Become a Community Teacher
Want to share your practice with our community? We'd love to hear from you.
Yoga for the People is Eight Limbs' weekly Sunday community access program built around a simple idea: yoga should be easier to say yes to. Easier to afford, easier to try, and easier to explore.
But we believe accessibility doesn't stop with students.
Teaching yoga should be easier to say yes to, too.
For many teachers, the path from teacher training to actually teaching can be surprisingly difficult. New teachers are often asked to have years of experience before anyone will give them a chance. Visiting teachers may struggle to find a place to connect while they're in town. Established teachers sometimes have ideas they're excited to share that don't quite fit within their regular studio schedule. Or, maybe you’re new to town and you’re looking for a place to set down roots and connect with your new city.
We think there's room for all of that.
That's where Community Teachers come in.
Every Sunday, we invite different teachers to lead an accessible, all-levels experience for our community. Some classes may be energetic and playful. Others slow and grounding. Some may incorporate philosophy, meditation, breathwork, journaling, or conversation.
We intentionally leave room for creativity.
Because yoga is bigger than any one teacher, one style, or one way of doing things.
Community teachers come from all kinds of backgrounds, but this space was especially built with a few groups in mind:
Newly Credentialed Teachers: You recently completed your training and are looking for opportunities to share your practice, build confidence, and find your voice as a teacher.
Visiting Teachers: You're passing through Portland and would love a place to connect with a local community while you're here.
New-to-Portland Teachers: You've recently moved to town and are looking to put down roots, build relationships, and connect with a new yoga community.
Established Local Teachers: You already teach elsewhere and have an offering you've been wanting to share that might not fit into your regular schedule.
Compensation
Yoga for the People operates on a community-supported, sliding-scale model.
Community Teachers receive 70% of all class contributions, with 30% supporting the ongoing operation of the program and the studio itself.
That means your teaching is supported by a community that values accessibility while helping ensure the program remains sustainable for everyone involved.
What We're Looking For
Our students range from complete beginners to longtime practitioners, so we're looking for teachers who can create experiences that are welcoming, approachable, and adaptable.
We ask Community Teachers to:
Teach an accessible, all-levels practice
Offer modifications and options when appropriate
Create a welcoming environment for beginners
Respect all bodies, identities, and lived experiences
Avoid exclusive, dogmatic, or overly prescriptive language
Arrive at least 15 minutes early
Stay a few minutes afterward to connect with students
Above all, we're looking for people who are excited about building community.
Requirements
To participate, you'll need:
Proof of a completed 200-hour yoga teacher training
Proof of active professional liability insurance
A short bio
A proposed class title and description
Agreement to Eight Limbs' community guidelines
Please note: prior teaching experience is not required.
You do not need a large social media following, an existing studio affiliation, or years of experience to participate.
If you have something thoughtful to share and you're excited to create a welcoming experience for others, we'd love to hear from you.
A Quick Note
Yoga for the People is intentionally a little different.
Participation as a Community Teacher isn't an audition for a permanent teaching role at Eight Limbs (though you never know where relationships may lead). It's simply an opportunity to share your practice, connect with the community, and help make yoga a little more accessible for everyone.
It's not a competition.
And it's definitely not about being the "perfect" teacher.
It's simply an opportunity to gather, share, experiment, and help make yoga a little more accessible — for both the people practicing it and the people teaching it.
Sound like your kind of thing?
Get in touch. We'd love to meet you.
Relax. It's just yoga.