Humility in the Yoga World: Let Go of the Desire to Be Right
On social media, I often come across the word “humility” through the phrase of someone being “humbled.” When someone is humbled, they are put in their place. I have trouble with how the word can be used to police people around us, and against ourselves. In this day and age, humility is far from feeling like a virtue.
To be humbled is a more colloquial definition of humility, but it is not the only definition. I admit it. I like the word “humility.” I find merit in humility in my yoga practice. Humility has become a source of motivation to keep me going.
Embody humility as a state of gratitude that you could be wrong. Gratitude comes from the awareness that you have shed ignorance.
Have intellectual humility on what you don’t know about yoga.
As I was writing this blog post, I was reading a book and came across the term “intellectual humility.” Psychology Today describes intellectual humility as “acknowledging that you could be wrong about something” and that “remaining critical of one’s own ideas and open-minded to others’ views” is how to practice intellectual humility.
What I found interesting was that research showed it was harder to practice this attitude based on what we thought of the person we were having a disagreement with, not necessarily the disagreement itself.
As a yoga teacher with over 5 years of teaching experience primarily in studios, as well as in-person and virtual one-on-one clients, retreats, and group programs, when I am told I have experience, I find myself humbled. I am confident in the skills I have developed teaching, and I am excited by all that I have yet to experience and learn in yoga.
Let go of the desire to be right.
Another way to cultivate humility in your yoga practice is to notice what opinions you hold to be morally right or superior to others.
Chronically online yoga teachers and students can become obsessed with moral superiority. The pendulum swing from meditation to asana is a tale as old as British colonialism; when Swami Vivekananda espoused Raja yoga, the 8-limbed path of meditation in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, he often did so by dismissing and belittling asana. This plays out today on social media where asana practitioners are insecure that they are not wise enough while meditators are insecure that they are not trendy enough!
Instead of focusing on the need to be right, focus on protecting your peace.
It is important to speak up about what you believe in, and it is important not to get distracted. We can mistake staying in a place of suffering as noble or as an accomplishment. We can mistake judgment with truth.
What ends up happening is we end up closed off to new experiences or perspectives. It is not a betrayal of your beliefs to be open-minded. In yoga, we may love one limb more, but we should not try to make other feels less than if they prefer another limb. Even in the same limb of yoga, we see wide differences. A hot yoga student is not the same as a vinyasa student. Hot yoga students are proud of the intensity of their practice, and need the structure of their container to be exactly the same, down to the cue. A vinyasa student, however, is usually someone who likes variety in their peak poses. Is one better than the other? No.
Understand your competitive nature.
I am not competitive by nature. It’s what initially drew me to yoga. We can be together but do our own thing? There is no winning or losing, but tapping into being? Sign me up!
Unfortunately, the competitive urge can sneak in. We compare our practice to what we see in the studio or on social media, and it can be a corrosive force that prevents us from enjoying yoga.
In 2024, I began winding down my social media activity. It was not a conscious decision, but practical reality made it so. I now understand that, in retrospect, I had many unresolved feelings with regard to social media that centred around feeling I should keep up. It’s not that hard. Just post it…
I thought the issue was that I was no longer interested in the subject matter I was posting about, so I posted more about asana.
But the underlying issue was that I was not interested in posting on the feed, and I was not able to reconcile my changing relationship with social media. I was uncomfortable with that possibility, because it came with all these self-limiting beliefs that called to question my work ethic, my creativity, and even my love of yoga.
I surprised myself with this fearful seed of competition. The fear of being unseen for aligned opportunities was unfounded. In fact, it was one of my busiest years for teaching regular yoga classes and making local connections in Vancouver yoga studios and community centres—my exact teaching goals for my yoga business!
Move with patience.
When we lose connection with a sense of humility, we look outwards to what we think we are missing out on rather rather than nurture what is already within.
The yoga practice you have is enough. Yoga teachers often take on trainings and certifications outside of their initial 200 hours. It’s normal to see yoga teachers offer life coaching or sound healing, as these modalities can be complementary for their yoga services. I myself am a yoga teacher and tarot reader. I don’t always blend the two in a yoga or tarot setting, but they are two spiritual practices that I am passionate about sharing with others.
The issue comes when we move from lack. Do not be driven to add, to hoard, to take, to perform. Be driven by connection to your yoga practice and how your yoga fills you, and expands your capacity to be present.
Through asana, I understand ishvara pranidhana. Through asana, I relate to the yamas and niyamas. Through asana, I understand pranayama and dhyana.
It was not like that in my first hot yoga class, but I enjoyed my practice and I cherished my commitment. I moved from that abundance. You practice one limb but you eventually find your way through all the limbs.
What do you think? Is humility worth striving for or is it overrated?
Written By: Irene Lo