistency in pricing builds trust. Rather than offering unclear or variable pricing, clear options help students make decisions with confidence.

Create access without devaluing your work

There may be students who genuinely cannot afford to attend regularly. Supporting them does not require lowering your prices across the board.

One approach is to create a sponsored space or fund, where a student or group of students supports others to attend. This maintains the value of your offering while increasing accessibility.

Another approach is exchange. A student may help set up the room, support administration, or bring new students in return for access to classes. This creates mutual value rather than reducing your worth as a teacher.

Adapt your yoga offering with intention

Small shifts in how you structure your yoga classes can make a difference.

Shorter sessions may be more accessible financially and easier to attend. Outdoor classes can reduce overhead costs. Simpler venues can make workshops more viable.

Even the language you use matters. A workshop framed around learning and practical benefit may resonate more strongly than something positioned as a luxury experience.

These are not compromises. They are refinements that align your offering more closely with what your students need right now.

Stay steady in your mindset as a yoga teacher

Beyond strategy, there is mindset.

Uncertainty can pull teachers into worry about numbers, income, and the future. Yet the steadiness cultivated through yoga practice remains one of your greatest tools.

Noticing the emotions that arise, allowing them to move, and returning to clarity helps you act rather than react. From that place, decisions become more grounded and less driven by fear.

Continuing to teach, to serve, and to show up consistently is itself a powerful response to challenging times.

Teaching yoga through challenge

Economic pressure changes how people spend. It does not remove the need for connection, support, and wellbeing.

A yoga teacher who understands their value, simplifies their offering, and stays connected to their students can continue to grow, even in uncertain conditions.

The focus remains simple. Serve well. Communicate clearly. Keep your offering accessible where possible. And continue to teach with steadiness and intention.

RELATED: Feeling Stagnant: Top Tips to Get Your Mojo Back

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• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

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Understanding the lymphatic system can help us teach with more clarity, especially when students are dealing with swelling, lymphedema, recovery after cancer treatment, or simply a body that tends to feel puffy, heavy, or sluggish. It also offers useful insight into how breath and movement support health for all students, not just those with a medical condition.

In this workshop with guest expert Sinead Cobbe, we explore this topic in more depth.

What is the lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system is a fluid system in the body that sits alongside the bloodstream. It is separate from the circulatory system, but works closely with it.

Its job is to collect excess fluid from around the cells, transport cellular waste, help move fats from the gut, and support immunity. That fluid, once collected, is called lymph. The system then moves it back towards the neck, where it returns to the bloodstream and can be processed by the body.

The lymphatic system also includes lymph nodes, which act as small processing points along the way. There are hundreds of these throughout the body, with many around the neck, armpits, groins, behind the knees, and around the organs.

Why the lymphatic system matters

We often only notice the lymphatic system when something feels off. Puffy ankles after a flight. Hands swelling in heat. Shoes feeling tighter by evening. Glands coming up during illness.

Yet this system is working all the time. It helps keep fluid moving, waste clearing, and immune responses functioning. When it is under strain, sluggish, or damaged, that can affect how the body feels and functions.

The lymphatic system does not have a pump like the heart. It relies heavily on movement, muscular activity, and breathing to keep fluid moving.

That is where yoga becomes especially relevant.

Yoga, movement, and lymphatic flow

Because the lymphatic system depends on movement, yoga can support it well.

Muscle activity helps move lymph, especially from the limbs back towards the centre of the body. This means movement itself matters. Not just stretching, but activation. Gentle pulsing, pressing into the floor, subtle repetitions, and muscular engagement can all help encourage flow.

This is also why long periods of stillness, sitting, or inactivity can leave some people feeling more swollen or heavy.

Inversions may also help, especially for the legs, because they assist fluid back down with gravity. This can include very simple variations such as legs up the wall, not just advanced inversions.

Why the diaphragm matters so much

The diaphragm is considered a major driver of lymphatic flow. Deep, low breathing helps create movement through the torso and supports lymphatic drainage. Stronger diaphragmatic actions, such as more forceful breath techniques, may also stimulate the system.

