Gone are the days when people want a Guru who is holy, pure and a step above human. They want a teacher they can relate too. They want more of a mentor. Someone who has been where they have been and can show them a better, new or different way. Like the clothing company Prana's slogan says, they want someone "born from the experience". One of the best ways to do this is through story telling.
There was recently a controversy on the internet regarding the Equinox video where the beautiful yogini did a mind blowing practice in her underwear. People were quick to judge her and jumped to conclusions about her personal life and intentions. In a brilliant move, Briohny Smyth, the girl in the video told her story and that changed everything. Turns out that she battled an eating disorder and doing the video was a really big deal. She was not some selfish, egotistical, sex kitten wanting to show off her moves and her body. She was human. Just like all women, she goes through periods where she is unhappy with her body and feels a loss of control in her life. She made herself relatable.
Telling your story requires vulnerability, and many people, including myself, find that very difficult. However, story telling can be a tremendous tool in being successful as a teacher. One of my favorite teachers(top 3 for sure) in Charlotte teaches to packed classes every week. Before I experienced a class with Teacher X, I didn't get it. This person was surrounded by controversy and had a reputation for being extremely eccentric. Teacher X's classes would make a yoga purist have an aneurysm. The music, the execution and the sequencing was the exact opposite of everything I had ever been taught. What makes Teacher X so successful is relatability.
There is no doubt in your mind that this person is human. The whole class is structured around what people really want from a yoga class but are afraid to ask for because it has been labled as non-yogic. Teacher X often talks about how people frequently say Teacher X is not teaching yoga which increases relatability because Teacher X is totally aware of their own rep in the public and is not afraid to talk about it.
After letting go of my own bullshit, I realized that Teacher X's class is pure joy and feels good which makes it relatable. Teacher X definitly has a story and is not afraid to tell it by how they live and with their words and doesn't apologize for it. Teacher X came on the scene when people were tired of McYoga classes that were all the same. Teacher X does everything my teacher trainers tell me not to do, but has a packed class. Go figure. That is a result of pure authenticity.
There are many ways to tell your story.
- Little snippets during class
- Long version during workshops
- By Being Yourself-Here is a story...I was teaching a class one day and I was tired so I decided to stop by the gas station and get a Red Bull. I was so ashamed because yoga teachers are like vegan purist right? So I pored it into a cup instead. Before the class, a few students asked me if I was drinking beer which I thought was really bizarre. Then I realized that my cup was see through and that Red Bull indeed looks like beer! So I spent energy having to explain why I was not drinking beer which let the secret out anyway. I missed the opportunity to be authentic and just show my students my humanity and what it means to live your truth in the context of practicing yoga. So Be Yourself. Show your humanity and see how you can teach your students that way.
Another important reason to tell your story is that it decreases the effects of intimidation. My first real yoga experience was with Ashtanga. I was blown away by the practice and was actually inspired by the difficult transitions and poses. However, this is not the norm. Often our students are intimidated by a strong practice. The see it as unattainable or they see you as a show off.
I have literally been encouraged by people, who mean well, to dumb down my personal practice. When I come to class(not to teach but to do my own practice) I am supposed to be there for the students and not for me and that I really should just practice at home. What?!!!!! Why, because it intimidates and confuses the students....which is true....it does. A way to counteract it is by telling your story. Let them know what you went through to get to where you are. It switches it from intimidation to relatability.
Tell your story...let me know what happens...
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