Yoga / Yuj / (a) Union of Practices: A Narrative Inquiry of Teachers On and Off the Mat.

Abstract

Yoga is practiced worldwide as a means to improve physical and mental health. For teachers, with stress and burnout rates being so prevalent, yoga may be an effective tool in managing stress. How does a yoga practice influence schoolteachers’ experiences in their daily lives? This study describes the experiences told by 3 teachers who have developed a yoga practice within the last 5 years. Narrative inquiry is used as a methodology to capture the lived experience of the participants, while constructivism is used as a theoretical lens. Data collected in this study includes interview transcripts, multimodal expressions via body biographies, journal entries and field notes. The primary researcher’s narrative as a teacher who practices yoga is woven throughout the study. Results suggest that there is undeniably a connection between a yoga practice and ability to manage stress. Participants recounted their stories of yoga and teaching which evolved into the following themes; community, awareness, and the feeling. The researcher calls for further research of yoga practice for teachers as a method of managing stress, involving yoga philosophy, as well as strategic and practical forms of delivering yoga to teachers and supporting them in their practice.