Category: Resources for Yoga Teachers

Naturally introverted? Me too – but you might not guess it from the way I show up in my teaching. Many people assume that teaching yoga requires being loud, outgoing, and constantly “on.” The truth? You can absolutely thrive as a yoga teacher while staying true to your introverted nature. In fact, your quiet strengths might be exactly what your students need.

In this workshop, I’m sharing insights and practical tips to help you honour your energy, work with your natural rhythm, and build a sustainable yoga business – without trying to be someone you’re not.

Your Strengths as an Introverted Yoga Teacher

Yoga invites us to draw inwards, quiet the mind, and connect to our inner world – so it’s no surprise that many yoga teachers are naturally introverted. Being introverted doesn’t mean you’re shy or that you can’t lead. It simply means you recharge by turning inward rather than seeking constant external stimulation.

Instead of feeling like you need to “perform” or act extroverted, focus on your unique gifts:

• Deep presence and listening
• Creating calm, reflective spaces
• Offering thoughtful, meaningful teaching
• Leading with authenticity rather than performance

Honour Your Boundaries (So You Can Keep Showing Up)

Boundaries are what allow us to show up fully for our students without burning out. But as introverted teachers, we often don’t reflect on what those boundaries need to be – until we feel drained. Here are some areas to consider:

• Physical boundaries
  What physical space helps you feel safe and grounded while teaching? Maybe you prefer a couple of metres between you and your students or need to think about how you set up mats and props.

• Emotional boundaries
  How much of your students’ emotional stories are you able (or willing) to take on? Remember, your role is to offer the yoga; let the practice do the holding.

• Time boundaries
  Are you teaching at times that support your energy? If evenings drain you, could you experiment with mid-morning or lunchtime classes instead? Trust that students who need you will be available at the times that suit you best.

Teaching with Ease as an Introvert

• Start with stillness – Let the first moments of class centre both your students and you. Invite everyone to close their eyes, settle their breath, and arrive.
  
• Focus on the individual – Rather than seeing a big group, connect with each student one at a time. It softens the overwhelm.
  
• Use affirmations – When you feel nervous, try silently repeating: I see, I serve, I am present. This shifts the focus from yourself to your students and the yoga.
  
• Support your nervous system – After class, give your eyes a break from scanning the room, and take a few mindful breaths to reset.

Social Media: Do It Your Way

Social media can feel exhausting if it doesn’t suit your energy. First, ask yourself: Are my students here? If not, consider shifting your energy to in-person marketing – flyers, posters, local networking.

If you do want to be on social media:

• Share educational, value-based content rather than feeling you need to entertain.
• Batch-create posts when you feel more outwardly focused, then spread them out over time.
• Repurpose your content so you’re not constantly creating from scratch.
• Honour your natural cycles. Notice when you feel more visible (maybe around the full moon?) and plan accordingly.

Teaching and Thriving Without Pretending

At the heart of it all: you don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not. Yoga is about authenticity, and your students will feel that when you show up as yourself.

Rather than looking around at what everyone else is doing, look inward. Ask yourself:

What inspires me right now?
What would feel easeful for me to share?
How can I serve my students from a place of fullness?

RELATED: The Seeds of Creativity – Teaching Yoga Is a Creative Expression

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:
#IntrovertedYogaTeacher #YogaTeacherTips #AuthenticTeaching #YogaBusiness #YogaMarketing #YogaTeacherSupport #TeachingWithEase #YogaTeacherJourney

Conclusion

You don’t have to fight your introverted nature to be a brilliant, successful yoga teacher. When you stay true to yourself, set clear boundaries, and honour your energy, you’ll not only thrive – you’ll also inspire your students in ways that feel meaningful and sustainable.

When a new student steps into your yoga class for the first time, they’re not just learning how to move – they’re navigating unfamiliar territory with their nervous system on high alert. As yoga teachers, it’s easy to forget what it felt like to be a beginner. But if we want to truly support new students in connecting with their bodies, we need to slow down, simplify, and create supported spaces that help them feel safe enough to feel.

This workshop explores practical ways to guide beginner students into deeper embodiment using the koshas – the five layers of being – as a gentle framework. Whether you’re teaching a dedicated beginner’s course or welcoming new faces into a mixed-level class, these approaches will help you meet your students with care, clarity, and connection.

Start Before the Movement: Nervous System First

Before we even cue the first shape, we need to consider how a new student might be feeling. Simply showing up to class – driving to a new location, finding parking, entering a room full of strangers – can trigger the sympathetic nervous system (that fight-or-flight state). And in that state, it’s genuinely harder to feel the body.

So what helps? Downregulation.

“We can’t create a ‘safe space’ for everyone. But we can create a supported one.”

The way we greet a new student can make all the difference. A smile, warm eye contact, and introducing yourself by name aren’t just polite – they’re part of co-regulation. When your nervous system is calm, it helps theirs settle too. Know their name in advance if you can, or ask for it and use it with warmth. Show them where to put their things, how to find the loo, and where their mat goes. Invite questions. These tiny details aren’t just good customer care – they’re crucial for creating a space where someone can actually feel.

Set Expectations Early

Yoga is not just exercise – it’s a mindset. But most beginners won’t know that. They may show up expecting a fitness class and bring a push-harder, perform-better mentality with them. That mindset blocks connection.

So make it clear from the beginning:

“Yoga isn’t about how a pose looks, it’s about how it feels. And 60% effort is perfect.”
Let them know they will feel confused at first, and that confusion is part of learning. Remind them that they don’t need to get it all in one go. In fact, you might even want to build this into your business model. Offer their first class free, then a discount for their next two – because we know that three classes is where the magic often starts to happen.

Teach with the Koshas in Mind

The koshas offer a beautiful lens to understand the beginner journey. In the early stages, most students can only access the Annamaya Kosha – the physical body.

That’s where we begin:

• Where do your feet go?
  
• What shape are your arms making?
  

Breath cues (Pranamaya Kosha) and emotional awareness (Manomaya Kosha) come later. Start simple. In week one, let the only breath cue be: Remember to breathe. Around week three, begin integrating breath with movement. Emotional shifts might follow as they continue practicing over time.

This helps you avoid overwhelm. Instead of layering everything at once, allow students to experience the koshas in a gradual unfolding – body first, then breath, then emotion.

Use Clear, Grounded Cueing

A common mistake when teaching beginners is over-cueing or inviting too much personalisation too soon. That might sound lovely, but it can actually increase confusion and make students disconnect from their bodies.

Try this instead:

• Primary cues: Give the base shape in the simplest, clearest way possible. “Hands under shoulders, knees under hips.” That’s it.
  
• Pause: Let them be in the shape.
  
• Secondary cues: Once they’ve landed, then you can offer refinements. “Now try extending through the arms.” Or, “How does it feel to widen your stance?”
  

And when it comes to sensation?

Ask, don’t tell.
Instead of “This stretches your hamstrings,” try: “Where do you feel this?”
Encourage them to notice not just the loudest sensation, but also the subtler ones. What’s your second most noticeable feeling? Can you feel the air on your skin? The ground under your feet?

Repeat Poses for Deeper Feeling

One of the most effective (and underused) tools for embodiment? Repetition.

Repeat poses like Warrior II or Tree Pose within a class:

• First time: focus on the basic shape.
  
• Second time: offer space for awareness, adjustment, or inquiry.
  

You don’t need to change the sequence every class. Repetition supports confidence, attention, and nervous system safety.

Invite Reflection (Without Pressure)

Open-ended questions can deepen a beginner’s experience – when used mindfully. In a beginner’s course or small group, try:

• Journaling or post-it note reflections (“Choose one word to describe what you felt.”)
  
• Hands-up moments (“Who felt this in their hip?”)
  
• Simple emotional check-ins (“Was there a point where you felt confused, bored, or calm?”)
  

“It’s okay if you felt silly, bored, or unsure. That’s all part of the process.”

Just be mindful not to rush students into vulnerable sharing. Keep it light, optional, and supportive.

Build Long-Term Connection

Finally, remember that one class won’t change everything. But three might.

Create a journey, not a one-off experience. Welcome new students, follow up afterwards, and show that you care about their process.

Over time, invite them into deeper exploration of breath, mindset, and embodiment. But start where they are – with a supported, grounded, physical experience.

