Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Today in class: chill teacher chill

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Many new comers in various batches, some with hang ups that really blocks them, more than me... could I be the chilled out teacher who lets them be where they are, and not prod them out of their inhibitions. Should I wait, or go on my instinct... this is so much work for me, u have no clue... I suffer this part of teaching most:( and every student has some hang up if not in one pose, than in another... and I am exerting and exerting, from some place that does not seem to show the exertion:)

Also, as usual, some kitpits (bickering) about the  fee. Petros, who has become rather chilled out now that he is doing scorpion (:) advised me that though I am indifferent to money, maybe I should become chilled out and relaxed about some people's  hangups about paying a teacher... mmmmm. And not feel guilty for charging for my teaching...  I get the point Petros... I usually get  that terrible urge to tick off or lecture students who have an issue about paying the piddling amount I charge... and the fact that I am indifferent to the money is lost, of course, totally  in this irritation that rises up ... because what I intend to convey is that " hey, u, I am indifferent to the money, u also learn to be... " However, because of my irritation towards the other's attitude I come out as if I care a lot...
 Ha, ha, so the joke is always on me..

Chill, teacher, chill!!
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  • New comers Puja and Zara held the difficult leg raise for two minutes, each leg, upping the ante!!
  • Tried a new way to put the backbends into surya namaskar because otherwise we seem to miss it altogether due to limited class timing. And managed to do all the backbends in the six rounds tho the whole set cost us 20 minutes... But good and hot.
  • Trying to get the class to do the headstand cycling... but needs a lot of focus and attention and strenght, And everybody is still doing it gingerly, which is ok, I guess, as long as they are game to try it. Imagine if I had students who would not do the headstand... Not only will I be a poorly paid yoga teacher, but also a very bored one!!
  • A new girl went on about injuries happening in yoga class. I am gritting and grinding my teeth at the fears some yoga teachers bring into certain poses ... Halasana is such a big issue that way. And of course, teachers who cannot do surya namaskar and headstand will also claim, the former is not yoga and the latter is very very dangerous!!!
  • Working on the headstand chapter for my third book and finding out some lovely stuff about the pose...


6 comments:

Anila said...

Yay!! Third Book (Rubbing hands with glee and anticipation) :-)

puja said...

when do i come next (sigh)???

Koyel said...

Pardom me, but since I've read a couple of posts where you bring up the issue of fees, I thought I'd ask.

How is Rs.2500 a month a piddling amount? What is it piddling in comparison to?

I ask because to me it's a lot of money. A sum I've to really plan out, because my one year of employment fetched me an income of 12K a month. And people in my field will always earn in the region of 10K-18K.

(Through my question I don't mean to suggest that it is okay for your students to bicker about money AFTER they have already joined.Infact I've seen fellow-tuition students, years ago, being perfectly horrible about paying our teacher the fees on time-and she really used to charge waaay below the 'going rate'. I ask from the point of view that the cost for learning yoga has become quite prohibitive where I live-given how much I earn and will earn all my life.)

Should you respond to this comment, I'd be interested to know, given the spirituality of the teaching that you impart and imbibe, how you decide how to price it.

YOGA IN EVERYTHING said...

Jajabor whatever u are... blah to u:) u will limit yourself with your thinking so please don't expect to help me out of your sad pathetic life. You suffer it since u are surely entitled to it... leave me to my musings which does not include stuff like u:)

Koyel said...

Sad, pathetic life? Wow, I'm baffled by your aggression.

Just for the record-I didn't mean for my question/comment to come across as aggressive. I apologise if it did, anyway.

YOGA IN EVERYTHING said...

Yeah.. U r the sort who says pardon me and does not mean it. Hypocritical wd be the label. I am frank and u read aggression..I rather be frank than hypocritical. Sad and pathetic refers to ur limited thinking. U give what u get to people. If u do not want to give yr teacher yr earning will be limited bt that. Same thing if u don't want to give yr maid also. I am talking of yr kanjoosi dear. Just showing up a mirror to u. U don't like the reflection which is y u r calling me aggressive! A yoga teacher is a tough one.. Sometimes the stick, sometimes the smile... The only-smiley ones are fake:)