Teaching Yoga and Building Self-Confidence

Many Yoga teachers seem to glow with self-confidence. Most Yoga instructors willingly accept invitations to participate as guest speakers at local health fairs, conventions, or health expos. Where does all this confidence come from? Is it an inherent quality or an outgrowth from teaching Yoga to others?

Generally speaking, most of us start with confidence as children. We say everything and anything, but we learn to keep quiet at the right time. Some of us feel bad about our outbursts as children, and we become conditioned to remain in silence. Others only interject their ideas, when they are 100% certain they have the right answer.

Granted, there are some adults who chatter all day long. They talk too much, or they offend people in the process. Their entire life may become a cycle of chatter and making excuses for what they have said in the past. Sometimes, whole families spend their lives apologizing for the constant babbling of one family member.

Coming into complete consciousness with the words we say requires mindfulness; and as mentioned above, it can be a life-long struggle for some of us. Therefore, mindful speaking is a practiced skill. We learn when and how to speak. Self-confidence follows skill and leads to a path of favorable possibilities.

With that said, teaching or practicing Yoga enhances many positive life skills. Self-confidence is not an accident. With the best possible teacher, Guru, or Swami, a student will grow and prosper. Within the heart and mind of each student, a noble teacher wants to instill a set of circumstances that accomplishes the intended purpose of self-awareness within the student.

Much like the gratification of raising children and watching them prosper, every Guru or Swami should feel the same way toward his or her students. For students, this can be accomplished with the careful guidance of a competent Yoga teacher or through intensive training. Yet, what holds most people back?

The fear of failure is what holds humanity behind. If fear is justified, then we must follow logical thought and instincts. There are many of us who have been programmed to fear accomplishments and success. The reason being: Constant success would be an unfamiliar set of circumstances. We would rather be familiar with failure than succeed.

In most cases, we hold our self-confidence in "check." We wish and pray for something good to happen, but we do not take action. Wishing and praying are good for us, but they must be followed by action.

© Copyright 2009 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html