RELATED: Build Your Yoga Classes with Accessible Teaching

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:
#YogaForBeginners #YogaTeachingTips #YogaTeacherSupport #NervousSystemAwareTeaching #YogaBusinessMentor #YogaTeacherTraining #HeartCenteredTeaching #TeachingBeginnersYoga #YogaWithTheKoshas #YogaClassPlanning

Conclusion

Helping beginners to connect with their bodies isn’t about poetic cueing or perfect playlists. It’s about nervous system awareness, thoughtful instruction, and a deep understanding of the beginner’s journey.

Slow it down.
Say less, with more clarity.
Be present. Be warm.
Let them feel, not just do.

Because when a beginner feels safe enough to feel – that’s when yoga begins.

When we think about building a successful, long-lasting yoga business, our minds might jump to the usual suspects – great marketing, a full timetable, snazzy social media content. But after 12+ years of teaching and mentoring yoga teachers, I can confidently say the number one most important thing for a thriving and sustainable yoga business is this:

Trust.
Not trust in the universe (though, that’s helpful).
Not even trust in your teaching (although that matters too).
But trust from your students.

This one essential ingredient is what turns new students into long-term community members. It’s what gets your retreats booked out before they even go public. It’s what makes your business feel not only sustainable – but deeply fulfilling. In this workshop we explore what it really means to build trust, and the small, consistent steps you can take to cultivate it.

It’s Not About the Latest Trend

Forget shiny marketing tactics. Forget being told you have to do reels or jump on the next app. Truly sustainable businesses are built on something timeless: relationship. And relationships are built on trust.

One year, I was launching a new retreat – a 10-night pilgrimage to Rishikesh. With three teachers, a stunning riverside location, and a high-end itinerary, it came out at a much higher price than any retreat I’ve ever offered. I was nervous. I almost didn’t send it out. What if people thought it was too expensive? What if they didn’t trust the value?

But I hit send. And within 2 hours and 45 minutes, it sold out completely.
Every single space. Over £2,000 each. Paid directly. No fuss.

Not because I have the best graphics or the most followers. But because the people who received that email trusted me. And that trust was cultivated over months and years of care, consistency, and integrity.

Where Trust Begins: The First Class

Trust isn’t something you build only once someone’s on a retreat with you.
It begins from the very first interaction. When a new student books a class – don’t let the first point of contact be automated. Reach out personally. A simple text, email, or message saying:

“Hi Christina, I saw your booking for tomorrow’s class – so happy to have you! Let me know if there’s anything you need before we begin.”

These small touch points matter. They say: You’re seen. You’re safe here.

And when that student walks into your class? Try to remember their name. Greet them with warmth and eye contact. Ask how they are. Introduce them to someone else in the room. Show them where to leave their belongings. All these gestures might feel small, but they make a massive difference to someone’s nervous system. It tells them: You’re held here.

Then follow up afterwards. A quick message:
“It was so lovely to meet you. How are you feeling today?”

What feels like “overkill” to you, might feel like real care to them.

Build Consistency Into Your Communication

Whether it’s your newsletter or social media presence – consistency matters.

It’s not about being online all the time. It’s about being reliable. If you email monthly, do it every month. If you post, do it regularly enough that people feel connected to you. When your students hear from you with warmth and regularity, it reinforces their trust in you. If you’re launching something, be honest and clear. When I emailed about the high price of the India retreat, I didn’t try to spin it. I shared that it was more than usual, but that the value was exceptional. That realness created even more trust.

Be There – Even for One Student

This one’s hard, but it’s so important.

Don’t cancel class just because only one person has booked.

Yes, it might not “make sense” financially that day. But the long-term impact of cancelling erodes trust. If someone books and shows up, and you cancel? That student may not trust booking again.

Instead – show up. Deliver the most caring, thoughtful class you can. That student will remember it. They’ll come again. They’ll bring friends. This is how communities grow: one person at a time.

Trust Is in the Little Things

It’s in remembering that someone had a sore neck last week and checking in.

It’s in sitting at their level when you talk to them before class.

It’s in showing up, being present, and being consistent.

And it’s in the language you use. Choose clarity over complexity. Your students don’t need to be impressed with your poetic metaphors – they want to understand, to feel safe, to feel like yoga is accessible to them.

Why It All Matters

Trust is what turns “a class” into your class. It’s what transforms a casual student into someone who’ll travel across the world with you.

It’s what allows you to raise your prices with integrity.
To launch new offerings with confidence.
To build something that isn’t just busy – but meaningful.

And best of all? Trust allows your students to believe in themselves more too. It ripples out.

RELATED: Professional Yet Friendly – Striking the Right Balance as a Yoga Teacher

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: #YogaTeacherTips #YogaBusinessTips #SustainableYogaBusiness #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaMarketing #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherMentor #BuildingTrust

Conclusion

At the end of the day, your yoga business isn’t a machine – it’s a relationship. So come back to the human side. The small gestures. The consistency. The presence. The clarity. Build trust.

Not just because it fills classes – but because it fills hearts. And that’s the kind of business that lasts.

When we think about what makes a yoga class truly impactful, it’s often the energy we bring, the safety we create, and the way we guide students into deeper connection – not just with their bodies, but with the space itself. And at the centre of all of this is a tool we often overlook: our voice.

Whether you’ve ever doubted your voice, held back from expressing yourself fully, or wondered why your words didn’t quite land – this is for you. Your voice is not just a way to deliver cues. It’s an extension of your presence, a vessel for your energy, and a vital part of how you hold space. In this workshop, I talk to Alexandra Rigazzi-Tarling and we explore how to connect with your voice and use it as a powerful, embodied instrument in your teaching.

Your Voice is Energy, Not Just Sound

Your voice carries far more than words. It carries your nervous system, your confidence, and your ability to ground a room. It can calm, uplift, guide, or anchor. When you speak with intention, students don’t just hear you – they feel you.
This isn’t about trying to sound like someone else or performing in a certain way. It’s about discovering what’s already within you and learning how to let it land with clarity and presence.

Vocal Expression & Confidence

So many teachers hold back from fully using their voice out of fear – of sounding too much, not enough, too soft, too loud. But when you begin to meet your own voice with compassion and curiosity, something shifts.
Confidence doesn’t mean always getting it right. It means allowing your authentic voice to be heard – shaky or strong – and trusting that it has a place in the space you’re holding.

Resonance Creates Real Connection

It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. The tone, pace, and rhythm of your voice create the container your students rest into. A soft whisper during savasana can land more deeply than a long explanation ever could.
When your voice is rooted and aligned with your intention, students feel it. That resonance builds trust and creates the conditions for deeper learning and embodiment.

Your Voice is Part of the Craft

We often think of voice as something separate from our yoga teaching – an ‘add-on’ to our sequencing or cues. But your voice is part of the practice. It shapes the experience just as much as the postures do.
Learning to use your voice consciously – like learning alignment or anatomy – is a skill worth developing. It helps you hold space more fully and support your students more deeply.

This Isn’t About Sounding a Certain Way

You don’t need to sound louder, smoother, or more “yoga-like.” This is about presence, not performance. About allowing your voice to be an honest reflection of who you are and the space you’re holding.
Your voice, just as it is, is enough. The work is learning how to use it with more intention, clarity, and trust.

RELATED: The Art of Circe Holding

Explore Vocal Sound Healing & Mantra Sessions with Alexandra:
https://www.soundandvoicehealingstudio.com/

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: #YogaTeacherTips #YogaVoice #VocalConfidence #HoldSpace #YogaTeachingTools #VoiceAsAnInstrument

Conclusion

You don’t need to go searching for the perfect voice. It’s already there, waiting for you to use it with purpose and presence. Start small – notice how your tone shifts throughout a class. Play with silence. Explore your pace.
With time, you’ll come to see your voice not as something to fix or hide – but as one of your most powerful teaching instruments. A tool for connection, grounding, and transformation.
When you speak from your centre, you don’t just guide a class – you hold a room. And that changes everything.

As yoga teachers, we hold space for so much more than movement. We guide, we listen, we hold – and in doing so, we have a powerful opportunity to support our students’ nervous systems, even if we don’t come from a background in science or anatomy.

