A GREAT DAY

Each day this week has been 'great'; yesterday, tho, was 'extra great' or 'great with an extra dollop of whip cream'.

My morning started with breakfast with Jen -- we have worked together for 6+ years. Jen 'inspired' me to take my first teacher training with Desiree; and we've attended many classes, workshops and trainings together (sometimes being mistaken for mother (me)/daughter (Jen) - but, we won't go there).  It was a good conversation - sharing info on how our lives and teaching progress.

Then, off to teach Gentle Yoga.  I've said this before, will say it again -- the pattern at my studio is for students to arrive right on time for class or a minute or two late.  Not this class - they began to arrive 10 minutes early yesterday!  Perhaps it's because they're eager to be with me (!?!?!) or perhaps it's because the class is growing lately, and they would like to be in their favorite or non-squeaky spot. (FYI, the floor has some noise-producing qualities that accompany your poses, if you are placed just right.)

No matter the reason, it is fun to see the studio filling and to hear the banter among these fun people.  No one sits and tries to meditate, or tries to warm-up; no -- they're in class to enjoy the community; each other. Once we start class, tho, the room quiets to a very respectful decibel level -- with only the brief comment and/or groan and/or laugh to be heard.  We worked with the breath, the arms - exploring 'hugging'.  I asked if everyone understood what I meant by "hug" muscles. A couple were brave and inquisitive enough to say 'no'; so we did a bit of exploration and explanation. We worked the shoulders and shoulder blades, and did a bit of 'energy thumping' that I picked up at the therapy training a couple weeks ago.  All in all, a fun time for me (and, I hope, for them).

On to my own 'private' with Adam -- we all know that my goal is to kick to the wall in handstand. I had an interesting awakening yesterday.  While I'm not kicking to the wall, I can be aided to the wall and stay there for much longer than two or three weeks ago.  But, that's not what I discovered. As we worked, Adam's attention was on my hips and legs -- getting them stretched out and warmed up for kicking up (all this, by the way, will also improve much of my overall practice).

Towards the 45-minutes mark of our 60-minute session, we went to the wall and I attempted to kick up; not yet, so he helped me.  Here's what I discovered -- my shoulders and upper back are tight and, because we had focused on my legs, the upper body was not 'melting' as I had felt it 'melt' in earlier sessions.  Why?  Because we didn't do any of the challenging work to open up the upper back.  It was easier for me, in this session, to actually balance - take feet away from wall - than to allow the legs to rest on the wall and melt my heart into the room.  And, I felt it!  Isn't it amazing when you feel and are aware of something like that? (I didn't necessarily figure it out myself - he did explain it to me.) Once verbally explained, I was able to reflect on the feeling in my body and realize why it was easier to stay more upright in the pose, as opposed to melting heart and moving feet to the wall. Amazing!

On to other things - picked up Howard from the airport, home for a quick bite of lunch, then on to get my hair cut.  After that, relax.  Then there was an unexpected phone conversation with Sundari - such a nice way to finish the day.

Today?

• 9:30 am Meeting
• 1:00 pm Pilate
• 2:30 pm Semi-Private
• 4:00 pm Yoga Hour (I'm teaching)

Hope your day is a good one!

BRIEFLY . . .

Not a lot of time this morning; meeting a friend for breakfast before the Gentle Yoga class. Still have to walk dogs and get myself ready; running out of time. But I did want to share a few notes about my day, yesterday.

First -- Wayne's class was great.  Something about reaching Certification does affect your approach and manner in teaching.  For both Tiffany and Wayne, I see a relaxed confidence. Hope to be in their shoes, soon.  Back to the class -- 4 urdhvas; even one successful one with feet on blocks -- they continue to feel easier, even on the slippery-er mat I was using yesterday.  Handstand - well, still a work in progress, but I had 'hang-time', and once up - with Wayne's help - I could stay there, even pulled feet away from wall for 1-2 seconds at a time.

Then, Pilates - feeing stronger and more confident in many of the moves.  But, Cindy always finds something new to throw into the mix.  I guess that keeps it from become too routine.

Back to the studio for a semi-private.  An update - this is the couple who came to me with no yoga knowledge and they are stiff. They found that yoga was enjoyable and eye-opening, then knee pain set in (torquing in golf swing) and he went to the doctor (a good thing).  The negative - doctor said no more yoga; torn meniscus. Well, we talked, and they are back. Their goal: to follow the physician's advice, but still stay involved in yoga. My plan: to just work with them from the hips up.  Hoping to free the shoulders, and create freedom in their necks.  A good compromise.

