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Yoga Evolution 101: The Student becomes the Teacher

Writer's picture: Stephanie JordanStephanie Jordan

by S.L. Jordan

"If you become a teacher, by your pupils you'll be taught" - Oscar Hammerstein II

At no point in the beginning of my yoga journey did I have the burning desire to teach yoga. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was all about the Asana - the physical- side of the practice. I grew up participating in a variety of sports, and my competitive streak goes across fields and board games.


If I were to speak to when the seed was planted, it would be in 2019 on a street in The French Quarters in New Orleans, LA. A group of my close friends and I were in town celebrating February birthdays. I had just finished up my third consecutive 40 Day Challenge at BIG Power Yoga, and at this point it was becoming obvious that I thoroughly enjoyed the practice.


"When are you going to get certified?"


My initial reaction was, "who me?" Yeah, I had a regular practice, but I was a beginner. At that point I don't even think I had achieved Birds of Paradise, Svarga Dvijasana -the first advanced pose that made me feel like a yogi, so I definitely didn't think I was teacher material. Teach WHO, WHAT?


That reaction was immediately followed by a feeling of pride. I know what I think about my yoga teachers, so for someone to think I could be THAT?! Yeah, my heart grew three times its size that day.


The seed had been planted and was being fertilized bit by bit.


Being a regular at my home studio, the teachers and staff got to know me and my practice really well. In December 2020 I was a Team Leader for the last 40 Days Challenge held at BIG Power Yoga. After that, every chance they got I was asked about the Teacher Empowerment Program, TEP, which is the 200hr RYT Certification hosted and taught at BIG.


I came up with every excuse under the sun. As we all know, the world STOPPED in March of 2020 and pretty much everything that was in-person had transitioned to virtual. The thought of completing 200hrs via a computer screen was NOT appealing to me, and to be honest I believe a HUGE part of being a DECENT teacher is being able to assist a student.


So, that was my excuse - "I wanted to do an in-person TEP" - until it couldn't be anymore.


Famous last words: "The next TEP you have in-person, I will sign up for."


I said that thinking the next time they would host an in-person session would be 2022 at the earliest.


NOPE. October 2021. A mere five months after I made my declaration, and seeing as I try to be a woman of my word - I signed up.


Even after signing up, I didn't see myself teaching a class. By this time, I had moved past my focus on just the physical practice and was incorporating more of the spiritual side of yoga into my life. I was reading and learning about the Vedas, The Sutras, The Yamas and The Niyamas. I was connecting the anatomy of the body to the poses. I had every intention of signing up to deepen MY OWN practice. Selfish, I know. LOL.


But, that's the funny thing about "finding your passion" - it usually ends up finding you instead. It was a combination of my own personal online community via social media and what I learned while getting certified that sealed the deal. After years of consistently posting my practice online, my family and friends started to ask me more about the practice - how did I get started? what should they do to start? etc. I remembered how I felt intimidated by yoga, the poses, and the yogi's in the beginning. There is a certain elitism attached to the practice, but that's a post for another day.

That's when I knew. I wanted to teach yoga, and more specifically I wanted to teach yoga to my community and any community that felt that same intimidation when they walked into a yoga studio.


Because, YOGA IS FOR EVERY BODY, and EVERYBODY.


Are you a student or a teacher? or both? What was the turning point for you in your journey?


Meet Me on the Ma'at.




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