#77: Yoga Instructor vs. Yoga Teacher

Yoga is not just what happens on the mat in a gym, but yoga is meant to be a life journey. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What a Yoga Instructor is
• What a Yoga Teacher is 
• Why they are different
• How to know which one is right for you

If you're looking to learn yoga, get clear on what your intention is for seeking out a yoga practice or class.   Knowing the difference between a yoga teacher and instructor is a big part of cultivating the self-discovery journey you want to take and how you intend to use the practice in your life.

Yoga is often one of the first elements that draws people in to beginning to understand and transform themselves even though it may not be the actual reason they think they need yoga.  You might come to yoga seeking to touch your toes and end up changing your life instead.

Resources:
Sun Salutation or at CairnYogaWellness.com/SunSalutation

Daily Rhythms Tracker or CairnYogaWellness.com/RhythmsTracker

Grab the full show notes and resources at www.cairnyogawellness.com/podcast77 and subscribe and listen wherever you catch your podcasts: 

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More Episodes Like This One:
#64: Yoga's Rhythm is Also Your Rhythm
#63:  Transitions
#24: From Working Out to Yoga - How I Transitioned My Life

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Transcript

Cathy: 0:01

Yoga is not just what happens on the mat in a gym. But yoga is meant to be a life journey. In this episode, you'll learn what a yoga instructor is, what a yoga teacher is, why they're different and how to know which one is right for you.// Hey friends. Welcome to episode 77 of the podcast. I am glad you're here. Today we are back on the topic of yoga. Something that I am very passionate about and have explored, I guess if you will. For, oh, I don't know,the past, 18 or more years at least. Yoga is just such a different practice than any form of exercise. But. The way I teach yoga, it is intentional movement. And it also encompasses a whole lot more than just that intentional movement. And that's what we're getting into today. We're going to talk about the differences in a yoga instructor versus a yoga teacher. Before we get into that topic, I have a little bit of administrative work that I want to bring you into the loop on. We're going to be switching the podcast to two episodes a month instead of four episodes a month. So instead of getting an episode every week for now, you're going to be getting an episode every other week. You can still find a ton of great content that I'm creating and putting out there on Instagram and Facebook and in the Facebook community. So the social media. Accounts for Cairn yoga wellness will be the place to find that content. But for the time being. We're just reducing the number of episodes each month and we'll get back to weekly episodes at some point. But for now an episode every other week is what's going to be happening. And I hope that you consider checking out some of those other avenues where you're able to get content, whether that's through email. Instagram or Facebook. On with the show. So the difference between a yoga instructor and a yoga teacher is what we're talking about today. Now you might use those words interchangeably. A lot of people do. But every time someone says that I'm their yoga instructor it kind of makes me cringe just a little bit. And that's just me getting in my own way. I'm sure. But I want to let you know that there is indeed a difference between a yoga instructor and a yoga teacher. Maybe it's my little ego voice inside of me jumping in to say, no, no, no, I'm not just a yoga instructor. I'm so much more than that. And maybe I need to quiet that little voice just a little bit. But also, I think it's just the fact that as a society, we don't generally realize or understand that there is actually a difference in an instructor and a teacher. And so I want to lay that out for you today and help you understand the difference and help you maybe even use this information to decide which one is right for you because perhaps, maybe a yoga teacher isn't right for you. But the yoga instructor is exactly what you need and it's adequate for what your desires are and for what your needs are. So let's dig into it. A yoga teacher does more than just teach a fitness yoga class in a gym or a club. We guide you in a journey of self discovery and understanding starting with what happens on the mat. Starting with that intentional movement. That's how we begin to guide you through this journey of self-understanding and self discovery. On the other hand. Yoga instructors or people who may teach yoga in a gym or club. And that's where it ends. But a yoga teacher acts as a guide on your life journey of self discovery. And that's the key difference. But I wanna break it down for you even further. So listen on. Anyone can go out in front of a group of people and teach yoga class or teach basic yoga moves and postures. They might even be able to teach some pretty complex yoga moves and postures. They might be able to string those postures together. Haphazardly and create a certain feeling in the people that they're leading. But a yoga teacher