It Is Going To Be Great

As a teacher I have developed a not-so-subtle brainwashing technique. Several times throughout class, particularly in the middle of demonstrating difficult poses or challenging instructions, I tell my students, "it is going to be great." So, the idea is if we look for what is great, we will be more likely to find what is great.

So last night was the first class of the Fall Session at The San Marcos School of Yoga. I thought it was going to be great. I said it was going to be great. I am reporting this morning that it was, indeed, great. I loved having so many returning students in class and also meeting some new folks who are new to The School. The Level 2 class began the foray into inverted postures with ardha halasana (Half plough posture done with a chair) and the Level One class, in addition, to reviewing the challenging work of trikonasana stepped into the one-legged balancing poses with Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose). And because we doubled our class offering this fall, we had a smaller class size, which many people said they enjoyed.

I personally have a great time teaching in that room and teaching a course that has a group of people who have signed up for a series of classes. Having a series means that I can teach the class sequentially and we can really build a body of knowledge and practice together in a methodical, logical way. I decided to organize my yoga school this way, after years of having a studio that was run the opposite way, where people just dropped into any class according to their schedule. And while I am aware that asking people to a session of classes up front is harder for the student and less convenient, I am convinced that in the long run it is the best way to learn yoga. Otherwise, as a teacher one is always having to skip the basics or always having to repeat the basics. And as a student it is harder to understand the grand order behind the practice and our method.

So- it is all a grand experiment so we shall see. At any rate, time for me to practice, eat lunch, teach a private and then two classes in Austin this evening. The advanced class this week is a back bending night, which is always fun! And since it is a back bending week in my personal practice, I will be "warmed up" for the class. YAHOO.