A BUSY COUPLE DAYS . . .

And, a busy morning, so I am defaulting to notes (besides, I love notes -- they offer a break from the usual, which - as a result - serves to enliven the usual).

First,  I have been talking about Kali for the past couple days.  Not that I'm an expert, but I know much more than I did pre-Wednesday's teleconference.  The thing is, what to do when my students give me a questioning look as I tell them bits and pieces of what I'm learning.  It may be too early -- maybe I ought to wait until the entire series is done, digest it a bit, then spring it on them.  It's just that Kali makes sense to me -- I can see when she has come to life in my life; the events that were transforming.  Starting yoga was one of those events (as in, 'you better get off your ___ and do something woman, or you are going to sit in this house and shrivel up to a grumpy, old person' -- like that).  And the impact of her presence was immediate and palpable -- as in, it wasn't (and still isn't) always comfortable, but there is such a shift in my person that I wouldn't give it up for anything.

Second, wonder of wonders -- Thursday night, for me, was a HUGE group.  Fun to teach, while being a challenge.  We humans (ages 40 and up) have done a lot of stuff, exercise-wise, to our bodies.  As a result, students present with a plethora of issues to address as a yoga teacher -- not to mention, the stiffness that can be an element of aging.  Add in the personalities that come with those issues, and you can have a real fun time (as in, challenging).  I do see students giving it their best shot, following instructions, and opening a bit.  The tricky part is knowing how much each student can be "picked on", especially when they are new to me, as a teacher.  Luckily, in a bigger group, so long as everyone is safe, no one gets "picked on" too much. (And, I can be a nag, at times.)

Third, "if I ask, I must carry thru" has been my mantra as I teach lately.  So, we've been working at the wall a lot.  For example, I offer the wall as support for the back foot in a truly WIDE-stanced trichonasana.  My belief (at least it works for me) is that once a student experiences a pose in it's full expression, it will be hard to return to their 'old way' -- they might try, but that 'niggling' thought of how it felt with a wider stance, for example, will be there.   This mantra offers a secondary benefit (for me and them).  It requires that I really LOOK at what's happening when I offer an instruction.

Fourth, well fourth is -- I'd better let this go and work on my plans for 9 am Level 1.

Enjoy your Saturday,