FRIDAY NOTES . . .

It's been a nice week - lots accomplished at home and at the studio. I've encountered some great students in the classes I've taught - students who do the work and who have taken the time to share feedback with me. I love it when that happens.

After five days with Sundari at the Therapeutic Training, there is a shift -- I'm noticing it; my voice is changing! What does that mean? That I am not so much in the technical of teaching, more in the feeling. And, I'm not forgetting the technical.  Just using a different, more sensitive and serving voice.

"Serving" is an interesting word to use.  Sundari frequently uses it in sentences like:  "Are you serving your students?".  Even the video self-review form from Anusara® includes the question: "Were all of the students in the class served?"

I recently filmed and then reviewed a DVD from one of my Saturday classes. As I watched, I noticed that my critical eye is becoming more discerning. And, what did I notice about 'serving'?  That I did it, especially to the new-to-me student; however, I was not so attentive to the students who have attended the class for a while.  For that reason, I decided this was not the video to submit to anyone. Got to do it over, and do it with the element of 'serving' more present in my teaching.

Here's another thing I noticed about watching that DVD:  the more I do it, the more I am able to watch and catch things that need to change (and, I notice things that are good about it). It DOES get easier.

My Tip For This Friday:

If it was your first (or second) yoga class, and you were a student in your class, would you know what it means when the instructor says: "hugging muscles to the bone, take your thighs back".  I'm thinking about this more, myself -- especially since Sundari has been saying to me for a long time -- "tell them how".  As in, how do students hug their muscles and/or how does one take their thighs back?

It seems pretty simple to me; hugging muscles to the bone or thighs back. But, put myself in my student's position and that changes; I don't (until I've attended a number of classes) know how to hug or to move my thighs back. I need to be taught -- that's an element of serving the student.

And, remember, it is the rare student who will ask -- after all, who wants to look like they don't understand; or perhaps they think, 'it will come to me; I'll just wait for her/him (the instructor) to elaborate later on'. Precious time wasted.

Today's Schedule:

• GENTLE YOGA, 10 am, at The Yoga Center
• Appointment at 1 pm
• Jamie Allison at The Shop

Enjoy your Friday,