Oh my god, I clicked on this even before checking my notifs to see you mentioned me xD So much to say. Huge no to yoga classes held in gyms and such - I went to them to complete the extra hrs in my YTT (budget didn't really stretch to accommodate fancier studios, alas). Worst classes in my life, staring up at some industrial ceiling with peppy music blasting from next door. Awful.
A young yoga teacher just out of school with not many years under her belt is a gym teacher at best.
As a young yoga teacher (albeit practicing for 12 yrs), I 100% agree. I went to teaching right away, though lately I've been pulling back more and more. I keep thinking how much of it is about my energy, what I'm sharing of myself, not just saying let's do pigeon now, you know? Feeling more and more unprepared for it and realizing I've still got much more to learn and build and solidify in my own life and practice before I could teach. Funny, I'm supposed to have a class tonight, which I keep mostly for the accountability of my one recurring student, this new mum who's really enjoying the classes. I was just thinking along these lines when I saw your post.
We covered music briefly in YTT. Personally, I like to keep it minimalist with the same low, soothing tone throughout the whole thing.
Over the past few months, I've come up against so much of what you said. Beginners - I've realized a bunch of times I'm not nearly supportive enough or equipped enough to support someone who's just discovering yoga for the first time. I was looking at my friend struggling (in puppy pose actually!) and thought yeah but it's good for her. Didn't think in the moment yeah but she's struggling and how's that good for her. Only later.
Props - again. A struggle. I've taught a couple of recurring people how to use them and how to listen to their body in a way where it's not "their yoga", but is still tailored to their needs and capacity atm. But it's hard. I don't always remember. I don't use them much myself, which can be deterring for a beginner to keep using aids during class, which again is counterproductive. So much shit to consider.
Doing it after a 'yang' class is also a little dangerous - the muscles are warmed up and you're more likely to overstretch.
100%. I have this concern also with hot yoga, not that the poses are as long there, ofc. Just that the warming of muscles can be deceptive.
if you're going to do gongs in savasana, let us know before hand
100% again. I was only introduced to gong in my YTT, and while I loved some of it, there were literally times I wanted to get off the floor and strangle our teacher whom I otherwise loved. And I knew to expect the gong in the first place. It's weird stuff, not to mess with lightly, and especially in a beginner class, sounds like overkill to me to more skeptical or tentative newcomers, you know?
Saying where we're going, again, doesn't occur naturally to me and I forget - I have been told it would be more helpful, esp to people who are just discovering yoga. Similar to what you said, I tend to anticipate (usually correctly) which pose is being set up from the first words, and forget it's not always the case for others.
were these any things you have taken into account or been taught?
Briefly. Personally, I felt my own YTT could've focused on methodology in a different way, which it didn't, and I now notice lacks. You hit the nail on the head - I've been thinking about all these things a lot lately. One thing I've changed in my classes is I try to be more real and closer to the practice. I used to structure ahead of time a lot more out of fear, but I understand it's also about what I'm bringing specifically, not just constructing a pretty-sounding, technically correct class.
That being said, I realize so much is lacking. My own practice is dwindling, I've drifted off a bit in my interest. I just don't know so many things. And it shows. Even I see it when I'm guiding. It's panto, but I've got a long way to go before I actually feel confident (and presumably learn how to teach well and find something consistent and authentic to give others). Right now, though, and I think this is the case for many new teachers, I'm mostly just trying to "remember the words" - to tell you about the props, and say trust your body, and all. Not inauthentic. I do believe this stuff myself and practice it, but it's more like a friend talking to a friend at this point for me, than anything resembling a teacher.
So thanks for writing this precisely when I needed to hear it. Sorry for turning this into a post (which I probably will do :D), but you hit the nail so precisely on the head on stuff I've been reflecting on for months. One more thing,
I do realise that I have a lot of chitter chatter going on in my head that isn't really yogic
Fuck that noise. You can still be yogi in my opinion and not float on a cloud of waffles all the goddamn time. I love the chitter-chatter in your head <3 And agree with Jamie - I'd love to have you as a teacher. With this "un-yogic chatter" included - I realize so many new teachers, myself included to an extent, try to sound the part without necessarily stopping to consider maybe the part don't suit them. Maybe it's about bringing your own understanding and how you resonate with yogi teachings rather than trying to be this zen statue.
Again, sorry for the looong comment and thanks so much for writing this. I loved it.
Don't apologize. I love yoga a lot and I know sooo much about it I could go on for hours. I'm busy this weekend, but do you mind if I reply at length next week as I have so much to say in response to you! And hopefully things that might help. You are a wordsmith, I must say first, and THAT will be of enormous value in how you teach.. Xx 🙏
Be warned, my comment will be as long as yours hahahah! Looking forward to sitting down Monday with a cuppa and chatting.
Of course!! I'm kinda tied up this weekend too so it's actually better next week <3 Have a great weekend and I look forward to reading your reply!
Your reply is upvoted by @topcomment; a manual curation service that rewards meaningful and engaging comments.
More Info - Support us! - Reports - Discord Channel