Category: Resources for Yoga Teachers

Yoga for children offers far more than an opportunity to stretch, move and have fun. It can introduce young people to valuable skills in emotional awareness, self-regulation, concentration and connection, helping them develop a greater understanding of themselves from an early age.

For yoga teachers interested in working in schools, however, understanding the benefits of children’s yoga is only part of the picture. Knowing how schools operate, what headteachers prioritise and how to demonstrate the impact of your teaching is equally important.

In this workshop with guest expert Samantha Bernice, we explore how yoga can support children’s wellbeing and how yoga teachers can successfully bring their skills into the school environment.

How Can Yoga Support Children’s Mental Health?

Children experience anxiety, stress, emotional challenges and difficulties with concentration, even when they cannot fully understand or articulate what they are feeling.

Yoga offers an opportunity to help children recognise the connection between their bodies, thoughts and emotions, while introducing practical techniques they can explore when they feel overwhelmed.

A simple starting point is to encourage children to notice how they feel physically, mentally and emotionally.

Is their body tired or restless? Does their stomach feel uncomfortable? Are they feeling sad, worried or content? What thoughts are going through their mind?

By developing this vocabulary, children can begin to recognise their experiences rather than simply reacting to them.

From there, yoga teachers can introduce accessible practices such as mindful breathing, five-finger breathing, movement and relaxation, helping children discover which techniques they personally find supportive.

The aim is not to eliminate uncomfortable emotions, but to give children a wider range of ways to understand and respond to them.

Yoga for Concentration, Confidence and Connection

Yoga can also provide opportunities to develop focus, body awareness and social confidence.

Balancing postures, for example, invite children to concentrate their attention, notice their movements and explore how their physical and mental states influence one another.

For children who find sitting still particularly challenging, including those with ADHD, an approach that begins with active movement before introducing quieter practices may be more accessible than expecting immediate stillness.

Group activities and partner exercises can also encourage communication and cooperation, particularly between children who might not otherwise interact.

Arranging yoga mats in a circle, introducing collaborative games and celebrating differences in physical ability can help establish a sense of belonging.

Importantly, these are potential benefits rather than guaranteed outcomes, and yoga should be viewed as a complementary wellbeing practice rather than a replacement for appropriate mental health or educational support.

Teaching Yoga to Different Age Groups

Teaching yoga to children requires a different approach from teaching adults, and a class designed for reception children will naturally look very different from one intended for Year 6.

Younger children generally benefit from short instructions, frequent changes of activity, stories, songs and imaginative movement.

Older primary school children may respond better when they understand why they are being asked to practise a particular technique.

Explaining how breathing exercises might help them settle before a test, or how balancing activities encourage concentration, can make yoga feel more relevant and engaging.

Effective children’s yoga teaching therefore requires more than simplifying adult yoga postures. It involves understanding children’s developmental stages, adapting activities to different needs and creating experiences that are both accessible and meaningful.

Understanding the School System

For yoga teachers wanting to work in schools, one of the biggest challenges is understanding how to present yoga in a way that aligns with the school’s priorities.

A headteacher may already recognise the importance of wellbeing, but they also need to consider curriculum demands, staffing, budgets and the practicalities of introducing another activity into the school day.

Rather than approaching a school simply offering yoga classes, it is more effective to demonstrate how your teaching could contribute to existing priorities.

These might include children’s mental health and wellbeing, physical activity, concentration, social development and positive relationships.

Yoga can also complement themes already being explored within the school curriculum.

For example, the yogic principle of ahiṃsā, or non-harming, can be introduced through age-appropriate conversations about kindness, respect and how we treat ourselves and others.

This allows yoga to support the school’s wider educational aims while retaining a meaningful connection to its philosophical foundations.

Working with Ofsted and School Funding

Schools need to demonstrate how their provision supports pupils’ development, which makes understanding their evaluation processes particularly valuable.

When approaching a school, consider how your yoga programme could contribute to relevant priorities, including physical education, wellbeing and personal development.

Some schools may have access to funding streams such as the PE and Sport Premium or Pupil Premium, although eligibility and permitted spending depend on the current funding rules.

It is therefore important to understand what each funding stream is intended to support rather than assuming yoga automatically qualifies.

Ofsted is another consideration. Rather than promising that yoga will satisfy particular inspection requirements, focus on demonstrating how your programme supports the school’s stated aims and how its impact can be evaluated.

Schools are more likely to recognise the value of your work when you can communicate its purpose in language they already understand.

Demonstrating the Impact of Children’s Yoga

If you want to establish ongoing relationships with schools, gathering feedback and evaluating your teaching can be particularly useful.

This might involve collecting observations from classroom teachers, asking children about their experiences or recording changes in specific skills throughout a programme.

For younger children, simple teacher feedback forms may be more appropriate, while older pupils might be able to complete short reflections themselves.

The important distinction is between making assumptions about the benefits of yoga and gathering meaningful evidence of what has actually changed.

If you offer a school a taster session, arrange a follow-up meeting with the headteacher in advance so that you can discuss feedback, review the experience and explore opportunities for ongoing teaching.

This creates a more professional approach than delivering a session and simply hoping to be invited back.

Creating a Sustainable Business Teaching Yoga in Schools

Teaching children’s yoga in schools can be deeply rewarding, but it also needs to be financially sustainable.

Schools may choose to train existing staff to deliver yoga, employ external specialist teachers or combine both approaches.

For independent yoga teachers, specialist training in children’s yoga, classroom management, age-appropriate lesson planning and working within the education system can help build confidence and credibility.

When setting your fees, consider the full value of your work, including planning, preparation, travel, specialist expertise and evaluation, rather than simply charging for the time spent teaching.

