Making a living by teaching yoga nidra classes is a dream come true for plenty of yoga-loving entrepreneurs around the country. But running a practice is running a business. And to keep a practice going, teachers need to pay attention to the business side of things. Is that possible while still keeping a practice fresh and transformative? Absolutely.
Scott Moore is an international yoga educator, a yoga expert, and a mentor to others in the yoga community who are running their own practices. His approach to keeping a practice fresh and transformative involves three things: intentionality, openness, and unending curiosity. Visit Scottmooreyoga.com for more.
Based on these three things, here are ways every yoga practitioner can keep their practice fresh and transformative:
1. Vary Practice Content
It is easy to let sessions grow stale by relying on the same content day after day, week after week. Why not vary your content instead? Try exploring different guided sessions using different styles. You might even consider utilizing recordings from other teachers who offer a fresh perspective or slightly different techniques.
Consider varying session length and focus. Include different thematic practices. The point of varying session content is to give your clients as much opportunity to explore as possible.
2. Renew Your Own Sankalpa
You ask your students to establish a sankalpa (intention) at the start of every session. Do you ask the same of yourself? You have intentions for each session. But you also have intentions for your practice. Revisit those intentions on a regular basis. Then align your sessions with them so that you are investing in your business at the same time you are investing in students.
3. Explore Curiosity With Every Session
Mindful awareness is an important component in yoga nidra. As you explore your own subconscious, and help your students do the same, you open the door to curiosity. Go through that door. Don’t settle for what you’re used to. Do not be content with that standard experience you have come to expect.
As you let curiosity lead you into different areas of exploration, it will rub off on your students. Your curiosity will become theirs. Pursuing curiosity together gives you and your students an opportunity to uncover hidden aspects of the subconscious.
4. Integrate Complementary Disciplines
As a yoga nidra instructor, you focus primarily on this one discipline. But your practice doesn’t have to stop there. Consider adding complimentary disciplines. Here are some examples:
- Mindful movement
- General mindfulness
- Breathwork
- Journaling
Complementary disciplines can help both you and your students. They can increase self-awareness and enhance personal transformation. They can give you and your students additional outlets for dealing with stress and traumas. They can help you release those things that tend to bind you without you even knowing.
5. Network With Your Peers
Every kind of business benefits when entrepreneurs network with their peers. There is an entire yoga community out there waiting to meet you. Find other practitioners in your area. Join regional and global online groups. Every connection you make is an opportunity to learn and grow.
6. Honor the Process
Finally, come to terms with the fact that transformation is not linear. Moore refers to this as honoring the process. Just as with your students, you will experience a variety of stages and phases in your personal growth. Embrace all of them. Work through them with patience and self-compassion.
You want your yoga nidra practice to remain fresh and transformative. It is a good goal. Hopefully, this post has given you some ideas for moving forward. Now run with them.