takes the work you do on the yoga mat and helps you translate it into self discovery. You might be at a place in your yoga practice where you're simply coming to the mat because you want that movement. That's okay. That's okay. So maybe you would consider your yoga teacher and instructor at that point. And this was not in my notes and I'm simply riffing now, but perhaps that's what you need in that moment is just to be able to do the physical, to get to the mat. To go from point A to point B, where there is a distinct point A and point B. Maybe the yoga teacher is beyond what you need at that point. And that's okay. An instructor is someone who gets you from point A to point B within a relatively short period of time. They help you reach a specific goal. Maybe that goal is weight loss. Maybe that goal is being able to touch your toes or just simply being more mobile. Whereas a teacher is concerned with your benefit in a broader sense. And perhaps over a longer period of time. They may have a more holistic approach to the outcome. Rather than focusing on a specific number of steps to take, to get to an endpoint. So it might not be as clear cut as come to class three days a week, do this, this, and this and you're going to achieve this. And that's often what we see with instructors. They have a clear path, a clear set of goals or benchmarks to hit and to reach in order to get to an intended outcome. But with a yoga teacher. They're more concerned with your experience on the way to wherever the end may be. And quite honestly, if I'm talking. Honestly here. The end is actually death. Right? And I know that sounds morbid, but when you begin practicing yoga, although there may come a point where you are fully self-actualized. And I know that sounds morbid, but when you begin practicing yoga, although there may come a point when you are fully self-actualized that may not be desirable for you or for the majority of people out there. So that being said, The end goal could be just the end of your life that you are seeking to be a more whole and complete. And loving kind, compassionate understanding individual. Over the course of your lifetime. So it's not necessarily a point A point B. To train for this, take these steps to get to here. Yoga means union specifically. Union or the interconnectedness of all things. Which of course means the union of the body, mind and spirit. Those elements being seen as all one whole unit. So a yoga teacher may focus on more holistic practices, such as yoga theory, spirituality, meditation, breath, work, and mindfulness. Whereas a yoga instructor may have more of an emphasis on the physical aspects of the practice alignment postures, and making it more physically demanding. However a great yoga teacher incorporates all these things when teaching or working with a student and does so. Uh, by reading the room or what the student needs on that day, the student who walks through their door, the client who walks through their door. A great yoga teacher is going to be able to feel the energy and sense. And ask the questions in order to know what to put in front of that client or student on that day. It's being able to know what to put in front of the student, even if it's not in the plan that was prepared for the session. Now, I'm not saying that an instructor couldn't do this as well. I'm just saying that an instructor's focus may not likely be as holistic as a teacher's focuses. It may not include all of the other elements such as breath work meditation, coaching, understanding the mind or where the student is coming from in order to get them to the vision of where they want to be. By reading the room or the client on a particular day, the yoga teacher often has a more individualized or personal approach to guiding a student according to their unique needs and intentions on that day. Whereas an instructor may take a more standardized approach. Another way that yoga teachers and instructors are different is that a yoga teacher has likely gone through a higher level of training than an instructor. And instructor may have received their training through a gym, club or organization that also certifies in other physical practices like group fitness or personal training, but someone who considers themselves a yoga teacher has likely had a broader scope of training. Which also included yoga theory, philosophy and history, along with other spiritual practices, as well as anatomy and physiology. So as well as the alignment and posture and sequencing that the yoga instructor may have gone through there's no specific certificate or licensure for yoga teachers actually, but there are registering bodies that recognize teachers who have done so many hours of training and who continue to learn and continue to deepen their education as a lifelong journey. That's how to differentiate between a yoga instructor and a yoga teacher. And I hope that painted a clear picture for you of what the difference is, but there's one other word that I want to bring into this that often gets thrown around with maybe just little to no understanding of what it actually means. And that's the guru. So, where does this word guru come in when it comes to talking about teachers, Uh, guru is indeed