For yoga teachers, this reinforces something already important: belly breathing and diaphragmatic breath are not just calming for the nervous system. They may also support the healthy movement of lymph.

Even simple low breathing into the base of the lungs can be valuable, especially for students who tend to breathe shallowly into the upper chest.

Can yoga help students with lymphedema?

Yes, but with care and clarity.

Lymphedema is a specific type of swelling caused by damage to or blockage within the lymphatic system. A common example is arm lymphedema after breast cancer treatment, though it can happen elsewhere in the body too.

Current understanding is that movement and exercise are helpful, not harmful. Strengthening, activity, and yoga can all be supportive. If a student has lymphedema and is trying a new type of movement for the first time, it may be wise for them to wear their compression garment and to monitor how their body responds afterwards.

Yoga is not likely to suddenly cause lymphedema. But for someone with an already compromised system, large changes in activity may need a gradual approach.

As teachers, we do not need to diagnose or treat. We do need to teach intelligently, encourage pacing, and respect that some students may need to check in with their specialist therapist if they are unsure.

Simple things yoga teachers can include

You do not need to redesign your whole class to support the lymphatic system.

A few simple inclusions may help:

• diaphragmatic breathing
• gentle repetitions rather than only static holds
• muscular engagement in standing poses and all fours
• subtle shoulder and neck movement
• inversions or legs up the wall where appropriate
• stretching and backbends that create movement through the front body and torso

The key idea is simple: lymph likes movement.

A simple self massage area to know

The neck and collarbone area are an important place, because lymph returns to the bloodstream here.

Very gentle massage around the sides of the neck, below the ears, and around the collarbones may support this area. The touch should be light, not deep like muscular massage.

This is not a replacement for treatment where needed, but it is a helpful reminder that the lymphatic system can be supported through very gentle work.

Why this matters in teaching

Most yoga teachers are already doing things that support the lymphatic system without naming them as such. Breath. Movement. Gentle inversions. Repetition. Awareness of swelling. Encouraging students to move rather than stay static for too long.

What this understanding adds is context. It helps us teach with more precision and gives us another lens through which to understand fatigue, puffiness, recovery, and the value of simple practices.

Yoga does not need to become medicalised to be informed. But when we understand a little more of what is happening inside the body, our teaching becomes more skilful, more relevant, and more supportive.

Find out more about Sinead‘s work: https://www.yogaphysiozone.com/

RELATED: Exploring the Physiology of Yoga

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In this workshop, we explore a part of teaching many yoga teachers overlook: the subtle stages through which something comes into being.

In yogic philosophy, creation is not random. It unfolds through three expressions of śakti that shape how ideas, classes, workshops, and whole bodies of work come to life. When teachers understand this rhythm, creativity becomes steadier, clearer, and far more grounded.

Creation begins with śakti

Within tantric philosophy, Śiva represents pure consciousness and potential. Śakti is the energy that animates that potential into form. In practical terms, this matters because teaching yoga is deeply creative work. Every class theme, sequence, workshop, retreat, and training begins as potential, then needs energy to become real.

This is where the three śaktis come in. They are icchā śakti, jñāna śakti, and kriyā śakti. Together, they describe how something moves from inspiration to embodiment.

Icchā śakti: the spark of desire

Icchā śakti is desire, impulse, longing, and the first spark of an idea. It is the moment something stirs.

In teaching, this may be the sense that you want to explore a certain theme, create a new event, or bring a new offering into your community. It is not yet the full plan. It is the inner pull.

This stage is often rushed. Teachers can either dismiss the idea too quickly or jump into action before it has had time to deepen. Yet desire needs space. Ideas need time to percolate. If they are pushed too soon, what gets created can feel thin or underdeveloped.

A useful question here is simple: what do I desire? Not what should I teach. Not what might perform well. What do I genuinely want to explore, experience, or share? Very often, that desire becomes the most alive and compelling seed for teaching.

