5 Questions Every Yoga Teacher Should Ask Before Planning a Class
Planning a yoga class is never just about creating fun, creative sequences but about meeting your students where they are. At Spanda Institute, we view teaching as a responsive, relational practice rooted in presence. Our Spanda Method is built on five guiding principles that help teachers craft classes from a place of clarity, knowledge and compassion. The first two principles, Prakriti and Sankalpa, are especially important when preparing to teach. Below are five foundational questions that draw from these principles to help you teach in alignment with both the needs of your students and the deeper essence of yoga.
1. Who am I teaching today?
This is where all teaching begins. The first principle of the Spanda Method, Prakriti, invites us to observe and respect the natural state of things whether that’s the group in front of us, the time of day, or the season of the year. Each class is shaped by countless variables: Who is in the room? Are they beginners or long-time practitioners? A group of surfers, dancers or managers with a desk job? Are they coming in with calm, restlessness, or with fatigue? As teachers, we need to meet our students where they are, offering them what they need to sustain or regain balance. Just as important is when and where you are teaching. A 7 am sunrise class has a very different energy to a 7 pm evening wind-down. Similarly, a midwinter session may call for warming, mobilising practices, while in the heat of summer, students may benefit more from cooling and restorative elements. To teach effectively, we must begin by observing these conditions, not trying to override them. Attuning to Prakriti means stepping out of autopilot and recognising what is naturally arising, so that we can honour it rather than impose on it. This approach supports nervous system regulation and fosters a genuine connection between teacher, student, and environment.
2. What is my intention (and is it relevant)?
Once you’ve tuned in to who and what is present, the next step is to ask: What am I offering in this class? In the Spanda Method, teacher's intention is not just a theme, it’s a central organising principle, a heartfelt purpose that speaks to what you’re truly offering through your class and what students might be invited to discover within themselves. This might be something energetic, such as grounding or expansion, something practical such as nervous system regulation, or something more subtle, like acceptance, clarity, or courage. A clear Sankalpa doesn’t just give structure to your sequencing, it influences the tone of your voice, the rhythm of your pacing, and the depth of your presence. When your teaching is anchored in intention, it becomes more than a class. It becomes an offering. And when your Sankalpa is aligned with the Prakriti of your students and space, the result is a practice that feels deeply supportive and relevant.
3. How will I support different bodies and nervous systems?
Yoga is not one-size-fits-all. Every student arrives with a different physical history, emotional landscape, and capacity for sensation or stillness. Some may feel strong and expressive in their practice; others may be navigating trauma, illness, or chronic stress. As teachers, we are not here to fix or direct but to support and include. The more aware we are of the diversity of experience in the room, the more we can offer practices that empower students to choose what feels right for them. This means recognising when less is more, when encouragement and empowerment serve healing rather than performance, and when a soft voice or grounding practice might create more safety than a demanding sequence. It means honouring each person’s autonomy and avoiding assumptions. When we plan from this lens, we create classes that are not only more accessible but more healing.
4. Where is my energy today?
Teaching doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Your own energy, your nervous system, your emotions, your state of mind, comes with you into the room. Before finalising a plan, pause and ask: How am I feeling today? Am I rushed or spacious? Grounded or distracted? Energised or depleted? This isn’t about judging your energy; it’s about knowing it. If you’re tired, a simpler, quieter class might serve both you and your students. If you’re feeling inspired and steady, that might allow for more dynamism or exploration. Students don’t need you to be perfect, they need you to be present. Checking in with your own Prakriti before you teach ensures that your energy aligns with what you’re asking others to engage with. It also facilitates authenticity, which students intuitively feel.
5. Am I teaching from connection or habit?
Even the most experienced teachers can fall into routine. Familiar sequences, familiar cues, familiar themes, they’re comfortable, but they can sometimes become stale. One of the most important questions to ask is whether you are teaching from connection or from autopilot. Are you teaching what feels alive and relevant today, or are you recycling what’s worked in the past? Teaching yoga is responsive. It arises from listening, observing, adjusting not performing the set sequence. That doesn’t mean you have to reinvent your class every week. But it does mean staying awake to the present moment and to your own curiosity. When we teach from connection, even the simplest practice can feel profound. When we teach from habit, even the most complex and creative sequence can fall flat.
Closing Thoughts
At its heart, yoga is a practice of presence. And teaching yoga is a continuation of that practice. These five questions are here to bring you back to the centre - from the external structure of class planning to the deeper purpose that brought you to teaching in the first place. At Spanda Institute, we believe that when teachers root their offerings in Prakriti and Sankalpa, their classes become more than movement. They become healing.