The yoga guru phenomenon is not new

People love a leader, a powerful person with a clear message. They want someone they can follow and a group they can belong to. It helps them have an identity. To a certain degree this is fine, as long as they don’t become dependent on the leader. But too often, the teacher, or yoga guru, becomes a controlling entity instead of a source of support.

As a teacher there are often times when I have the opportunity to step up to the power level – the guru level – not in its true meaning of the one who shows the light, but in the controlling way that students follow blindly. There is a fine line I have to make sure I never cross. It takes constant awareness and being present to avoid falling to the temptation of the ego.

Richard Freeman, one of my teachers, says that when students place you on a pedestal you need to cut the pedestal from beneath you.

But if you don’t agree – if your goal as a teacher is power and control, then you’ll need to follow some specific steps to reaching your ego’s desire. Here’s how to do it:

 10 Steps to Becoming a Successful and Controlling Yoga Guru