Yoga Teachers: Here’s The Truth About Credibility And Curiosity

A friend who’s been diagnosed with an “incurable” medical condition shared something interesting with me the other day. She said that the doctors she seeks out for help with her condition are NOT the ones who claim to have all the answers. She looks for the doctors who are open to learning, to finding out more, to new treatment protocols and information.

Similarly, the BEST chiropractor I know, the one I trust completely, is the one chiropractor I’ve met who is continually learning more and more about his field, about how back pain in the body manifests, what’s most effective in treating it and preventing it from reoccurring.

He’s the one who uses his knowledge as a springboard for diving in with his patients to explore and learn from them. He’s the one doesn’t claim to have “the” method that will fix everyone, every time.

Like my friend, when I look for a chiropractor, I’m not seeking out the person who claims to have all the answers. I choose to place my trust in the person who knows their stuff AND is open to exploring. 

I seek out the healer who is so confident in their abilities that they see learning more not as a reflection on their competence but as a sign of their expertise. The one who is so committed to excellence in their field that continual inquiry and growth is simply their MO. 

I seek out the professional who is so passionate about their field that they can’t help but want to become even better at what they do.

Just as the doctor who claims to have figured it all out repels my friend, and I’m suspicious of the chiropractor who claims to have the fix-all method, I’d be equally as wary of the yoga teacher who thinks they have nothing left to learn. 

Isn’t it true that the BEST teachers you’ve had, the most inspiring teachers you’ve learned from are the ones who let their studentship be on full display? 

Whose passion for learning the subject of yoga is so obvious it can’t help but be contagious? 

The truth is, being curious and open to learning makes us even MORE credible as a teacher. When curiosity and openness meets discrimination and discernment, that’s when the magic happens. 

Rather than feeling insecure or diminished by the enormity of the subject of yoga, we’re inspired and open. Our growth and learning comes not from a place of insecurity, but from a place of empowerment and confidence.

This is when we earn the trust of our students, not because we know everything, but because we’re able to stand in what we know (because we’ve tested it out, questioned and inquired), AND we also know how much we don’t know. 

If the spirit of inquiry, discovery, and yoga as path of "always learning" calls out to you, in practice an in teaching, you’ll want to check out the next Skillful Yogi Online Teacher Mentoring Program we’re beginning next month.

It’s unlike any other teacher support program out there, and our community of seasoned teachers who are also expert students is pretty awesome.