Never is never right I love this koan from Bernie Clark, the grand shepherd of Yin Yoga. He said it over and over again in our training, “Always is always wrong, never is never right.” My mind still says it in his voice. I disliked it at the time, from my high horse of self …
Way back in the way back when I started teaching yoga, we had no special mats, special pants, or universal cues. Things have changed… Yoga has evolved. Whether you’re practicing asana in your undies in the kitchen or wearing the latest pants, whether you’ve got a high-end mat or an old towel …
Over lunch this week, a friend asked me what the ‘yoga equivalent’ of LinkedIn might be. This question alone highlights a fascinating lens into the perception of yoga, don’t you think? Instagram, was my answer. Unfortunately. It got me thinking about communication in a social, global world varies from platform to platform, and profession to …
We teach astride the delicate teeter totter of confidence and humility. It’s a dance we must learn by doing, usually in front of a crowd. Some days I get it just right, and this is where God enters the room and uses my mouth to make words that I’ve certainly never considered stringing together, or …
As a new teacher, unskillfulness feels like it is everywhere. We make errors of omission, get our timing or rhythm off, or flustered by a rogue text read just before class. This is what makes us feel like imposters in the saddle, though we are not. Over time and with experience and practice, our unskillfulness …
This week has been chock full of the sorts of typical annoyances I’ve come to expect as a privileged white woman: a pricey and fruitless trip to the vet, an electrocuted boyfriend, a check engine light, and greeting neighbors and the local fire department while soapy, wet, and balancing precariously on a swiveling, leather stool …
Dear Yoga Teachers: It’s Not About You (unless it is) Read More »
“Trauma is all around me – I’d love to know how to better support my students, without taking on their grief.” I hear you. Maybe there is an increased awareness of trauma in the yoga world, or maybe there is more trauma, or maybe there is some expert marketing and advertising out there, but people …
How do you know you need to take a pause from teaching, and what do you call it? I call it a ‘yoga winter.’ Let me tell you why… There is an unhelpful idea I’ve heard: once you start teaching yoga, you’re a yoga teacher forever. I believe this is both true and false. It’s …
If you want your yoga students to return, it can be helpful to consider what you might be doing that is keeping them from coming back. There’s a lot of questionable marketing in my newsfeed these days with tips for yoga teachers about how to make their students commit, stay, and make them filthy rich. …
Yoga Teachers: How to Ensure Your Students Never Return Read More »
I am thrilled beyond measure to see the vast range of offerings in the world of yoga – I’m (personally) most excited when the offerings are backed by science, music, or help anyone be less of a wanker and more invested in the greater good. So trauma-informed trainings rank high on my list, as sometimes …