Jñāna śakti: the wisdom that shapes the idea

Jñāna śakti is wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Once the spark is there, it needs form, reflection, and discernment.

In teaching, this means asking what you need to know in order to bring the idea to life well. Do you already have the knowledge to hold it? Does the idea need more research, more study, more planning, or a collaborator with different expertise? Is the concept strong enough yet, or is it still vague?

This stage is where ideas gain depth. It is also where teachers can get stuck. Some rush past wisdom and go straight into action with half formed ideas. Others stay in learning mode indefinitely, always studying, planning, and refining, but never actually creating.

Jñāna śakti is not there to trap you. It is there to strengthen what you are making.

Kriyā śakti: the action that makes it real

Kriyā śakti is action. It is the movement that takes an idea from the inner world into tangible reality.

This is where the class gets planned, the proposal gets written, the page goes live, the email gets sent, the venue gets booked, and the thing actually happens. Without kriyā śakti, even a beautiful idea with real depth stays imaginary.

This is often the stage where procrastination appears. The most helpful response is not to think about every future step at once. It is to ask: what is the next right step? Then take it.

Not the final step. Not the whole map. Just the next one.

That is what makes action possible.

How these three śaktis show up in real teaching

These three forces are not abstract. They appear in very practical ways.

A class sequence may begin with icchā śakti, a feeling, an image, a theme, or a desire to explore a part of practice. Jñāna śakti then asks what needs to be understood, refined, or supported in order to teach it well. Kriyā śakti is the actual sequencing, teaching, and delivery in the room.

The same is true for a workshop, a retreat, a training, or even a moment of decision while teaching. There may be a subtle impulse, then an inner knowing, then the action that follows.

Understanding this rhythm helps teachers stop forcing creativity. It also helps them notice where they tend to get stuck. Some stay in desire and never shape the idea. Some stay in learning and never move. Some rush into action before the work is ready.

Teaching becomes stronger when you honour the rhythm

There is a real intelligence in this sequence. Desire gives life. Wisdom gives clarity. Action gives form.

When teachers honour all three, their work becomes more conscious and more coherent. Ideas are no longer rushed, overthought, or abandoned. They are felt, understood, and then created.

That rhythm can shape not only your bigger offerings, but your weekly teaching too. A class can begin in desire, deepen through understanding, and land through action. So can your business.

Creation is not about waiting for the perfect idea or forcing constant output. It is about learning how to work with the energies already present within you.

RELATED: The Art of Simple Yoga Class Planning: Teach Better with Less Stress

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We often talk about marketing, visibility, and growth. Yet one of the most important assets in any yoga business is far quieter than any of these. It is trust.

Trust is what makes a student return. It is what makes someone book the retreat before they have read every detail. It is what makes a new student walk into class feeling nervous, and come back again the following week. It is also what allows a yoga business to grow through loyalty rather than constant chasing.

For yoga teachers, trust is not an extra. It is the foundation.

Why trust matters so much

Yoga asks a lot of people. It asks them to move when they may feel apprehensive, to rest when they are tired but wired, and to soften when life has made them brace. Students often arrive carrying pain, injury, stress, grief, self consciousness, or simple uncertainty. The fact that they come at all is already an act of trust.

That trust deepens even further when students join longer courses, retreats, or trainings. In those spaces, they are not only trusting the teaching itself. They are trusting the quality of care, the steadiness of the experience, and the integrity of the teacher holding it all together.

This is why trust is such a powerful business asset. It affects retention, referrals, bookings, community, and reputation. More than that, it affects the quality of the relationship at the heart of the work.

Trust is built when students feel seen, heard, and held

One of the clearest ways to build trust is to make students feel seen, heard, and held.

To feel seen is to feel noticed as a human being, not treated as a body in a room. To feel heard is to know that questions, concerns, injuries, and hesitations are genuinely listened to. To feel held is to sense that the class, retreat, or course is being guided with steadiness and care.

This does not require perfection. It requires presence.

