Yoga Michigan

Q: Hi. I am new to yoga. There seem to be so many styles out there, it is confusing. The other day I took a workshop in which the teacher made us hop around like a frog. Once before that, I took a course from a tyrannical woman who got angry whenever someone could not do a pose exactly the way she wanted them to. How should I go about finding a good instructor?

 

A: I am glad that you are asking this question without blindly accepting what you were taught as being "yoga." There are as many interpretations of yoga as there are teachers, there were probably students in those classes who thought those teachers were great. 

 

Before signing up for a course, you should 

first decide what you are looking for. If you are looking for a more mental-spirtual yoga, for instance, you would be disappointed if you signed up for a power yoga class. 

 

Without spending time and money signing up for dozens of classes or memberships, there are ways that you can tell whether an instructor teaches what you are looking for. Carefully read the course description. Check out the instructor's web site, bio or social network site. If you know anyone who takes her/his class, ask for their opinion. 

 

When you sufficiently narrowed down the list, you can talk to the instructor and/or ask if you could observe a class to see if it is right for you. If the instructor gets offended or refuses, that may be a good reason to stay away.

 

It is also important to realize that as you progress, you may outgrow your instructor. Just as a serious piano player changes teachers or a serious golfer changes coaches as they progress, a serious yogi may need to move onto a new instructor as he or she progresses. Good luck in your search.