Yoga teachers get stressed too!

As much as this statement is true — the last person who should ever be stressed is a yoga teacher — it’s also completely unfair. In fact, if you found it at all funny, that a yoga teacher could get stressed, you’re half the problem. Let me ‘yogsplain’ why.

Let’s start with the basics:

Yoga teachers are humans, not avatars of Lord Vishnu.

We (and I mean me, too) can get very stressed from time to time.

Most of us didn’t really grow up saying, “Mummy, I wanna be a yoga teacher!” Most of us wanted to be rap stars (me), millionaires, fashion designers, investment bankers,  or simply good parents and spouses.

Most of us didn’t have a clue we could even teach yoga!

Then, one day, after a great yoga class, our teacher reached out to us, and said, “Hey! You’d make a great yoga teacher!” And the rest is history.

My own mother (who was also a yoga teacher), Tara Patel, didn’t even suggest it to me. She just gave me the hall keys one day, and said: “I’m off to discover America! See you in September!”

So, we’re just like you…us yoga teachers learning all the time as well.

We were just so inspired by what our yoga teacher put into our lives, that, after taking a great teacher training course, we wanted to share it.

I remember telling one of my training groups a story. Once, I turned up to class after a blazing row with my partner at that time. I was literally fighting with this girl all the way into the doorway of the hall (whisper-shouting!). But, as soon as I saw my first student, instant zen! I switched into an angel.

I threw my personal stuff out of the window in milliseconds, and it was (genuinely) all about Karen (my student).

This is what your yoga teacher is like: They do get stressed. They do shout and scream and swear and throw hissy-fits! But, one thing you can be sure of, the moment they see you, they will drop their egos, personal concerns or stresses and get fully focused on giving you the best yoga experience ever.

And that’s all you can ask for really, isn’t it? True professionals.

So, next time you see me, or any yoga teacher, remember:  we’re human too.

We’ve just chosen to make our living by helping others — including you!

At Chi Kri, my yoga brand, I’ve always pushed away from pretentiousness, and more towards just being ‘normal’, because, ultimately, that’s what we are. Just human beings.

Let’s start a hashtag…

#YogaTeachersAreHumanToo