Friday Night

I made it to Bozeman where it is snowing! We had a great class this afternoon working with twists and thigh/psoas stretches and inversions.

I realized I did not get a chance to check in about the rockin' Thursday night classes before I took off. We had a great class on drop backs at 4:30 working with rooting the legs, lifting the chest and coiling in the upper back. The poses are really coming along plus the mood in the room was fun and yet attentive/serious which is the best blend, in my opinion.

The 6:00 class did great work with twists of all kinds, lots of refinement work and a foray into eka hasta bhujasana. We got way off the basic syllabus in that hatha class which was great. The thing is that at some point in the hatha classes you have to push the envelope a bit and teach a few harder poses so that when and if people ever "end up" in an advanced class they are prepared for some of what goes on in there. ( Then again, how would you "end up" in an advanced without walking in there of your own accord... but I digress...)

Anyway it was great to see people in class. I realize I have been living in strict accordance with the Top Three Ways to Decimate Your Yoga Classes' Attendance:

1. be gone a lot- in some cases, for weeks at a time
2. when you are in town, make sure the schedule says someone else is actually teaching.
3. when you are not there make sure the schedule says you are teaching so your students will come to class expecting you and then feel betrayed.

(A side note and a bit of Teacher Training advice for free- The fourth way to decimate your yoga classes' attendance is to lecture the people who actually come to class about how important it is to come to class no matter who is teaching and to support the class itself and not just the teacher. But I did not do the fourth mistake in this particular instance. Really I did not because I have learned the hard way that this is not a good thing to do. But you teachers out there keep in mind it is in the top 5 ways to alienate yourself from your students. I learned that the hard way in my earlier teaching years! But really, they are the ones in class and therefore not the "problem". Reward these people with a kick ass class even if there are only 4 of them!)

Unfortunately, this is how it is going to be for a while. My calendar is packed and I am doing my best to stay with my local commitments. I really am. So I appreciate your understanding. I will try to tune into the points 2 and 3 more carefully although the last two times those mistakes were made I had called the changes in accurately. Oh well.

So I am in Bozeman for the weekend and then teaching this Wednesday in San Marcos and Thursday in Austin and Then Desiree is in Austin. Yippee! On Sunday she and I go to Denver for the Certified Teacher's Gathering and I will be gone for a week.

Okay- time to soak in Paula's massive hot tub/bath tub.