Bad at Yoga

26/04/2021

A new article in Yoga International written by yours truly.

A teacher shares how and why she developed a guru complex early on in her career, along with what it taught her about larger problems in yoga.

17/03/2021

Well, would ya look at this weirdo gracing the Read+Watch section of Shut Up & Yoga
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The featured chapter is all about burnout—something I’m sure none of you yoga teachers out there can relate to but maybe give it a read anyway 😉
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https://shutupandyoga.com/read-a-chapter-from-how-not-to-teach-yoga-by-tori-lunden/

15/03/2021

I’m all for authenticity. I mean, who isn’t? But something strange happens the moment we put a # in front of it.
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Anything in the realm of # is bound to be performative. And that’s not a bad thing! It just means it’s something we’re doing for other people to see/consume—that’s what social media is. It’s a performance that can be used for wonderful things and/or to be manipulative af.
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How is it manipulative? Think of that influential yoga person on IG always telling you to rebel and be your authentic self... while subtly/not-so-subtly implying that you do that by agreeing with whatever they say/do. Yeah, that type of f**kery.
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Let’s be honest, we are ALL (hiiii 🙋🏻‍♀️) capable of being manipulative—especially on social media. And if you follow me, I’m guessing it’s something you’re looking to avoid as a creator and as a consumer. If you unfollow me, I guess you’re just a manipulative person (👈🏻 kidding! That sentence is an example of manipulation).
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Practicing transparency with our # is one way we can work to stay out of manipulative territory. This simply means that we acknowledge that all this is a performance—a curated slice of our lives & knowledge to share with others based on a mix of personal boundaries and marketing charisma. It doesn’t change the game but acknowledging it helps levels the playing field by keeping us at the level of fallible human.
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So, if you’re feeling it, continue your daily scroll and pay attention to when you feel swayed by someone or something. Get curious as to why. Is it the content of message itself or is it manipulation? If you want to really get into it, apply that same curiosity to your next post.
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01/03/2021

Look quite spiritual, don’t I? 😂
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Now, most of you know I love a good subversive spiritual selfie. I also love all those pics of my book popping up in your posts & stories. So, I thought why not combine them into
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And to help you do the same, here’s a revamped list of tips for how to look spiritual on social media, updated for covid & How Not To Teach Yoga:
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-Always look like you’re in, or somehow connected to, nature. House plants and/or fresh produce work well if you’re stuck indoors.
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-Dress up like a 70’s folk singer/rock star (minus the co***ne).
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-The book must look fresh & new so it’s important you never actually use/benefit from it. Same goes for your face.
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-Try to post photos taken only at sunrise or sunset. Midday is for commoners.
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-Look like you’re self reflecting but without showing any facial lines. The easiest way to do this is to show absolutely no emotion or personality.
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-Or look powerful. This one is quite advanced but is most easily achieved by not pooping for several days prior to the selfie.
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-Don’t you even think about showing an ebook. Spiritual people are old school...when we’re not on our phones checking our metrics.
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-Instead of including a sacred item from a fetishized culture, try holding fetishized food stuffs (you’ll look silly but not as silly). I’m holding my roommate’s avocado with a “please don’t eat” note on it.
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-A slight breeze is always good. It implies the winds blow at your command.
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-If you’re around people, ensure you’re all wearing masks, but then differentiate yourself from the group by standing on a little box. This also implies you’re on a higher plain of existence. If you don’t have a box, stand on one of your friends.
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Did I miss anything? Let me know! Or better yet, make my day by putting it into a selfie and tagging me 😍

You can find copies of my book here
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1777574102

28/02/2021

A question that none of us like asking ourselves (myself included) but we gotta, cuz de-Nile ain’t just a river👇🏻
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“Is it that what *insert teacher you like* says “resonates” with me or is it simply that they’re telling me what I want to hear?”
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Someone confirming our biases can seem a lot like them “Speaking truth” if we’re not actively practicing discernment.
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Example: I’d honestly be thrilled if was possible, but the reality is that it’s not.
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Fortunately/unfortunately, part of a maturing yoga practice is accepting that what we WANT to be true and what IS true are usually not the same thing.
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27/02/2021

“This book is what’s missing from modern yoga teacher trainings.”
- Kristine W.

That’s right! My book will fix your teaching, fix your life, AND fix your hair! It might even fix you breakfast... but because I wrote it, it will likely be an unexciting breakfast of cold cereal.

Ok, no it won’t.

But it will compassionately walk you through a whole lot of issues (like boundaries, power trips, and manipulation) that all yoga teachers struggle with but we seldom talk about. Issues which, I’m guessing, weren’t included in your last YTT. But all of which has a major impact on everyone we teach and how we choose to teach them—even if we are not aware of it.
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That is why I wrote this book. I don’t really care what you teach, I care about giving you tools to help you teach in a healthier way—for you & your students.
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And because no one is perfect, and textbooks are boring, I include a whole bunch of stories about me learning by getting it all horribly wrong 😊

How Not To Teach Yoga: Lessons on Boundaries, Accountability, and Vulnerability - Learnt the Hard Way

22/02/2021

Well, hello page I’ve been neglecting this past year. Sorry, it’s been so long, I’ve been busy writing & self publishing a book (and honestly, fb during covid has been a bit scary). And I’m pretty freakin happy to announce that today is the book release.

How Not To Teach Yoga: Lessons on Boundaries, Accountability, and Vulnerability - Learnt the Hard Way

This is a book about how we all mess up and how we can all do better for ourselves, each other, and those we teach. It’s a mix of stories, best practices, & guided self reflection.

It’s dedicated to any yoga teacher who’s ever stood at the front of a class and thought, “What the hell am I doing?”

More info at https://www.torilunden.com/how-not-to-teach-yoga

Buy a copy at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1777574102

29/03/2020

Throwback video on to how to use yoga to help process anger.
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Can be easily done from the cozy & agitating confines of your home. Repeat as needed.
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Modifications include screaming, laughing hysterically, sitting in a chair, and doing the entire sequence without pants on. Not recommended as a partner exercise.

19/02/2020

“The real Tibet is subservient to the myth of Tibet.”

Worth a read. Especially if, like me, you have a singing bowl.

Western bourgeois fantasies about Tibet and the harmful racial stereotypes they peddle simply have no need for the real Tibet and the suffering my country endures.

18/02/2020

Some days I ask my body what it needs and the answer is clear & bang-on.
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Other days I ask my body what it needs and the answer is as confusing & nonsensical as Andrew Scheer telling anyone to, “Check their privilege.”
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When it’s the latter, this is usually my go-to: slowly moving my hand around (doesn’t need follow a specific pattern) & tracking it with my eyes AND head movements (often the trickier part).
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Big, long science explanation aside- this reminds my brain that I also have this cool thing called a body and they can work together instead of beings at odds with each other. Think Walter Matthau & Jack Lemmon in “Grumpy Old Men”.
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Big, long “you should” explanation aside- try it for a few minutes if you want and see if it works for you. If you like it, the hand/eye/head combo can also be added to many standing poses for a little extra “Ack! I’m gonna fall over” spice.
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06/02/2020

Yoga class mutiny 🤘🏻
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You know that saying, “Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings”?
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I like to think every time someone in a yoga class says “No” to a teacher, guru culture loses some of its power.
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Monday crew, you made a serious dent in it this week. Thank-you💕