I’ve always consider my yoga practice and my yoga teaching practice to be two separate entities that inform one another. What I practice for myself, I end up teaching to others.
When I’m on the mat, I do my best to put myself in a mindset of generosity, meaning I try to be kind to myself and give myself the benefit of the doubt. I do this because my default setting, thanks to my upbringing and naturally melancholic disposition tends to be a wee bit cynical and judgy. *stares down nose over glasses.
When it comes to my teaching practice, I like to apply that same approach of generosity, meaning I try to be patient with others and give them the benefit of the doubt.
To take it one step further, I do my best to offer this bountiful, kindness-centric mindset to the yoga teaching community at large. I love to go to other teachers’ classes, soak up their knowledge, engage their approach to teaching and then extol their talents and virtues to others. I will recommend fellow teachers to students. I take the time to mention specific studios with very curated approaches to the practice. If I think they are a good fit for the person who is asking for some yoga insight, heck yes I’m offering a stamp of approval!
I’ve been a faculty member in several YTT programs. At the close of each program, I’ve learned to do what I can to support these new teachers. Whether it’s giving them a chance to sub a class, offering yoga business tips, having them assist in classes or take the time to shine whatever insight I can into the crazy world of yoga teaching. I’ve learned to love lending a helping hand when assistance is requested. (Only when requested though. Don’t be going around offering unsolicited advice. Nobody likes a know it all Nancy….sorry Nancy)
And you know what? These acts of generosity and helpfulness end up being a good decision every time.
By taking time to support others, it creates good Karma. I realize that’s a terribly predictable, stereotypical yogi thing to say. But hey! If the Birkenstock fits (and works) ain’t no reason not to wear it!
I’ve experienced this Karma in action. When I sing the praises of people I believe in, it comes back around. Occasionally it’s a super obvious return like that teacher recommending me to others, or the wonderful feeling you get right away when you say something nice about another human. Sometimes it’s a more subtle, delayed gratification of getting recommended to a studio owner by that same person a few months or years down the line. Maybe I never experience the return and it was just a wonderful chance to spread some love around. By extension, I’m learning to give things with no expectation of reciprocation. To wit; I’m learning to give because I can.
The thing I like most about this approach; it successfully challenges the myth of scarcity.
There is a pervasive outlook in the world today that is fueled by a ‘fear of lack’. It’s the belief that there is not enough for everyone. Therefore we must put ourselves first at the expense of others and the earth.
However, when we take a look at the world, be it from an economic standpoint for example, according to Oxfam in 2017 the top eight richest billionaires own as much combined wealth as “half the human race”. When we hear this, we realize it is not a lack of fortune, it is a shockingly uneven distribution of wealth.
To challenge this woefully unbalanced state, I’d like to revisit the idea of me teaching myself to share my good fortune with others in the yoga world. The proof in the pudding of my life is undeniable.
I made a deliberate choice to recommend other teachers and studios at the start of my teaching career for several reasons;
1) The more people practicing yoga the better. It doesn’t matter if they’re practicing with me. Plus it creates a larger pool of clients for everyone. It’s a win-win!
2) Sometimes I am not the right teacher for a student. If I know of someone who is better suited to meet this student’s individual needs I will recommend them. Quiet down that ego, and put the student’s needs first.
3) The act of recommendation makes me feel awesome (yay altruism!) and also challenges that little voice of scarcity that exists in me (boo fear!). The more I reach out with kindness and generosity, the quieter that pesky voice becomes
4) I believe what goes around comes around. I do what I can to not spread crap into the atmosphere.
5) I was raised by a very generous grandmother who lived her life by these words, “There is always enough for everyone.” – Powerful words coming from a woman who grew up in depression era South Africa.
Before we go any further, let me just say this blog is not a “look at me and how awesome I am! I’m so generous! Love meeeeeee!” Far. from. it.
I really do understand why people lean into the myth of scarcity. I think I feel so compelled to do the above bullet points because there have been so many moments in my life where my knee jerk reaction was to choose myself before others. Does that make me a shitty person? Hard to say. I think it’s partially an evolutionary tendency geared towards survival, but let’s not go down that little rabbit hole. At the end of the day, I choose to believe that me acknowledging this initial selfish response, deciding I’d prefer not to react that way, and then making moves to change this response by actively helping others makes me a person who is aware they have the capacity to change. But admittedly – this all takes a lot of mindfulness and hard friggin’ work!
The very practice of yoga constantly challenges the myth of scarcity by pulling us back to the middle ground. It settles us in a perspective inducing valley where we can see the mountains on one side, an ocean on the other, reminding us that we live in a vast and beautiful world. A world, that if taken care of, will provide what we need to survive. It’s hard to see this truth if we are constantly rushing around trying to accrue excess wealth. Yoga teaches us to chill the fuck out and see the goodness that lies all around us, say thanks, seek to preserve it, and then pass it on.
So the next time you feel that little voice inside starting to yell, “you don’t have enough!” tell it to shush. Instead of giving into the reaction of fear, go find someone who looks like the need a hug, a handful of change or a pat on the back. The more we give within our capacity to give (meaning not depleting ourselves into exhaustion for the sake of service) the more we will experience the return of our own generosity. It may not come back to you in the way you expect, or at a time you anticipate, or even in your own lifetime, but it will come back to bless you.
Namaste and happy bountiful mindsets ya’ll!
👍🏻💕🙏🏻❤️