Hari-kirtana is an author, mentor, and yoga teacher who shares his knowledge and experience of how the yoga wisdom tradition can guide us toward meaningful and transformative spiritual experiences.
In praise of my mentor
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Greetings Reader - “Not ‘move the foot; move your foot.’ Not ‘move the hand; move your hand.’.” Given the centrality of personalism in bhakti-yoga philosophy, it should have been obvious that personalizing my cueing would be the better way to teach an asana sequence. And yet, there I was, a novice yoga teacher, impersonally cueing poses as if my student’s bodies were pieces of furniture. It may sound like a little thing, but little things can make a big difference. For example, saying “move your” instead of “move the” personalizes the class experience for each student. It’s a way for the teacher to say, “I’m talking to you: the person inside the body that you’re moving.” Which is also a subtle way to convey a philosophical idea: that we’re spiritual sparks of pure consciousness within the body, not the body we’re conscious of. Yoga wisdom tells us that we are kṣetra-jñaḥ, “the knower of the field,” meaning that there’s a distinction between the body we know—by virtue of being in it—and ourselves, the knower of the body we’re in. Using the word “your” to indicate the possessor of the body is a way to integrate this philosophical idea into an asana sequence without actually having to spell it out. And encouraging students to be the “knower” of their bodies as they move through a sequence is a great way to help everyone stay focused on their practice for the whole duration of the class. So how did I learn this little thing that makes such a big difference? I learned it from my wonderful mentor, Maria Preuster, who drilled this idea into my head when I was apprenticing with her during my 800-hour Jivamukti Yoga teacher training. And I, in turn, have drilled it into the heads of every yoga teacher who’s done a training or mentorship with me ever since. Which means that what Maria taught me many years ago has had a ripple effect on dozens of yoga teachers and hundreds of yoga students that she doesn’t even know about. Until now. Thank you, Maria! I think of you every time I teach an asana class. What I learned from Maria didn’t just change the way I teach—it became part of what I pass on to my own students. Seeing how these lessons take root and then ripple outward, shaping how my students teach and inspire others, is one of the most gratifying aspects of mentoring teachers. I often hear from former students and teacher trainees who share how something they learned from me years ago still shapes how they practice or teach today. Which is why I always tell teachers who work with me to have faith that they’re making an impact, even if it seems like they’re not, because it may be years before you find out—or you may never know—how much of a difference you’ve made in someone else’s life. Helping yoga teachers develop a more expansive personal practice, a deeper sense of connection with students, and make an even bigger impact on people's lives are just some if the reasons why I’m offering small group mentorships for yoga teachers this year. If you’re a yoga teacher who:
Then my small group mentorship program is for you. It’s designed to help you to fully embody yoga as a complete experience and gain the confidence to share its spiritual and philosophical wisdom with your students. I’m limiting the size of these groups to just eight people in order to foster meaningful connections, ensure personalized attention, and create a supportive environment for deeper learning and growth. In addition to six group sessions, each participant will get 1:1 time with me as well. There are just a few spots left for the first small group cohort of 2025, which starts on February 15th. CLICK HERE if you would like to learn more about the program. Wishing you all good fortune, - Hari-k P.S.: Join me and Blaire Embrey of the Prison Yoga Project for a FREE webinar this Friday! We’re going to explore how ancient yoga philosophy provides a framework for addressing modern social and political challenges, including the separation of church and state, systemic injustice, and the role of discernment in creating equitable policies and communities. That’s this Friday, January 17th at 12:00 pm EST / 9:00 am PST. To RSVP for the live webinar, CLICK HERE and sign up for a free PYP membership. If you can’t join us live, the replay will be available on the PYP community site, on the PYP YouTube channel, and on the Prison Yoga Project Podcast. |
Hari-kirtana das
Hari-kirtana is an author, mentor, and yoga teacher who shares his knowledge and experience of how the yoga wisdom tradition can guide us toward meaningful and transformative spiritual experiences.
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