You have heard about the many benefits of yoga and are keen to start a daily yoga practice. However, there are many folks who try and practice yoga by watching content on YouTube or following wannabe self-proclaimed yogis on Instagram.  However, as a beginner, it’s particularly important to train under a good yoga teacher who can teach you as well as guide you through your yoga journey. Besides, there are many roles that a yoga teacher can play and the value they add vis-a-vis your yoga practice cannot be underestimated.

This blog will detail the several roles of a yoga teacher and the value that they can add to take your practice a notch higher.

The value of a yoga teacher can be gauged by knowing some of the roles that he or she can play while conducting a yoga class. Some of these interventions on the part of the yoga instructor are briefly discussed below.

Learn Authentic Yogic Practices

It’s one thing to practice yoga by watching random yoga-related videos online, but it’s an altogether different experience to practice yoga with a qualified yoga teacher. Moreover, it’s worthwhile to note that yoga is a vast practice that inculcates many different styles and ancient yogic practices. A certified yoga instructor like those who have learnt yoga in Kerala yoga schools or from those hallowed yoga shalas in Rishikesh can not only help you practice correct postures, sequences and types of asanas as per your health, age and body type but also enlighten you about other complementary aspects of yoga pertaining to following Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle modifications.

Setting The Tone Of The Class

Creating a suitable ambience is necessary for an effective yoga session. Besides, the students need to be grounded well before the yoga practice commences. Such kind of innate responsibility lies on the shoulders of a yoga instructor who is expected to shift the energy and bring together the students in unison for the purpose of the sacredness of yoga. Lastly, a good yoga teacher is able to set the intention as well as the internal focus of the students for the commencement of a yoga practice.

However, without such inputs which mostly happen in the presence of a yoga teacher, a yoga class will simply be downgraded to only the physicality of the postures rather than its all-round immersive aspect.

Catering To Individual Needs

As a newbie to yoga, you would be tempted to follow the myriad YouTubers who practice yoga mostly in an endeavor to earn some moolah. However, one must always keep in mind that yoga should be performed only under the guidance of a certified yoga teacher who is able to describe, demonstrate and modify yoga asanas as per your age and body type. Yogic science can be highly individualized and adapted to suit the needs of different people.

A knowledgeable yoga teacher should be able to gauge your health needs and chalk out an exercise plan that heals your body and mind. In absence of such customizations and insights accorded by a good yoga teacher, your yoga practice will become futile.

Gauge Modifications

Individually, a good yoga instructor can help students to modify yoga poses as deemed necessary. A certified yoga teacher who has done his or her yoga training, particularly from a yoga school in India is well-versed with the anatomy and physiology of yoga and helps students achieve proper alignment and adjustments in relation to postures. This is important to avoid injuries and practice yoga safely. A good yoga teacher is able to quickly and easily adjust the student’s posture with or without using props. This will help create feelings of trust and safety amongst the students for their yoga teacher. This in turn can help the students relax and be fully present to absorb the teachings during the class.

Encouraging Students

As students, we might have self-limiting beliefs regarding our endurance and capacity vis-a-vis yoga. Yoga besides having seemingly simple asanas and practices is also inclusive of many advanced-level poses which look twistingly complicated to common people. However, a good yoga teacher is someone who is gradually able to push our limits and encourage us to perform the not-so-easy yoga asanas. For instance, we might have some preconceived notions and underlying biases regarding our age or physical condition which might prevent us from performing difficult or advanced-level yoga poses such as the Sarvangasana.

However, a knowledgeable yoga teacher will not only break into our biases but also encourage us to safely step up our practice of yoga.

Show Empathy And Compassion

A yoga teacher serves as a gentle guide in manoeuvring the class to its optimal potential. In hindsight, most of us know the inner workings of our bodies more than anyone else. Probably it was our bodies that gave us cues to pursue yoga in the first place. However, yoga teachers can serve as channels allowing students to employ this innate knowledge to create optimal yoga practices that benefit them. This will strengthen their belief in the yogic system and its therapeutic and healing potential.

Display Passion And Enthusiasm In Yoga

A good yoga teacher would be someone who pursues yoga teaching as a passion rather than looking at it as a career option. These people lead satisfying and healthy lives by practicing what they teach to others. A great yoga teacher is an ardent yogi himself and passes on the same passion and enthusiasm he has for yoga to his students. Now, learning yoga from such teachers who have experienced the benefits of yoga firsthand and gained deep insights can help you persevere with similar zeal for yoga.

On the contrary, doing yoga all by yourself sans any proper guidance from a yoga teacher can bring monotony and stagnancy to your daily yoga practice which might eventually make you quit yoga.

A certified yoga teacher adds both tangible and intangible value to your yoga practice. Besides helping you perfect the physical asanas and breath control practices; a yoga teacher also helps to nurture a passion and enthusiasm for yoga. So, folks, take your practice to the next level by signing up for yoga classes presided by an able yoga teacher.