From a Student Perspective

 I’ve been teaching yoga for ~12 years now (which feels surreal to type because I feel like I'm 20. But I'm 32 lmao), but I've been a student for even longer. 

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that part. To slip into teacher-mode while taking a yoga class. Where instead of letting myself drop into my body and my breath, I'm half-sequencing in my head, thinking, “oh wow, this would be such a fun flow to build on in next week’s class.”

I also often catch myself in yoga teacher trainer mode, noticing repeat phrases, subtle cueing habits, or thinking about how I’d warm people up for the same pose a little differently.

It’s so much harder to stay in student mode.

Every time I roll out my mat to take a class, I set one intention:
Be a student.
Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s not.

But this morning was easy, it was magic, and it inspired this blog post.

I took class with my very first real teacher, Leslie Van Bell. If you know me, you know Leslie. She was my yoga teacher trainer back at the Funky Om, and the reason yoga really clicked for me. We ran workshops and day retreats together, started our own podcast (shoutout to the Stronger Together days!), and ultimately became best friends. I could write an entire novel on LVB, but I want to get back to the point before I lose myself in my love for her!

ANYWAYYYY

Leslie gave me the best assist in Child’s Pose. The kind that makes you melt into someone else's support. And then, mid-assist, she quietly asked, “Is this okay on your knee?”

I was taken aback (in the best way) by this small gesture of care.
Not because the assist was that good (though it was), but because she knew me. She saw me. She cared about me.
LVB remembered that I’ve been dealing with knee pain the past few weeks. And in that moment, I didn’t feel like a teacher. I didn’t feel like a coworker or co-YTT-leader. I felt like a student. A person. A human being seen and supported.

That small moment meant a lot to me.

It reminded me how much the little things matter as yoga teachers. The way we:

• Call our students by their name

• Ask about weekend plans + upcoming milestones

• Offer to modify a pose they’ve struggled with or hesitated in

• Pause to check in + ask if there are any requests for class, even though we have an entire sequence planned already

Those little details stay with people. They build trust. They make someone feel safe. They create true connection.

People come to yoga for so many reasons. To move, to breathe, to unwind. But underneath it all, I think most of us are craving one thing: to feel seen and supported. Life moves fast, and it’s rare that someone pauses to really notice how we’re doing. Yoga offers a space where we can land, be met exactly where we are, and feel held -- physically, emotionally, energetically.

When a teacher remembers your name, asks how your body is feeling, or checks in mid-pose, it reminds you: you matter here. And that kind of care sticks with people long after the class ends.

<3

Being a student this morning made me a better teacher today.

And that’s the whole point, isn’t it?

We’re all students. Always.

And when we remember that, we show up to our teaching with more empathy, more softness, and more care.

So my question for you, sweet yoga teacher, is how can you make your students feel more seen, more like individuals, even if your class is packed? That's the magic. Explore that. Lean into that. <3

xo,
Charlotte 🤍

PS. If you’re a yoga teacher reading this and you’re feeling insecure about assisting your students, Leslie is your girl. She has beautiful resources for getting comfortable with hands-on assists (truly, she’s the best and she's completely transformed the way I assist). She actually did a workshop for my Hub members that you can find in the bonus section if you’re part of the Sequencing Hub.