WOULDN'T IT BE NICE

if every class were filled with many smiling faces, all eager and ready to hear and do your bidding? Wouldn't it be nice if all students embraced the 'beginner mind', stepping back and allowing you (as their guide) to lead them to a new pose or view of a pose? Wouldn't it be nice if all students believed they can do an arm balance or a difficult balance posture or a backbend without discomfort?

That all comes with trust. Trust that I (as their guide) will keep them safe, will give them appropriate instructions/modifications, will keep them safe, will make it fun, will keep them safe, will take them to the threshhold and - if just for a moment - take them across. All while keeping them safe.

I started skiing at the age of 30. My son was 4, I'd recently divorced, and - as a single mother - I needed something to do with this active 4-year-old. HE LOVED SKIING. I did not. When you start anything at age 4, the fear level is significantly lower (if existant). At thirty, it's VERY high -- like, how am I going to work if I break a leg or arm, and feed this little guy? (End result: I learned to love skiing, but not without a lot of angst, worry, dread. Now, at age 59, it's fun.)

I think the same can apply to yoga and some of it's challenging poses.

So, my job is not just to teach students how to get into a pose (safely), but also to help them believe they can get into that pose. It's a fine line -- cross it too quickly and I may lose a student; take too long and they might get bored and go away.

Now, it's not only the group I'm teaching to, it's the individuals in that group. Because each individual student is different - different goals for their practice, different abilities, different body structure, different attitude.

I am loving the challenge; but, it is a challenge. It's not enough for me to stand or walk around the room spouting instructions. I must look at the whole group, then the individuals within the group, and teach to both. All while keeping everyone safe and feeling good.

Raining here -- more snow in the mountains, but I'm liking the rain -- I've shoveled enough this year.