Reluctant Teacher
For a while now, one of my students at the gym calls me their guru. When she does this it makes me all shifty and nervousy. Its a title i don't feel comfortable with no matter how they feel about it. I try and pass it off and do the "awwwwwwww shucks" thing.
Today someone called me their mentor. Again the comfortableness of this is overwhelming and i started to protest. Then someone shouted out of no where, just accept it and say thank you!. I had to chuckle on the inside with that comment.
I just believe that they are their own teachers and their own mentors. That the yoga will take them where they need to go if they just take the time to listen to themselves and their bodies. One of my students put it best, i'm like a river guide. Just giving a little nudge here and there when needed, but ultimately it's them.
The uncomfortableness comes from not feeling like i know enough in the field to be considered a guru or a mentor. I'm still on my journey and still figuring things out for myself. I only share what i know. I help within my knowledge, or scope of practice. I offer books, dvds, websites and various reference materals if they want to go further. I offer my knowledge, but that itself is limited compared to teachers who can afford to continue learning taking workshops and absorbing knowledge from other teachers. I try and do it when i can. I try and pick brains, watch media, read what i can to go further cause it's within my means. But it's no where near what is out there.
I don't think i will ever get used to being called a guru or a mentor. It's just not in my personality. Of course this is coming from someone who took 10 years studying yoga before taking the leap to teach yoga. (And i knew from my first class i wanted to teach.)
Today someone called me their mentor. Again the comfortableness of this is overwhelming and i started to protest. Then someone shouted out of no where, just accept it and say thank you!. I had to chuckle on the inside with that comment.
I just believe that they are their own teachers and their own mentors. That the yoga will take them where they need to go if they just take the time to listen to themselves and their bodies. One of my students put it best, i'm like a river guide. Just giving a little nudge here and there when needed, but ultimately it's them.
The uncomfortableness comes from not feeling like i know enough in the field to be considered a guru or a mentor. I'm still on my journey and still figuring things out for myself. I only share what i know. I help within my knowledge, or scope of practice. I offer books, dvds, websites and various reference materals if they want to go further. I offer my knowledge, but that itself is limited compared to teachers who can afford to continue learning taking workshops and absorbing knowledge from other teachers. I try and do it when i can. I try and pick brains, watch media, read what i can to go further cause it's within my means. But it's no where near what is out there.
I don't think i will ever get used to being called a guru or a mentor. It's just not in my personality. Of course this is coming from someone who took 10 years studying yoga before taking the leap to teach yoga. (And i knew from my first class i wanted to teach.)