My photo
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States
Karen is a yogini, writer, student, teacher and meditator. She founded Garden Street School of Yoga in 2000. Karen lives with her husband Chris. They have two amazing sons, Eli and Leo (both of them young men).

Jun 30, 2010

Bubble Wrap

Last Saturday we finished up the Advanced Immersion for the Summer.....(we have 3 more day-long meetings next Autumn to complete our 108 hours together). We made a good finish to a great 6 months of study and practice. On Saturday I turned a lot of focus towards teaching technique, especially the theory and practice of skillful language as a way to animate body, mind and heart of a student. We agreed that there is way too much bubble wrap around much teaching language. For example: "So.....OK.......today we're gonna talk about the engagement of muscular energy....how to really, really really hug muscle to bone, and how that relates to - um - well, you know - the fortitude that we might sometimes - or maybe hardly ever - feel in the rest of our life off the mat. 'Kay? So.....now we're gonna come to all 4's. Great! Now you're gonna want to really hug in. ---- Perrrrrfect!"

Our group of talented teachers (everyone in the advanced immersion is a teacher) did a skit.....modeling "bubblewrap teaching technique". It was hilarious. I laughed 'til I cried. People modeled everything from "airline attendant/auto pilot voice", to random, off the wall comments that teachers sometimes make during class. We were not poking fun at anybody - just highlighting our own tendencies with great good humor. It was the most fun I've had in a while.

As practitioners, and as teachers within the context of the greater practice of Yoga, we just don't get to rest on our laurels. No tenure track here. As long as we're in service to grace - (or in "spiritual slavery" as my spiritual teacher calls it) - we are compelled by that same grace to refine all parts of our life - including our expression - our teaching - our speaking of energy into movement and matter. It's good work even though it's endless and offers no vacation time. (But as far as I'm concerned, vacation is highly overrated).

This weekend it's out to Loon Lake for the Sprute family reunion. That will be fun. And next Wednesday we begin Part II of the 100 hour teacher training - 5 days all day. I'm happy. I love teacher trainings. I am completely intrigued by teaching technique - by considering how to refine and clarify and make teaching more excellent. If someone were to ask me what part of teaching I'm most passionate about - right now I'd have to say "teacher training" (maybe because I'm so immersed in it this summer).

OK - I'm going to sign off.

1 comment: