Dear Graham,
Please treat
me like an adult; I made a decision to give up my valuable
time to come to this hot room today for a reason. I have turned up. Give me the benefit of
the doubt that I am going to do my best. You can remind me of that
but don't nag me.
Give
me enough heat and humidity to support my practice, but
don't make it another challenge for me to overcome. It is not
necessary. Teaching the hottest class does not make you the best
teacher. Every studio is different, and it may need some work on
your part to manage the hot room properly.
Leave
your ego at home. This practice is about me, not about you. I
want you to lead the class and help me do the best I can today. Show
me the same respect that I show you. We are partners in this
dance for ninety minutes and we each have have our roles; if I didn't
turn up then you wouldn't have a class to teach.
You
don't have to talk all the time; silence can be powerful.
Little gaps in the dialogue are okay; I'm not going to fall asleep
or stop paying attention just because I cannot hear your voice for a
few seconds. But when you speak, then do so with confidence and with
clarity so that I can understand what you want me to do.
Understand
that my body needs a short break between every posture, not only
during the floor series. I need just a little time to get my breath
back and to be still. Appreciate the difference between a physical
limitation and a bad habit; I may need a little extra time to move
into the next posture. This is not being lazy; it is taking care of
my aging body.
Be
consistent, especially in the rhythm of the class. I don't
care if you teach a slow practice or a fast practice, but just make
it consistent. Give me the right time in each posture; don't
make me stay there, working hard, just because you have more stuff to
say. There is always another side or another set or another class for
you to say them.
Recognize
me as an individual. I don't expect you to remember my name,
although it's nice when you do. Make sure that I leave the studio
having felt that my presence there has been acknowledged: some
eye-contact is good or a few words of encouragement now and again,
especially when I am having a bad day. You don't know what else is
going on in my life – I might need a little lift and you might be
the right person to do just that.
Be
yourself and let your personality shine through; don't try to
be somebody else. I see and listen to a lot of teachers, all using
the same words, more or less; don't be a part of a white noise. A
little humility goes a long way.
Please
teach – don't just recite. Teaching needs
observation, so look at me. Teaching needs listening, so
listen to me. My voice may be silent but my body is shouting
at you. You tell me that each class is different, but that should
apply to you too. If I have taken three of your classes and I can
practically recite your speech word for word already, then maybe it's
time for something to change to keep your class fresh and
interesting.
Trust
me and then maybe I will trust you. Because if I can trust you to
take care of me, then I can relax, let my body do its thing and have
a good class.
Remind
me to breathe. If I don't breathe properly then I won't be
able to do anything. But I need some time to breathe so make sure
that I have that time.
Encourage
me to do my best. But do that with compassion. I may not be used to
the overwhelming stimulation of the hot room and the yoga practice:
so much heat, so many words, so much sweat, so many people standing
so close to me with so little on. English may not be my first
language and it may be hard for me to just understand what you are
asking me to do. This experience may be totally alien to my culture
and my upbringing. But I am here and I am trying.
If I am not doing it right, then there is probably a good reason.
Show
me the right way with compassion, a kind heart and a loving spirit.
Being a yoga teacher is a
vocation and not just a job. Every time that you step into that room
you have a huge responsibility to all of us in there. You can help me
change my life; that's a pretty big deal in my view.
Your yoga student,
Graham
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