"How weird is that? I mean -- how weird is that?" I met up recently with a girlfriend, one of my dearest, oldest friends, but absent from the country for quite some months now. Last time she saw me in early summer I was pre-TT, still unable to articulate what I was doing or why,... Continue Reading →
More?
Before class last night one of the other students asked me if I was teaching at all yet. Yes, I am a little. But she wasn’t satisfied. “When are you going to teach more? And are you going to do another training course soon?” Woah, slow down! Why can’t it be enough right now? Last... Continue Reading →
What am I really teaching?
My own teacher's professional biog has something about him teaching to affect head and heart. I don't remember the exact words but I do remember the wonder I first felt in his classes, still feel very vividly even a few years on. In my own practice I'm still very much figuring out the power of... Continue Reading →
Teaching prep
Prep for teaching today: a couple of hours on the sofa, clutching a hot water bottle against my stomach cramps, a box of tissues within hand's reach. I have a cold and it's rocked my system a bit overall; it doesn't take much to throw me off balance. It's OK, it'll pass, I know that.... Continue Reading →
On the homefront
One of the things sensibly impressed upon us in teacher training was about recognising the limits of one's knowledge, not to get caught up in wanting to help, or wanting yoga to help, and therefore over-promising or trying to over-deliver. We are not training to be physical or mental therapists (or magicians!), just yoga teachers.... Continue Reading →
On friendship
I'm starting up my little bit of teaching again in a week and my thoughts are turning from my own practice to my teaching. I have a weekly semi-private with two former colleagues who sit on the edge of my friendship circle: we do a little bit of mostly in-office socialising, lunch and stuff. Ordinarily... Continue Reading →
Validation and witness
"I give you permission NOT to do full Chaturaṇga each time". I wondered at this comment from my teacher in class today. Do people really need this permission? Do they feel some necessity for this action in every vinyasa? If they do, would the validation of the teacher make a difference? I wonder... I don't do... Continue Reading →
Winter break
My regular weekly semi-private has finished for the year now. The girls are busy with pre-Xmas stuff next week and then I'm travelling over the Christmas period visiting far-flung family. They were (gratifyingly!) disappointed that I wasn't around more to continue teaching them once they were done with their parties. It reminded me of years... Continue Reading →
Easy does it
Hubby's started practising a little at home again now. I'm so pleased for him to have got to the point where this feels like a good thing for him. He's rehabbing himself gently and I am so immensely proud of his patience and his quiet efforts. I'm learning so much from him, from hearing him... Continue Reading →
Offerings
Practice is feeling hard for me right now. So hard that I reached out to two of the most solid practitioners in one of the classes I go to regularly just to tell them this and to draw support from something shared. Not my usual way at all. I usually fight alone. They both offered me something, my... Continue Reading →