A one-off workshop may warrant a different rate from a regular contract involving several year groups.

The aim is to create an arrangement that delivers genuine value for the school while allowing you to maintain a sustainable teaching business.

Bringing Yoga Into Children’s Lives

Introducing yoga to children is an opportunity to share skills they may continue using throughout their lives.

From recognising emotions and developing concentration to exploring kindness, movement and relaxation, children’s yoga can offer experiences that extend well beyond the yoga mat.

For teachers hoping to bring yoga into schools, success depends on combining a passion for yoga with an understanding of children’s needs and the realities of the education system.

When we can communicate the value of yoga in ways that schools understand, demonstrate its impact and deliver engaging, age-appropriate teaching, we create greater opportunities for children to experience everything yoga has to offer.

Find out more about Samantha’s work: https://sambyogatraining.com/

RELATED: Securing Corporate Yoga: Pricing, Proposals, Networking and LinkedIn

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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The name of your yoga class, workshop, retreat or course is often the first thing a potential student encounters, and before they have read your description or explored your website, they have already formed an impression of what you are offering.

A well-chosen name can communicate value, spark curiosity and help the right people recognise that an offering is for them, while a confusing or overly complicated name can create a barrier before someone has even considered booking.

Naming your yoga offerings is therefore an important part of both the creative process and your marketing strategy, and finding the right balance between clarity and creativity can make a real difference.

Naming Your Weekly Yoga Classes

When naming an ongoing yoga class, it is worth considering how much flexibility you want to retain in your teaching.

A weekly class might run for many years, during which your interests, teaching style and students’ needs will naturally evolve. Giving that class a highly specific name, such as Power Vinyasa, creates an expectation that every session will deliver a particular experience.

That might be exactly what you want, but it can also become restrictive if you enjoy teaching a variety of practices.

Sometimes a simple name such as Yoga or Mixed-Level Yoga, supported by a clear class description, provides greater freedom to adapt your teaching.

Alternatively, a name such as Gentle Yoga for Physical and Mental Stress Relief communicates a much more specific experience and helps attract students looking for that particular approach.

The important consideration is whether the name accurately reflects what students can consistently expect.

Think About Who You Want to Attract

Yoga teachers can sometimes forget that the language we use every day is not necessarily familiar to potential students.

For example, someone completely new to yoga may not understand what Yin Yoga means, but they are more likely to recognise the appeal of Gentle Yoga or Relaxing Yoga.

Before choosing a name, consider who your offering is designed for and what they need to understand before booking.

Are they looking for something physically challenging or gentle and restorative? Are they beginners or experienced practitioners? What experience are they hoping to have?

The most effective name is not necessarily the cleverest one, but the one that helps the right person recognise that your offering meets their needs.

Naming Yoga Workshops, Courses and Retreats

A workshop, course or retreat is different from an ongoing weekly class because it usually has a defined beginning, end and purpose.

This creates more opportunity to choose a distinctive name that captures the essence of the experience.

Rather than simply describing the type of yoga being taught, you can consider the emotional connection, transformation or experience you want to communicate.

For example, a restorative yoga course might become Transformative Rest, while a workshop exploring yoga philosophy could have a name that creates curiosity about what participants will discover.

A useful name generally balances three qualities: clarity, emotional connection and a little intrigue.

Clarity helps people understand what they are booking, emotional connection makes the offering relevant to their lives, and intrigue gives them a reason to explore further.

A Creative Exercise for Naming Your Yoga Offerings

Before turning to AI or asking other people for suggestions, begin by exploring your own ideas.

Start with the simplest possible description of your offering, such as Six-Week Restorative Yoga Course, and identify the main words.

Take the word restorative and write down everything you associate with it, including rest, pause, unwind, relaxation, stillness, recovery and slowing down.

Then repeat the process with the word course, exploring alternatives such as journey, programme, experience, workshop or immersion.

Once you have gathered plenty of possibilities, begin combining and rearranging them.

A Restorative Yoga Course might become A Journey into Rest, which communicates a slightly different feeling while remaining connected to the original purpose.

At this stage, allow yourself to explore without immediately judging every idea. Creativity benefits from having room to develop before you begin narrowing down your choices.

AI can be useful afterwards for critiquing or refining your shortlist, but your own understanding of the offering and the people it serves should lead the process.

Use a Tagline to Balance Creativity with Clarity

Sometimes the most interesting name is not particularly descriptive, and that does not necessarily mean you should abandon it.

Instead, consider pairing a creative name with a clear tagline.

For example, Devotion is an evocative name, but on its own it does not explain what someone is booking. Adding Postgraduate Yoga Teacher Training immediately provides that clarity.

This approach allows you to retain the personality and emotional appeal of a distinctive name without leaving potential students confused.

It can be particularly effective for retreats, specialist courses and longer training programmes where you want the offering to have a recognisable identity.

Test Your Names Before Abandoning an Offering

If a workshop or course is not attracting bookings, the problem may not be the content itself. Sometimes the name simply isn’t connecting with what your audience currently wants.

For example, a Yoga Teacher CPD Day in Yin Yoga might sound like another professional obligation, while Yoga Teacher Rest Day: A Deep Dive into Yin Yoga presents the same experience as an opportunity for rest and nourishment.

The content has not changed, but the emphasis has shifted towards something that may feel more appealing to the intended audience.

Testing different names or marketing headlines can help you understand which message resonates most strongly before making significant changes to the offering itself.

Don’t Forget SEO When Naming Your Yoga Offerings

If you are creating something that will be available long-term, it is also worth considering whether potential students can find it through Google.

A descriptive name such as Teaching Chair Yoga naturally includes words that someone interested in learning to teach chair yoga might search for.

