EARLY SATURDAY MORNING

It's early in the Salmon household. Like last week, dogs and husband still sleep. This is the best time for me to contemplate, to plan, to read, to write.

My books from Amazon appeared yesterday. Good choices. It is hard to buy something that you can't see, feel, touch, read much of before purchasing. But, these are keepers.  One is titled myth of the asanas, and is a compilation of the stories behind some the poses we do -- I've learned that these may not be the only stories, but this book will offer a point of departure.  I read the story of Virabhadra somewhere several months ago, and I love moving students into one of the warrior poses and being able to tell a short version -- for me, the pose takes on a new meaning each time I tell this story.  Hope to accomplish more of the same with this new book.

I also ordered two books of poems.  I've briefly scanned both, and see many possibilities for contemplation and potential opportunities to incorporate them into my teaching. This is not something I've usually done; I will tend to move towards the technical. That needs to change.

Yesterday's Gentle Yoga class was a bit smaller than Wednesday's.  One outstanding thing about the make-up of this class? Well, one person was returning after a LONG hiatus -- so long, that she had only experienced yoga through the instructor who used to teach this class. WHOAAA!!! 4 years ago; it's different now.

I must admit, I was a bit nervous. With one exception, all of the previous instructor's students have drifted away -- disillusioned or not willing to experience a different teacher. Not surprised; if my favorite teacher disappeared, I might be hard-pressed to go to his/her successor's classes. The thing I've learned over the years, is that everyone will teach us something (even if it's that we don't plan to attend their class again). I will always tell new students to give yoga more than one try; sometimes it is the connection between student and teacher that adds 'umph' to the experience. If it's a bad connection - clashing personalities or variant ages - then people ought to return to a different teacher or studio even, at least once.

My memory is triggered to one person who attended my gentle class. Because I have a number of people who struggle with balance issues in this group, I always have chairs by everyone's mat. Yesterday, for example, we didn't use them much; there are other days - depending on what I've planned - that the chairs are used frequently - sometimes for things other than balance work. This student did not return after attending my class with chairs present. Student did call, however, about a year later and told me that was why she didn't return. I explained. I also noted that many times we'll do a pose with the chair, then again without the chair -- after trying a pose with the chair, many will choose to stick with it; others move to the pose without the chair.  It's not mandatory, but an offering. Even that was not good enough; student still would not return.

Oh, well; I only hope she found a class somewhere with someone who doesn't use chairs (!?!?).

Enough about chairs.

Today?
9 am            Level 1 at The Yoga Center
10:45 am     Yoga Basics at The Yoga Center
5 pm            Private yoga session
Inbetween & after      Errands, eating, sorting, cleaning

Willie was good, by the way.  A bit of a slow start; perhaps it was the cool, brisk air (the audience was all dressed for it -- it can only be colder on stage). We didn't stay for the whole show, but got a good taste and - as we left - noted that he was warming up and livening up.

Enjoy your day,