The practice of teaching

I have spent my life practicing and teaching Yoga and through this process, I have identified four clear steps, each building on the previous, grounded in practical work rather than theoretical abstraction.

In the first step, teachers are asked to practise teaching exercises. These exercises are very specific, such as working with mirroring, gross and subtle points, linking instructions, or using props to clarify an action. They are practised repeatedly in group sessions so that a teacher becomes comfortable with the mechanics of delivering instructions, making adjustments, and observing the effects of those instructions. The purpose here is not to teach Yoga as a whole but to develop dexterity and clarity in the basic teaching activities.

Once there is competence in these foundational exercises, the second step begins. Teachers use that competence to develop true teaching skills. This involves learning to limit instructions, layer information, and choose three key points that shape the way an asana is presented. They work with timing and emphasis, learning to read the students’ responses and adapt accordingly. The distinction here is that a skill is responsive to the student in front of you, not simply a repeated drill.

After passing the Introductory Level 1 assessment, the third step is reached. At this stage, competence in teaching skills allows the teacher to begin applying the methods of Iyengar Yoga—technique, timings, sequence and repetition. These methods are not just technical devices; they are the very means through which students are led towards the deeper study of Yoga. Teachers begin to explore how asanas are sequenced to change perception, how timings are used to draw attention inward, and how repetition strengthens understanding.

Finally, the fourth step involves the capacity to critique one’s own teaching. Teachers begin to use a teaching skills development framework—based on the twin pillars of abhyasa (application) and vairagya (dispassion)—to evaluate whether their teaching is effectively guiding students into the practice of Yoga as described by Patanjali. At this level, a teacher looks beyond the surface of asana technique and begins to see teaching itself as an art and science that must be continually refined.
Teaching in the Iyengar method is not achieved by memorising instructions but by a sustained process of practice, observation, refinement and self‑study.

Becoming an effective teacher is a lifetime activity.

This post along with Alan’s other writing, are available here: Articles