CHECKING IN . . .

That's the 'subject line' I use whenever I send an e-mail to my mentor, Sundari.  It seems an apt phrase, one that covers a wide range of topics and I use it when I'm just rambling my recent activities to her - yoga and otherwise.  So, since I am out of my yoga world for a few days, it seems to fit here -- a rambling of thoughts.

I think about Sundari a lot these days, especially when planning a class, teaching that class, and now - video'ing the classes.  Why?  Because of something she has taught me.

I will start most of my classes with a story - either a personal anecdote or some point of yoga philosophy; something that fits in with what I plan to teach that day/class - this (as you know) is my theme.  In my planning, I will assign a heart quality to the theme.  Then, depending on if I'm planning backwards or forwards, I decide on the apex pose.  (I say 'backwards or forwards' because sometimes I start with an idea of the pose I want to teach; other times the apex pose just seems to appear as the class planning progresses.  Then, what alignment principle serves the apex pose I'm working towards, and - finally - the sequence (the path) to and from the apex.

Now, the biggy?  WHY.

This is where Sundari really comes into the picture.  Each time she has watched me teach (either in person or on video), she comes back with that question, "Why?"  As in, why do my students care?

An example:  One of my favorite classes to teach is related to the Hanuman story of 'remembering our power'.  If you don't remember, Hanuman was a mischevious monkey as a baby.  So mischeiveous that the sages removed his 8 powers; powers that would return only when he was reminded he had them. The remembrance for Hanuman happened when he went to search for Sita. (Thank you to Siana for this story.) I think that is a great metaphor for my life; and may be applicable to many people; so I use it a lot.

Sundari might ask:  "why do people care if they remember their power?"

It's a great theme when trying an arm balance or Hanumanasana or ___(you name a pose here)_____. How many students do you have who, like me, had never balanced on their hands before yoga? That's the 'why' -- we just have to figure out how to explain it to our students and have it inspire them to try the tricky arm balance; or just move towards the general form of the pose (like my Gentle Yoga students with Hanumanasana).

So you do the 'math' here; why do people care if they remember their power? Or, as you teach today, ask yourself 'why?' about your theme.

Have a grateful Friday,