The good news? You don’t need to be a physiologist or memorise heavy textbooks to bring the central nervous system into your classes with clarity and care. What matters is teaching with intention – grounded in an understanding of how the body responds to stress, safety, and presence.

Let’s explore how you can begin to weave nervous system awareness into your teaching in simple, powerful ways.

Bringing Anatomy into Your Classes (Without Overwhelming Anyone)

You don’t need to recite every muscle group or nerve pathway to teach with anatomical awareness. Instead, focus on relevance and resonance.

When students sense that your cues come from care and awareness – rather than textbook precision – they respond with trust and ease.

Nervous System-Aware Cues & Practices

Start small. Begin to notice which practices help your students regulate – and name it. Here are a few simple ways to teach with the nervous system in mind:

• Slowing down: Gentle pacing helps the body feel safe. Let there be space between postures and in transitions.
  
• Orienting to the room: Invite students to look around or feel into their senses to anchor in the present moment.
  
• Offering choices: Empowering language like “You might explore…” or “If it feels supportive…” fosters a sense of agency, which calms the nervous system.
  
• Encouraging exhalation: Longer exhales can activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Try breath cues like “Slowly sigh out through the mouth.”

Helping Students Feel Safer, Calmer, and More Connected

The nervous system is constantly scanning for cues of safety. As teachers, we can support this process by:

• Holding consistent, predictable rhythms in class.
  
• Modelling self-regulation – taking a pause, slowing your voice, or offering grounding presence.
  
• Avoiding overly performative language or pushing students past their limits.
  
• Being relational – checking in, remembering names, creating inclusive spaces.
  

Safety isn’t a checklist – it’s a felt experience. And when students feel safe, they naturally become more connected to themselves and their practice.

RELATED: Breathe, Rest, Recover: Yoga Therapy for Long Covid & Fatigue

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: #YogaTeacherTips #YogaAndScience #YogaAnatomy #SomaticYoga #YogaTeachingSupport

Conclusion

Understanding the nervous system can make you a more impactful teacher – not because you’re rattling off science facts, but because you’re holding space with deeper wisdom and care.

You can teach in a way that’s both grounded in anatomy and deeply intuitive. You can bring science into your classes in a way that feels human, accessible, and full of heart.

It starts with small shifts – a breath, a pause, a kind cue – and grows into a confident, embodied teaching style that supports not just flexible bodies, but resilient nervous systems.

Summer brings sunshine, longer days… and for many yoga teachers, an unexpected dip in class attendance. Holidays, school breaks, and shifting routines can make your regular schedule feel like it’s been tossed out the window.

But here’s the truth: this lull is natural.
It’s not a failure. It’s a seasonal pause — one that we can plan for, work with, and even welcome.

Planning for the Pause Instead of Fighting Against It

When fewer students show up or your class schedule gets interrupted by bank holidays and term-time chaos, it’s easy to feel disheartened. But what if you approached this time like you would a long exhale in your practice – a chance to soften, recalibrate, and make space?

Start by asking:

• What do I want this summer to feel like in my business?
  
• What would help me feel supported through the quieter weeks?
  

With that clarity, you can shape your summer offerings and schedule with intention, not stress.

Navigating the Chaos with Calm and Clarity

Bank holidays and end-of-term transitions can throw everyone off – students and teachers alike. Instead of scrambling to keep everything “as usual,” give yourself permission to adapt.

This might mean shifting to a flexible class timetable, running shorter blocks, or offering pop-up sessions around your own availability. Communicate clearly and warmly with your students – they’re likely feeling the same unpredictability.

What to Do Instead When Classes Quieten Down

A lull in live classes doesn’t have to mean a lull in income or impact.
Use this time to explore alternatives like:

• Running a short online series students can take with them on holiday
  
• Offering private sessions or small group bookings
  
• Creating simple, seasonal content for your email list or social media
  
• Releasing on-demand practices or meditations they can access anytime
  

Think of this time as a gentle pivot rather than a full stop.

Creating Space to Rest, Replant, and Renew

Before summer begins, take a moment to reflect on what you need.
Could this quieter spell be a chance to rest, restore your creative energy, and plant seeds for the months ahead?

The pause can be an opportunity – for your own practice, for visioning your next offering, or for simply stepping back to breathe.

Let Your Teaching Shift with the Season

Just like nature, your energy and teaching style can shift with the season.
Summer might invite slower flows, grounding breathwork, or themed classes that connect to seasonal cycles. Let your content – and your presence – evolve with the time of year.

Show your students what it looks like to honour change with grace.

Planning Ahead with Intention (Not Burnout)

If you want to keep teaching over summer, do it in a way that supports you.
Map out what’s essential, what’s possible, and where you can create space. Consider:

• A simplified summer timetable
  
• One-off workshops or collaborations
  
• Time off that’s actually restorative
  

You don’t have to push through the dip. You can move with it.

RELATED: Failing Forwards – What To Do When Things Don’t Go To Plan

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: #YogaTeacherTips #SummerSlowdown #YogaBusinessSupport #SeasonalRhythms #YogaTeacherPlanning #SustainableTeaching

Conclusion

The lull doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong – it’s part of the natural rhythm of teaching.

When you embrace the pause, you give yourself permission to move through the season with steadiness and self-trust. Whether you’re teaching every week or pressing pause, your yoga business is still growing – quietly, cyclically, in its own time.

Let this summer be an invitation: to soften, to shift, and to stay rooted in your why.

Would you love to welcome more students into your yoga classes – and see them return week after week, feeling supported and seen?

Whether you’re teaching Chair Yoga, a mixed-level flow, or a course for beginners, one truth remains: no two people are the same. Every class is naturally a mixed-level class. Every student arrives with their own unique body, background, needs, and energy. That’s the beauty of teaching yoga – and also where accessibility becomes such a powerful focus.

As a community yoga teacher, I’ve been running Chair Yoga classes for some time, and I’ve found myself more and more drawn to weaving accessible teaching techniques into all of my open-level classes too. The ripple effect has been clear: more students feel safe, more return, and word-of-mouth begins to do its magic.

Accessible teaching isn’t about overhauling your entire style or diluting the depth of your practice. It’s about small, thoughtful shifts. It’s mindset and language. It’s remembering that yoga is for every body – and teaching in a way that truly reflects that.

Here are a few ideas to start exploring accessible teaching in your own classes:

1. Shift the Language

Language can be one of the most powerful tools to make your classes more inclusive. Phrases like “If it feels good in your body today…” or “This is just one option, and you’re welcome to stay right where you are” can go a long way in creating a space where everyone feels they belong.

2. Celebrate All Variations

Encourage choice by offering multiple ways to explore each shape. Let students know that props aren’t a fallback – they’re a brilliant tool. Show up with curiosity, not correction, and make sure students feel empowered to listen to their own bodies.

3. Look at Who’s in the Room

Take note of the folks showing up each week. Are you teaching the class they actually need? Accessibility starts with awareness. Ask for feedback. Stay open to evolving. The more your classes reflect the real lives and needs of your community, the more your students will thrive.

4. Make Incremental Changes

You don’t have to change everything overnight. Start small. Try a new cue. Offer an extra moment of stillness. Swap out a phrase you’ve always used for something softer and more invitational. These little shifts build connection and trust over time.

Accessible teaching doesn’t mean making things easier – it means making them more possible. More welcoming. More human.

When we meet students exactly where they are, we create a space where they want to come back. Again and again.

RELATED: Why every yoga teacher should know a little chair yoga?

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: #AccessibleYoga #ChairYoga #YogaTeacherTips #InclusiveYoga #GrowYourYogaClass #YogaTeaching #CommunityYoga #YogaForEveryone

Conclusion

Would you like more students in your yoga classes? Would you like new students to return and become loyal regulars?

It might be time to embrace Accessible Yoga Teaching – not as a trend, but as a commitment to community care. Start with small changes. Invite in more kindness. Let your teaching be a home where every student feels safe to explore and grow.

Teaching yoga is a creative practice. From your sequences and playlists to the way you speak, theme your classes, or design a course – what you offer is a form of self-expression. But creativity doesn’t always come on demand. You might find yourself repeating the same sequences or drawing a blank when it comes to fresh ideas. Or maybe you’re stuck in comparison, feeling like everything original has already been done. If you’ve ever felt creatively flat, you’re not alone – and it doesn’t mean you’re not meant to do this work.

