PATIENCE

Long-time readers are now thinking - what, another word game like the birthday countdown? As I looked back at previous posts, each one since Tuesday has contained a word (or two) beginning with the letter 'P'. Totally unintentional, I promise (oh, another 'p' word). She must have the dictionary handy.

I received a call from a friend asking for information about Christina Sell's on-line mentoring course. My response was long and enthusiastic, and - as I explained to her - the course gave me the 'keys to the kingdom'. Of course, I still have to turn the key and push the door open, but the course was all great for me.  Why write this here? Because one of the gifts Christina gave me in that course was a re-awakening of my love for the dictionary and the thesaurus.

When I want to escape my 'parrot words' (words I over-use as I teach), I go to the dictionary and thesaurus. When I am looking for alternative words for my heart quality (i.e compassion), I go to the dictionary and thesaurus. When I am looking for antonyms to my heart quality (i.e. indifference, cruelty), I go to the dictionary or thesaurus. This last use refers to a previous post, where I noted that JF teaches that to effectively use a heart quality in a class, we need to know it's opposite.

And, when I am looking for words to use in place of the usual 'allow', 'bring', 'take', etc., I go to the dictionary.  For example here's some ideas for the word 'bring', as in 'bring your left leg forward':

   Bring:  cause, guide, lead, shepherd, move, shift (there are others, but some just wouldn't work)

So, an alternative sentence might look like this: 'as you inhale, shift your left leg forward'.  A pretty simplistic example, but you get the picture.

Now, about patience. I found myself losing it (patience) last night. Making some arrangements via phone, which required the person helping me to guide me through computer 'steps'. She did nothing wrong. She was just not aware of the 'steps' needed, so had to repeatedly go and ask - leaving me on hold for minutes at a time. I was tired. I was impatient. What I noticed is that I noticed. Huh?

I noticed that I was becoming impatient. I stepped back from the emotion long enough to evaluate her attempt to be helpful, accepted that she had done nothing wrong - just was trying to be helpful. My temptation throughout the call was to hang up, try it again today when I wasn't quite so tired. My decision? To stick it out. She was, after all, trying. We got it done. I'm glad I didn't react angrily due to my lack of patience. I'm glad I noticed. That's all I have to say about 'patience - tolerance, restraint, eqanimity, calm'.

Totally forgot about 'notes' day. Bummer! Here's an abbreviated version:

1. Taught some fun and challenging classes during the week. Classes and students that are bringing out the inquisitiveness in my teaching - as in, what can I do to give so-and-so the best, most beneficial experience. That applies to everyone -- the student struggling with physical/emotional issues and the student who is able to easily move through a more advanced level of practice.  
2. Looking forward to Park City and JF's Immersion 3 plus weekend workshop. In preparation, I'm logging some good hours of practice. 
3. Just went back to re-read some notes I've taken, in order to offer a 'tip'. Found lots of validation for my post yesterday - using modifications with an awareness that it is a modification, a stepping stone to a fuller expression.
4. I also read something that triggered my memory of an issue I deal with in almost every class. In teaching, I have tended to be pretty technical - giving specific instructions all along the way. One example is moving from uttanasana to tadasana - "place hands on hips, shoulder blades on back, lift chin and heart, hinge at your hips to come to standing". So specific that when I ask them to simply 'come to standing', there's this moment of hesitation and unknowing -- a sign of too much dependency on my instruction. I guess I've said what that means -- students are too dependent on hearing exactly what to do. My job? To speak less -- take them through the movement with the specifics once, then begin to pare down the verbiage. Fewer words will allow students to work somewhat independently. I, also, will not be running on auto pilot and will spend my time more effectively observing what is happening in the room.  

Well, got to work on this morning's class -- 9 am Level 1 at The Yoga Center.  

Have a nice Saturday,