Yoga Teachers Lead by Example – Part 1

During the course of a lifetime, most of us have heard the saying," Do as I say, not as I do." We see this kind of leadership everywhere we go. All politicians, religious leaders, police, sports professionals, parents, academic teachers, and Yoga teachers, lead by example, even if the example displayed is not a good one.

So, how does this concern you? You may not be a public figure, but your students, and the general public, know who you are. Some may even know more about you than you would like. As a Yoga teacher, you want to keep your health, behavior, and your ethics at a high standard – if you are going to be in the "public eye."

As far as health is concerned, you should maintain your Yoga practice and meditate daily. This is an irony with many Yoga teachers because your time is also consumed with the business of Yoga, maintenance of the studio, advertising, and many more aspects that keep a business going.

My personal estimate of time that I spent on vacuuming, cleaning, and maintenance of the Yoga studio is thousands of hours before I hired someone else to do it. This does not account for any of the time spent on many other duties that go into running a Yoga studio.

The average Yoga student has no idea of the preparation and support services involved before they come to a typical Yoga class. In reality, you want them to feel relaxed, so you don't want your Yoga students to feel stressed out over the bookkeeping, marketing, and maintenance of your Yoga studio.

Therefore, you have to put your best "game face" on during class time. This is one very powerful reason for taking the time to develop your own personal Yoga practice. You still must expand your depth of understanding Yoga's many facets.

Why do, or did, you want to be a Yoga teacher in the first place? The most common reasons for becoming a Yoga teacher are your passion for Yoga and to share the gift that has changed your life. Your health and your personal Yoga practice are an integral part of the Yoga teaching vocation.

Maybe you don't have a staff and you are busy all the time preparing for the next Yoga class. What can you do? Budget your time and make a personal Yoga, or meditation session, for yourself. Spending thousands of hours on bookkeeping, marketing, cleaning, and maintenance is part of many Yoga studio owners' lives, but you must also make the time to become a better Yoga practitioner.

You can also offer reduced rates to volunteers or "work for trade" programs to those Yoga students who help you with "domestic chores." You should consult your accountant to make sure everything is legal and "above board." You don't want to violate any child labor laws or set yourself up for any legal problems, so make sure you are following the law "to the letter." Remember also, that laws vary depending upon your location.

It's too easy to let the business of Yoga become your new reality. The business of teaching Yoga is more time consuming than any of us can imagine as Yoga students. If you are spending so much time working on your Yoga business, that you have little time to practice, you must re-evaluate your reason for teaching Yoga.

Make time every day to expand your knowledge about Yoga's many aspects. If you don't take the time to be a Yoga student and engage in learning, continuing education, and nurturing your passion for Yoga, you risk burn out. The best Yoga teachers are students for life, who love to practice this wonderful discipline we know as Yoga.

When your Yoga studio, Yoga teaching position, or ashram becomes a daily burden, and you cannot expand your knowledge; the end result is no different than any other job. As a Yoga teacher, you owe it to your students to keep your "internal flames of passion" for Yoga going.

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Does the Raw Food Diet Lead to Tooth Decay?

A common testament to the fallacy of the raw food diet is that it results in tooth decay.  I can't tell you how many times I have been told, "Oh, you're a raw foodist?  You know all the teeth will rot out of your head, right?"

But is it true?  Does eating raw really pose a problem to your pearly whites?

Not when you eat a *healthy* raw diet.  However, most raw foodists don't exactly follow a low fat raw vegan diet.

As a result, many mainstream raw foodists do in fact experience tooth problems.

Here are the two main reasons why so many raw foodists struggle with tooth decay.

#1: Raw foodists eat too much dried foods

Because so many raw foodists eat a diet lacking in raw sweet fruits, they turn to dense, dehydrated foods to satisfy their caloric intake.  Ingredients like dried nuts and fruit are commonplace in the mainstream raw diet.

A huge problem with eating these foods so often is that all or most of the water has been removed.  This results in a dry and sticky consistency, just perfect for clinging to your teeth.

Unless you brush your teeth all day, you will constantly have bits of dried, sugary food on your teeth.  This creates a haven for bacteria, the result of which can be tooth decay.

Which brings me to my second point…

#2: Raw foodists lack a good dental care system

Many raw foodists believe that following a raw food diet means that you do not have to brush your teeth.  Monkeys and other primates do not brush their teeth so why should we?

No matter what kind of diet you eat, whether it's SAD or low fat raw, you *must* brush your teeth.  You will still get food particles stuck in all the little crevasses and you will still get some plaque residue on your teeth regardless of what diet you consume.

If you don't want to end up in an uncomfortable dentist chair with an empty wallet, it is imperative that you develop a good dental care system.

What is a good dental care system?

All you need to maintain clean, strong, healthy teeth is a soft toothbrush and some dental floss.

For the toothbrush, I recommend a battery-operated model.  I have found that the bristles used are exceptionally soft and the rotating head does an excellent job of cleaning your teeth.  Mine is rechargeable and cost about $30.

For the floss, I recommend any flavorless brand.  Just be gentle.  Flossing too hard can actually wear away your gums!

The method I use is very simple as well.  I brush my teeth twice a day, morning and night, for about 3 minutes each.  I usually floss only in the evening, if I think some food has decided to live between my teeth.

I do not recommend any toothpaste.  It is unnecessary as water works just fine.  Plus, most toothpastes contain harmful fluoride.  Even natural toothpastes contain useless and even toxic substances and can prevent re-mineralization of the tooth enamel from occurring.

Combine this simple routine with a healthy raw vegan diet and reap the rewards of healthy teeth!

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