Oh, I did a walk-in class (me practising) in a local yoga class near abouts. A celeb yoga instructor and a celeb belly dance teacher were also attending. There was a lot of attitude. The yoga class teacher was behaving like he/she was teaching to these two exclusively, inviting the others to stand back and watch!! The celeb yoga instructor-student was having the chin-up-I-am-meditating-butuallmust-admire-my-yoga-butt attitude and the belly dance teacher was behaving like a child who is screaming for attention, metaphorically stamping her foot, as if she feared her center-stage position was being snatched by others.
There were a lot of lessons I learnt on how not to behave, either as a student or a teacher, watching those three:) :)
The sun is shining back. The lethargy is off the classes. Advanced students are moving into unsupported headstand, second variation with hands out behind, straight. That is thrilling. Three of my male students are there almost in the scorpion (I am not saying who, since I fear the evil eye:) Claudia will be leaving us in August beginning. So trying to cram some exciting poses into her practice. Some newcomers (no names please, for the I-fear-the-evil-eye:) have got the headstand in five sessions. That is marvellous. All the male new students have cracked the crow. Advanced students are now moving into dwipada bhujasana. It is an exciting pose, even for me and I have not practised it in a while. So this gives me back the wonder of that pose, as I teach them:)
As my students learn, I am trying to teach myself new things: walking and dropping into the Hanumanasana and then, walking sideways in the wheel. Yes, feels thrilling. If my students did not have the enthusiasm to grow on the mat, then I would founder.... So, yes, I thank them for their keenness to learn.
The key turns into the keyhole to a door that promises secret, thrilling things. That is yoga, on the mat... Only the lucky few have the strength or karmic luck to be there, at that doorway, breathless lives'long (several lives dearies) longing and anticipation. The taste of mumukshutva really -- the final longing for that ultimate, biggest goal in life... The sense of wonder in yoga is connected with that state called mumukshutva. Ony a few lucky ones reach here, and can turn the key into that door that opens into ..
There were a lot of lessons I learnt on how not to behave, either as a student or a teacher, watching those three:) :)
The sun is shining back. The lethargy is off the classes. Advanced students are moving into unsupported headstand, second variation with hands out behind, straight. That is thrilling. Three of my male students are there almost in the scorpion (I am not saying who, since I fear the evil eye:) Claudia will be leaving us in August beginning. So trying to cram some exciting poses into her practice. Some newcomers (no names please, for the I-fear-the-evil-eye:) have got the headstand in five sessions. That is marvellous. All the male new students have cracked the crow. Advanced students are now moving into dwipada bhujasana. It is an exciting pose, even for me and I have not practised it in a while. So this gives me back the wonder of that pose, as I teach them:)
As my students learn, I am trying to teach myself new things: walking and dropping into the Hanumanasana and then, walking sideways in the wheel. Yes, feels thrilling. If my students did not have the enthusiasm to grow on the mat, then I would founder.... So, yes, I thank them for their keenness to learn.
The key turns into the keyhole to a door that promises secret, thrilling things. That is yoga, on the mat... Only the lucky few have the strength or karmic luck to be there, at that doorway, breathless lives'long (several lives dearies) longing and anticipation. The taste of mumukshutva really -- the final longing for that ultimate, biggest goal in life... The sense of wonder in yoga is connected with that state called mumukshutva. Ony a few lucky ones reach here, and can turn the key into that door that opens into ..
2 comments:
So shouldn't you reflect if you are doing the same thing in class, paying attention to and praising a few and leaving out or putting down a few ... Or at any point in time you may have done that....Or not know what any student's basic expectations are ....
If a student comes in, doing asanas the way u are writing,. with unfinished form, I will kick-ass for sure. That will be the best for the student. In a class the student expectations are irrelevant... they are always vapid, modest or fearful. A good teacher has to kick/goad the person out of this mud pool...something u seem to be in, i fear!!
Post a Comment