Encapsulated in the yoga tradition is the idea of seva – the spiritual practice of selfless service. Seva is at the heart of two paths of yoga – karma yoga, which is the yoga of action, and bhakti yoga, the yoga of devotion inspired by divine love.
According to Swami Niranjan of the Satyananda school of yoga, seva is an expression of compassion, of the desire to uplift and assist people.
If you are inspired by your yoga teaching practice and want to share it with others, you could consider volunteering to teach yoga.
Things to Consider
If you are inspired to deliver selfless service as a community volunteer teacher, think about what types of organisations or people could benefit from your yoga practice. Also think about your own values and whether you are drawn to a particular type of charity or organisation – for example you could have a particular interest in helping the homeless, bringing some or the beautiful calmness that comes from yoga practice to disadvantaged young people, young women and children in shelters, or even refugees. If you are drawn to a particular cause, by all means follow your heart.
Yoga teachers registered with Yoga Australia, or with other peak associations representing qualified yoga teachers, are in high demand in the voluntary sector where yoga benefits can play a significant role in improving physical and mental health. You can hold yoga classes at a senior center, teach yoga to kids in foster homes, deliver live online classes, or even record classes that various yoga outreach programs can use.
Who Benefits from Volunteering?
Just as the principle of seva is about uplifting and assisting people, so it is with volunteering – by giving your time and skills as a yoga teacher you help people reconnect with themselves. It also builds a sense of community – the sanga which is so important in yoga.
Your role as a volunteer teacher will allow you to educate others, especially members of marginalised groups who feel their lives are hopeless, about the power of yoga and how to use it for health promotion. Through your volunteer classes, you can introduce them to the different practices of yoga, or to one that you specialize in, such as Hatha Yoga, to ensure a strong yoga community by instilling the physical and spiritual aspects of yoga.
By guiding people to build awareness of their everyday actions, yoga instructors in Australia, who offer free community classes, have never failed to help people in challenging circumstances reconsider their relationship with their bodies and their health, the people in their lives, and their reactions to the world around them.
Through the power of yoga, the benefits of community service extend not only to the people you teach, but to yourself as well. It's so good for the soul to know that as a volunteer, you are sharing the benefits of yoga with so many people and improving their lives. The Dalai Lama believes that helping other people is where we find true happiness. You're sure to be accumulating some very good karma! In addition to personal growth, the practice of yoga leads to professional benefits for volunteers such as yourself. It will help you expand your network or form potential partnerships with other volunteer yoga teachers.
How You Can Volunteer
Volunteer yoga teachers are health ambassadors that local and international communities can benefit from. Do your research about the types of organisation you are interested in – it could be a charity or a non-governmental organisation in Australia, India, Costa Rica, or wherever your heart takes you.
Conduct an internet search or contact a specific outreach program, such as the Africa Yoga Project, to ask if they are interested in your services. If they are, ask as many questions as you can about what sort of people may come to your classes, their general level of health, and particularly whether there are any safety or security concerns. You may also need to have formal qualifications and insurance, so check with the organisation.
Volunteering is a fantastic way of giving back to your community and making a positive difference to people's lives.
Originally published on Feb 25, 2011