Similarly, Yoga as a Spiritual Practice clearly communicates the subject while incorporating a relevant search phrase.

Creative names can still work well, but pairing them with descriptive subtitles and clear website content helps both search engines and potential students understand what you offer.

Your Name Is Part of Your Marketing

Choosing a name for your yoga class, workshop or retreat deserves more thought than simply selecting the first appealing phrase that comes to mind.

A strong name should reflect the experience you are creating, communicate clearly with the people you want to attract and leave enough room for the personality of your teaching to shine through.

Start with your own creativity, explore the language surrounding your offering, and then refine your ideas with your audience in mind.

Your name does not need to explain absolutely everything, but it should create enough clarity, connection and curiosity for someone to take the next step towards booking.

RELATED: How Not to Use AI 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]
  

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Money can give yoga teachers the ick.

Charging for yoga, increasing prices, investing in your business or simply wanting to earn more can sometimes feel uncomfortable alongside the ethics and spirituality of yoga.

But money does not have to sit outside our spiritual practice. When we explore money through yogic philosophy, we can begin to see it differently: as exchange, value, energy and something we have a responsibility to steward wisely.

What Is Your Relationship With Money?

Before considering money spiritually, it helps to notice how you currently relate to it.

There are three useful areas to explore:

• Receiving: How comfortable are you being paid for your work?
• Spending: How do you feel about investing money in yourself and your yoga business?
• Caring: How comfortable are you managing accounts, checking finances, paying taxes and generally knowing where your money is going?

You may feel confident in one area and deeply uncomfortable in another.

Our relationship with money is rarely neutral. Money can represent survival, security, status, freedom or possibility. Our personal history and experiences inevitably shape how we feel about earning, receiving and spending it.

It is therefore worth asking: what does money symbolise for me, and what does ‘enough’ actually look like?

Money as Exchange and Value

At its simplest, money is a system that allows us to exchange value.

Before money, that exchange might have involved trading one resource for another. Money gives us a shared mechanism through which that exchange can happen more easily.

For a yoga teacher, the exchange might involve your time, experience, knowledge, energy and teaching. Your students receive something of value and money enables something of value to return to you.

Seen this way, earning money from teaching yoga does not inherently make the practice less spiritual.

The more interesting ethical questions are how the money is earned, how it is received and what we do with it afterwards.

Money as Śakti

Within Non Dual Śaiva Tantra, everything can be understood through the relationship between Śiva and Śakti.

Śiva represents pure consciousness or potential, while Śakti is the dynamic energy through which that potential manifests.

Through this philosophical lens, money can also be considered a form of śakti: energy capable of creating movement and bringing possibilities into material form.

And energy moves.

Money comes into a business and moves out again. Students pay for classes. You pay for venue hire, booking systems, training, equipment, marketing and the countless other things that enable you to continue teaching.

The aim is not simply to accumulate endlessly or spend carelessly. It is to develop a healthier relationship with circulation: receiving, investing, saving appropriately and allowing resources to support both your life and your work.

What Lakṣmī Can Teach Us About Money

Lakṣmī is associated with abundance, prosperity, beauty and good fortune. Her imagery frequently includes golden coins flowing from her hand, offering a powerful symbol of resources being both received and circulated.

This gives us another way to consider our relationship with money.

Can you receive money with gratitude rather than embarrassment?

When a student pays for your class, they are giving you something they earned in exchange for something they value. Whether that arrives as cash, a card payment or an automated subscription, it is still an exchange worthy of acknowledgement.

Receiving gracefully does not mean becoming obsessed with money.

Quite the opposite. It means recognising and respecting the exchange.

Allow Money to Circulate

Receiving is only one part of the cycle.

Running a yoga business requires us to invest. You might need to pay for a venue, booking system, website, equipment, training or support.

Rather than seeing every outgoing payment as a loss, consider what that money enables.

A sensible investment can create the conditions for more people to discover your teaching, make your business easier to run or improve the experience you provide.

This does not mean spending recklessly in the name of ‘abundance’. Spiritual language is not a magical hall pass for questionable bookkeeping.

Circulation needs to sit alongside discernment.

Receive. Invest where appropriate. Maintain suitable reserves. Allow more to come in. Circulate again.

Caring for Money Is Part of the Practice

There is another, less glamorous aspect of the spiritual energetics of money: actually looking after it.

Do your accounts. Check your subscriptions. Understand your expenses. Pay suppliers properly. Put money aside for tax. Know what is entering and leaving your business.

Stewardship matters.

If we consider resources a form of śakti, caring for those resources becomes part of our responsibility.

This also applies to pricing. Rather than attempting to make everything universally ‘affordable’, which means something different to every person, aim for fairness.

What is fair for your students? What is fair for your suppliers? And what is fair for you?

Money Is Not Separate From Your Yoga

The issue is not whether money is spiritual or unspiritual.

Money is a means of exchange. What matters is the relationship we develop with it and the choices we make around earning, receiving, spending and caring for it.

A yoga business needs resources to continue serving its community. Receiving those resources with gratitude, circulating them thoughtfully and managing them responsibly does not have to conflict with your spiritual values.

It can become another place to practise them.

RELATED: Exploring the Financial Burden of Yoga Teaching as a Sole Income

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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How did you arrive at this work? What shaped the yoga teacher you are today?

Yoga teachers can become very good at talking about yoga while quietly disappearing behind it. We explain the benefits of our classes, share yoga philosophy and promote our timetable, but often say very little about the person doing the teaching.

Yet your story matters.

There are many yoga teachers offering the same fundamental practice. Your experiences, interests, values and journey help someone understand why you might be the right teacher for them.