a type of spiritual teacher that often has a specific spiritual path that they are taking a student down to achieve a higher state of consciousness or spiritual awakening. And gurus are often thought to have a more intimate relationship with the student. Knowing the student on a more personal level as almost a sacred bond. This does not mean they have an intimate physical relationship with the student at all. I know that there have been instances where this has been the case in the past, and I'm sure there will be instances in the future where this is the case where the teacher student relationship crosses the line. That's not what we're talking about here. That's not what a guru is considered to be. Traditionally in Eastern cultures, once a student begins to follow a guru, that's the path that they take to learn from that one person to come into a higher state of consciousness. When we practice yoga, are we seeking to come into a higher state of consciousness? In a way. We're seeking more understanding of who we are as people. So in a sense that may be considered elevating your consciousness. But that doesn't mean that you have to seek out some sort of guru. Remember how I said that the guru is someone who takes you down a specific path. A teacher can very much still have a close relationship with their student and know them well on a personal level, that's part of what makes a teacher, a teacher and not an instructor. But the energy behind the relationship is a bit different between. When talking about teacher versus guru, the teacher is a guide and the expectation that the student learns only from them isn't necessarily the case. Whereas. At times if you're placing someone in that guru position, it may mean that you are only seeking out their knowledge and only seeking out their path or way of being. Not the case with a teacher. A great teacher will understand and know that there is likely a time when you will move beyond them and need to find other teachers and guides to help them on their spiritual journey as well. So if you're looking to learn yoga, get clear on what your intention is for seeking out a yoga practice or class. Yoga is often one of the first elements that draws people in to be getting to understand and transform themselves. They come to yoga, seeking to touch their toes and end up changing their lives. Knowing the difference between a yoga teacher and instructor is a big part of cultivating the self discovery journey you want to take and how you intend to use the practice in your life. As I said at the beginning, if you indeed, really are wanting to just touch your toes then perhaps a yoga instructor is the way to go. But you'll likely have to keep trying and may even get discouraged when you get stuck. Because a great or even good yoga teacher knows that you think that touching your toes is all you want to do, but in all actuality, nothing will change unless you start to do the deeper work to uncover and rediscover the parts of you that need healing and transformation. Because remember, as I said at the beginning, yoga means union. All parts are one. Transformation happens with just taking the first step towards what's six feet in front of you, as you might've heard me say. For you, that might mean starting with the foundation, which could be beginning to practice a yoga sequence that you can do consistently, that will help you explore what a regular yoga practice can do for you. This doesn't have to be a complex sequence. It can be as simple as practicing a sun salutation. And I've actually got a simple version of the sun salutation recorded and ready for you to begin practicing with you can grab it at Cairn yoga, wellness.com forward slash sun salutation. And that will allow you to download a video to follow along with, to begin moving through a sun salutation. After you moved through several passes of the sun salutation, take a few moments to pause and witness the result. You might even journal on your observations. Remember, one of the four steps in flowing with life, even when things don't meet your expectations is to witness the outcome. And that my friends is one of the places where journaling and reflection come in. You might even do this in the daily rhythms tracker, that little handy tool that I've created to help you. Align with your rhythms. As I have created space in there to track your intentional movement, as well as any other rhythm you might want to explore. But the sun salutation is a basic yoga formula that can either get you started with a yoga practice. Or perhaps encourage you to get back on the mat if you've taken a hiatus from practicing for awhile. So check out the downloadable video in which I walk you through exactly what to do and how to breathe with your intentional movement. I will link to it in the show notes. Or you can check out the show notes page, which is Cairn yoga, wellness.com forward slash podcast 77. Now, you know, the difference between a yoga instructor, and a yoga teacher, why they're different, and how to know which one is right for you. I'm Cathy Struecker and you've been listening to health, harmony, and happiness with Cathy cheers to cultivating your own version of health, harmony, and happiness in your life.