On Teaching, Beginners, & Being Kind

I taught a class this week with a lot of new students. I'm not surprised; fall brings a time of settling into new routines, and this time of year there's always an uptick in new-to-me and new-to-yoga students in the room.

I love teaching new students, especially students who are new to yoga or have taken some time away from practice. There are a lot of reasons why, but the main one is that working with new students always reminds me about what really matters in teaching.

It's pretty simple: be kind and meet your students where they are.

Before class, a new-to-me student approached me and introduced herself. She explained that she hadn't practiced yoga in a few years, and had recently gone through a significant surgery.

"So I might need to take some breaks," she finished with an apologetic look.

"Don't worry about it!" I answered. "Do what you can, pay attention to how you feel. And welcome back to practice." She smiled and walked back to her mat.

I checked in on her throughout class, offering extra guidance while giving her plenty of space to navigate her practice. After class, she approached me again as I picked up my props.

"How did it feel?" I asked.

"I was so nervous," she answered.

I waited.

"I told myself yesterday that I would try coming into a studio today,” she continued. “And then last night, I almost convinced myself to not. But I woke up this morning and I decided to just try." She shared that some of the poses were challenging, and she definitely needed to take breaks. But she did what she could and enjoyed it.

"But I was so nervous," she said again with a laugh.

I smiled. I understood how she felt – yoga studios can be intimidating, both for new students and any of us who feel that we're "not where we used to be" in our bodies or practice.

"You did great," I assured her. "It's always about doing what you can and focusing on that."

The conversation has stayed with me for much of the week. It's not the first time that I've had this kind of a chat with a student. And every time a student feels comfortable enough to share about their practice — to come to class at all — I'm deeply honored to hold that space for exploration, processing, and connection.

As a teacher, that's what it's all about.

Yes, I love nerding out on anatomy, physiology, and the physics of movement. Between practice, study, and teaching I've spent thousands of hours deepening my knowledge of yoga, and I'm endlessly fascinated by its complexities and lessons.

But my first priority is always to help students feel welcome, and support them to observe their experience and honor their needs. Sometimes that means coaching students to get a little outside of their comfort zone or approach a shape differently. Sometimes it means being a cheerleader. Sometimes it's as simple as coming over to a student and asking how a pose feels, and if they'd like a little extra support.

Because when I was new to yoga, that’s what I wanted most. Many years ago I was that student who felt intimidated walking into a yoga class. And what kept me from running for the door were teachers who cared about my experience. I showed up to classes with teachers who didn't judge me by how I could or couldn't contort my body. I fell in love with practice under the guidance of teachers who encouraged me practice in a way that worked for me.

I continue to be grateful for the opportunity to stand at the doorway of yoga and welcome students with kindness and compassion. As a teacher, I can't think of a better way to serve students and carry the torch of this practice.