Are you thinking of taking your yoga practice to the next level and becoming a yoga teacher? Have you completed your YTT and now you don't know where to start? We interviewed six amazing yoga teachers based in Miami and here's their experience and advice on starting your own yoga business.
Kata Bilanchone | miamiyogagirl.com | @miamiyogagirl
Why and when did you become a yoga teacher?
I became a yoga teacher about 8 years ago after falling fiercely in love with the lifestyle and everything that it encompasses. I found peace in yoga and through it a philosophy to better navigate life.
What is the most rewarding part of being a yoga teacher?
Serving my students is by far the most rewarding part. To know that I can help others feel light and seen is heart warming. Everything from a bad day to combatting anxiety and depression. Holding space for my students is what it is all about for me.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The first one that comes to mind is the balancing act between marketing and authenticity. Sometimes I cringe at the thought of having to sell tickets and spots. I have events, retreats, and classes to promote. I never want to come off as inauthentic so it's a delicate line for sure. I believe I have found my voice and through that a way to market myself that is indeed authentic and genuine.
Any advice you'd give a yoga teacher just starting out?
Of course, we all need guidance especially starting out. For one, don't stop apprenticing. Keep working under your teacher and shadowing those teachers that inspire you most. Don't try to do it on your own- there is no need. Now on the other side of the coin, find your OWN voice. We all take bits and pieces from our mentors but don't be afraid to remix it. Find your voice and own it.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Yoga is more than just the physical. It's not so much about flexibility in the body as it is about flexibility in the mind. Remember yoga is a lifestyle. It's the way you carry yourself, the books you read, and the company you keep.
Dafna Zacharin | fluxyogastudio.co | @fluxyogamia & @dafnaflows
Why and when did you become a yoga teacher?
I became a yoga teacher in December of 2016 because yoga changed my life. My perception, my empathy and my ability to find comfort within discomfort have all shifted into something new and profound in the short 6 years of my practice. So, I felt that if I don't share this with other people I would be depriving them of this magic.
What is the most rewarding part of being a yoga teacher?
The most rewarding part of being a yoga teacher is seeing the look on someones face when they make a new breakthrough - be it internal or external.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
I know this will sound a little cliche but I honestly love my job so much that I hardly see any downside to it! I guess the only thing that is difficult for me is setting time aside for my personal practice - but that's a matter of priorities and me arranging my time better.
Any advice you'd give a yoga teacher just starting out?
Trust! Trust in yourself, in the process and never stop learning!
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Every single day, every single time we open our eyes when we wake up, we are given a new opportunity. An opportunity to do things out of love, an opportunity to show up. It's important for me to write this because it's a humbling reminder that there's no such thing as late. You can pick up a practice at any time in your life and customize it to your needs and desires. Start small and go from there!
Angela Orozco | angelaorozco.com | @angelalifespark
Why and when did you become a yoga teacher?
It was back in 2016 when I found the practice of Yoga. I first started because I was looking for a different kind of physical activity for stretching and recovery to complement my exercise routine, but little did I know that after taking that first class I was going to be able to realize that what Yoga had to offer was so much more than what I thought I needed.
My curiosity and interest in this beautiful practice took me to enroll in my first teacher training, not with the intention to teach at that moment, but because I wanted to learn more.
After finishing this training, I started a new journey, a path where becoming a yoga teacher with the intention to share what I have learned was my goal. Yoga became my compass, the answer that brought everything together since 2017 when I started teaching full time.
What is the most rewarding part of being a yoga teacher?
Being able to be part of the transformation of others. To share, to hold space, to create for others a new experience for Life, Yoga as a way to make change happen, to ignite their spark, to rise in love with life.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
To be constantly recharging, reenergizing myself to continue giving and sharing.
Any advice you'd give a yoga teacher just starting out?
To dig deep so you can find your unique talent and message to share. To never forget your why and who you are, even when things get difficult.
Maya Weber Hipskind | mayaweberyoga.com | @mayamazing_yoga
Why and when did you become a yoga teacher?
My love for yoga began in 2014 when I took my first class. Due to increasing stress as an individual therapist, I turned to yoga in order to find my strength. I became determined to make it to a class when I wasn't working.
I had so much passion for what I did to aid clients and their families on a daily basis, however I began finding myself absorbing their pain. Slowly, it felt as though yoga brought back my light. I knew then that I wanted to integrate this practice into my sessions with clients.
I started teaching yoga in 2016 and since then have had a broad range of students, including teaching young children mindfulness, emotional regulation and impulse control.
What is the most rewarding part of being a yoga teacher?
Connection; At the end of the day I love to connect with others. We usually seek out practices like yoga because we are in search of something other than just the physical benefits. The search for that within my clients motivates and inspires me everyday.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Yoga started out as my hobby; something I did just for me. It allows me a moment of pause without the pressure of being needed. Then all the sudden it became my job too. At first, I thought I had to find a boundary and separation between the two; yoga for self care versus yoga to serve the community.
Over the years however, I have learned that the struggle itself of keeping these two halves separate encompassed the entirety of my struggle. But if I can decide to teach each day with vulnerability, compassion and self love, then my self care is being maintained with my yoga practice, just in a very different way.
Any advice you'd give a yoga teacher just starting out?
Take your time to find your rhythm. The style you begin to create from a place of authenticity will be the reason people come back to see you again, and again. That connection is priceless.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Lead with heart, question everything, and remember to smile.
Michelle Berlin | yogishelly.com | @yogishelly
Why and when did you become a yoga teacher?
In 2007, after a car accident created multiple spinal injuries, I worked on my own healing and wanted to share it with others.
What is the most rewarding part of being a yoga teacher?
Being a part of a lineage and sharing it with community.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Balancing self care and taking care of others.
Any advice you'd give a yoga teacher just starting out?
Study. Not just the poses. Separate yourself from the over-saturation of "stretch teachers." Learn how to transmit the subtle, simple energetic practices that caters to every individual no matter the age, size or fitness level.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
My passion has moved me more into Sound Healing being it is so accessible for all to enjoy.
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