Your Origin Story Creates Connection

People naturally create stories about one another.

Someone visiting your website or discovering you on social media will form an impression of who you are, what you value and whether they might feel comfortable in your class.

Sharing your origin story gives them something real to connect with.

It can create recognition: I felt like that too. I struggle with that. Maybe this class really is for someone like me.

This is particularly powerful when speaking to people who are completely new to yoga. As experienced teachers, it is easy to forget what being a beginner actually felt like.

Your origin story can become the bridge between where they are now and the yoga you want to share with them.

You Have More Than One Origin Story

Your origin story is not simply the story of why you became a yoga teacher.

You probably have many.

There is the story of how you first discovered yoga. There is the story of why you trained to teach. There are also stories explaining how your teaching has evolved and why you are now passionate about particular practices, communities or areas of yoga.

Different stories will resonate with different people.

When promoting a beginners’ class, your story of being new to yoga may be most relevant.

When someone is considering deeper study, your journey into teaching may matter more.

When promoting a specialist workshop, retreat or training, share the story that explains why this particular subject became important to you.

The question becomes: which part of my story helps this person understand why I am the guide for this particular journey?

A Simple Four-Part Structure for Your Origin Story

You do not need to write your autobiography every time you tell a story.

A useful origin story can be built around four simple stages:

Something was one way.
Where were you at the beginning? What was happening in your life, practice or thinking?

Something happened.
What created movement or interrupted the status quo? Perhaps you attended your first yoga class, met a teacher, experienced an injury or discovered a particular practice.

Something was revealed.
What did you realise or experience that you had not understood before?

Something changed.
What happened because of that realisation? What did you begin doing differently, and how did it eventually lead towards the work you now share?

This structure keeps your story relevant. You do not need every twist, turn and mildly interesting subplot. You need enough context for someone to understand the transformation.

What Should You Put on Your Yoga Teacher About Page?

The About page is where many yoga teachers become spectacularly stuck.

Either we write a miniature CV filled with qualifications, or stare at the blank page wondering what anybody could possibly want to know about us.

Your audience does not need your entire life history.

They need enough to understand who you are, what brought you to this work, what matters to you and why you teach the way you do.

Your origin story can provide that thread.

The same principle works for a ‘Meet Me’ social media post. Rather than simply listing how many years you have taught and which qualifications you hold, tell people something that helps them recognise the human being behind the yoga teacher.

In Your Student’s Story, You Are the Guide

There is an important distinction to make when using storytelling in your marketing.

In your origin story, you are the central character. You experienced something, learnt something and changed.

But in your student’s story, they are the central character.

Your role is different. You become the guide who introduces them to the practices, teachings and experiences that may support their own journey.

This is why a marketing story needs somewhere to go.

After sharing your experience, create the bridge back to the person reading it. Show them how what you discovered now informs what you teach, then offer them an opportunity to experience it themselves.

Your story becomes both connection and invitation.

Your Marketing Does Not Need to Be Louder

There is already an extraordinary amount of noise competing for people’s attention.

Your yoga marketing does not necessarily need to become louder, brighter or more polished to compete.

It may simply need to become more human.

Your origin stories reveal why you care about the work you do. They help potential students recognise themselves in your experiences and understand what makes your approach distinctive.

So rather than hiding behind yoga, occasionally allow people to meet the person sharing it.

Your story might be the doorway that helps somebody feel yoga could be for them.

RELATED: Step into Your Unbound Self

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 #YogaMarketing #YogaTeacherStory #OriginStory #AuthenticMarketing #YogaTeacherSupport #TeachingYoga #YogaTeacherLife #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Is yoga ultimately a journey towards enlightenment?

For many of us, yoga begins with the physical practice. Over time, however, something can shift. Yoga becomes less about what we can do with our bodies and more about how we experience ourselves, our consciousness and our relationship with life.

In this workshop with guest expert Katharine Pincham, we explore enlightenment, spirituality and how yoga teachers might begin sharing the spiritual dimensions of yoga with their students.

What Does Enlightenment Mean in Yoga?

Enlightenment can sound like an enormous, mysterious destination reserved for monks, gurus and exceptionally spiritual people.

A more accessible way to understand it is as becoming increasingly aligned with our underlying nature as consciousness, rather than identifying exclusively with our thoughts, personality and physical body.

From this perspective, enlightenment does not require rejecting ordinary human life. The body, relationships and everyday experiences do not disappear. Instead, the way we understand and relate to them changes.

The path becomes one of recognising a deeper sense of being beneath the constant activity of the mind.

Mokṣa, Samādhi and Ānanda

Yoga philosophy gives us several Sanskrit terms that help illuminate different aspects of this journey.

Mokṣa means liberation or release. It points towards freedom from the limited understanding of ourselves as entirely separate, individual beings.

Samādhi describes states of deep absorption in which our usual mental activity and sense of separation can become quiet. Rather than enlightenment itself, samādhi can be understood as part of the process through which a different experience of consciousness becomes available.

Ānanda means bliss and appears within the expression sat-cit-ānanda: existence, consciousness and bliss.

These ideas overlap, but they are not simply interchangeable words for enlightenment. Together, they give us different ways of understanding what yoga practice is pointing towards.

Enlightenment Is Not All or Nothing

One of the most useful shifts is to stop imagining enlightenment as a binary state.

We can easily create two categories: ordinary person and enlightened person. That makes spiritual practice feel like an impossible journey towards a finish line we are unlikely ever to reach.

Instead, consider spiritual practice as an ongoing movement towards greater freedom, ease and understanding.

Old conditioning, habits and psychological patterns do not necessarily disappear because we have had a profound spiritual experience.

