A Culture of Expectations

Even yoga teachers can get caught up in the stress of expectation that has become a part of our culture.

We have high expectations of ourselves, and we feel stress around what we perceive our students expect from us.

“It takes me hours to plan my class and set it to music.” 

“I have to keep creating more interesting sequences to keep my students engaged and not bored.” 

“All of this planning has become time consuming, and I am afraid I am burning out on teaching.” 

“I get anxious if I don’t have my sequence planned.” 

“I feel pressured to design more intricate sequences interwoven with themes and poetry and purpose. But, while I’m doing it all, I don’t feel inspired. Instead I feel tired.”

Does this feel familiar?

Mindfulness in Teaching

As we integrate mindfulness into practically every aspect of our lives, we need to do the same for the preparation and teaching of our yoga classes. Getting in the GAP: a 3-Step Mindfulness Practice to Use Before Teaching Yoga is a simple practice of daily nourishment you can use to prepare for and teach your classes at all stages of development as a yoga teacher.

About Sarahjoy Marsh

SARAHJOY MARSH, MA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT | Certified yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and author, is a vibrant, compassionate catalyst for transformation. While fundamentally informed by the teachings of yoga, Sarahjoy also masterfully integrates her training in Western therapy and mental health, interpersonal counseling, neurobiology, reciprocal muscle inhibition, and kinesiology. She has an unwavering belief in people’s innate goodness and their capacity to re-awaken to their potential. Sarahjoy has a Masters in Counseling and has been training yoga teachers, yoga outreach volunteers, and mental health providers, including clinical psychologists and social workers, in the tools of yoga therapy for 22 years. She is a student and scholar of yoga with 27 years of professional teaching experience and 30 years of yogic study. From her extensive background, Sarahjoy created “amrita yoga”, a form of vinyasa yoga that integrates Ayurveda, mindfulness, neuroscience, yoga philosophy and psychology, pranayama, and physical therapy. She also created Yoga + Social Justice integrating yoga, mindfulness, trauma-informed care, personal, intergenerational + cultural inquiry, and bringing yoga into the marginalized communities including Oregon’s prison system.