10 Yoga Teacher Archetypes
What’s An Archetype?
As yoga teachers and yoga therapists, we may be working from a specifically archetypal perspective. But even if we’re not, we embody archetypes as we work, whether we know it or not. As students, we may be attracted to or repelled by certain yoga teachers and the archetypes they represent.
In her book Awakening Shakti, Sally Kempton writes, “An archetype is a subtle blueprint that both transcends individual personality and lives in it, connecting our personal minds to the cosmic collective mind.” In other words, she says, archetypes “personify energies that we feel but may never have thought to name or invoke, both in ourselves and in the world.” The psychologist Carl Jung described archetypes like this,
Though varied, archetypes are not intrinsically good or bad, but rather, teachers in their own right. Nor are they exclusive or static. One individual may be working with or embodying multiple archetypes, each of which will change over time. On top of all that, archetypes also have shadows.
Tuning in to archetypes can enhance our experiences and open depths and layers of meaning for exploration. Here we explore 10 common yoga teacher archetypes and some ways they may show up in your teaching or your practice. Notice if any of them feel familiar or if any others come to mind.
Here we go!
The Guru
The guru is embodied— to the Western consciousness — by the men and women who went East, connected with their own guru or gurus, and returned West often wearing saris and gaining a following of what we used to call “hippies.” (As an aside, we have no idea whether “hippie” is an inappropriate term, but we only use it with the utmost love and respect especially to people like Baba Ram Dass who would probably just laugh if heard us call him a hippie.)
Many people have serious problems with the guru archetype, sometimes associated with the abuser or sadist archetype, while others find real heart connection with gurus. Some, like Jivana Heyman, have a more balanced view. While it is true that some gurus who readily come to mind may be men, Shivananda, Satchidananda, Paramahamsa Yogananda, there are many female gurus as well like Swami Shivananda Radha, Indra Devi (who only wore a sari sometimes see The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi), Pema Chodron, Amma, and Sri Sarada Devi are a few.
In your local yoga studio or online community, you may find one special teacher who feels like your teacher. This teacher lights your path, speaks to you personally, knows all your deepest needs, and feels absolutely essential to you. Or perhaps you’ve never experienced this, but you notice that others do. These teachers embody the guru archetype in some way. How do you feel about it? How does it affect your practice?
If you are a teacher yourself, do you feel the guru archetype is present in your own experience? Do you notice that some students perceive you in this way? How do you you feel about it if so? If not? How does your relationship to this archetype affect your teaching?
2. The Guru Follower
This teacher visits the ashram, visits the guru (if they are still in the body), and often quotes the guru. The teacher’s voice may even take on the cadence of the guru’s voice, or their particular accent. (I’ve seen it happen.) Working with this teacher, you immediately sense of the guru’s essence coming through. You may also get the sense that the teacher lacks authenticity. If the latter is the case, does it bother you? Is it something you simply notice and work into your practice? Are you drawn to such teachers or repelled by them?
3. The Comedian
The comedian teacher is good at making things funny and usually good at many other things as well. But what marks them most is that they always without fail tell at least three jokes in every class. They just refuse to let themselves — and you — take yoga too seriously. I’ve even known a teacher to take up improv comedy on the side to hone this skill.
Some people love this. They like yoga, and they don’t want to ruin it with too much headiness. Quotes from Patanjali are okay, but only with a dash of humor. And they enjoy getting to know the teacher’s personality in this way. Other people feel that the humorist is just distracting or placing a much too personal stamp on the students’ individual yoga experience.
If you’ve experienced the Comedian teacher, are you attracted or repelled? How does the Comedian show up in your own practice? Or your own teaching? If it has not shown up yet, would you invite it?
4. The Physician
The physician teacher may actually BE a medical doctor, massage therapist, physical therapist, or — very likely — Iyengar trained. These teachers are focused on anatomy and love to describe which bone, muscle, joint, or particular fascia is doing exactly what in each and every pose. They also tend to talk in clinical detail about injuries, how to avoid injuries, and, sometimes but less often, the physical benefits of a pose. When in a class with the physician archetype, you may feel very safe and cared for. Or you may feel resentful that this vocabulary monster is — with every anatomical term — stomping on your spiritual journey, dragging you down into the primordial swamp of material world by brute force. (Ouch, that hit a nerve.) How does the “physician” teacher feel to you when you teach? When you practice?
