Teaching my first yoga class was an out of body experience.

For sixty minutes I observed myself using phrases I had never uttered before, in an intonation having NO resemblance to my natural speaking voice. It was only about ten minutes into this process that I realized I was mimicking a yoga teacher, not teaching yoga. You see, I felt that I had to teach a certain way in order to call myself a teacher, that every class has to start with OM and you have to tell your students to shine their heart forward.

Two people left early, the rest suffered through my “I’m not a yoga teacher, I just play one on t.v.” performance. There were some complaints after the class, and rightfully so. My sequence made no sense and I never stepped one foot off of my mat. Yes, I had completed a 200-hour training but I was totally unprepared to teach a class. With living, breathing people.

A training that taught me how to teach

Then I met Jill Miller, creator of Yoga Tune Up® *cue the trumpets* and now you will have to excuse me as my inner groupie takes over, but she changed the way I teach.

She encouraged “showing personality” in class. My personality is goofy, slightly mischievous and at times playfully inappropriate. Jill embraced this. Yoga Tune Up® training, with a serious focus on anatomy, biomechanics and all around bad-assness (technical term) gave me the confidence to show my personality, while providing a well-designed and, more importantly, safe yoga class.

I got to the root of why I could not just be myself when I taught that first class. INSECURITY. I felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Isn’t that why any of us pretend to be something we are not? We are afraid that who/what we are, is somehow not good enough. So that’s a very personal and detailed account of what started my love affair with Yoga Tune Up®.

My adoration has grown based on what I’ve seen it do for others.

Teaching the asana and trusting the yoga

It’s a beautiful practice that brings people back into their bodies. For example, In a Yoga Tune Up® class, you look at what goes into a pose and honestly assess whether or not your body is ready to go there. Now apply that to making an important decision in your life – POW! It strengthens the relationship between the mind and body.

YTU is great for literally everyone, but I believe that those recovering from injuries get the most out of it. Jill teaches about “living better in your body” and “creating a new normal.” So many of us have accepted pain as normal. As a yoga teacher, I love the experience of watching as students connect more deeply with their own body and breathe.

Jill Miller in my Yoga Tune Up® Teacher Training taught me something that has become essential to the way I teach… I try to encourage one’s authentic relationship with oneself. I’d much rather help you understand what your own body is actually doing on the mat instead of just trying to fling you into a pretty pose. If you manage to apply that to your daily interactions and thought process; well that’s just a bonus, but that’s all you. Not my doing.

I still focus on moving with breath to help you pace yourself – but I like to let folks find their own way when it comes to spirituality or personal growth.

Otherwise, I believe what you are experiencing is not you, it’s you imitating your yoga teacher. And boy do I know about that!

© 2011, The Magazine of Yoga, LLC.