That brings us to a yoga lesson: be here now. This student
was worrying and thinking about the future. Yoga teaches us to be present, in
the moment. Let go of worry and fear. In the present we experience happiness.
This brings to mind the question: what do we look for in a
teacher? A yogi friend was recently at training and shared with me how she did
not enjoy the teacher. Oh, horrors! We go away on retreat or for training and
we don’t like the teacher! That inhibits the learning process for sure. It also
makes us reach for the positives. This particular student noted the teacher’s ego
- that it was all about him.
I also had a horrible training once with a teacher who was
so insecure that she could not allow any of the students, who were all seasoned
yoga teachers with experience galore, ask questions, or more importantly answer
questions and share all their knowledge.
I had teachers come to my studio on Franklin Road , back in
the day, who refused to listen to what a student was telling them about their
bodies and why they could not practice a particular pose. The teachers instead
instructed the student(s) to do what they were telling them to do. Another visiting teacher once told me that a
student was wrong when I reported what the student had said about how they were
treated in a class which I did not attend. This student had a particular injury
that she was nursing and felt like the instructor was not hearing her. The teacher
clung to her ego and insistence that what she did was correct and that the student
was in the wrong.
Do you see where I am going here? All of those teachers are
ones I do NOT want to take classes with or receive yoga training from, or have
my students exposed to. The ones who came to teach at The Yoga Center were not
invited back to teach there again.
The examples listed above are traits and ways of being with students
that I do not care for. What is important is to identify your own needs when seeking a yoga teacher or
class. I will enumerate some traits I think are important in a teacher and ones
that you should look for.
1) A teacher who is pleasant and cheerful to work with. Why
would I want to be with a teacher who is a grump? A good teacher can roll with
the flow of life, and may have some less cheerful days, but on the whole seems
truly happy to be in front of the class and sharing what he or she knows about
yoga. I love yoga. I want to take classes from a teacher who also loves it and
enjoys teaching it.
2) A teacher who respects students’ boundaries, as well as
what the student(s) says and knows about his or her own body. You are really
the only one who knows how you feel, or what illness or injuries you have sustained.
When you share that with your yoga teacher, that information, as well as your
person, deserves to be respected. A good teacher encourages students while acknowledging
their limitations.
3) A teacher who is supportive, not degrading. I so enjoyed being
with Baron Baptiste. He was fun, funny and spiritual. He was not how I thought
he would be. And he was so grateful to be with us as students. I do not care
for the teacher who puts me down or criticizes my posture or my body. That kind
of behavior is not acceptable, nor does one recover easily from it. An art teacher once laughed at my work (which was not intended to be funny) and it took me about 10 years to venture into the art world again. Donna Farhi,
in her book Bringing Yoga to Life, says that we unconsciously look
for teachers who support our own self-image and talk. The teacher who berates
you may be mirroring the violence you dish out to yourself.
4) A teacher who is encouraging and takes you places you may
not have ventured before—who takes you to places you didn’t think you were
capable of. I was overwhelmed when I went to a Power class with Baron Baptiste at
Kripalu. We were handed towels as we entered the classroom and we needed them!
We worked so hard, I sweat so much, my glasses slid down my face. AND, I
practiced postures I never thought I could because he warmed us up properly and
led us in a supportive way to get where we were going. He believed in our
skills, as well as his own.
6) A teacher who is observant of her students and their bodies,
and who knows how to help them modify and how to take them farther in a posture
and in the journey. I like a teacher who checks in about injuries or simply even
how I am feeling today. Again, I want to know the teacher has something other
than her or his own ego showing up at the class.
7) A teacher whose ego isn’t the most important thing. It’s
not about the teacher, it’s about the student(s). Again, I have been to too many
classes where it was all about the teacher, and hearing him or herself talk, or
even watch themselves demonstrate postures. L
8) You may also appreciate a teacher who is respectful of
your time, and generous with her or his own time and person. I have asked some teachers
questions after a class, and they just basically sent me on my way, without
taking time to answer me.
9) I also appreciate a yoga teacher who promotes yoga and
its teachings, without promoting her or himself. I have had teachers who were
all about themselves. Really? I coulda stayed at home and done my own practice.
Once a student questioned why I didn’t wear yoga pants when
I taught class. And why I didn’t practice with the class. I remember the first
time I attended a yoga class and the teacher walked around and did not
demonstrate or practice with us, but instead led us through the practice with
his voice. I was surprised, but got over it and enjoyed the practice. Rolf Gates didn’t dress like a yoga teacher,
and was one of the best I have practiced with. He demonstrated one pose because
he could see we were all a bit confused. He was tuned in to the students.
Maybe you need to see someone doing a pose. Perhaps you like
hands on assists, or don’t want anyone touching you. You should be able to make
this clear to the teacher and have your wishes respected.
What about the level of the class? Does the teacher speak to
your needs? At the beach I attended a class labeled Gentle and beginner. The time
suited my vacation “schedule” and so I went. The student next to me was a
beginner, older and a man. Needless to say we were not the same person, nor did
we have the same needs or abilities. The teacher was really good, though, as
she was able to attend to the beginner mind as well as give space for
additional holding or postures which served me well. In fact, I simply just
held some of the poses longer.
Some of us appreciate a routine, and keeping things the
same. If that is what you need, look for a teacher who offers that style.
Integral, Bikram and Ashtanga styles all offer the same set of postures, in the
same order each practice. Or if you like to mix it up, seek that in a teacher
or class. Kripalu is an example of each class not being the same.
Is there a deal breaker for you? Is there a
quality you don’t want in a yoga teacher or something you absolutely have to
have? Check in with yourself to see what you need. Then find a teacher and find
a
class. Trust your instincts.
Got enough ideas? Really and truly, it comes down to whether
or not you resonate with a particular teacher. We are all different and have different
needs and respond to different styles of yoga and different styles of teaching. I remember the yoga joke: 2 students left a class and one proclaimed: “That was the best yoga class ever. The teacher talked the entire class!” The other student countered with: “That was the worst class ever! The teacher talked the entire class!” Find what makes you feel good, happy, and complete.
As one of my favorite chiropractors said to me one time when
I was shopping for a new one: “I don’t care if you come to me or not, but
please do get some help!” I support you
in practicing yoga, in your way, with the style or teacher you enjoy. Please do
practice yoga!
Bottom line: Find the teacher and class that help promote
what you want to receive from practicing yoga. It’s your body, your life. May
you find ease in your body, peace in your mind and compassion in your heart.
Namaste
