What It Means to Teach Yoga Energetically

From form to feeling

Many teachers begin by focusing on form, guiding students into poses and checking alignment. As your practice and teaching mature, a new layer reveals itself: the energetic experience of yoga. Moving beyond physical shape means sensing energy, cultivating awareness, and understanding how the practice feels from within. Instead of instructing students to do a pose, the teacher helps them sense how breath and awareness move through the body. The focus shifts from outer form to inner experience.

In many classes, students are still pushed into positions without noticing what’s happening inside the body. A more advanced approach guides movement with breath and awareness so the practice becomes fluid and safe. This shift invites listening rather than forcing, allowing energy to move in its own natural rhythm.

Teaching as an exchange

Teaching yoga at an advanced level becomes an energetic exchange. In the words of Simon Rowe, “We’re creating an energy field and at a certain point we’re resonating with one another.” It’s less about instruction and more about shared awareness — a dance between teacher and students that relies on presence and sensitivity.

Every class carries a shared field of energy between teacher and students. Teaching energetically means tuning into that field, adjusting pace, tone, and direction based on what’s happening in the room. It’s about sensing, responding, and co-creating the practice moment by moment.

Developing that quality takes time and structure. The 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training was created as a cohesive journey where teachers can keep returning, refining what they’ve learned, and integrating new insights into their own teaching.

Learning to listen

Within the 300-hour journey, teachers develop a more refined sense of awareness — learning to read the energy of a room, respond to what’s needed, and guide students with sensitivity. This approach builds confidence through practice and mentorship, helping teachers grow from delivering instructions to facilitating transformation.

Ultimately, the art of teaching energetically is about listening closely, staying present, and creating conditions that help students grow. As Hilary Brown puts it, “Learning and diving in is always the best investment in yourself.”

Ready to refine your teaching?
Explore the Yoga Moves 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training and take your next step toward embodied, energetic teaching.