As part of yoga teacher training, I taught my 5th karma community class on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I was glad to have a chance to be at the studio again but it was a few weeks since I’d done it. For my 4th karma class, I assisted by demonstrating the poses as my classmate led the practice. I liked observing someone else’s style. However, it was time for me to get back into the groove again.
I searched around for a theme and found inspiration in a Yoga Journal article by Jason Crandall on “The Space Between” (YJ, March 2011, 72-77) . He talked about focusing on the movements when transitioning between the asanas. Getting into the pose was just as important as the final form itself. I ran with the idea.
Why not focus on all the spaces in between our breath, our thoughts and our actions? Nothing ever just happens all of a sudden. We have to do something to get to this point in time. By paying attention to all the stuff in between, our experience of the moment becomes richer.
It was a small class of three students. Another one of my teacher training classmates was also there as an assistant. The yoginis that came to the mat that day didn’t need much help so she was able to join in the practice too. Nice.
I stumbled a bit on the cues for Chair pose with a prayer twist and a reclined version of Cow Face Pose. Then, there was a knock on the door because someone was trying to get in early for the Yoga at the Wall workshop that was to follow afterwards. Overall, the class went as I’d planned. I can add another “notch onto my yoga mat”, so to speak. It’s interesting to observe how my teaching is evolving. I expect that to continue as I learn more, experiment in how to give cues and even as my practice develops over time. It’s never going to be the same way twice, so I might as well pay attention to the transitions while I make my way along.
