“You inspire by leading and not teaching.”
When I decided to attend Level 1 in the UK in 2016, I never would have thought to be passionate about Baptiste Yoga but 4 years on, I’m now a 750hrs Tier 2 Certified Baptiste Yoga Educator.
At every decision, there was also one one-word question I raised - HOW?
Baron’s ANSWER TO HOW IS TO BE A YES.
We go searching for answers everywhere, wanting to get it right, whatever it is before we get into action. “It has to be perfect otherwise….”
Otherwise what?
We won’t know what until we actually get into action and be a yes to what we want to make happen.
All the worries and fears are just stories we made up in our heads. There may be a little bit of truth and consequences from doing what we want, and as long we stay true to our values and have integrity and practice ahimsa - we’ll be ok. And it’s not ok, it’ll be k as long as we know we come from a place of love and support.
Practising and teaching Baptiste Yoga has taught me a lot about appreciating the present moment and trusting my heart rather than my head.
“It doesn’t matter what you know, but what you do with what you know that matters.”
I’ve never been passionate about anything to want to share about it before Baptiste Yoga. (Sharing = Teaching, Talking, Writing)
I’m passionate about Baptiste Yoga because it transformed how I interact with myself and with others in a good way. And I want others to also experience the same magic.
So much so that when I was asked to teach the Bikram -Inspired Hot yoga because it’s “what everyone wants” and it’s a “must-have in your portfolio so that you will be a popular yoga teacher wanted by all studio” - I was a NO.
Because Bikram-Inspired Yoga does not light my life. The style doesn’t suit my body. Full Stop.
It took me a long time to be ok with being a No. I do a class every now and then, but I’d be lying if I said I love it. So if I don’t love practising the style , how can I teach enthusiatically to my students, right? They know.
I don’t want to be a robot. I want to be me.
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“Do what you love everyday, where possible. If not, always choose courage and practice kindness.”
I love to teach Baptiste Yoga because it works.
The sequence is more or less fixed yet there is space to adapt and be creative. It allows me to be who I am without worrying about the next sequence and whether if it is enough for the “advanced” students or too much for the beginners. It gives me the freedom to look at my students, listen and give tools. There’s flow. There’s power. There’s inspiration. There’s magic. There’s ease. There’s challenges. There’s inquiry. There’s meditation, Discovery. New possibilities.
I teach Baptiste Yoga because I want to inspire change and empower others to want to create that change for themselves.
“Create space for people to step into and experience in their own greatness.”
THAT
- above, ladies and gentlemen was my three page essay on “why I have chosen to teach Baptiste Yoga”, which I had to submit as part of my Tier 1 certification.
Back then to get certified, we had to write 3-4 essays, film a 60-90 mins of proper class, watch the said video so to write a self-feedback, and then have the teaching video evaluated by someone from the Baptiste Institute.
Today’s certification process is more accessible for brand new to Baptiste yoga, and for Global Yogis.
Yet I do miss the old pathway because
The conversations about my teaching with a senior Baptiste Teacher kept me connected to the methodology and the Baptiste Yoga community.
Watching the videos got me out of my comfort zone. (Try watching yourself teach an hour of class without squirming.)
The feedback I received on my teaching was one of my most valuable and challenging teaching moments.
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There were a few tears with the change, but as Baron said we have to keep evolving, otherwise we’d get stuck. So I’m all in to his vision of Global growth for Baptiste Power Vinyasa.
I did write in my journal after Level 1 that if I could push the envelope, I would bring Baptiste Yoga to Asia. And it (and Baron) has indeed arrive in Singapore and in Phuket.
Check out my Teacher’s Profile out on the revamped Baptiste Yoga Website and other teachers’ too.
WHY DO YOU TEACH YOGA?
Knowing your WHY will bring you out of your head and into your heart. Your WHY will give you access to drishti on days when you don’t feel like ‘You’re good enough.”
Are you inspired to Teach Baptiste Yoga?
Did you know you can receive a Level 1 Baptiste Power Yoga Instructor Credential by just completing either the Baptiste Yoga Teacher Course or Level One: Journey Into Power? These two trainings is the first step to becoming a certified teacher, and fulfills on the requirements for certification. Note that you are not referred to or may not refer to yourself as a Certified Teacher.
Click here to check the upcoming dates for Baptiste Yoga Teacher Course and Level One: Journey Into Power.
And if you curious about how Baptiste Power Yoga Certification works, click here.
Journal:
Do you teach Yoga? Why do you teach Yoga? Please share your WHY in the comments below. If you don't teach at all, can you share what are you passionate about and why?