It might look like arriving early enough to welcome people properly. It might mean checking in with a new student who seems nervous. It might mean offering options without fuss. It might mean noticing when someone needs reassurance rather than correction. These moments may seem small, but they are often the moments when trust is formed.

Consistency builds trust over time

Trust can be built quickly in a moment of real care, but it is strengthened through consistency.

Students need to know that what has been promised will be delivered. The class starts when it says it starts. The retreat is what it was described to be. The teacher shows up. The teaching is reliable. The atmosphere is steady.

One of the quickest ways to erode trust is inconsistency. Cancelling classes unnecessarily, changing the format without warning, or quietly shifting what was originally offered all make students feel less secure.

This matters especially when building newer classes. Cancelling because numbers are low may feel practical in the short term, but it weakens confidence in the class itself. Students stop trusting that the class will run, and once that doubt is there, loyalty is harder to build.

Consistency is one of the clearest ways to show students that your work is dependable.

Reliability matters more than attention

It is easy to assume that business growth comes from attention alone. But attention and trust are not the same thing.

Attention may help people find you. Trust is what makes them stay.

A teacher can be highly visible online and still not feel reliable. Equally, a quieter teacher with strong consistency and genuine care can build a deeply loyal student base. In the long term, reliability is more valuable than noise.

This is especially important when offering something new. Students are often willing to follow a teacher into new spaces when trust is already there. They are not only buying the offer. They are buying the relationship and the confidence that it will be held well.

How trust gets eroded

Trust is not only built through what you do well. It is also weakened by the small things done carelessly.

It can be eroded through poor communication, hidden terms and conditions, unclear pricing, or last minute changes that leave students feeling wrong footed. It can be weakened when classes do not match what was advertised, or when boundaries are unclear around what a student is being invited into.

Transparency matters. If something is non refundable, say so clearly. If a class is outdoors, themed in a particular way, or includes partner work, make that obvious beforehand. Students are far more likely to feel safe when they know what they are choosing.

Trust can also be eroded when presentation becomes disconnected from reality. In a time where AI and over edited imagery are increasingly common, honesty matters even more. Students want to know who they are actually learning from. The more artificial the representation, the easier it is for doubt to creep in.

Trust is a responsibility and a privilege

The trust students place in a teacher is not something to take lightly. It is a responsibility, but it is also a privilege.

When students return again and again, when they book the next retreat without hesitation, when they bring their whole vulnerable humanity into the room, they are offering something precious. They are saying: I believe this space will be held well.

That kind of trust is not built through clever branding alone. It is built through care, consistency, transparency, and the repeated experience of being met well.

A strong yoga business is not only built on visibility. It is built on the quiet, steady work of becoming someone students know they can rely on.

RELATED: Elevate Your Mindset: Serve & Thrive for Yoga Teachers

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Corporate yoga is one of the areas many yoga teachers feel drawn towards, yet it often feels difficult to access. Questions usually arise around where to find companies, how to approach them professionally, what to include in a proposal, and how to price corporate sessions without underselling the work.

Corporate yoga can become a valuable part of a yoga business when it is approached strategically. Organisations increasingly invest in workplace wellbeing, and yoga, breathwork, mindfulness, and stress reduction practices are all highly relevant within that environment. Understanding how companies operate, how decisions are made, and how to position what you offer makes a significant difference to whether corporate yoga becomes worthwhile. This workshop with guest expert Shruti Srivastava is a clear, practical guide for corporate yoga.

Start with “Why” before you start with outreach

Before approaching organisations, it is useful to clarify why you want to work in the corporate space and what kind of organisations you want to work with. Corporate yoga is most effective when there is a clear connection between the teacher’s experience and the environment they are serving.

Companies also have their own “why.” Most organisations now have a wider corporate mission and a people strategy that includes wellbeing initiatives. Understanding this context allows you to position yoga as a solution to real workplace challenges such as stress, burnout, physical strain from desk work, or team wellbeing.

Researching organisations beforehand helps shape this approach. Information can often be found through company websites, employee feedback platforms, industry reports, and public information about company priorities or wellbeing initiatives.

