As new teachers it is important to remember that we are in a place of huge responsibility. We are representing a lineage of wise and wonderful guides- this is not a position to take lightly. We stand at the front of the class with a choice, either to choose the purely physical path that most practitioners in the West expect, or take the more challenging path. The true dare comes in leading the class through the physical practice whilst integrating the Yoga Sutras and keeping within the ‘safe’ boundaries of Ahimsa, non-harming.
In the age of the Dynamic, Rocket and Power yoga we as teachers are faced with a certain expectancy from the classes and studios which house us. Often if a teacher does not throw in a peppering of arm-balances and handstand queues then the class is deemed as not necessarily ‘good.’
I am aware that these three examples of yoga set their roots and inspiration in Ashtanga, but these seem to be the most popular and growing trends in the industry.
Just take a look at Instgram and it is inundated with images of girls in pretzel shapes and any sort of inversion you can think of. Is this then yoga? And is this a safe and Ahimsic way to practice. Of course if you are double jointed with a gymnastic background this way of practicing is natural to some but then is one in a state of yoga?
Yoga is the ‘yolking’ of the mind, body and spirit. Does doing 108 dropback reps to Urdva Danurasana put you in a state of yoga or just give you a sore back?
Have we come to a place in the industry where any thing other than a very strong practice is not enough for us? And what does that say about our society?
In my opinion we should be looking at this as a social problem for yogis. In fact when Gregor Maehle writes about the yoga sutras in his book Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy he says, ‘If I manage to let go of the body, then I will abide again in my true nature- that eternal, immutable consciousness.’
So in fact as yogis are we not trying to rid ourselves with this physical fixation and move beyond the Ana Mayakosha, the physical body to get to the bliss body, the Ananda Mayakosha. To find our true nature we need to let our egos fall by the wayside and walk freely.
This is the true role of the teacher in my opinion. As teachers, yes, none of us are perfect, but we are choosing to stand at the front of the class and speak the words of these ancient teachings. “What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches,” wrote Karl Menninger. We lead by example. If we are there putting our bodies through painful and hurtful positions when our bodies are not ready, why wouldn’t others.
The lessons that arise within the Yoga Sutras are incredibly useful to us. Acting as the Ten Commandments do in the Bible the Eight Limbs of Yoga offer us a toolbox of wisdom that we can transfer into every area of our existence. The Yamas for example as the first in the limbs shine a light on this idea of leading by example. Kindness, truthfulness, abundance, continence, and self-reliance—are oriented toward our public behaviour and allow us to coexist harmoniously with others.
Ahimsa as I have mentioned previously is the most enduring of the Yamas. The idea of non-harming and kindness to firstly, yourself, for example, thinking kind thoughts, ingesting the right food and drink for your body and generally looking after yourself. And secondly, the non-harming of others, encouraging one to speak and think kindly of others, not to hurt other living beings as a way to move through the world with grace. This also relates to the physical practice in the sense of not pushing too hard into a pose, allowing the body to open at its own will.
Satya or truthfulness is the second Yama. It is to find honesty in our words and actions. And taking that into our practice we are encouraged to work with our limitations and constraints. Not to upset the subtle balance of the body.
Astaya, ‘non-stealing’ comes from the idea that we create all that we need. The universe provides and if we take something that does not belong to us we are unbalancing the state of things. In relation to the practice this can manifest in ways of listening acutely to your body and mind.
Bramacharya in its original context means abstinence but is no longer relevant to the modern yogi. In an interview on the subject and its place in yoga today Brad Waites, the director of the College of Purna Yoga in Vancouver says, ‘brahmacharya is about allocation: using your resources effectively to achieve your aspiration. To hone our practice of this principle, we must learn to conserve and not waste energy on things that do not serve our purpose.’
Aparigraha is the final Yama or restraint in the line. It is the understanding that one should not covet what is not ours. This belief, links to that of Astaya in that we have all we need. That being jealous of someone else’s success or place in life is ignoring the power and potency that we ourselves hold.
Bringing this into the physical practice we may want to think about doing the practice alone as much as possible. Or keeping your own focus in class to your
drishti points, not letting the eye wander.
These five lessons are brilliant tools that a teacher can intergrate into classes to give the practitioners a wider scope for their practice but this can be a dangerous path. Our feet have to be nimble and soft and we have to be cunning with our approach. At first many practitioners may roll their eyes at you for bringing up the chakras or asking them to leave their phones in their lockers, to keep their eyes focused on their drishti and not on the latest leggings in front of them. But to return to my previous point, yoga is not a purely physical practice. Yes, we do need to keep ourselves in shape, as an old yoga teacher of mine once pointed out that if our bodies are not fit, how can we be of good health in the mind and spirit. We have become so asana-obsessed in the Western practice of Yoga that sometimes it is hard to remember its roots. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras it says-
sthira sukham asanam. Asana means seat, sthira means stable or firm and sukham is comfortable. So in fact the Sutras write that asana practice is just about finding a stable and comfortable seat. For some to reach their state of yoga this may mean a simple Verabadrsana 2 or even sitting crossed legged on two blocks. Others with more virile bodies may need more and a handstand is just what the yogi ordered!
Everyone has a different approach to yoga and maybe each person needs to be lead in their own specific way. The classroom style of teaching is the most challenging, as the teacher will never get the exact angle that will appeal to everyone. It is our role as teachers to lead by example. To come to our practice and enter the world with integrity and hopefully through this, we can help others do the same.
YOGA NEWS:
I am running a tonne of workshops in London and out of town so keep your ears to the ground.
1st November: Raw Chocolate and Yoga workshop with Laura Coxetter. 11am-2pm £45 @
Celestine Eleven's Yoga School.
2nd November: Fermented Foods for Health with Chloe Manaley. 1-3pm @ Lululemon Islington Showroom
16th Novmeber: Authentic Self: Forrest and Flow Yoga Workshop with Janine Michelle @ Yotopia (more info to follow)
22nd November: Strength Through Transitions @ Stretch 3:30-5:30pm £20
6th December: Cultivating Your Home Practice @ Stretch
3:30-5:30pm £20
28th-31st December: Winter Warmer Yoga Intensive @ Dorset. £50
If you feel like getting some heat come and see me a Stretch. The classes are normally pretty busy so please book before you come via their website, click here for more info.
If you have any questions, interesting things to tell me or ideas for collaborations or projects please drop me a line.
Om shanti.
Aquila. x