Practice, or sādhanā, helps us gradually bring how we think, act and relate to others into greater harmony with what we have begun to understand.

Notice the Glimpses You Already Experience

Spirituality does not always require extraordinary mystical experiences.

There may already be moments when the usual noise of the mind briefly falls away.

Perhaps it happens looking at the sea, watching a sunset, standing beneath an enormous night sky, meditating or resting quietly after yoga.

There can be a moment of awe, stillness, connection or uncomplicated joy.

Rather than immediately searching for the next experience, yoga asks us to pay attention.

Those small moments can become opportunities to notice consciousness itself: the awareness that is present before, during and after our thoughts.

Bringing Spirituality Into Yoga Teaching

Not every yoga teacher needs to become a spiritual teacher.

Trying to teach spirituality because you believe a yoga teacher should talk about it is unlikely to feel authentic for you or your students.

Begin with your own practice.

Explore meditation and philosophy. Become curious about consciousness. Notice experiences of stillness, joy, connection and awe. Allow your understanding to develop through practice rather than simply collecting intellectual knowledge.

As these ideas become meaningful within your own life, they can begin to appear naturally within your teaching.

Make Spirituality Accessible

Spirituality does not have to begin with Sanskrit terminology, deities or complex metaphysics.

It can begin with something extraordinarily ordinary.

Notice your breath. Feel the ground beneath you. Consider the remarkable circumstances that allow life to exist. Look at the moon. Experience the warmth of the sun. Pay attention to a moment when your mind becomes unexpectedly quiet.

The sacred does not necessarily need to be found somewhere beyond everyday life.

Yoga can invite us to recognise it within everyday life.

And perhaps that is a much more useful way to approach enlightenment: not as a distant prize we must somehow achieve, but as an invitation to pay closer attention to what we are already experiencing.

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

RELATED: Yoga Philosophy: Why Time, Place and Context Matter

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 #Enlightenment #YogaTeacherSupport #TeachingYoga #YogaTeacherTraining #YogaWisdom #YogaPodcast #Workshop

Finding the right words can be one of the most intimidating parts of becoming a yoga teacher.

We can become so accustomed to quoting teachers, books, poems and ancient texts that trusting our own voice feels surprisingly difficult. Yet developing that voice is part of growing as a teacher.

In this conversation with guest expert Zach Beach, we explore how yoga teachers can learn from the words of others while gradually developing the confidence to speak from their own experience.

Learn From Other People’s Words First

Trusting your own words does not mean you need to immediately abandon every poem, quotation or teaching that has inspired you.

Other people’s words can provide a valuable starting point.

Read poetry. Study yoga philosophy. Listen to teachers whose language moves you. Notice how they communicate complicated ideas simply and how particular words make you feel.

Think of these resources as a raft helping you cross a river. They support you while you need them, but eventually you may discover that you no longer need to cling to them.

The teachings you have studied begin to mingle with your own practice and lived experience. Gradually, your own language emerges.

Yoga Teachings Are Meant to Be Experienced

Studying traditional teachings matters, but yoga philosophy was never intended to remain purely intellectual.

Rather than accepting a teaching simply because it appears in a respected text or was said by a particular teacher, explore it through your own practice and experience.

That does not mean casually rewriting a tradition to suit ourselves.

It means studying, practising, questioning and noticing what the teaching reveals in our own lives.

As yoga teachers, we can then begin to communicate from somewhere deeper than memorisation. We are not simply repeating what somebody else told us. We have developed a relationship with the teaching ourselves.

Finding Your Voice Takes Practice

Writing and speaking are skills.

Like āsana, meditation or teaching itself, they improve through repetition.

If writing feels intimidating, begin without trying to create something profound. Put pen to paper, set a timer and keep writing. The first sentences might be complete nonsense. That is fine.

The purpose is initially to remove the expectation that every word needs to be wise enough to embroider onto a cushion.

From there, writing can become a craft. Explore metaphor, rhythm, imagery, repetition and the sound of language. Learn how other writers work and allow yourself to experiment.

Confidence rarely arrives before practice. It develops because of it.

Learn to Read Poetry in a Yoga Class

Sharing poetry effectively involves more than finding a beautiful poem and reading it aloud.

Think about three areas of awareness: your students, yourself and the words you are sharing.

During an active āsana practice, much of your attention needs to be on your students. When guiding meditation, more attention can move inwards as you communicate a particular quality of presence.

Poetry sits somewhere between the two.

Before reading, connect with the feeling behind the words. Slow down. Notice where the natural pauses occur. Allow the language to land rather than rushing towards the final line.

You are not performing the poem. You are creating an experience through it.

Protect the Silence of Śavāsana

Words can be particularly powerful during Śavāsana, precisely because they are surrounded by silence.

It can be useful to think about Śavāsana through three stages of relaxation: physical, mental and spiritual.

First, guide the body towards relaxation. Then encourage some release of mental activity. Finally, you might offer a poem, reflection or small piece of wisdom that speaks to something beyond the physical practice.

And then stop talking.

It is tempting as teachers to fill Śavāsana with instructions, music and beautiful words, but students also need space to receive and integrate the practice.

A poem can point towards something meaningful. Silence gives students room to experience it for themselves.

Listening Is Part of Finding Your Voice

Trusting your words is not only about becoming better at speaking.

It also requires becoming better at listening.

Yoga invites us to listen to the body before discomfort becomes impossible to ignore. We can listen to our emotions, relationships, values and sense of purpose with the same attention.

We can also learn to notice the constant commentary of the mind that makes genuine listening difficult.

For yoga teachers, this creates an interesting paradox: developing your voice does not necessarily require saying more.

Sometimes it requires becoming quiet enough to notice what is actually worth saying.