In this workshop, we’re exploring how to nurture creativity as a yoga teacher so that your ideas not only flow, but flourish.

Why Creativity Matters in Teaching Yoga

Creativity is what makes your teaching feel alive.

It’s what helps you build classes that are deeply felt – not just followed. It shapes your language, your themes, your cues, your playlists, your visuals. It shows up in your workbooks and courses, the way you light a room, or the way you speak to someone after class.

It’s the thing that keeps your teaching evolving – so you don’t fall into autopilot or copy-paste content.

Being connected to your creativity means you get to offer something truly yours. And that’s powerful – for you and for your students.

Understanding Your Relationship With Creativity

Creativity lives inside all of us – it just expresses differently for each of us.

It’s not a factory setting or a button to press.
It’s a relationship. A living thing you get to care for, court, and grow to trust.

You don’t have to be “naturally creative” to teach with originality. You just need to believe it’s possible, and be willing to explore what lights you up.

What Blocks Creative Flow?

Sometimes, our creative spark dims.
And often, it’s not because we’ve lost it – it’s because something is standing in the way.

Here are some common creativity blockers for yoga teachers:

• Comparison: Looking at what everyone else is doing can shrink your own voice.
  
• Burnout or Overwhelm: When you’re running on empty, there’s no energy left for ideas to grow.
  
• Scarcity or Fear: That voice saying “I’m not enough,” or “It’s all been done already.”
  
• Lack of Time or Space: Without rest or solitude, inspiration can’t land.
  
• Perfectionism & Procrastination: Wanting it to be flawless before it’s even started.
  

Awareness is a powerful first step. Once you know what’s blocking you, you can begin to shift.

Ways to Rekindle Your Creative Fire

Creativity can’t be forced – but it can be gently invited back in.

Here are a few ways to reconnect:

• Read something beautiful: A poem, a phrase, a page that stirs something in you.
  
• Walk: Especially without your phone. Let your mind wander.
  
• Be in nature: Observe how creativity happens there – slow, cyclical, unforced.
  
• Listen to music: Let your mood shift through rhythm or melody.
  
• Return to pleasure: Cook something nourishing, dance, roll out your mat with no agenda.
  
• Play: With movement, language, sound, materials – just for fun.
  

None of these have to lead to a “finished” thing. They are ways to fill your creative well so you can give from a full, inspired place.

The Creative Cycle for Yoga Teachers

Creativity doesn’t happen in a straight line. It moves in cycles – just like nature.

• Seed – An idea begins to take shape. It might be vague or surprising – just a spark of inspiration.
  
• Soil – This is the nurturing phase. You write, explore, experiment. You gather ideas, journal, let things marinate.
  
• Bloom – The idea takes form. A new class, a course, a sequence, a theme. It’s the visible part of the process – but not the whole picture.
  
• Rest – This is essential. This is where integration and reflection happen. Where you refill your own cup and trust that the next season will come.

Learning to honour all four stages will keep your creativity feeling sustainable – not forced or rushed.

RELATED: The Courage To Teach Simply: Less Effort, More Impact

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: #YogaCreativity #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherSupport #InspiredTeaching #YogaClassPlanning #CreativeFlow #Creativity #YogaTeacherTips #YogaTeacherMindset

Conclusion

You don’t have to wait until you “feel inspired” to begin creating – and you don’t have to create just to keep up. Let creativity be a companion. Something you’re in relationship with, not trying to control.

Let your teaching be a place of exploration, not performance. A space to try new things, to be curious, to share what’s truly yours.

When we think of what makes a truly memorable workshop or retreat, it’s not just the techniques or teachings we offer – it’s how people feel while they’re there. It’s the sense of belonging, the unexpected connection, and the softening into a shared experience. This is where the art of circle holding comes in. For yoga teachers, learning how to facilitate a circle can gently elevate your classes, deepen the learning, and inspire students to return again and again.

In this workshop, I talk to Tessa Venuti Sanderson and we’ll explore how circle facilitation can transform your offerings – from regular classes to full retreats – creating meaningful, lasting impact.

Creating a Brave Space for Sharing

The heart of circle holding lies in creating a brave, held space where participants feel safe enough to show up authentically. In our fast-paced world, we rarely get the opportunity to be fully seen and heard without interruption or judgment. As yoga teachers, we already hold space in our movement classes – circle holding is simply an extension of that container.

Circles as Tools for Integration and Reflection

Circle time offers a crucial moment for integration – an often-overlooked piece of learning. After a meditation, story, or new movement practice, asking a simple reflective question like “What do you observe in your body now?” gives participants a chance to process their experience.

This doesn’t need to be lengthy. A one-sentence check-in or a minute of journaling followed by partner sharing can go a long way. It’s not about performance or fixing – just space to witness and be witnessed. This kind of reflection helps students internalise the practice and feel more connected to both themselves and the group.

Encouraging Authenticity & Meaningful Connections

One of the most powerful outcomes of circle holding is the way it encourages authentic connection – not only between teacher and student, but peer to peer. When students feel like they’re part of a community, rather than just attending a class, their engagement and loyalty grow.

Time Boundaries & Gentle Facilitation

One of the biggest hesitations teachers have when starting to introduce circle sharing is the fear that it will eat into yoga time or that one person might dominate. This is where skilled facilitation and gentle structure come in.

Clear parameters make all the difference. Try saying, “Let’s share just two sentences,” or use a timer for one-minute shares. You can also explain up front that this is a “no-fix” space – no advice, no solutions – just witnessing. These soft boundaries help create a respectful and balanced experience, even in shorter workshops or weekly classes.

Why Community = Repeat Bookings

People don’t just rebook your workshop because of what they learned. They return because of how they felt. The feeling of being part of something, of being gently held and truly seen, is what lingers long after the class ends. When students leave feeling connected, they’re not just booking a yoga class next time – they’re returning to a community.

RELATED: Running a Yoga Day Retreat: The Do’s, Don’ts & How-To’s

Explore More Resources: Get the book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles by Tessa Venuti Sanderson & Julia Davis – Available via Singing Dragon & Amazon (CIRCLEHPOD10 (Code can only be used on the publisher’s website: https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/circle-holding)

Join Our Community

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

Connect With Laura:

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

Tags: #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherSupport #CircleHolding #YogaCommunity #YogaWorkshops #TeachingWithConnection #YogaTeacherTraining #YogaFacilitation #HoldSpace #TeachingTipsYoga

Conclusion

The art of circle holding isn’t about being the perfect facilitator. Just like teaching yoga, it’s a practice that evolves as you do. Start small – a one-word check-in, a brief reflection after a new practice – and see how your students respond. The smallest of shifts can begin to build a community that feels warm, supportive, and magnetic.

As you deepen your skills and confidence, you’ll find that circle holding doesn’t take away from your teaching – it enriches it. It bridges the gap between yoga and life, between personal growth and collective experience. And most importantly, it helps your students feel like they truly belong.

Make your workshops more than just an experience – create a space where real transformation happens.

Why It’s Time to Shift the Way We Show Up in the Yoga Industry

If you’ve ever had thoughts like:
~ “The yoga industry is so competitive.”
~ “There are too many yoga teachers in my area.”
~ “Yoga is saturated – I can’t find my place.”
~ “Oh no, not another yoga teacher…”

You’re not alone – and you’re definitely not wrong to feel that way.

But let’s take a breath together and zoom out. What if those thoughts aren’t the end of the story, but the beginning of a new way to look at things?

This topic is essential. It’s close to my heart. And if we want to see change, we need to be part of it – not just sitting back and grumbling. So let’s talk about competition, collaboration, and how we rise together.

The Myth of “Too Many” Yoga Teachers

The belief that the industry is “too full” is one that creeps in quietly. It can make us feel small, uncertain, or even territorial. But here’s the truth: there is space for you. There is space for all of us.

No one teaches quite like you. No one brings your energy, your voice, your lived experience. Your story is your uniqueness – and that’s what your students connect with.

Instead of seeing other teachers as threats, what if we saw them as allies? Each of us bringing yoga to different people, in different ways, with different medicine.

Embracing Competition as a Mirror

Competition isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, it can be a mirror – showing us what we value, what we want to offer, and where we still feel unsure.