Build a simple outreach system

Securing corporate yoga rarely happens through one conversation. It usually comes through consistent outreach and follow up.

Creating a simple spreadsheet helps organise the process. This can include companies you want to approach, contact names in HR or office management roles, contact details, and notes on when you have reached out and followed up. Prioritising a smaller number of key organisations while maintaining a wider list helps keep the process manageable.

Warm introductions are often the easiest starting point. Current students may work within organisations that would be open to introducing workplace yoga. Friends, family members, and professional contacts can also help connect you with relevant decision makers.

Cold outreach is still possible, but it benefits from being organised and persistent rather than relying on a single message.

Make first contact about connection, not price

Initial contact should focus on opening a conversation rather than immediately discussing pricing.

A short email introducing yourself, referencing a mutual connection if possible, and suggesting a brief conversation is often sufficient. The goal of the conversation is to understand the organisation’s needs, priorities, and current wellbeing initiatives.

Corporate decisions are rarely made instantly. Follow ups are a normal part of the process, and many opportunities develop through continued contact over time rather than a single exchange.

Pricing without underselling yourself

Corporate pricing often causes hesitation for yoga teachers. One of the most common mistakes is treating corporate work as if it were simply a regular class.

Corporate sessions involve more than the teaching hour. Time is spent on meetings, preparation, proposals, administration, and ongoing communication. Pricing should reflect the wider professional service being delivered.

Charging per employee attendance is generally less sustainable. Most organisations have a wellbeing budget, and a session or programme fee paid by the company is usually a clearer model. The number of employees attending does not necessarily change the amount of work required from the teacher.

When organisations ask about pricing early in the conversation, it can be helpful to keep the answer flexible. Corporate wellbeing initiatives can range from a single session to longer programmes including yoga, breathwork, mindfulness or workshops. Understanding the organisation’s goals first allows you to design a more relevant offer.

Proposals that land

Once a conversation has taken place, a proposal allows you to outline how you could support the organisation.

Effective proposals reflect the needs discussed in the conversation. A simple structure can include a short summary of the organisation’s goals, an outline of the sessions or programme being suggested, and practical details such as delivery format and pricing.

Including two options can be helpful, for example a simple session structure and a more comprehensive programme. This allows the organisation to compare possibilities while keeping the proposal clear.

Proposals should also include practical details such as insurance, company information for invoicing, and any other administrative information the organisation may require.

LinkedIn as the corporate shop window

LinkedIn is often the most relevant platform for connecting with organisations. Unlike other social media channels, it is designed specifically for professional networking.

A LinkedIn profile acts as a professional introduction and allows connections to be made with people working in HR, management, or wellbeing roles within organisations. It also allows you to share content related to workplace wellbeing, resilience, stress management, and other topics relevant to corporate environments.

Posting insights, articles, or short videos about wellbeing in the workplace helps position you within that space. Many professionals use LinkedIn as their primary online platform, which means it can reach audiences that are not active on other social media channels.

Professionalism is part of the pitch

Working with organisations requires a slightly different level of professional communication. Clear emails, careful proofreading, punctuality, and organised administration all contribute to building trust.

Corporate environments operate with formal systems and processes, and demonstrating reliability and professionalism helps organisations feel confident about bringing external wellbeing practitioners into their workplace.

Find out more about Shruti’s work on Instagram at @studio.shruti

RELATED: What You Need to Know about upcoming changes with HMRC and Making Tax Digital

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For more support and FREE resources, join our Facebook community, The Yoga Teacher Collaborative. Connect with other yoga teachers, share your experiences, and gain valuable insights on how to make your classes more inclusive and accessible.

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• Instagram: [@lauragreenyoga]
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• Website: [www.lauragreenyoga.co.uk]
  

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Conclusion

Corporate yoga can become a meaningful and sustainable part of a yoga teaching career when approached with structure and professionalism. Understanding organisational priorities, building consistent connections, and presenting your work clearly allows yoga to be positioned as a valuable part of workplace wellbeing rather than simply an additional class.