Humility in the Yoga Space: We Need to Let Go of the Desire to Be Right
On social media, being humble is considered a bad thing. It’s seen as a reprimand to dim your light or take up less space, and while it can be weaponized to police people around us and even turn inwards against ourselves, we lose a lot when we interpret humility through this narrow definition.
If you can’t guess already, I find merit in having a humble mindset in my yoga practice. Humility is not about de-valuing who you are or what you know. It’s also not about putting on a self-deprecating show, a meek demeanour in front of your betters.
When I embody humility, I am not worried that I don’t have the answers. Instead, I am grateful and delighted that I have become aware of my ignorance. I get to learn and I can change how I act in the future!
So, here are some scenarios that I let go of the desire to be right in the yoga world while still having trust in myself.
I embody humility when I know I do not know.
I am excited to change how I act in the future.
Scenario 1: Dogmatic opinions you hold to be universal truths
We can be so obsessed with making our dislikes into an argument about morals. I speak specifically about how we take our individual preferences and generalize them. We constantly judge strangers for what we would give grace to ourselves or the people we know in our lives.
Yoga asana is an easy enough punching bag here in the west for not being “real yoga.” The attack on yoga asana is a tale as old as British imperialism; 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.
It is important to speak up about what you believe in, and it is important to be discerning and not get distracted, otherwise we can lose the joy of our yoga practice. We can mistake judgment for truth, not aware we are acting out of a trigger.
In this scenario, when I experience rigid opinions, I tap into the energy of humility so that I can stay open to new perspectives, while maintaining strong boundaries.
Here is another example.
In yoga, we may love one limb more, but it is my opinion that we should not try to make others feel less than if they prefer another limb. Even in the same limb of yoga like asana, there is debate about the best way to do a shape or how to breathe. A hot yoga student believes that practicing the same poses helps them develop a deeper understanding of yoga, while a vinyasa student believes that novelty allows them to know more. Who is right or wrong? In this context, does it matter?
Desikachar says in The Heart of Yoga, “I repeat what I have said before: we must teach a person what he or she can accept at the time, not what we think would finally be best for them.”
As teachers, we forget that while we are responsible for our education, it’s not for us to pedantically spew knowledge at students. If a student likes asana and it is improving their health and lifestyle, why do we need to rant to them that the true purpose of yoga is meditation?
Scenario 2: Receive compliments as your due
As I was writing this blog post, I was reading a book on friendship and I 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.
I hold on to intellectual humility to ground me when I am given compliments after class by students. I receive compliments as they are my due, gifts freely given and received. And then, I am reminded of all that I have yet to experience on my yoga journey! Yoga is so vast, and to be able to do what I can well enough that it leaves a positive impact for yoga students is the best feeling, as a teacher.
Scenario 3: Understand your competitive nature
I am not competitive by nature and that’s what initially drew me to yoga. We can be together but do our own thing? Sign me up!
Unfortunately, the competitive urge is sneaky. We compare our practice to what we see in the studio or on social media, and it can make us defensive or defeated.
I experienced this in 2024 when I began winding down my social media posts to spend the time teaching more weekly yoga classes. This made me feel deeply unsettled, and I certainly resisted. While I knew it was the practical decision, my competitive streak was wildly optimistic. I made content plans, and even made a brave attempt to implement them, at one point or another.
When I understood where this refusal to let go was coming from, I countered it by looking at reality. The illusion of scarcity (not posting on social media) that woke my competitive self up was unfounded. I was worried that not posting would mean less aligned opportunities. I was also worried about what it said about my work ethic. However, this fear was unfounded as it was one of my busiest years for teaching yoga.
Being humble was giving myself grace on my limitations, which are not fixed or a sign of innate weakness. I recognized that I needed to rest from work, even if I loved my work.
Scenario 4: Feeling your yoga practice needs one more training
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 counselling, as these modalities can be complementary for their yoga services. I understand, as I am a yoga teacher and tarot reader, and although I don’t blend the two together, they are spiritual practices that I am passionate about sharing with others.
The issue comes when we move from inauthenticity. Do not be driven to add, to hoard, to take, to perform because you feel you need to keep up. 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