T is for Teacher

 

 As always, a huge shout out to Ninja Minion Master Captain Alex and his army of ninja minions! 

My Theme: Yoga.  For those of you who don't know, I've been working on obtaining my yoga teacher's certification for the past year and am just a little over a month from graduating with my RYT200.  As such, I figure there's no better way to spend this month than teaching you folks some of what I've learned.

 

In a little over 3 weeks I will be graduating from teacher training and will be a full-fledged teacher.  It's an odd thing to ever feel comfortable calling oneself (which is why I tell people that "I teacher karate" rather than calling myself a karate teacher).  Especially in an endeavor where the entire enterprise is about transcending ego.  So, in all likelihood, I'll end up saying the same thing about yoga- that I teach it.

 

I think it's an important thing to consider, though.  Especially in the days of self-proclaimed gurus who take their status and use it for evil.  There are, unfortunately, many example of individuals who seemed to miss the whole ego-transcendence thing and tout themselves as leaders who then go on to make headlines with charges of sexual assault, abuse, and horrifically unethical treatment of their students.  These people abused the power appointed to them by people who placed them pedestals they never deserved, earned or could stay on.

 

Yoga, as I've been revealing over this month is about a hell of a lot than just asana and I'm no less likely to admire someone who seems to be on the right path and offers advice on how to do the same within my own life.  But here's the thing about the right path: it's something that only you can walk.  Really, there is no "Right path", there's only YOUR PATH.  And how the hell can someone possibly tell you how to walk your path?

 

The obvious answer is that they can't.  Which is why yoga teachers, however wise and transcended they may personally be, are always only just pieces of the overall puzzle that your yourself have to put together.  Lets not hero worship our teachers.  Lets just appreciate them for what they are: folks offering instruction, advice and cheer-leading our efforts.  I think we'd all be a lot better off for it.