Yoga class themes are like a thread that creates form and structure for the class.  They help to narrow the focus so that the teacher is not tempted to share everything they know in one class, thereby potentially overwhelming their students.  Themes are a great way for yoga instructors to share the deeper aspects of yoga in their classes by building the class around a philosophical concept or a specific feeling.

The key to creating powerful themes for your yoga classes is to honor your passions, interests, and talents.  Some yoga instructors are very technical and love to share what they know about the human body.  For these yoga teachers, the plan for their yoga class might center around the actions of a specific muscle and it’s antagonist or the natural curvature of the spine.

Other yoga teachers are drawn to the challenge of difficult poses and love to help people achieve things they didn’t know they could do.  These yoga teachers will often choose a challenging pose as the peak pose to center the class around and perhaps an uplifting idea to inspire their students to work towards it.

Another approach is for the teacher who is fascinated by the great mysteries of the universe and the deep philosophy behind the practice of yoga.  This teacher might choose a verse from the yoga sutras or another ancient text to anchor their class plan.  Many teachers are inspired by more than one aspect of yoga, so you don’t need to limit yourself to one approach.