Do you need to ‘like’ your yoga teacher???

2.  Find out whether a teacher has been trained with a basic 200 hour course, or a course that ran over many years.  Yes, you really can go on a holiday and come back with a certificate accredited by the ‘Yoga Alliance’ (and other similar organisations) that enables you to call yourself a teacher and start working. 

3.  Ask why your teacher started yoga.  Is it because they used to be a dancer and are naturally flexible?  Or because they had back or health problems that they have managed?  Which is most relevant to you?  

4.  Research your teacher if you can.  This is where a website is useful!  You may be too shy to ask but you can find stuff out about them through their site.  If they have been teaching for a very long time this is usually a good sign too.

5.   Some people say ‘find a teacher you like’  but I don’t think it’s really necessary to ‘like’ them as if they were going to be your friend.  A teacher is different from a friend.  However, it is helpful if you can respect them.  This could be for many different reasons.  I think that if you respect their teaching you are much more likely to remember what they tell you.

6.  Do you benefit from their classes?  Sounds obvious?  But this is different from ‘enjoying’ their class.  It might not be ‘fun’ as such, but can you feel that it has done you some good?  Which is most important to you?