Lindsay takes over yoga hour at 4 on Tuesdays.  I listened to the first few minutes of the class (from the undercover space of my office). Strong, confident voice. She's a keeper!

FYI, information on the Certification video:  I asked Anusara about the requirement that we video a Level 1 or Level 1-2 class; could my Gentle Yoga class qualify? Official answer:  "yes, so long as there is explanation to that affect, and the assessors know that they are looking at a class that includes modifications. It must include use of the UPA's and other language / theming elements."  If you'd like to see that e-mail, let me know.

So, today?

• Breakfast with Jen
• Gentle Yoga at 10 am at The Yoga Center
• Private (my own) to follow
• Then home, back to the fun of sorting and cleaning

Hope your Wednesday is a good one,

ADHIKHARA

I did all the things on yesterday's list, including attend Tiffany's class last night.  Another great offering, filled with her great languaging, a bit of inspiration from Jaime Allison's weekend workshop, and a supportive group of students (including me).

Her theme? You guessed it, adhikhara, the Sanskrit word for studentship.

For me, adhikhara has always been foremost in my mind -- maybe that's a reflection of being raised in a military household. When being taught something, we listened and then we did exactly as told. Yoga is not so rigid as my upbringing, but I do listen and I do carry out instructions to the best of my ability.

For example, it just took one time with John for me to fully embrace the hand placement and significance of the commitment to that placement in my practice. You will not see my hands move when palms are on the floor, for example moving from down dog to plank to the floor to cobra and back to down dog.  It won't happen, not in my hands. (And, some faithful readers will remember there is a way to adjust the placement without lifting your knuckles and/or fingertips; because, sometimes, adjustment is needed.)

So, we moved skillfully through class last night. We were reminded about active feet (think mantra: activate your feet and legs by lifting and spreading your toes, hold that energy and with strong legs inner spiral, scoop tailbone, root and rise). We were asked to stay steady in our hands. And, we were skillfully reminded that we were in a classroom setting and that - while we each are our own teacher - we must respect the person in the seat of the teacher (one funny saying -- 'all you peripheral poachers, take your top arm back to your hips' -- an instruction given to bring everyone into unison as we opened the body to modified vasisthasana without taking the top arm up).

How easy is it to be in a class, listening, following, then all of a sudden there's this sudden burst of 'how about if I do this' -- which, by the way, was NOT asked for by the instructor. I find it challenging, sometimes, to just do what I'm asked to do; to really listen; to wait. I remind myself that waiting and listening are all part of an advanced practice - that usually does the trick and brings me back to being attentive to the person in the seat of the teacher!

Great class, great for me to experience these instructions that - while seemingly innocuous - when carried out well, bring out the advanced practitioner in all of us.

Today's plan:

• 9:30 am - Level 1-2 with Wayne at The Yoga Center
• Noon - Pilates with Cindy (I remembered)
• 2:30 pm - Private session taught by me at The Yoga Center (think shoulders & neck)
• 4:00 pm - Yoga Hour, taught by Lindsay at The Yoga Center
• Time to get the other car washed?  We'll see.  

Enjoy your Tuesday, 

WE DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO . . .

This past weekend, I had signed up for Jaime Allison's workshop at The Shop in Park City.  I did make it to the Friday session, but not the rest of it.  It just didn't fit.

There are times to do and to study, and then there are times to cultivate the home fires.  This was one of those weekends. Therefore, I decided to forego the Saturday and Sunday sessions -- hard to do, but I'm glad I did it.

I know I would have learned a lot from Jaime, that it would have been fun to 'hang out' with yoga friends, but there are times when another part of my life comes calling and I need to pay attention to all aspects. (Thank you, Ponteir.)

So, Saturday night we (Howard and I) took a leisurely drive up one of the area canyons to enjoy what's left of the Fall colors. We had a nice dinner at a restaurant overlooking the canyon, where the ambiance was littered with background noise -- "we're out of penne"; "there's no caesar salad"; "mashed potatoes won't be ready for 30 minutes".  For some patrons this was troubling, the majority tho (including us) simply laughed and rolled with the punches.  Fun to not be too locked into our expectations sometimes.

Yesterday - more cleaning and sorting. Then, a run to the airport and a couple stops on the way back to stock up on studio supplies.  I took an hour of the day for 'retail' therapy, then home to clean some more.

