Unlike my other post on holiday gifts for yoga teachers which I hoped my own teacher Pio would not check out, THIS post is one which I hope all yoga instructors would read. This is all about the kinds of gifts a yoga teacher can give his students.

Of course, my thoughts on this matter are limited to my experience with my teacher but from the time I started my first ever yoga class, I consider it a blessing to have received these “gifts” from him at one time or another. In a way, this is my “THANK YOU!” post for him.

If you have been enjoying your classes (like I do), it is likely that your yoga teacher has done one or all of the following for you:

* Making you fully aware of your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health so that you become conscious of “doing and being” that eliminate the negatives and heighten the positives;

* Sharing (and not withholding) information about the benefits of various asanas that would help you improve your practice as well as types of food for health;

* Praising when he sees your efforts during your practice; encouraging when he sees you having difficulty; motivating when he senses that you are not in the mood or slacking somewhat; and cautioning when he sees you pushing yourself beyond your capacity or ability;

* Unhesitatingly making asana adjustments to correct, deepen or lighten your poses;

* Creating an atmosphere of joy, contentment, security and safety for all in his classes (including surprises once in a while like a new music CD, a lit candle in a dim room after you come out of Savasana, or even just an entirely new vinyasa flow routine);

* Finding quiet time to share his philosophy on life and how to be a gentle creature of this earth, doing no harm to others;

* Bequeathing you with enough positive energy, confidence and affirmation to develop your own personal practice during times other than his classes; and,

* Teaching you to be always grateful and appreciative of what our God has given and continues to give us through the practice of yoga.

And after all this…….finds time once in a while to share a laugh with you (after all, we also want our yoga teachers to have a sense of humor, right?)

Would you like to share with me some yogic gifts from your favorite instructor?

Namaste!