Namaste, Bitches Just Broke the Internet
This article originally appeared on Yoganonymous.com.
Photo via Google Images
Summer Chastant just broke the internet for the yoga community in her fictional web series, Namaste Bitches. This series is a comic explosion, that will leave you laughing, and possibly asking for more.
This series points out the disfunctional tendencies behind the yoga industry. The best part about the series isn’t the laughing you’ll be doing, it’s that Chastant exposes her unhealthy experiences, allowing you to learn from them, and hopefully never go through them yourself. Here are five major lessons about how to be a successful yoga teacher as taught by this killer series.
5 Lessons Learned from Namaste, Bitches
1. The yoga industry is a business
I hate to break it to you, homie, but the yoga industry is driven by profits and promotion just like any other. If you’re a studio owner, a yoga teacher, or a yogi—you are fueling this industry.
Owners aim to make a profit, teachers aim to support themselves while sharing their work, and the yogi has the power to choose who and what they support.
Think of the yoga business the same way you think of the beauty care industry: Do you support brands that test their products on animals? And would you work for a brand that tests on animals? If no, then why support or work for an inhumane yoga studio?
You have the power to place your services and your money into business that you appreciate. Get to know the yoga studios you frequent, and if you find that the vibe is on point and matches with who and what you are, then stay. If not, take a hike down the street to another studio, chances are you might like their vibe a little bit more.
2. Own your emotions, heal your insecurities
Option 1: Own your insecurities. Look at the larger patterns behind them. Untangle, heal, and fix them.
Option 2: Neglect your emotions. Bury them deeper into your psyche. Develop addictions, disorders, and unhealthy relationship patterns.
Which option sounds better to you?
You don’t want to end up like the main character, Sabine, who blames others for the root causes of her problems, and neglects to heal her larger emotional voids. She’s out of her comfort zone in her new studio, and rather than owning that fear, she pushes it away. The result is that she turns to unhealthy relationship attachments, drugs, and cheap wine. If you go there, you can bounce back! You don’t have to be perfect, but you can learn from the unhealthy pieces of your life, and move on to better things.
3. Innovate your teaching style, don’t depreciate your client
Sit down and get honest with yourself about where you are in the world. What are people known for in that area? If they are known for being sleek, fit, and socially focused, like LA, teach to that market. If they are known for being intellectual, overworked, and crass, like New York City residents, teach to that market!
Adjust your teaching style to fit with what your students need. Sabine initially didn’t want to innovate her personal style to fit with her new market, and that stopped the attendance in her classes from filling up.
She couldn’t appreciate the students who walked in the door because her personal philosophies differed, and the result was that there is no positive word of mouth buzz about her work. If your students don’t want to recommend you, then you need to switch up your strategy.
Remember: Innovatation is key. Spruce up your personal teaching style to match market demands (yes, yoga is a business if you are choosing to sell your services). But, whatever you do—don’t depreciate the students who actually show up for you. Word of mouth buzz goes a long way.
4. Connect your teaching practice with a larger intention
Ahem, did you see any character nuturing their personal practice or working on their inner-selves? No, they were all working on their “image.”
Having a well-perceived image is great, but it means nothing if you haven’t developed your inner world as well. If you are developing your inner-being, you’ll be able to connect with your students, and then grow a following (if you want one).
Sabine shares her “inner-truth” with her students by saying that she loves drugs and doesn’t personally practice yoga. This “inner-truth” is actually an inner-block that alienates her students because she is showing that she’s not working on herself!
If you set a larger intention for your teaching practice, it will be easier to genuinely connect with your students (because there is purpose behind it). If you don’t have a larger purpose, or a personal practice, you might want to revisit why you are teaching yoga in the first place.
5. Focus on your goals
Jessi, the blonde instructor who is obsessed with Instagram, was focused on one thing: Growing her exposure.
She landed brand ambassador gigs, was poached from a competing studio, and had people ask for her by name. Jessi was focused. Jessi was thinking big. Jessi wasn’t afraid to allow her teaching practice to flourish.
You don’t have to want the things that Jessi wants, but you can learn from her success: Pin-point one or two major goals, and work towards them steadily each day. Do not let yourself forget about them, and make sure you focus on action steps to help you actively cultivate your intentions.
Major lesson here: If you’re making a vision board, make sure you look at it and take action daily.