When we notice feelings of comparison or insecurity, we can get curious rather than judgmental. What does this bring up for me? Is there something I want to do differently? Is this a chance to step more fully into my own path?

Rather than shrinking or spinning in self-doubt, we can use these moments to root deeper into what makes our teaching powerful and needed.

What Collaboration Actually Means

Collaboration isn’t just doing a co-taught class or hosting a retreat together (although those are beautiful too!). It’s also about how we speak about each other, refer clients, support and cheer one another on.

It means shifting from scarcity to abundance – from “there’s not enough for me” to “we rise together.”

True collaboration looks like:

• Sharing someone’s class who teaches something beautifully different than you
• Recommending a teacher when you’re away or fully booked
• Creating community events, skill shares, or supportive spaces just because it feels good
• Being generous with wisdom and kind with feedback

It’s trusting that community is stronger than competition. That we’re all better when we’re not guarding, but giving.

RELATED: Dharma: The Key to Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

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: #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherSupport #YogaCommunity #CollaborationOverCompetition #YogaBusinessGrowth #YogaTeacherTips #YogaTeacherMindset

Conclusion

This is the energy I want to nurture. And I believe it starts small – one conversation, one kind message, one intentional choice at a time.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong or there’s no space for you, please hear this: there is. And when we support each other, we expand that space for everyone.

Let’s create the yoga industry we want to be part of. One where we lift, not compare. Share, not shrink. Collaborate, not compete.

Choosing what to charge – and how – isn’t just a numbers game. It’s a key part of building a sustainable, easeful yoga business.

If you’ve ever gone back and forth between pricing options or felt unsure if your current setup is really working for you, you’re not alone. From PAYG to memberships, class packs to monthly subscriptions – each model has its strengths and its sticking points.

In this workshop, we’re breaking it down clearly so you can find a structure that works for your students and supports your long-term business goals.

Why Your Pricing Model Matters

Your pricing isn’t just about income – it shapes how students interact with your offerings, how committed they are, and how predictable your income can be.

Finding the right fit means creating more ease (less burnout!), building consistent revenue, and keeping your community engaged over time.

A Quick Look at the Options

There’s no one-size-fits-all pricing structure – each model works differently depending on your teaching style, business stage, and the needs of your students.

PAYG (Pay-As-You-Go) is super flexible and welcoming for new or occasional students, but it can make income feel unpredictable.

Class packs offer a little more commitment while still giving students freedom, though they can lead to income gaps if not used consistently.

Memberships tend to create the most reliable monthly income and foster student loyalty, but they also ask for a steady rhythm of delivery and clear boundaries.

Subscriptions work beautifully for online or hybrid offerings, and they’re ideal if you’re building out a content library – though they do need regular attention to stay engaging and valuable.

Many teachers find that a blend works best – maybe PAYG for casual drop-ins, class packs for semi-regulars, and a membership for your core community. The key is making it easy to understand, simple to maintain, and aligned with how you want to work.

Avoiding Common Pricing Pitfalls

It’s easy to undercharge, overdeliver, or offer too many choices – and end up overwhelmed.

Here are a few ways to keep it steady:

• Don’t try to please everyone. Choose a model that suits your energy, schedule, and goals.
  
• Keep your pricing simple and visible. Confusion leads to hesitation.
  
• Make it easy for students to stay (or leave). Clear boundaries = mutual respect.
  

Review your income monthly. What’s working? What’s draining?

RELATED: The Balance of Head & Heart in Your Personal 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: #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherTips #YogaTeacherSuccess #YogaPricing #YogaBusinessSupport #YogaMemberships #YogaClassPacks #YogaIncome

Conclusion

There’s no perfect pricing model – but there is one that’s more aligned for you. Maybe it’s a mix: class packs for casual students, a membership for your loyal crew, and a PAYG option to keep things open.

Start where you are. Choose one model to focus on and see how it feels – for both you and your students.

Your pricing can (and should) evolve with your business. Just make sure it’s designed to support your sustainability just as much as your students’ practice.

Let’s talk about something that comes up again and again for yoga teachers: pricing. If your event isn’t filling up, it’s easy to assume the price is the issue. But here’s the truth – it’s rarely about the price. Selling out a yoga retreat, workshop, or special event is about perceived value, connection, and alignment, not just cost.

If people aren’t booking, it doesn’t mean your offer is “too expensive.” It means they don’t yet see the transformation, experience, or impact your event delivers. So, let’s dive into what really makes an event sell out.

Crafting a Clear and Compelling Offer

A strong event starts with a clear and compelling offer. What makes your retreat or workshop different? What specific transformation or experience does it provide?

Rather than focusing on the logistics (location, schedule, food), lead with the deeper purpose. Will they leave feeling deeply rested? Will they build confidence in their practice? Will they experience a profound shift? When your audience understands the transformation, price becomes secondary.

Building Trust and Excitement Before You Even Launch

Success starts long before you officially open bookings. Your audience needs time to connect with your vision, trust in your expertise, and feel genuinely excited about joining. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, testimonials from past events, and personal stories about why this offering matters. Engage with your community authentically and let them see themselves in the experience you’re creating.

Speaking to the Right Audience – Not Just Anyone

Not everyone is meant for your event – and that’s a good thing. Instead of trying to sell to everyone, focus on the people who will resonate most deeply with your offering.

Who will benefit most from this retreat or workshop? What do they need right now? When you speak directly to their desires, struggles, and aspirations, your messaging will land more powerfully.

Why Discounts and Early Bird Aren’t the Answer (And What to Do Instead)

Many yoga teachers default to offering discounts when ticket sales are slow. While early bird pricing can create urgency, it won’t solve the deeper issue. If people aren’t booking, it’s not because they’re waiting for a discount – it’s because they don’t yet see the value.

Instead of reducing your price, focus on increasing the perceived value. Offer bonus resources, exclusive experiences, or personalised touches that enhance the event. Make it feel like an opportunity they can’t miss rather than a price-driven decision.

RELATED: The Courage To Teach Simply: Less Effort, More Impact

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: #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherTips #YogaTeacherSupport #SellOutYourEvent #YogaBusiness #YogaEventPlanning

Conclusion

At the heart of it, selling out an event comes down to messaging, trust, and alignment. Make sure your audience understands the depth of the experience, sees the transformation, and feels a genuine connection to your work.

When you focus on value over price, connection over transaction, and impact over urgency, your offerings will naturally attract the right people. The next time you worry about pricing, shift your focus to these key areas instead – and watch your bookings grow.

Social media is more than just a place to post – it’s a space to cultivate connection, share your message, and build a community that truly engages with your work. But how do you move beyond surface-level content and create something meaningful?

It’s easy to get caught in the cycle of posting just to stay visible. Yet, the real magic happens when your social media presence reflects the depth of your work, attracting not just followers, but engaged students, clients, and a community that resonates with your mission.

In this workshop, we’ll explore how to shift from just showing up online to making a real impact through authenticity, storytelling, and intentional engagement.

Thought-Provoking Content: Sparking Connection Instead of Just Posting

It’s tempting to focus on trends, aesthetics, or posting frequency, but what truly draws people in is content that makes them pause, reflect, and respond. Instead of asking, “What should I post today?” try asking, “What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after seeing this?”

Consider these content shifts:

• Instead of only promoting your offers, share your why. What fuels your work? What lessons have shaped your journey?
• Turn passive scrolling into engagement. Ask thoughtful questions, invite responses, and encourage discussions.
• Make your content a space for learning. Share tips, insights, or behind-the-scenes moments that deepen understanding.

By focusing on connection over promotion, your content becomes more than just another post – it becomes an invitation into your world.

Storytelling with Clarity & Consistency

Stories create connection. As a yoga teacher, your students want to see the heart behind your work. Yet, many struggle with what to share and how often.

To tell your story effectively:

• Keep it clear and consistent. A scattered or sporadic presence makes it harder for people to connect with you.
• Use personal experiences to teach. What challenges have you overcome that your audience might relate to?
• Weave storytelling into your offers. Instead of just listing features, share how your work has transformed lives.

When you consistently show up with authenticity, your audience begins to trust, engage, and invest – not just in your services, but in you.

