When someone tells me “Hey, I’m a yoga instructor, too” I immediately feel connected to them.  Not because I know that they too have touched sweaty, calloused feet at the end of a hot, hot class to show their students a good savasana; and not because I know they probably have valuable insights about being a “private contractor” when it comes to their taxes and how to pay them.  I feel connected to them because we’re working towards the same thing.

Whether my fellow teacher preaches the strict rules of Ashtanga, the heart opening theories of Anusara or, like me, gives their students a deep sweat-fest through power yoga we are united in our effort to make people’s’ lives and days that much better.  We all enter a yoga studio with the same goal, no matter how it manifests itself.  Maybe one teacher talks “stress relief” and another talks “alignment” or yet another chats “non-dualistic philosophy” through class – we’re all trying to give our students the same things: happiness, contentedness, peacefulness.

So, with that in mind, making absolutely sure that everyone knows that I am totally in love with my fellow yogis (both students and teachers) here’s a little post to keep our lives and profession a little lighthearted… as bringing happiness, contentedness and peacefulness to the masses can be exhausting as shit.

You’re Probably A Yoga Instructor If…

  • You use the terms Chakra and Bandhas very seriously in your day-to-day life.  You’re not being ironic and you’re not joking around, you really think that your cranky friend who sits in front of a computer all day, hunched over and unhappy needs to open his heart.  You really believe that your uptight friend needs to get in touch with her root chakra (if you know what I mean) and you want more than anything for that overweight gentleman across the super market to tighten uddiyana bandha.
  • Your life’s accessories include: mats, straps, yogitoes and a glass water bottle.  Whether you travel with your mat strapped to your back or keep several of them in your car, you have at least one on hand in case an impromptu yoga session presents itself.  You also like to keep props handy just in case you should run into someone who needs assistance in side angle.  Oh, and as a yogi you understand and respect the importance of keeping your body properly hydrated.
  • You think lululemon’s ‘Shit Yogis Say’ video is hysterical, because not only do you feel like you’d get along really well with that blond chick, but you also have worried about a friend’s aura, you really do wear moccasins and you’ve gotten a buzz off strong Kombucha at least once or heard of someone who has…
  • You’re not shy about yoga demonstrations.  More than one conversation you’ve had with friends has ended up with at least one person in a yoga pose while you correct their alignment.  You consider any open patch of grass, tile, or sidewalk to be an ideal opportunity for an inversion.  You often find a good time in any conversation to discuss the proper form for triangle pose or tricks for getting into pincha.
  • You firmly believe that anyone can do crow given the proper instruction.
  • You think that everyone is just a couple of “tippy-toes” away from headstand.
  • You’ve knocked someone over while scrambling for your cell phone shouting” What’s this song?! What’s this song!? Someone shazam it!” in an attempt to constantly update and improve your playlists.
  • Speaking of playlists, you have an entire playlist on your iTunes account titled: savasana songs.
  • You consider throwing on a nice mala to be “dressing up.”
  • People get weirded out by how strong your toes are.
  • You are really good at knowing your left from right and have (after many failed attempts over your career) figured out how to mirror a group of people… you can talk about your left arm while moving your right.
  • You often find your conversations coming back to the Yoga Sutras or The Science of Yoga… even if you haven’t actually read them (ahem).
  • You do not wear pants with buttons.  You do not own a pencil skirt.  You do not wear heals to work.

And those are just a few points.  We have beautiful lives, we do wonderful work, and we are bomb ass fitness professionals.  Yogis of the world pat yourselves on the back & keep it up.

To quote ‘Shit Yogis Say’ one more time:
Namaste, Motha F*ckas!

XO
Heather C

Yoga

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August 14, 2012

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