This is What a Yoga Teacher Looks Like

This is what a yogi looks like.

This is also what a yoga teacher looks like.

Imperfect body, props, notes—these are all mine. I am not ashamed of any of them. They are tools I use in my own practice and when guiding others. They are part of the way I live and teach yoga with honesty, humility, and respect for both the ancient tradition and the modern practitioners who come to it.

Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many times someone has looked at me with confusion and asked, “You do yoga?” or “You’re a yoga teacher?” Their expression shifts slightly, brows raised, eyes questioning. There’s often a silent assumption behind their words: that I don’t match their idea of what a yoga teacher is supposed to look like.

And that’s part of the problem.

Many people still hold a stereotype of what a yoga teacher should look like. That image often includes a young, thin, ultra-flexible body, probably dressed in name-brand activewear. But that isn’t me. I don’t fit that image. My body has lived through many experiences. It has carried and nourished a child. It has managed chronic illness. It has supported me through over fifty years of life. Some days it feels stronger or more flexible. Other days it feels tired or sore. But it is always my body. And it is always a yoga body. Every body is a yoga body.

Yoga doesn’t require you to look a certain way or achieve a certain shape. It doesn’t require perfection, performance, or physical ability. All it asks is that you show up. Your breath, your awareness, and your willingness to be present are the only requirements.

Props Are Tools, Not Crutches

I use props in my practice regularly. A strap helps when I need to lengthen my reach or when tight muscles limit my mobility. Blocks help support me in poses where my arms might not reach the floor. A yoga wheel provides gentle support for deeper backbends or heart-openers. A bolster and blanket give comfort and grounding, especially in restorative postures or meditation. A folded blanket under my hips helps me find a more sustainable seat in poses like Sukhasana, Siddhasana, or Padmasana.

These props do not mean I am weak. They mean I am listening. Props help me adapt the practice to my body, rather than forcing my body into shapes it may not want to take that day. They are tools that support me in creating a safe, accessible, and sustainable practice.

In my classes, I offer these same tools to my students. I encourage their use, not as a last resort, but as a way to deepen the practice. Props are not only acceptable, they are valuable. Practicing yoga with props is still yoga.

Notes Are Preparation, Not a Problem

If you look closely during one of my classes, you might see a notebook next to my mat. It might have a sequence, timing breakdowns, specific cues I want to remember, or a quote I’d like to share during Savasana. I create these notes thoughtfully, as a way to organize my thoughts and stay focused on offering a safe and meaningful experience.

Some people might think using notes makes a teacher less skilled. I disagree. For me, using notes is a sign of care and preparation. It reflects a desire to be intentional in the space I hold for my students. Many seasoned teachers I know use notes or outlines in their own way.

My notes don’t take away from my teaching. They support it. Just like a block or a strap, they are a tool. Teaching yoga with tools is still teaching yoga.

Variations Are Not Less Than

I prefer to use the word “variation” rather than “modification” when referring to different ways to practice a pose. That small shift in language carries a lot of weight. It moves away from the idea that one version is the “real” pose and others are watered-down versions. In truth, all variations are valid.

Take Vrksasana, or Tree Pose, as an example. One person might place their foot on the ankle of the standing leg. Another may bring it to the calf. A third may place it high on the thigh. All of these are Tree Pose. The integrity of the posture doesn’t depend on how high the foot goes. It depends on whether the pose is practiced with attention, stability, and breath.

I also avoid using the phrase “full expression of the pose.” That language can make people feel like their version is not good enough. In my classes, I want every student to feel seen and respected in whatever variation serves them best that day.

Yoga is not about achieving a certain look. It’s about cultivating presence and connection.

The Practice of Yoga

Yoga is known as a practice for good reason. To practice means to engage in an activity regularly, with the intention to grow, learn, or improve. It is ongoing. It evolves. It meets us where we are.

If perfection were the goal, there would be no need to practice at all.

Every time I return to my mat, I return to myself. Some days feel fluid and joyful. Other days feel heavy and slow. But I continue. I breathe. I notice. I learn. The practice always offers something, even if it’s not what I expected.

Yoga goes far beyond movement. As described in the Yoga Sutras, the Eight Limbs of Yoga provide a holistic path for living with purpose, integrity, and clarity. The second limb is the Niyamas, or personal observances. One of the five Niyamas is Santosha, which translates to contentment.

Santosha invites us to find peace with what is. It encourages us to meet ourselves with kindness, even when things are imperfect. Contentment does not mean complacency. It means we stop waiting for everything to be ideal before we allow ourselves to be at peace.

I have learned to be content with the tools I use, the body I live in, and the path I walk. There is growth and healing in that acceptance.

Redefining the Yoga Teacher Image

Yes, this is what a yogi looks like.This is also what a yoga teacher looks like.

I am not here to look the part. I am here to live the practice. I am here to share yoga in a way that is real, accessible, and supportive for all bodies.

Yoga does not belong to a select group of people. It belongs to anyone who wants to connect, breathe, and move with purpose.

If you’ve ever felt like yoga is not for you because you don’t look like the images you’ve seen, please know this: yoga is for you. Whether you use props, pause for rest, follow a chair-based sequence, or spend your entire practice in meditation, it is still yoga.

You don’t need to look a certain way. You don’t need to move a certain way. You just need to show up, exactly as you are.

This is what a yoga teacher looks like. This is what yoga looks like.