Let's face it. We're human. And as humans, we all have instincts of attraction. So the question that tends to migrate into our minds is, "Is it ok to have a crush on my yoga teacher?"

Plain and simple, you have to be respectful of the fact that she/he's the teacher and you’re the student. Just like in any kind of “classroom” setting, there are boundaries that must be drawn, and depending on the situation, those boundaries will vary. Some teachers, as soon as they begin their yoga career, decide they will never date a student, because it doesn’t align with their ethics-while others will see it as no big deal. If a teacher feels like a student is interested in him/her, he should let that student know his/her position on the situation, otherwise, things could get super cloudy and sometimes very awkward.

You should absolutely feel comfortable around your instructor, just as she/he should feel comfortable around you. If you choose to attempt to get to know your teacher on a different level, be aware of signals. If she/he isn’t reciprocating the feelings that you’re giving out, take the hint. If you feel yourself unable to stop, I strongly suggest finding a new teacher. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be respectful of people’s limits, whether they’re your teachers or not.

So go with it. Sometimes an amazing relationship — a friendship, mentorship, or more — comes out of it, but remember you walked in that door open to new things. And that’s exactly what yoga is about. Flow with it. Crushes on those in a position of power is not a novel concept.

A serious note though : A strong yoga teacher can lead a class with  passionate expression and love; beautiful inspiration, eloquent and mind-altering motivation. But that doesn’t mean their life is roses and buttercups, and often what happens is we transfer the feelings we experience from that powerful class into an idelized relationship with that teacher. That said…

..who am I to decide whether it’s love or lust? It is what it is and if its meant to be, develop a friendship first and see where it goes. (steps off proverbial yoga block).  Do so while practicing on Affirmats Breathe In Love Mat and see what happens.