Saturday, July 26, 2014

Notes from the past week . . .

My week began last Sunday, when I taught the 9am all-levels yoga class at Living Yoga in Temecula.  The class went well, but it was during that class that I noticed a small spot on my lower leg.  Monday, I had a few more spots which were red, raised and painful to touch (???).  After a few uncomfortable days a diagnosis - erythema nodosum.  It's basically an inflammatory process, signaling something amiss in the body but also can be idiopathic (which means no apparent cause).  My labs have come back normal, so idiopathic?  The spots will remain for 4-6 weeks.  What fun!

But, on the lighter side -- I am not contagious, I'm just a bit 'lumpy' in the lower legs; good excuse to order some longer yoga pants to cover most of the spots. Thank you, Prana.

On the teaching side, I've been taking two courses with Christina Sell online.  One, Teaching the Raw Beginner, is a great reminder of what students new-to-yoga will need.  In addition to the webinar lectures (8 weeks' worth), I also have access to her online yoga classes (beginner series included).  Great tool and I get so much from her teaching.  So, each morning this week, my husband awakens to Christina's voice as I try to complete the course.

The second series is Alchemy of Flow & Form, taught by Christina and Gioconda Parker.  I hate to tell you how far behind I am with that one.  Each month they post lectures, practices, study guides.  THEY are at month 6 (I think); I am back at month 3.  Trying to finish the Beginner course, then will go back to Alchemy.  It's great -- I just think I got too ambitious with online study sign-ups.

And my personal teaching?  I have been using and heralding the use of props in our practice as I teach. Lately it's been the block.

Many classes I teach are attended by students newer to yoga.  A characteristic trait of these students is a lack of confidence in their abilities, specifically balance when separating legs or standing on one leg.

Let's look at a lunge.  I have always asked students to hug legs together in their lunges (high lunge or knee-down lunge).  What I described to them (notice past tense), was to pull back foot (or knee) towards front foot and front foot towards knee (or back foot) -- an isometric 'drawing in'.  Similar to trying to close a sticky pair of scissors.

Then, thanks to someone, it was pointed out that the 'hug' is also from side to side.  I knew that, but I was not communicating it to students -- I was sticking with the scissors instruction.  How does one teach a 'hug the midline' instruction while in a lunge, however?  Then, I remembered the blocks.

When I am in a teaching situation these days, I try to have students do a few moves at the start of class with a block between their thighs (gently embracing the block, not trying to crush it).  After a few moves, we take the block out and move on to other poses. My instructions from that point on, are -- even in lunges or standing poses -- to embrace the 'imaginary' block.  It works.  I can't explain it, but it works (for them AND me).  I look out at a steadier group when I offer these instructions, and - students tell me - they are able to use this tool and feel more stable.

I love this exploration!

Seems like more happened this week, but I guess not.  The new diagnosis seemed to consume my thought process.  The new teaching tool is an exciting one.  Oh -- one more very IMPORTANT happening -- Grand-Dude Carson turned 4 on Wednesday.  That day, I was not sure whether I was contagious or not, so I missed the dinner celebration.  I hear (and see via video) that it was a good one.  Sorry to have missed it.

I hope you have a great weekend,


Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A COUPLE WEEKS IN MY TEACHING (AND OTHER) LIFE

After my last post, I was flattered to receive a request for a group of teacher training students to be 'required' to read my writings as part of their curriculum.  I knew people read my blog; never dreamt it cast such a wide net!

This request also compels me to write a bit more often; perhaps, not as often as I used to, but more frequently.

Teaching has been an 'adventure' lately.  As in:
  • Students with varying levels of ability in almost all my classes, which creates a challenge.  It's not a challenge I don't feel up to; however, it does require some 'thinking on my feet'.  As in, if I am going to teach a pose like vasisthasana, and know that I have more experienced students in the room -- how do I offer everyone that wonderful feeling of opening in the pose.  I begin with the knee-down variation, see how things are going; next stage would be to have both knees away from the floor (those who aren't feeling up to the challenge, remain in knee-down); then, we may move to the wall, and try the pose with our top leg in vrksasana (tree pose form).  So, it's a progression; taking into account who is in the room, and give everyone experience of the pose.
  • I've offered to teach some weekend classes, also.  These classes, contrary to what I had been used to in Salt Lake, are rotated among teachers at the studio in Temecula.  So, every once in a while, it is my chance to teach people I have never seen before.  And, because it is a mixed-level or basic-intermediate, there is a good chance I'll have many levels of ability in the room.  My challenge?  To teach intelligently, but not try to 'fix' everyone.  So long as someone is not in 'danger' of tweaking a knee or otherwise hurting themselves.  Last week's class - a good example of everyone but one doing what I asked.  What did I do then?  Well, after repeating instructions for the first ¼ of the class, I just gave up.  She had experience, she wasn't going to hurt herself, she (also) was not truly experiencing the poses; but . . .  (I would describe myself as a 'control' person, especially when teaching; so, it is hard - for me - to just let it be.)
  • A student requested a private, which went well.  That student then came to one of my Gentle classes.  Knowing that person's 'stuff', I kept it VERY gentle; only to have one of their hip flexors spasm. Pain, lack of ability to move (as in walk), created a sickening feeling in my stomach and a true sense of "I don't know what to do to help this person".  Gradually, the spasm released and the student made it home safely.  I went home and did a LOT of reading on hip flexors.  What movement was the person doing?  Simply moving out of a restorative pose to shift to the other side.  Made me realize it can happen anytime, anywhere, no matter how healthy they look.  
  • My teaching has expanded more to Fallbrook these days.  I've sub-letted (on an hourly basis), a space in a martial arts center, along with some others who teach hip-hop, TRX, etc.  It's large and has hardwood floors.  I expanded my prop collection, bought a shelving unit for the adjacent storeroom, and put out a 'shingle'.  The classes, as do many of mine, have grown slowly.  Yesterday morning's group numbered 10 (the largest in the first 3 months of this venture).  It's fun to be close to home, to teach people who live in my community (or in nearby communities), and to get to know the people who are my neighbors.  
  • Continuing with my studies with Christina Sell online.  I am currently enrolled in her and Gioconda Parker's "Alchemy Online Advanced TT", which - I believe - I've talked about before in this blog.  I am also enrolled in a shorter series, also taught by Christina, topic:  teaching beginners.  All good stuff.  
  • My reading lately has been Doug Keller (always), as I've prepared for the workshop series coming to an end in July (titled "Top to Bottom", an adventure through the body, broken down into 3 individual workshops).  I've also been reading a book titled "Quiet" -- about introversion; I am enjoying reading about the qualities I have, especially since I've been criticized in the past for not being 'perky' enough.  And, a bit of fiction -- need some distraction from time-to-time.
  • On a personal note, we have spent time working on yard and house.  We are planning a couple of trips, and we are enjoying Grand-Dudes and their antics.  
Hope you are having a great week, and be safe this July 4th!!!