Have you ever found yourself in situation where you don’t know what the right thing to do is? With so many opinions around you, so much conflicting research or information online, with so many distractions you don’t have the time or head space to tune into what simply feels like the right thing for you?
This might be diet choice, career choices, lifestyle choices, friendships, what to wear, what to say, what not to say, where to go, what groups to support, what classes to do, what brand to use. It sends my head in a spin!
I’ll share my experience with just this exact predicament as a Yoga Teacher. These are things I’ve heard, read, been told over the years. Not all where directly aimed at me, but I took in these impressions along the way that add to the bombardment of opinions swirling in my head that sometimes leave me confused and unsure of myself.
You don’t look like a Yoga Teacher
You don’t dress like a real Yoga Teacher
You shouldn’t say Namaste at the end of the class
As a white western Yoga teacher, should you even be teaching Yoga?
If it is not your heritage it cannot be an authentic practice
Your not the shape nor size of a Yoga Teacher
Your not thin or toned enough
Your classes are too hard
Your classes are too easy
Your culturally appropriating and disrespecting India if you use Sanskrit
Your culturally appropriating and disrespecting India if you don’t use Sanskrit
Your Classes arn’t spiritual enough
Your classes are too spiritual
You don’t do enough hand on adjustments
Never do hand on adjustments!
If you don’t have a Guru, is it even real Yoga?
Don’t follow any Guru’s!
Chanting is too weird
If there is not chant it is not Authentic
You speak too much in class
Don’t play music in class
Dont advertise yourself on social
You need to post all the time on social media!
And it goes on and on and on and on! It was a big surprise that even the world of Yoga has its judgements, strong opinions and hurtful criticisms that do not align with the truth of Yoga which is rooted in love and compassion.
The point I want to share with you here is, I know how easy it is to doubt yourself and loose your true north, the direction your heart wants to take you, to know with confidence what feels right and aligned for YOU because of outside opinions can pull you in so many different directions.
While on my holiday, I had space to reflect and reconnect to what feels right for me and for my community ( that’s you lovely bunch, of course!) This is why I believe it is so so valuable to make regular time to slow down, get quiet and reconnect to what feels right for you, to avoid getting whisked away down another path because the outside world has given you the impression you are doing the wrong thing. Trust and believe in yourselves. Listen to your heart. Say anchored into your centre so you can navigate your life with YOUR truth and integrity.
You where put on this planet to be you and only you know what that actually means and what that looks like. Others will always have their opinions on whats right or wrong, but they do not know what is right or wrong for you.
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