By Julia Gräßer
So you just graduated from your yoga teacher training and what now? Well, first of all congratulations for your achievements; the journey has just begun.
Here are a few tips about how to get started with your yoga teacher journey.
1. Keep your practice up!
One of the wonderful things about yoga teacher training is that they help you to establish a firm foundation in your self-practice. Use that momentum to keep it up. Too often yoga teachers complain about not having time and energy for their own practice. Making it a routine soon in your teacher journey is greatly beneficial. Also establish shorter sessions, for your busy days. Your own yoga practice is your foundation to be an authentic yoga teacher. Keep it up!
2. Make an alumni group
If your school doesn’t offer an alumni group, gather the group and make one yourself.
Having sparring with new teachers is very helpful: Keep on learning from each other, be inspired, ask questions or discuss how to handle challenging situations.
3. Start teaching right away
Teach your alumni friends online, your family, friends, partner, colleagues or neighbours. It is actually also a great opportunity to introduce newbies to yoga, as sometimes your friends will join a class not because it’s yoga but because you are the teacher. Every class has the potential to change someone’s life!
Once you feel comfortable teaching strangers start with community classes, outdoor yoga classes in a park or reach out to your favourite yoga studio. Consider an energy exchange instead of teaching for free, even when you are new.
What I did back in the days, I would meet my friends for dinner. I taught them yoga and afterwards they cooked and served dinner for us. Such an awesome way to spend the evening together. Here is a blog post regarding the challenges with offering your yoga without an energy exchange.
4. Find a mentor
Find a mentor you resonate with. Maybe you like their personality, teaching styles or find it inspiring how they run their yoga business. Any qualified mentor can help you grow after your yoga teacher training, nevertheless, a local mentor has further benefits. A local mentor can advise you about the yoga market in your neighbourhood. They might be able to recommend you to a studio for your first teaching job. There is no competition in yoga, stick together with other souls who are passionate about sharing yoga.
5. Take continued education
Despite Yoga Alliance requirements, continued education courses are a really good idea! Keep an eye open for workshops with your favorite teachers and continued education programs for established schools. A humbled teacher is also always a student.
6. Have fun!
Teach from the heart. Teach what you experienced/understood yourself instead of copying a yoga class you saw online (hey, inspiration is great, but make it your own). Stay humbled, keep on practicing and smile. It’s just yoga 😉
Much love,
Julia
Julia (E-RYT 500, YACEP) loves to be outdoors. She inspires her students to explore the many tools yoga offers us and motivates them to discover how to make yoga accessible as well as integrate the teachings in one’s everyday life. Julia is dedicated to creating an inclusive, safe and warm learning environment for her students from all around the world.