Creating a Space for Learning, Not Just Scrolling

Social media often feels fast-paced and fleeting, but you can create a different experience – one that invites people to pause and engage on a deeper level.

Here’s how to make your content feel like a learning space:

• Encourage mindful interaction. Share journal prompts, reflection questions, or mini-teachings that inspire action.
• Offer a sense of continuity. Rather than one-off posts, build themes or series that allow people to engage over time.
• Educate in bite-sized ways. Teach something valuable while keeping it digestible – whether it’s through captions, videos, or carousel posts.

By treating your social media like a community space rather than just a marketing tool, you create an environment where people return, engage, and grow alongside your work.

Building a Business Rooted in Authenticity

Your social media presence is an extension of your business and your values. When you show up in a way that feels true to you, your content naturally resonates with the right people.

Ask yourself:

• Does my social media reflect my core message and values?
• Am I posting out of obligation, or am I genuinely sharing what matters to me?
• Am I creating content that feels aligned rather than forced?
  

By shifting from performance to presence, you’ll find that your online space becomes a natural extension of your work – one that fosters real connections and long-term growth.

RELATED: The Balance of Head & Heart in Your Personal 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: #YogaTeaching #YogaTeacherTips #YogaTeacherSuccess #AuthenticMarketing #SocialMediaWithSoul #CommunityBuilding #StorytellingForBusiness #AlignedMarketing

Conclusion

Bringing depth and meaning to your social media isn’t about doing more – it’s about showing up with intention. When you focus on connection, storytelling, and authenticity, your online presence transforms from just another account into a true community.

Let’s shift from surface-level to soul-level – one meaningful post at a time.

Yoga teaching is full of complexity – alignment cues, sequencing, theming, and philosophy. But what if the most powerful teaching isn’t about adding more – but about stripping away?
Simplicity is a skill. Holding space for stillness is an art. And teaching students what they need, rather than what they think they want, takes courage.

In this workshop, we’ll explore why simplifying your teaching can lead to deeper impact, greater ease, and a more profound experience for both you and your students.

The Difference Between Teaching Simply and Teaching Less

Teaching simply doesn’t mean removing depth. Instead, it’s about refining your teaching to be more intentional and clear.

Teaching Less: Might look like offering fewer cues, shorter classes, or minimal instruction, sometimes at the risk of not fully supporting students.
Teaching Simply: Means refining your language, focusing on the most essential aspects of a pose or theme, and allowing students the space to experience rather than overloading them with information.

Meeting Students Where They Are – While Still Challenging Them

A simple class isn’t necessarily an easy one. It takes skill to meet students at their level while guiding them toward growth.

Consider:

• Offering one clear focal point instead of layering multiple ideas.
• Encouraging deep presence in each pose rather than rushing to the next sequence.
• Using fewer but more impactful cues that help students embody the practice rather than intellectualise it.

When we simplify, we allow students to explore their own experience rather than just follow instructions.

The Role of Stillness & Silence in a World Full of Effort

We live in a culture that values doing, achieving, and pushing harder. But yoga offers something different – a space to pause, breathe, and be.

Silence in teaching can be just as powerful as the words we choose. Allowing space between cues, embracing moments of stillness, and resisting the urge to fill every gap with instruction can create a more profound experience for your students.

Ask yourself:

• Do I allow enough space for my students to feel the pose before moving on?
• Am I speaking out of habit, or is every cue intentional?
• How can I invite stillness without making it feel like an empty pause?

Why Courage Is the Key to Teaching What’s Truly Transformative

Simplicity requires trust – in yourself, in your students, and in the practice. It takes courage to:

• Say less and trust that it’s enough.
• Allow students to explore instead of constantly guiding them.
• Resist the urge to prove your knowledge and instead focus on clarity.
• Let go of overcomplicated themes in favour of depth and presence.

True impact doesn’t come from teaching more; it comes from teaching with intention.

RELATED: Creative Sequencing 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: #YogaTeaching #TeachSimply #YogaTeacherTips #LessIsMore #YogaClassStructure #TeachingWithImpact #YogaTeacherSuccess

Conclusion

The most powerful teachers aren’t the ones who say the most or do the most – they are the ones who create the most space for transformation.

As you reflect on your teaching, consider:

• What can I simplify to create more impact?
• Where can I allow more silence and stillness in my classes?
• How can I refine my cues and language for clarity and ease?
  

Let’s teach with courage, clarity, and the power of simplicity. Less effort, more impact.

Failure. It’s not the most glamorous topic, but it’s a powerful one. As a yoga teacher, your relationship with “failing” can shape the growth of your classes, events, and retreats. Learning how to navigate setbacks with resilience is essential for building a sustainable, heart-centered yoga business.

What happens when only one student turns up to class? Or when your carefully planned retreat doesn’t fill? What if your marketing efforts don’t land the way you hoped?

This workshop is both a mindset shift and a practical troubleshoot to help you move through these moments with confidence and clarity. Let’s explore how to “fail forward” in your yoga business.

When Only One Student Shows Up

It happens. You prepare your sequence, light the candles, and roll out your mat, only to find one eager student standing before you. Instead of seeing this as a failure, view it as an opportunity.

Mindset Shift: Instead of focusing on the empty mats, consider this: What if this one student needed exactly what you had to offer today? A smaller class allows for a deeply personal experience, tailored adjustments, and a strong connection.

When Your Event or Retreat Doesn’t Fill

Planning a retreat or workshop takes energy, vision, and a leap of faith. When bookings are lower than expected, it can feel discouraging. But instead of seeing it as a failure, consider it feedback.

Mindset Shift: This is not a reflection of your worth as a teacher. There are many factors at play – timing, marketing, pricing, and even external events. It’s a learning opportunity.

When Your Marketing Isn’t Working

Maybe you’ve been posting on social media, sending emails, and talking about your classes – but people aren’t signing up. Frustrating? Yes. A dead end? Not at all.

Mindset Shift: Marketing is about connection, not just promotion. If something isn’t working, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at marketing – it means you’re still learning what resonates with your audience.

Embracing the Magic of Failing Forwards

No successful yoga teacher got to where they are without a few bumps in the road. The difference is how they responded to those bumps.

Reframing Failure:

• Failure is feedback. Every experience gives you insight into what works and what doesn’t.
• Failure is growth. Each setback helps you refine your teaching, marketing, and business strategy.
• Failure is part of success. The most thriving teachers are the ones who keep showing up, adjusting, and learning.

RELATED: Professional Yet Friendly – Striking the Right Balance as a Yoga Teacher

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: #YogaTeacher #YogaBusiness #YogaMarketing #MindsetForYogaTeachers #StudentEngagement #YogaTeacherTips #YogaTeacherSuccess

Conclusion

Setbacks don’t define your journey – they shape it. Instead of fearing failure, embrace it as a necessary step in expanding your yoga business. By shifting your mindset and applying practical strategies, you’ll build resilience, adaptability, and confidence in your teaching.

Every great teacher has faced challenges. The ones who succeed are those who fail forward.

As a yoga teacher, your presence extends beyond the mat – it starts with the first impression on your website, social media, or even a recommendation from a friend. But have you ever wondered if being too professional or too relaxed could impact your student experience?

Striking the right balance between professionalism and warmth is key to building a thriving yoga business. Too much rigidity can create distance, while being overly casual may blur important boundaries. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to find that middle ground so your students feel both supported and respected.

The First Impression: Your Student’s Journey Begins Before Class

From the moment a student discovers your yoga offerings, they begin forming an impression of you. Your website, social media, email responses, and onboarding process all contribute to how they perceive your teaching style and professionalism.

Consider these questions:

• Does your website reflect a clear, welcoming, and organised experience?
• Do your emails and booking processes feel structured yet personal?
• Does your social media presence align with your teaching values?

The right balance means ensuring your systems and communication are smooth while still feeling approachable and engaging.

Are You Too Professional or Too Relaxed?

Yoga teachers often lean toward one of two extremes:

The Overly Professional Teacher

This teacher runs a highly structured, detail-oriented business. Their website is polished, their policies are firm, and they maintain a clear teacher-student boundary. While this approach fosters credibility, it can sometimes feel impersonal or intimidating, making students hesitant to ask questions or share their experiences.