Today's Plans:

• Clean & sort (broken record)
• Deliver supplies to Yoga Center
• Car washed(?), depends on weather
• Phone conference re: my parents' care
• I do plan to attend Tiffany's class 

Hope your Monday is productive yet enjoyable, 

VIDEO'ING

The 'rules' of video'ing a class state there must be a specific number of students in the room for the video to 'count'.  That's a challenge some days, especially when I've been away so much this year.  Just as I get the class to size, I leave town and a sub steps in.

Not that subs are bad -- they give our students a different perspective, perhaps offer them new tools to work with. The negative? The continuity is gone, at least for one or two weeks.  And, when I do that repeatedly (no matter what the reason), students cannot count on me and may drift away - temporarily perhaps - but away, nevertheless.

For yesterday's Level 1 class, I planned to video. Even tho I had been gone the week before and there was a sub in my place, I decided to set the intention, put the camera up, and pray.  At 9 am, there were not enough to do a viable video; I decided to turn on the camera anyway, if only for myself. By 9:05, more than enough had come into the room.

The camera kept rolling, I kept talking, as people filtered in.  How did I handle it?  I kept talking, smiling and nodding as the late arrivals entered. I also was pretty directive (as in, pointing out to them) about where their mats ought to go -- I wanted them IN the video.  BTW, one of the things video reviewers look for is how I handle the late arriving student - do I let it fluster me, or throw me off my track. I did pretty well in this regard, I think.

Class continued, camera rolling, and we started moving.  At one point in the class, I thought, 'this seems kind of slow'. But, my theme was sensitivity, noticing how we react and what our body is saying to us as we practice. That requires 'slow', in my book. I also, fortunately, had attended Jamie Allison's class the night before.  Hers was not a 'fast' class - hers was very methodical, working her theme (Kali) and offering precise alignment instruction. Yet, I was sweating from the 2nd AMS (down dog). Slower, when done with intention and refinement, can be sweat-producing.

I decided to not worry about 'slow', and simply serve the people in the room. I did it -- I believe everyone  was served (unlike some earlier classes, where I paid attention to the newer students yet not so much to the seasoned).

At home, I created the DVD successfully! Now, I'll review it and fill out a self-critique evaluation form provided by Anusara®.  Then, package form and DVD up, and send them off to Sundari in Maui (so far away, but still close).

Today's plans:

• House stuff
• Whatever else happens

Have a nice Sunday,

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,

WHY?

Why, when I encounter a new-to-me or new-to-yoga student, am I hearing "I tried it, but I couldn't do it." or "I took a beginner class, but it was more like a workout class." or "I was intimidated."

Sometimes, I suppose, it's just because - at the time they tried it - the student didn't like yoga (!?!?!?). But, many times - in my experience - if I probe a bit, it turns out that the class or the instructor just wasn't truly geared to teach beginners.

I don't try to change #3 -- the intimidation one; because I think that's within a person's make-up to decide whether it's worth facing that bit of intimidation in order to do something good for themselves.

But #1 and #2?  Those I can address.  I think there may be a common misconception that the new-to-teaching instructor is best off teaching beginners.  But, I don't agree.  My belief is that it takes a lot of experience to teach beginners.  Granted, it can be frustrating at times.  For that reason, perhaps the more experienced instructors choose to let others do it.

But, just think of the learning challenges and opportunities that teaching beginners will offer:

1. An opportunity to meet new people,
2. An opportunity to listen, 'hear' them, as they try to do something very foreign with their bodies,
3. The opportunity to practice saying the same instruction three different ways; because sometimes that's what it takes -- not everyone processes information the same way,
4. Circumstances that offer practice modifications, and
5. Many times, there is an opportunity to work with injuries.
6. Best of all, there is that moment when it 'clicks'; when the pose looks strong and viable, when the poses begin to sing.

I am not saying there are no newer-to-teaching instructors who could do this, because I'm sure there are many. It's just that I believe the new-to-yoga students deserve our full attention to assure their experience is a good one, one that offers an optimistic view of the journey (and the challenges) the practice of yoga will offer.  That means that we, as studio owners or program planners, need to pay close attention to how we handle our newer students.

Granted, there are many students who run the gauntlet, grow their practices, and love yoga, despite how they began the practice. I'm thinking of the ones who may be turned off by our lack of attentiveness to their cultivation. It's one thing to market and get them into the studios or fitness centers, then what happens?

Just a brief foray into my thoughts on the attention paid new-to-yoga students.

Today? 

• Subbing for Mary, 9 am, Level 1 at The Yoga Center
• 1 pm, Pilates
• 4 pm, Yoga Hour at The Yoga Center

Have a nice Thursday,