Table of contents
Introduction
In this short article, I will discuss two interesting questions:
• What character traits and qualities are required in order to be a good yoga practitioner?
• What character traits and qualities are required in order to be a good yoga teacher?
These are interesting questions because the answers to them can guide us on our yogic path and help define the qualities we need to develop and cultivate in order to become good practitioners or good yoga teachers.
The Yoga Journal has addressed the second question; here I share my own thoughts.
Let us begin with the first question.
What Is Required to Be a Good Yoga Practitioner?
First, one must love the practice
It is not easy to persevere in yoga practice. In order to maintain a regular practice, we need to give up some of life’s pleasures (what is known as bhoga). In order to practice in the morning, one needs to go to bed earlier and limit late nights out. Attention must be given to nutrition, and sufficient time should be kept between eating and practice. This requires a more carefully planned daily routine, with practice given high priority among our activities.
In addition, practice requires time, which comes at the expense of other pursuits. Often, it is difficult to begin practicing due to laziness, fatigue, or an overly busy schedule. Therefore, the first thing required to be a yoga practitioner is to love the practice.
If, during practice—and especially afterward—we do not feel that something in our state of mind or emotional condition has changed, we will lack the motivation to continue practicing. When, as a result of practice, we feel more calm, focused, clear, or refreshed—even if it is still difficult to begin—we know that it is worthwhile. We know that the memory of the special feeling after practice is worth the effort.
Love for the practice creates tapas—a burning desire to practice, a strong wish to bring about inner change that leads to greater calm and joy. Without tapas, it is difficult to continue on the yogic path.
Second, perseverance is required
However, love for the practice is not enough; the initial enthusiasm may fade. Therefore, the second requirement is determination and perseverance. Practice demands the investment of energy and effort. Self-discipline, willpower, and determination are required.
Patañjali summarized this in Sūtra I.14, stating that yoga practice must be carried out over a long period of time, without interruption, and with sincerity and devotion.
Sūtra I.20 describes what B.K.S. Iyengar called “the five vitamins of the yogi”: faith, determination, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. These too, are necessary in order to be a good practitioner. These five qualities nourish one another. To begin, one needs faith in the path—a belief that the path leads somewhere good. With faith comes determination and the ability to invest effort and persevere. Practice develops mindfulness and concentration, which lead to insight and spiritual wisdom. The wisdom gained through practice strengthens faith, which in turn encourages further effort, and so on.
Additional necessary qualities
A yoga practitioner needs motivation, but not ambition. Motivation is the desire to do good for oneself and for others. Ambition, by contrast, is the desire to be good, to excel, and to impress. Our goal is to do good, not to be successful or impressive.
Yoga is not gymnastics and does not operate solely on the physical level. In every posture there must be action and firmness, but also relaxation and space for breath. A yoga practitioner must find the right balance between steadiness and ease—sthira and sukha (Sūtra II.46)—and between effort and relaxation—abhyāsa and vairāgya (Sūtra II.47). Without steadiness there can be no ease, but steadiness alone is not sufficient, because effort without relaxation does not allow for observation and clarity.
In addition, a yoga practitioner should be curious about the field of yoga, eager to learn, and to grow. Practice should be creative, not repetitive and mechanical.
Furthermore, practice must not violate the principles of the yamas. It cannot be done at the expense of the well-being of others. For example, practitioners who have families cannot practice at the expense of their partner, and must ensure that practice does not prevent them from fulfilling their family responsibilities.
It should be remembered that practice is not limited to the time we spend on the yoga mat, but should extend throughout the entire day. Yoga should gradually become a way of life—a way in which we cultivate within ourselves the wish to do good in the world. In Sūtra I.33, Patañjali gives guidance for cultivating benevolent intentions, describing the four qualities of the heart, or the four divine qualities: friendliness, compassion, appreciative joy, and emotional equanimity.
How do we know whether our practice is good?
A good practice develops balance, tolerance, joy, and calm. If these qualities are not present, we need to examine what is lacking in our practice.
What Is Required to Be a Good Yoga Teacher?
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The first thing a teacher must be is a good and dedicated practitioner—teaching rests upon practice. If teachers lack passion and enthusiasm for practice, and if practice does not bring them calm, clarity, and joy, they will not be able to transmit these to others. Do not pass on second-hand knowledge to students, but only what you have experienced yourself. Learn from experienced teachers, but pass on to your students only what you have personally lived and practiced.
In addition, a good teacher should be interested in people—caring and empathetic. Teachers must remember that they are in the classroom for the students: to want them to progress and for their lives to be better.
Below are additional qualities required of a teacher:
- A teacher should know how to create a supportive and encouraging atmosphere in class, rather than a critical or judgmental one. Teachers should not hurt or insult students.
- Patience is required—lots of patience. Patience to explain the same things again and again. Patience in dealing with challenging students, who will always be there. Patience, even when it is difficult.
- Teachers should possess emotional stability and equanimity. They should be able to contain challenges and difficulties presented by students without becoming unsettled and without reacting automatically or unreflectively.
- Professionalism—teachers must know the field well and continue to develop and study. A teacher is first and foremost a learner.
- Observation and sensitivity—a teacher needs sharp and precise observation in order to see all students and identify where corrections and improvements can be made. The teacher must be sensitive enough to know how to address each student without causing harm, and in a way that helps them progress.
- Discipline is required in order to persevere in teaching, not to cancel classes, even when it is difficult or when the schedule is crowded.
- Teachers need the ability to express themselves and to convey content clearly, both verbally and through demonstration.
- Teachers should not reduce yoga teaching to technique alone. They must be well acquainted with the entire field of yoga, study the yogic texts (svādhyāya), and speak with students about yogic philosophy and theory, such as yama and niyama.
- Teachers should relate equally to all students, including those they like less.
- Last but not least, teachers must be humble.
The Need for Long-Term Training
As can be seen, it is not easy to be a good teacher. Before turning to teaching, one must devote years to practice and study. Only after deepening our understanding of yoga can we turn to teacher training. Such training must be thorough and extended. It takes years to mature into a good teacher. There is no instant yoga!
Insightful Quotes of Mr. Iyengar
In the eight volumes of Astadala Yoga Mala, a wealth of fascinating material has been collected, including lectures, messages, and interviews given by B.K.S. Iyengar throughout his long life. They contain distilled and profound wisdom. Among other topics, Iyengar addresses teaching (primarily in volumes 3 and 8, but also in other articles throughout the series—you can search for “teaching” in the general index at the end of volume 8).
I will bring here a few gems from volume 3:
Teaching yoga is very difficult subject, but it is one of the best services you can do for human beings. Work, not as a teacher, but as a learner in the art of teaching. Learn from looking at the pupils’ body and mind, as they are not the same in all individuals. (page 189)
Treat each pupil in your heart as God but outside as a pupil. Be strong outside, but feel inside that you are serving the pupils in the form of God. This brings in you the quality of being a true teacher. (page 190)
Your emotions as a teacher and their selfishness may put you in trouble. Do not get influenced. Do not show favoritism. Keep influences outside. (page 191)
As a teacher you have to wait for the right time to speak to the pupils with right words. (page 191)
Even if you do not like a person and yet you must teach him… Sometimes you get pupils who give you the nausea. Remember they are real gurus for you, because they help you to build yourself. God must have sent that person to you. (page 192)
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