Signs you might be too rigid:

• You avoid personal connection, keeping all interactions strictly business.
• Your students seem nervous to ask for modifications or feedback.
• Your communication feels transactional rather than engaging.

The Overly Friendly Teacher

This teacher builds strong personal connections with students, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. However, without clear boundaries, students may overstep, expect special accommodations, or take advantage of leniency around payment policies and cancellations.

Signs you might be too relaxed:

• Students frequently arrive late or cancel without notice.
• You find it hard to say no, leading to burnout.
• You struggle with maintaining professional authority in the class.

Setting Boundaries While Maintaining Warmth

A balance between professionalism and friendliness ensures both you and your students feel supported. Here’s how to achieve it:

• Structure with flexibility: Have clear policies for class bookings, cancellations, and payments, but communicate them with kindness.
• Personal connection with professionalism: Greet students warmly, remember their names, and check in on their progress, but maintain teacher-student boundaries.
• Confidence with approachability: Be clear and confident in your instructions while encouraging questions and feedback.

When Being Too Friendly Becomes a Boundary Issue

As yoga teachers, we often attract students who seek not just physical practise but also emotional support. While it’s natural to create a compassionate space, it’s essential to maintain professional boundaries.

Ways to uphold boundaries while staying warm:

• Set clear expectations about your role as a teacher.
• Avoid engaging in therapy-like conversations with students during class.
• Ensure communication remains respectful and within appropriate hours.
  

RELATED: The Balance of Head & Heart in Your Personal 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: #YogaTeaching #YogaBusiness #ProfessionalYetFriendly #TeachingBoundaries #YogaTeacherTips #StudentExperience #YogaTeacherSuccess

Conclusion

Striking the balance between being professional yet friendly helps create a safe, welcoming, and structured environment where students can thrive. By refining how you present yourself – both online and in class – you ensure that students feel both supported and respected, while also protecting your energy and business integrity.

Finding this balance takes time, but with mindfulness and intention, you can create a yoga business that feels both sustainable and fulfilling.

2025 is set to be a year of change, spiritual growth, and revolutions – big themes that can impact you, your students, and your yoga business. Want to know how to work with these cosmic shifts to thrive personally and professionally? In this workshop I’m talking more about Astrology for 2025 and how it can inspire your teaching and help you grow your yoga business.

Understanding the astrological energies of the year can help you align your teaching, offerings, and business strategy with the flow of the universe. By working with these celestial influences, rather than against them, you can create classes that resonate deeply, navigate business shifts with confidence, and support your students through their own transformations.

How Astrology Can Support Your Yoga Business in 2025

Designing Classes That Resonate Deeply

Just as we align yoga with the rhythms of the seasons, we can also align our classes with planetary cycles. By tuning into major astrological themes – such as Jupiter’s expansive energy or Saturn’s call for discipline – you can create sequences and themes that support your students’ needs. Whether it’s focusing on grounding practises during chaotic times or heart-opening sequences when self-expression is emphasised, astrology can add depth and intentionality to your teaching.

Using Planetary Shifts to Guide Your Business Planning

Astrology offers valuable timing insights, helping you decide when to launch new offerings, expand your reach, or take time for reflection. For example, Mercury retrograde periods are excellent for reviewing and refining your business, while Jupiter transits can be powerful moments for growth and expansion. Learning to work with these cycles can help you make business decisions with greater ease and flow.

Navigating Change and Spiritual Growth

With major planetary movements shaping 2025, both you and your students may experience significant shifts. Recognising these cosmic influences can help you prepare for moments of transition, allowing you to offer guidance, reassurance, and practises that support resilience and inner peace.

Aligning Your Offerings with 2025’s Energies

From eclipses to planetary retrogrades, the cosmic landscape influences collective energy. By understanding these shifts, you can create workshops, retreats, or class themes that speak to what people are naturally experiencing. Whether it’s focusing on self-care during challenging astrological transits or launching a new program during an expansive growth period, aligning your offerings with the stars can create a more intuitive and successful business.

RELATED: Align Your Business with Your Spiritual Practise

Find out more

Fast Track to Full

Yoga for Nervous System Regulation

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: #AstrologyForYoga #YogaBusinessGrowth #CosmicAlignment #YogaTeaching #Astrology2025 #PlanWithTheStars

Conclusion

Astrology isn’t about predicting the future – it’s about understanding the energy around us and working with it in a way that supports our highest good. By integrating astrological insights into your yoga business, you can teach with more awareness, plan with greater ease, and support your students through their own journeys of growth and transformation.

As you step into 2025, trust that the universe has your back. Align your offerings with the stars, embrace change with grace, and allow cosmic wisdom to guide your path.

With over 2 million people in the UK experiencing Long Covid (ONS, March 2023), symptoms like exhaustion, breathlessness, and insomnia are becoming more prevalent in yoga spaces. Many yoga teachers feel unprepared to help these students – or worse, worry they might unknowingly cause harm. But with education and empathy, we can change that.

In this workshop, I talk to Fiona Agombar, a yoga teacher, author, and yoga therapist. Fiona’s work focuses on supporting individuals with chronic fatigue conditions, including Long Covid, ME/CFS, and burnout. Describing herself as a “Rest Activist,” she has dedicated her career to empowering yoga teachers with the tools and knowledge to make a meaningful difference for these communities.

The Unique Needs of Students with Long Covid and Fatigue

Conditions like Long Covid, ME/CFS, and other fatigue-based illnesses present unique challenges for yoga practitioners. Symptoms such as Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM), dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (such as PoTS), and severe energy depletion require a different approach to movement, breathwork, and rest. Traditional yoga practises, if not adapted, can sometimes exacerbate these conditions. However, with the right understanding, yoga therapy can offer a pathway to healing.

Why This Matters Now

As yoga teachers and practitioners, we have a responsibility to create spaces that are accessible, inclusive, and supportive for all. Chronic fatigue conditions like Long Covid are not going away – and the need for educated, empathetic yoga teachers has never been greater. By equipping ourselves with the tools to teach safely and effectively, we can make a profound difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Understanding Long Covid, PEM, and PoTS

Long Covid manifests in a wide range of symptoms, but key challenges include post-exertional malaise (PEM) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS).

• PEM occurs when even minimal activity triggers a worsening of symptoms, leaving individuals feeling deeply fatigued or unwell for hours or days afterward. Yoga teachers must be mindful to avoid pushing students toward energy depletion.
• PoTS, a condition that can accompany Long Covid, involves difficulty regulating heart rate and blood pressure. This can make transitions – such as moving from lying down to standing – feel overwhelming and destabilising.

By understanding these conditions, teachers can create safer, more accessible practises, prioritising slow, mindful movement and breathwork to avoid overstimulation or strain.

The Critical Role of Pacing and Deep Rest

For individuals with Long Covid or chronic fatigue, pacing is not just a guideline; it’s a lifeline. However, rest is often easier said than done. The nervous system may remain stuck in a heightened state of alertness, making it difficult for students to fully relax. This is where yoga therapy can shine, offering tools to:

• Teach the body how to downshift into parasympathetic states.
• Use restorative postures, yoga nidra, and guided breath practises to access deep rest.
• Normalise the idea that healing requires slowing down – even when societal pressures push for constant productivity.

Reclaiming the Art of Convalescence

In a culture that celebrates hustle, the concept of convalescence – giving oneself permission to recover slowly – has been lost. Yoga therapy can help students rediscover this vital practise by:

• Encouraging gentle movement over vigorous exercise.
• Validating the need to rest without guilt or self-judgment.
• Creating a supportive environment that fosters acceptance and patience in the healing process.

Heart Connection, Empathy, and the Breath

Healing from Long Covid and fatigue is not just a physical journey but an emotional and energetic one. Empathy and connection can play a huge role in recovery. Yoga offers a powerful space for this through:

• Heart-focused practises, like Anahata chakra meditations, to rekindle feelings of self-compassion and connection.
• Breathwork techniques, such as coherent breathing or alternate nostril breathing, to regulate the nervous system and restore balance.
• Holding space for students to feel seen, heard, and supported.

Using the Chakras to Foster Balance

The chakra system offers a holistic lens for supporting recovery. For example:

• Root chakra (Muladhara): Focus on grounding practises to rebuild a sense of safety and stability.
• Solar plexus chakra (Manipura): Gentle practises to kindle inner strength and energy without overexertion.
• Heart chakra (Anahata): Cultivate self-love and emotional healing, especially for those grieving their pre-illness capabilities.