5. The Musician
The musician teacher designs their entire class around their playlist. Note the possessive. This class very much belongs to the teacher. Little or no improvisation or request can make its way into this highly choreographed experience. These classes are extremely popular and often filled to capacity. Entire classes may even be themed around one musical artist or musical genre. Even a serious yogi can love this type of class, though, because it is very well executed. But there are some people who find this unsupportive of their yoga path, and they may have negative feelings about it for one reason or another. And, aside from copyright issues, which are real, sometimes you just don’t want to hear I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) while you’re in fish pose.
Does music play a role in your class or practice? What is the intention behind it? If you are the student, how does it add to or detract from your experience? Is there a way to work with it? Without it?
6. The Mother
The mother teacher remembers your name and takes a sincere interest in your yogic journey. They’re aware of your attendance and your progress, and may give specific feedback just for you during or after class. You are genuinely sad and your day feels worse if their class is taught by a sub or if they don’t give you a hands-on assist. And let’s be honest, sometimes the sensations you feel in a pose have you mentally calling for mommy. Finding a mother instructor may keep you accountable and committed to a regular practice. Or it may feel like an unwanted intrusion. At least one “mother” teacher is usually found in every yoga studio, and it is not necessarily one who identifies as a woman. How do you feel about the Mother? In yourself? In a teacher?
7. The Acrobat
The acrobat archetype may actually teach acro-yoga, arial yoga and/or have an athletic or dance career. They effortlessly hold a handstand in the middle of the room, flow into the splits, and then back into handstand while telling a story or a joke. They often hold workshops on various challenging poses or pose types. Some enjoy the mere acrobatic spectacle these teachers offer. Some may find this archetype challenging, or intimidating. Others may enjoy the way this teacher can easily guide you out of your comfort zone to dare seemingly impossible stunts. Sometimes you can actually be inspired to do that crazy thing just because another human nearby is doing it. Do you have a relationship with the acrobat?
8. The Philosopher
The Philosopher teacher is traditional but not committed to any particular guru or lineage. They’re dabblers. Class may be chakra-themed. Or it may begin and end with a series of three Oms. Class may focus on the yamas and niyamas, or just one yama or niyama. A short quote from Patañjali or a story from the epic Mahabharata may be slipped in between breaths. Or a longer mythic story may envelop an entire pose, both sides. This teacher is spiritually seeking and happy to share their adventure with you even if they are not sure what it’s all about yet. Often fascinating, sometimes curious, you may enjoy a glimpse into their journey or find them just plain annoying.
9. The Corporate
The Corporate teacher, like the comedian, is likely really good at things. They are achievers and often have related careers such as coaching or change management. They dress impeccably. They took their teaching profile seriously (and you read it). They may even be actual yogis. And their classes may be excellent. Their classes are also designed to lead you to their workshops and seminars and build their business. It can be exciting. You may truly enjoy the excellence. Or you might feel like rinsing your mouth out and having a good spit after class. If you’ve experienced this type of teaching, in yourself or another, how did it make you feel?
10. The Cowboy
Some teachers are lone cowboys, just doing their own thing, whatever that is. The one you can say about these teachers is that they are true to themselves. They may begin class talking about a current art exhibit, asking people to greet their neighbor and say one nice thing about their face, explore themes like “fear,” weave in qi gong, or regale you with tales of roller derby. You never know what you’re going to get and it’s hit or miss, but there’s nothing else quite like it. They shoot from the hip. And no class is ever the same in content or quality. You may love the adventure and find the weirder classes are at least interesting even if a bit confusing. Or you might not be able to handle the unreliable nature, preferring to know what you’re going to get and to get what you know. Is there are cowboy in your experience? In you? How does it show up and what do you make of it?
Do any of these archetypes resonate?
Or maybe you’re more intimate with one not listed here. Acknowledge those that come to mind. Then choose one.
Notice how it shows up in your practice.
Then widen the scope, see how it shows up in your life.
If you like working with archetypes, explore more with Jungian Archetypes and Yoga.