I was asked this question the other day in that "teacher training". I hate this question especially when you're asked by a stranger in front of a group of your peers. I almost feel like there is a bright light being shone in my eyes and I'm being interrogated vs asked to share. My answer always rings a little forced to me. So while lying in bed last night reading the Baghadvad Gita, this came to me and I wanted to write it down before I forgot....
Why do I teach? Because it brings me joy. Because from the first class I taught I felt alive! I felt like I had finally woken up. I have something to share with others that I truly believe in. You rebut with, "But you can teach english". I say that is a ridiculous comparison. It's not the act of teaching but the content of what is being taught. So I teach with the hope that I will help to wake people up. So that they too can believe in something. So that they too can feel the sheer joy yoga can bring to your life. I just wanted to write that down while it was still fresh...