I have been sharing my passion for yoga for over twenty years. Apart from my different yoga teacher training, I also completed advanced courses offered by Yoga Medicine for teachers, including Mental Health & Wellness and Yoga for Athletes. My experience includes yoga for athletes, the blind and visually impaired and persons suffering from mental illnesses.
Despite the studies and different yoga classes I have covered, I do not consider myself a yoga teacher. Apart from the fact that I do not allow my profession to define me as a person, my role is more of guiding the attendees (I do not call them students). I consider them to be my teachers, as I constantly learn from them. Only the participants can know what they are feeling during the practice. I empower the practitioners to take control of what they need at any time during the session. So, apart from choosing from the different options of posture or modifications, every individual is free to perform something different, including taking as many moments of rest throughout the session.
I encourage yoga practitioners to listen to their bodies and breathing. Each individual is physically, mentally and emotionally unique. What works for one person might not be beneficial to another. Even two persons with the same aim may need to approach the session differently. By being aware of the breaths, one can tune inwards.
My style of guiding a yoga class is like a buffet meal, the food being the different yoga tools. One is free to choose what to eat and how much. Overeating and choosing food that is not good for your health will harm you. Individuals can practise safely and challenge themself by being practical and honouring physical limitations.
We practise to feel better physically, mentally and emotionally, and not to get better at yoga. Like life, yoga is a continuous journey and not a destination. A journey of maintaining the physical ability to deal with our daily needs, inner peace and the right state of mind.