Your Words Do Not Need to Be Perfect

You do not need to become a poet to speak meaningfully in a yoga class.

Begin with the teachings and writers that inspire you. Study them carefully. Practise sharing their words. Explore the teachings through your own life and gradually experiment with expressing what you have discovered.

Write one sentence rather than searching for the perfect quotation. Share a simple reflection rather than attempting to sound profound.

Over time, you may discover that the words you were looking for were not missing.

You simply needed enough practice to trust them.

Find out more about Zach’s work: https://www.zachbeach.com/

RELATED: The Importance of Our Origin Story: Do You Ever Share Your Origin Story?

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As yoga teachers, we often notice a collective energy in our classes.

You might arrive with a carefully planned sequence only to realise your students need something completely different. Perhaps you suddenly feel drawn towards a slower, grounding practice, or discover that another local teacher has independently explored almost exactly the same theme that week.

Astrology offers one framework for exploring these collective rhythms.

You do not need to become an astrologer, or even completely believe in astrology, to use its themes and archetypes creatively. It can simply become another source of inspiration for your yoga sequencing, teaching themes and business planning.

Use Zodiac Seasons to Inspire Your Yoga Classes

Your personal star sign is only one small part of astrology.

As the Sun moves through the twelve signs of the zodiac throughout the year, each season brings different themes to explore.

Libra season, for example, is associated with balance, fairness and relationships. Conveniently, it also begins around the autumn equinox, when day and night reach a point of balance.

For yoga teachers, that immediately offers inspiration.

You might explore balancing postures, alternate nostril breathing, or a sequence combining an active first half with a quieter, more restorative second half.

You do not necessarily need to mention astrology in class. You can simply take the underlying theme and explore it through yoga.

Let Astrology Inspire Your Yoga Marketing

The same themes can provide ideas for your marketing.

During Libra season, rather than simply posting another reminder that your Tuesday yoga class has spaces, you might explore the idea of balance.

Has work taken over recently? Are your students making enough time for themselves? Where has life become unbalanced?

Your marketing can then show how your yoga offering responds to something people may already be experiencing.

Other zodiac seasons offer completely different starting points. Leo might inspire themes of confidence, creativity and visibility, while Virgo can draw attention towards routines, wellbeing and looking after the physical body.

Rather than inventing marketing themes from scratch every week, astrology gives you a rolling collection of archetypes to explore.

Work With the Moon’s Natural Rhythm

The phases of the Moon offer another simple framework for planning.

A new moon can represent beginnings and intention setting. The waxing phase suggests building momentum and taking action. A full moon can symbolise culmination or illumination, while the waning phase offers themes of releasing, completing and reflecting.

These cycles can inspire both your teaching and your business.

Instead of expecting yourself to operate at exactly the same pace throughout the month, you might use some periods for outward activity and others for reviewing, organising and working behind the scenes.

It becomes less about predicting what will happen and more about creating a rhythm for your work.

Use Planetary Cycles as Reflective Prompts

Astrological transits can also provide prompts for deciding when to push forwards and when to review.

Retrogrades, for example, are traditionally associated with revisiting, reviewing and slowing down rather than relentlessly charging ahead.

For a yoga business, that could inspire you to tackle the less glamorous but necessary jobs lurking behind the scenes: updating your website, gathering student reviews, improving your systems or reviewing what is and is not working.

When the astrological symbolism shifts towards greater momentum, you might choose to focus more heavily on promotion, launching or inviting new students into your classes.

The important point is not to hand your business decisions over to the planets. Use the symbolism to prompt reflection, then combine it with the actual information you have about your students and business.

Explore Your Birth Chart for Business Inspiration

While current planetary movements provide collective themes, a birth chart can be used as a more personal reflective tool.

Within astrology, the Midheaven is associated with career and public life, while Jupiter is traditionally connected with growth, abundance and expansion. Chiron is often interpreted through themes of wounding and healing.

Exploring these placements may prompt useful questions:

What comes naturally to you as a teacher?

What kind of work continually draws your attention?

Where have your own experiences shaped what you now want to share with others?

Rather than using a birth chart to dictate what your yoga business should become, allow it to generate questions about the work that feels most authentic to you.

Astrology as Inspiration, Not Instruction

You do not need to plan every yoga class according to the Moon or postpone a workshop because Mercury is doing something peculiar in the sky.

Astrology can simply become another creative resource.

Explore the zodiac season. Notice the moon phase. Learn about the larger astrological themes if they interest you. Then ask how those ideas could inspire your yoga teaching, sequencing, marketing or personal reflection.

The most useful question is not necessarily, “Do I believe in astrology?”

It might simply be, “Does this give me something interesting and useful to explore?”

RELATED: Astrology for July 2026 – Maximise Opportunities this Summer for Growth & Expansion in Your Business

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As yoga teachers, we often talk about ‘holding space’. It is one of those phrases that makes complete sense inside the yoga world and can sound rather peculiar outside it.

Yet holding space is an important teaching skill. Whether you are teaching a weekly yoga class, facilitating a workshop, leading a retreat or gathering people in a sharing circle, you have a responsibility to create an environment where people feel supported, respected and able to participate in a way that works for them.

In this workshop with yoga teacher Julia Davis, we explore what holding space actually means and how yoga teachers can facilitate sharing circles with greater confidence, care and awareness.

What Does ‘Holding Space’ Actually Mean?

Holding space begins long before somebody shares something deeply personal.

At its simplest, it means creating an environment where students feel able to communicate their needs. That might be a student telling you about a knee injury before class, asking about accessibility or letting you know they need a different option.

It includes the practical details too. Starting and finishing when you said you would. Preparing the room. Giving clear instructions. Setting expectations. Thinking carefully about confidentiality, safeguarding and the needs of the people attending.