Balancing these energy centers can create a sense of wholeness and integration, supporting students as they navigate the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of healing.

RELATED: ADHD & Yoga: Mini Workshop For Yoga Teachers

Get 20% of Fiona Agombar’s Book “Breath Rest Recover” using this code BRR20SD using this link
https://uk.singingdragon.com/products/breathe-rest-recover

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: #YogaTherapy #LongCovid #ChronicFatigue #YogaForHealing #TraumaInformedYoga #RestAndRecover

Conclusion

Yoga therapy has the potential to offer profound support for those experiencing Long Covid and fatigue—but only when approached with knowledge, sensitivity, and care. By deepening our understanding, honouring rest, and fostering heart-centered connection, we can help students breathe, rest, and recover with the compassion they need and deserve.

The practise of yoga goes beyond the physical. It weaves together movement, mantra, and mythology, offering a transformative journey that connects body, mind, and spirit. Among the most beloved sequences are Sūrya Namaskāra (Sun Salutation) and Chandra Namaskāra (Moon Salutation), flows that honour the rhythms of the cosmos and the energies of the Sun and Moon.

But how often do we pause to explore the deeper meanings behind these sacred practises? Beyond their dynamic sequences lies a wealth of wisdom: mantras with ancient resonance, myths that inspire, and the opportunity to create meaningful connections in our personal practice and teaching.

In this workshop, I delve into this rich tapestry with a special guest, Lauren Gray. Lauren is the creator of two beautifully designed card decks inspired by Sūrya Namaskāra and Chandra Namaskāra. These decks combine oracle-style artistry with practical micro-learning, offering a fresh, accessible way to bring depth to your yoga classes, retreats, and personal practise.

The Wisdom of Sūrya & Chandra Namaskāra

Chandra Namaskāra – Movements, Mantras & Myths

Chandra Namaskāra, or the Moon Salutation, is a graceful sequence that honours the cooling, reflective energy of the Moon. Its movements mirror the lunar phases, inviting practitioners to slow down, reflect, and connect with their inner world. When paired with mantra, Chandra Namaskāra becomes a meditative ritual steeped in the wisdom of lunar mythology.

Discover how incorporating these teachings into your classes or personal practise can create a more nourishing experience for you and your students. By honouring the myths and mantras associated with the Moon, you can offer a grounding counterbalance to the fiery, dynamic energy of Sūrya Namaskāra.

Sūrya Namaskāra – The Sacred Flow of the Sun

The Sun Salutation, or Sūrya Namaskāra, is a cornerstone of many yoga practises, celebrating vitality, renewal, and the life-giving energy of the Sun. But how often do we reflect on its origins and symbolic meaning? Through Sūrya Namaskāra, we honour the Sun as the source of light and life. When paired with mantra and mindful intention, this flow becomes a sacred offering that connects us to ancient traditions.

The Power of Mantra – Śruti & Smṛti

Mantras are a bridge between the physical and the spiritual, carrying the vibration of wisdom and devotion. The resonance of śruti (that which is heard) and smṛti (that which is remembered) deepens our connection to these ancient practises, making the movements of Sūrya and Chandra Namaskāra more profound.

Elevate Your Practise & Teachings

This exploration of Sūrya Namaskāra and Chandra Namaskāra is more than just a study of yoga’s physical movements. It’s an invitation to enrich your yoga journey with layers of meaning, myth, and sound. Whether you’re a teacher or a practitioner, these tools can help you:

• Deepen your personal connection to the Sun and Moon salutations.
• Share their wisdom with your students in a way that inspires and resonates.
• Bring fresh ideas to your retreats and events, creating unique experiences that honour the teachings of yoga.

RELATED: The Psychic Pathways of Arohan and Avarohan

ORDER YOUR OWN WISDOM DECKS HERE:
https://www.laurengray-yoga.com/wisdom-decks.html

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: #YogaTeaching #SuryaNamaskara #ChandraNamaskara #Mantra #YogaInspiration

Conclusion

Sūrya Namaskāra and Chandra Namaskāra are more than sequences of movement – they are sacred rituals that connect us to the rhythms of the universe. By exploring their mythology, incorporating mantras, and understanding their deeper meanings, we can approach these beloved practises with a renewed sense of reverence and creativity.

December is a unique time for yoga teachers – a month filled with both transitions and opportunities. While students may be distracted by holiday festivities, it’s also a chance to get creative, connect deeply with your community, and set your yoga business up for a strong start in the new year.
In this workshop I’m sharing 5 actionable tasks you can do this December to increase revenue, nurture your students, and create momentum for January – it’s an oldie but goodie! Whether you’re hosting seasonal events, offering thoughtful gifts, or preparing for new courses, these ideas will help you make the most of the holiday season.

Why December Is a Key Month for Yoga Teachers

For many yoga teachers, December can feel like a quieter month in terms of attendance – but that doesn’t mean it has to be a slow period for your business. By embracing the season with intention, you can create offerings that stand out, support your students, and bring in additional income.

This month is also perfect for planning ahead. Use the quieter moments to lay the foundation for a thriving January, so you start the new year with confidence and clarity.

1. Host a Pop-Up Christmas Party Class

Add some holiday cheer to your schedule with a festive yoga class! A pop-up Christmas party class can be a lighthearted way to bring your community together and celebrate the season.

• Incorporate playful elements like themed playlists, festive poses, or even a yoga gift exchange.
• Encourage students to bring friends, which can help you attract new clients.

This offering is perfect for connecting with your students on a deeper level while adding a joyful twist to your classes.

2. Offer a Pre-Christmas Chill-Out Class

December can be a hectic time for many, and a relaxing yoga class could be just what your students need to de-stress.

• Design a gentle, restorative session focused on relaxation and mindfulness.
• Include guided meditations or breathwork to help students find calm amidst the holiday rush.
• Promote this as a self-care moment your students won’t want to miss.

This type of class not only serves your students but also strengthens your reputation as someone who supports their well-being year-round.

3. Plan a Winter Solstice Event

The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year and is a powerful time for reflection and intention-setting. Hosting a solstice-themed class or workshop can be a meaningful way to honor this transition.

• Combine yoga, meditation, and journaling prompts for a holistic experience.
• Focus on themes like letting go, gratitude, and manifesting new intentions.
• Include symbolic rituals like candlelight yoga.

This event allows you to tap into the spiritual significance of the solstice while creating a memorable experience for your students.

4. Sell Gift Vouchers for Classes or Private Sessions

Gift vouchers are a simple yet effective way to boost your revenue during December. They’re also an excellent way for your current students to share the gift of yoga with their loved ones.

• Offer vouchers for single classes, class packages, or private sessions.
• Create beautiful, branded designs to make them feel special.
• Promote these vouchers as thoughtful, health-focused holiday gifts.

By making it easy for people to give the gift of yoga, you’ll gain new clients while providing a meaningful service.

5. Prepare a Beginners Yoga Course for January

January is a time when many people are looking to start fresh, making it the perfect time to launch a beginner-friendly yoga course. Use December to plan and promote it so you can hit the ground running in the new year.

• Structure the course to introduce basic poses, breathwork, and mindfulness practices.
• Highlight how this course is perfect for beginners or those returning to yoga after a break.
• Use your December marketing efforts to build excitement and sign-ups ahead of time.

This preparation ensures you have a strong offering ready to welcome new students in January, setting the tone for a successful year.

RELATED: The Balance of Head & Heart in Your Personal 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: #YogaTeacherTips #YogaBusinessGrowth #YogaClassPlanning #YogaGiftVouchers #YogaTeacherMentoring

Conclusion

December is an ideal time to combine creativity, connection, and strategy in your yoga business. By offering seasonal classes, hosting meaningful events, and preparing for January, you can make the most of this unique month.

Whether it’s a festive pop-up class, a calming chill-out session, or a thoughtful gift voucher, these ideas allow you to serve your community while increasing your revenue. Plus, by planning ahead for the new year, you’ll enter January feeling organised, inspired, and ready to grow.

Make this December a season of abundance and intention – for yourself and your students.