What makes a great yoga teacher (Reply to Paalu’s blog)

They say a good yoga teacher will transform you to the next level. I finally understand their words now.
In my 3 years and a few months of yoga experience at one of big major commercial studios, it had not come until 7 months ago that I met a really good teacher. Until then yoga for me had been only a miracle exercise that shaped my body for the first time in my life and kept the mind lively and happy.
I happened to take private training class with this teacher totally unexpectedlly. He was a new teacher at that time and I didn’t have any intention to take PT with any teacher. Somehow by seeing him at a glance, I thought this teacher might open my super tight shoulders and hip joints which I had been struggling forever. After 10 hour PT with him, my shoulders and hip joints were slightly open but I still couldn’t do those asanas such as parivritta baddha parsvakonasana.
What made me think him a good teacher was, he was the first one who told me to relax, release the tension, and breathe easily during the practice. That was a total awakening to me. Since then, I attended the classes with more focused and relaxed mind. It changed my practice totally. In his class I could focus even more and go deeper and stronger. I thought I finally met a kind of guru. But this teacher had to leave in a short period.
The next great teacher whom I met is a very spiritual teacher. (Actually he had been there for over 3 years but I couldn’t go to his class because it was so beyond of my mind level. The first teacher’s energy led me to him, I think.) He also tells me to relax shoulders where my tension always goes and not to go far beyond with the postures if the alignment goes wrong.
In his asana class he preaches yoga sutras all the way through and always reminds us to set our consciousness inside our body. It will bring you a sort of bliss feeling during asanas. His pranayama class brought me up to the stage that I could feel more comfortable setting my consciousness inside my body during both holding breath and meditation. By taking his classes my mind started to stay calmer, more stable and peaceful in daily life. I realized that yoga practice must have been this way.
Then his energy led me to Paalu, our master, which was also happened by following the flow of consequences although those two people don’t know each other.
By following Paalu, besides so many things that he had taught us, I found meditation was more powerful and peaceful than I had ever imagined. I believe that I will go deeper into my body and mind from now on. Keep on practicing.
What mostly made these 3 teachers especially better than the rest of good teachers was I feel stronger connection to each one of them, probably in energy level. They pulled me and pushed me forward with their strong energy. That’s what I feel now.
I am truly grateful to all these great teachers.
Om Namaste.