These seemingly small things help create trust.

Holding Space Does Not Mean Fixing People

Yoga teachers often enter this work because they want to help people. The difficulty comes when helping quietly turns into believing we need to fix whatever somebody brings to us.

We do not.

Sometimes somebody needs to speak and simply be heard. A response as simple as, “Thank you for sharing that with me,” can acknowledge their experience without turning the yoga teacher into a therapist, counsellor or problem solver.

Part of responsible space holding is also recognising the limits of your knowledge and knowing when somebody needs support beyond your professional scope.

How to Facilitate a Sharing Circle

Sharing circles can work beautifully within yoga workshops, retreats, teacher trainings and community classes. They give students an opportunity to reflect upon their experience rather than simply completing a practice and immediately heading home.

Good facilitation needs structure.

Consider how the physical or online space is prepared, how long you have available and what you are inviting people to share. Be clear about confidentiality and whether participation is optional. Not everybody will feel comfortable speaking in a group, and silence can be a valid way to participate.

Prompts can also help. Rather than asking a broad question and hoping twenty people somehow intuit your timetable, offer a specific question or invite each person to share one sentence. Smaller groups or breakout rooms can make sharing more accessible for people who feel less comfortable speaking to the whole group.

When time is short, a one word closing circle can be surprisingly effective.

Create Inclusive Spaces for Different Voices

Facilitating a circle does not necessarily mean ensuring everybody speaks for precisely the same amount of time.

Sometimes it means noticing whose voices are usually heard and deliberately creating room for people with lived experience to speak.

In a training about menopause, for example, somebody who has experienced menopause may have something particularly valuable to contribute. In a conversation concerning a particular community, people belonging to that community may need more space while others practise listening.

Holding space therefore involves more than inviting people to talk. It requires us to listen carefully to who is speaking, who is silent and whose experience needs room.

You Cannot Guarantee a ‘Safe Space’

We often describe yoga classes and sharing circles as safe spaces, but we cannot completely guarantee another person’s experience of safety.

What we can do is create thoughtful boundaries and remain vigilant.

When facilitating meditation or Yoga Nidrā, for example, the teacher remains responsible for the room rather than disappearing into their own practice. With larger groups, additional facilitators or safeguarding support may be needed.

Clear timing, considered language, confidentiality, appropriate boundaries and a willingness to receive feedback all contribute to a more supportive environment.

Yoga Teachers Need Space to Be Held Too

There is another side to holding space that is easily forgotten.

If you continually hold classes, circles, retreats and communities for other people, where are you able to put down what you are carrying?

Developing listening partnerships can be helpful: relationships where each person has space to speak and be heard without immediately being advised or fixed.

Community matters for yoga teachers too. We need colleagues, friendships and spaces where we are not always the person facilitating everyone else’s experience.

Holding space is not about having the perfect words when something difficult arises. It is about preparation, boundaries, listening, appropriate responsibility and creating enough structure for people to have their own experience.

And sometimes, the most skilful thing we can offer is simply our attention.

Find out more about Julia’s work: https://finchleyyoga.com/

RELATED: The Art of Circe Holding

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Pregnant students do not always want to leave their regular yoga class.

They may love their teacher, value their existing community, or simply have no specialist pregnancy yoga class available locally. For yoga teachers, this raises an important question: how can we safely support pregnant students within an open class without becoming a pregnancy yoga specialist?

In this workshop with pregnancy yoga teacher trainer, doula and pelvic health specialist Nadia Raafat, we explored the practical foundations every yoga teacher should understand.

Start With a Pregnancy Specific Health Form

Even if you have taught a student for years, pregnancy changes what you need to know.

A pregnancy health form can include previous injuries, medication, previous pregnancy loss, current symptoms and relevant medical history.

Old injuries are particularly important. During pregnancy, hormonal changes increase the pliability of connective tissue and can reduce structural stability. An injury that appeared fully resolved years ago may become relevant again.

This information should also be revisited as the pregnancy progresses. What was appropriate during the first trimester may change considerably by the second or third.

Discuss Your Yoga Sequence Before Class

One of the simplest ways to support a pregnant student is to briefly talk through your lesson plan before class.

If you are teaching sun salutations, strong backbends, twists or other movements requiring modification, explain the alternatives beforehand.

This allows the student to move through class more confidently without constantly stopping for separate instructions.

It also creates a natural opportunity to check how they are feeling that day.

Pregnancy changes week by week. A modification that felt comfortable last Tuesday may not feel appropriate today.

Encourage Students to Slow Down

Pregnancy is not the time to chase the edges of a yoga posture.

Even experienced practitioners may need reminders to slow transitions, take breaks and allow their practice to change.

During pregnancy, hormones including oestrogen, progesterone and relaxin contribute to increased tissue pliability. Students who are naturally hypermobile may feel able to stretch further than ever.

That does not necessarily mean they should.

The focus can begin to shift from flexibility towards stability, control and support.

Slow transitions are particularly useful. Moving carefully from standing to the floor, or from one posture into another, reduces unnecessary strain on an already changing structure.

Keep Pregnant Students Where You Can See Them

Where possible, invite pregnant students to practise near the front of the class.

This allows you to maintain visual communication without constantly interrupting the wider group.

This can be particularly helpful during early pregnancy when a student may not yet want other people in class to know they are pregnant.

A glance or gesture can quietly remind them to take the alternative you discussed before class.

Understand Dizziness During Pregnancy

Dizziness and low blood pressure are common during pregnancy.

Hormonal changes can affect the muscular walls of blood vessels and alter circulation. Fast transitions between different planes can therefore become uncomfortable.

