Yoga Teacher Talk: What's Your Personal Teaching Mission Statement?

Welcome to Chime's YTT series (that's Yoga Teacher Talk, not Yoga Teacher Training!), where Philly area yoga teachers share their experiences as they continue to grow personally and professionally. Although teaching yoga is rewarding, it is also very challenging. It is my hope that the YTT series will give voice to the various facets of the teaching experience. 

Of the many important lessons I have learned from both teaching yoga and creating Chime, the one that deeply resonates is the idea that what you do serves as proof of what you believe. We must be clear with ourselves about why we teach yoga. One way to do this is to create a personal mission statement that defines your intention for teaching. Most simply, a personal teaching mission statement should answer the question of WHY you teach yoga. Without this awareness, it will be challenging to teach with passion or a sense of purpose. In fact, it may not even be possible. 

In this month's edition of YTT, an inspiring group of teachers share their personal teaching mission statements. Here's what they have to say.

What is your personal mission statement for teaching yoga? To write one, reflect on your motivation and goals for teaching and how you will accomplish them. Keep it simple and real. Think back to why you wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Recall other teachers, writers, books, quotes, and sources of inspiration. Most importantly, draw on your experiences as a practitioner, of how your personal practice ignited a desire to teach. I invite you to share your personal teaching mission statement in the comments section below. 

Would you like to be a part of my YTT blog series? The more voices that chime in, the more we can learn from each other as yoga teachers, practitioners, and individuals. Email me if you would like to contribute to the next YTT article. I would love to include your voice!