our-yoga

Now that my girl is nearly two years old she's saying all kinds of things. Some of them are less than pleasant, like yesterday when she screamed "NO, Mommy, NO!" as loud as she possibly could for a solid 5 minutes while I was trying to interview a source for an article. (To my credit, this particular interview had been scheduled for nap time but the source wasn't available then and called me back later--when my daughter was feeling particularly disagreeable.)

But she also says a lot of really insightful things that, with a little imagination, can could easily be really profound themes for a yoga class.

Things like:

1. "Take ya time, Mommy! Take ya time!" Confession. She got this little phrase directly from an episode of American Idol a couple of weeks ago when we had it on in the background as my daughter played in the floor because she was refusing to sleep at her predetermined bedtime (8 p.m.). She looked up just at the moment when one of the judges told a contestant not to rush through a song. "Just take your time." My sweet girl has been reminding me to slow down, move more deliberately, and stop re-examine my definition of the word "late."

2. "This is fun! This is fun! This is fun!" Sometimes it's swinging at the park or bouncing with me on my yoga ball. Other times it's just running in circles around the living room or throwing a toy for the dog. My little one feels (and expresses) joy and happiness in so many moments that I take for granted each and every day.

3. "Wake up!" It's true that these words are most often uttered at me when I'm pretending to be asleep on the couch--often following the direction of a toddler with mad leadership skills who just told me to "Close ya eyes!" But, I also think that she might be catching on that life is a lot better when you're fully engaged in the moment. There are many times when I'm basically asleep at the wheel--incessantly checking my email or Facebook feed while I could be taking in (and enjoying--see No. 2 above!) the moment.

I can't wait to find out what's going to come out of her mouth next. Om Namah Shivaya?

What profound little nuggets have you heard your little ones say?

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities

For someone who has made her living as an editor for the the last 8 years, I sure do have difficult time editing myself when I get up in front of a yoga class sometimes. The things that really COULD make me a good teacher--my knowledge, passion for the practice, and sincere wish to both connect to my students and communicate the deeper philosophy of yoga--sometimes makes it hard for me to take a step back and focus on just one or two main points in one class. Unfortunately, when I get going and say whatever comes to mind, I know my students just can't process it all. At best, they take in what resonates with them and are able to tune me out the rest of the time. At worst, I'm sure there are times when they're confused, overwhelmed, and annoyed that I don't know how to shut the heck up and give them some room to just be--which is why they probably came to class in the first place.

I really try hard not to talk so much that it's confusing or distracting for my students. I've tried a few different approaches to keep myself in check. I give only three cues for each pose. I find an essential action I want my students to work on and I stick to cues that help them understand that action in a variety of poses. I even plan moments of quiet into my sequences--Child's Pose breaks are my own time to zip it, re-group, or focus on my own breath for a moment. But there are still plenty of times I look out at my students and see furrowed brows and confused, blank expressions that quietly scream, "Could you GET ON WITH IT ALREADY?!"

Theme Weaver served as a really great reminder of how much more power my words have when I keep things succinct and focused on one thing.  The author, Michelle Berman Marchildon (AKA The Yoga Muse) offers practical advice for yoga teachers on how to choose a theme for class (something that resonates with you), plan your yoga classes around a theme (winging it is NOT a great idea), and how to make the theme applicable to the practice without overwhelming your students. It's a recipe for getting a message across to your students in a clear, concise way that they will understand and appreciate so they will keep coming back to you for more!

One word of caution: While I loved this book, unfortunately, just reading it won't make you an amazing teacher over night. The first time I tried to deliver a class theme using Marchildon's techniques, I was awkward and likely came across like I was trying a bit too hard. (It wasn't quite authentic to me because I was following someone else's formula.) But as I practiced using it more and more, I took what worked for me and let go of anything that just doesn't come naturally to me. Some teachers really rock at reading an inspirational quote in class, for example, but I found this just doesn't work with my silly approach.

 Still, I think this book should be required reading for yoga teacher trainees (and those of us who haven't done a teacher training in a while!). I loved her ideas on writing a mission statement and bio--because we should all be clear about what kind of teacher we want to be. For that matter, I think it's vital that more yoga teacher see themselves as trained professionals who should be PAID FAIRLY for their services in accordance with their education and experience. And, most importantly I love this book because, as Marchildon so eloquently put it: "Most yoga teachers could use a big cup up shut  up." Guilty. And thanks for not beating around the bush, Ms. Marchildon. I couldn't agree more.

Get your cup here. And if you read it, don't forget to let me know what you think about it by commenting below.

we recommend you to buy some goods below for comfort, safety and ease of your yoga activities