Yoga classes often contain exactly these movements.

Forward fold. Rise to standing. Move to the floor. Return to standing.

Rather than asking a pregnant student to keep pace with the rest of the group, build in resting points.

A halfway position with the head above the heart can give the circulatory system more time to adjust before completing the transition.

Students may also need permission to stop rigidly synchronising every movement with the breath.

The aim is smooth, comfortable breathing rather than struggling to maintain a particular breathing pattern.

Be Alert to Pelvic Girdle Pain

Pelvic girdle pain, commonly shortened to PGP, can occur anywhere around the pelvic region and is associated with structural instability.

Pain may appear around the pubic symphysis, groin, sacroiliac joints or surrounding areas.

A student might notice discomfort during weight bearing movements, lunges, warrior poses, changing position or even rolling over.

Importantly, symptoms may not appear during the yoga class itself.

Sometimes the student feels wonderful immediately afterwards and experiences significant pain the following day.

This is one reason post class follow up matters.

PGP should be taken seriously. A student experiencing symptoms may require assessment by a physiotherapist and may no longer be suited to a general group class without significant adaptation.

Check In After Class

A short conversation after class can tell you a great deal.

Ask how the practice felt. Ask whether anything felt uncomfortable or unusual.

Better still, check in again the following day.

Pregnancy related discomfort can sometimes emerge several hours later, particularly where structural instability is involved.

That information helps you decide what should change next time.

Know When a General Yoga Class Is No Longer Appropriate

Supporting pregnant students does not mean trying to accommodate every situation.

Sometimes the appropriate response is referral.

If a student develops significant pelvic girdle pain, medical complications or other concerns outside your knowledge and scope, specialist pregnancy yoga, physiotherapy or individual support may become more appropriate.

The aim is not to prove that every pregnant student can remain in every class.

The aim is to have enough knowledge to make thoughtful decisions.

Pregnancy Yoga and General Yoga Serve Different Purposes

A specialist pregnancy yoga class offers something a regular class cannot completely replicate.

Alongside movement, pregnancy yoga may include preparation for birth, specific breathing practices, education, emotional support and connection with other pregnant women.

But this does not mean pregnant students must immediately leave the teacher and community they already value.

With appropriate knowledge, communication and modifications, many students can continue safely in their regular yoga class while pregnancy progresses.

Supporting them well begins with understanding that pregnancy is not simply a matter of changing a few poses.

It is about seeing the whole student, understanding the physiological changes taking place and adapting the practice accordingly.

Find out more about Nadia’s work and her pregnancy and prenatal teacher trainings: https://nadiaraafat.com/

RELATED: Pre and Postnatal Yoga Explained: Teaching Tips, Common Questions, and Yoga for Pregnancy

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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

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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

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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

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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]
  

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

Many yoga teachers find it easier to talk about prāṇāyāma than pricing.

Yet your relationship with money has a profound impact on whether your yoga business feels sustainable, rewarding and financially secure.

This workshop with guest expert Jessica Cross, explores how yoga teachers can develop a healthier money mindset and build a business that supports both their students and themselves.

Money Is an Exchange of Energy

One of the biggest mindset shifts is recognising that money is simply an exchange of energy.

As yoga teachers, we understand that energy is designed to flow. Money is no different. It flows in through the value we provide and flows back out as we invest in our homes, families, communities and businesses.

Charging fairly is not about greed. It allows yoga teachers to continue offering life changing work for years to come.

Why Yoga Teachers Often Undercharge

Many yoga teachers struggle with pricing, particularly women working in caring professions.

Common limiting beliefs include:

• Feeling guilty about charging for yoga.
• Believing other people cannot afford your services.
• Comparing yourself to other teachers.
• Feeling like an imposter despite your experience.

These beliefs often lead teachers to undercharge while overdelivering, creating a cycle of exhaustion and financial pressure.

Your Money Story Matters

It can be a good practice for yoga teacher to reflect on their earliest memories of money.

Many of the beliefs we carry about wealth, success and pricing were formed long before we started teaching yoga. Becoming aware of these stories is the first step towards changing them.

Useful questions to journal on include:

• What is my earliest memory of money?
• What do I believe about people who have money?
• What does financial wellbeing look like for me?

Awareness creates the opportunity to choose differently.

Fair Pricing Supports Better Teaching

One of the most powerful ideas from the conversation is replacing the question:

“Is this affordable?”

with

“Is this fair?”

Fair pricing considers both the student and the teacher.

When your pricing allows you to pay your bills, rest, continue your education and teach with enthusiasm, everyone benefits. Sustainable teachers create sustainable communities.

Communicate the Value of Your Offerings

Students are not simply paying for a yoga class.

They are investing in improved wellbeing, reduced stress, greater mobility, confidence and connection.

Rather than apologising for your prices, clearly communicate the transformation your students can expect. Help people understand the value of what you offer instead of assuming they already know.

Prosperity Supports Your Yoga Business

Developing your money mindset is not about becoming attached to wealth.

It is about creating enough financial stability that you can continue sharing yoga without burnout or resentment.

When your business supports your life, you have more energy to support the people who need your teaching most.

Find out more about Jessica’s work on Instagram @soundforstress

RELATED: Investing Wisely 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 #MoneyMindset #YogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaPricing #YogaTeacherLife #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]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #YogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaTeacherLife #YogaTeacherIncome #SustainableBusiness #MoneyAndYoga #TeachingYoga #YogaPodcast #Workshop

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]
  

Tags:
#YogaTeacherCollaborative #YogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #MarketingForYogaTeachers #SlowLaunch #RetreatMarketing #YogaTeacherLife #TeachingYoga #YogaPodcast #Workshop

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.