I love teaching. I love teaching new students just as much as more seasoned students. Each one brings something different to the table and helps to shape each of my classes. I happened to have a new student in my class this morning, along with two more advanced students with some back issues. Because of these known pains I kept the class very light and focused on keeping everyone’s backs relaxed and comfortable. At the end of class, the new girl came up to me and asked me what kind of yoga I was teaching. I explained to her that I teach Hatha yoga, a very traditional style, mixed with some more alignment based practices, sports and dance stretching, and some Pilates. My class is a bit eclectic in terms of content, but it flows really nicely. She then made the comment that she liked it because it felt really good and coordinating her breathing with the movements only added to that. Her comments left me thinking about my teaching style, my own practice, and what a physical yoga practice really includes the rest of the day. Yoga should be strengthening, healing, and enlightening. We as teachers should always strive to have those properties in our classes, for our own sakes as well as for our students. How we share our practice can deeply impact others, and we need to be mindful of that in every class we lead.