“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”

There is this saying you often hear in Yoga circles – actually a Buddhist saying. It has certainly been true for my yoga journey. Teachers have entered my life for what seems – in hindsight at least – a very obvious purpose.  I also acknowledge that some of these teachers haven’t even been teaching in the formal sense. Some of my teachers have been my own students, friends, children, animals and even trees! some of them have actually not been very good teachers , in the technical sense. But a bad experience is often a very good learning experience.

Having said that, I am acutely aware that there are yogis only just setting out on their paths of discovery who may not know what to look for in a teacher. I am also very aware that more and more newly qualified teachers are emerging from teacher training and beginning their teaching journeys. Compared to when I started teaching ten years ago-when I pretty much knew all of the yoga teachers in Glasgow personally- there is a massive choice of classes, teachers and styles. And realistically, too much choice can be overwhelming.

There are heaps of guides on this subject too. How to choose a yoga style that suits you, how to choose a teacher, what to look for in a teacher, what qualifications to check for, etc. So instead of creating a surplus “guide” I am going to speak from an entirely personal perspective. Enjoy – Jude x

What I look for in a teacher

1. Presence. What I mean by this is not charisma or anything at all like that. What I mean is that the teacher is “present” for his or her students. That they are there. In the Space. Absolutely WITH the teaching. Also the ability to hold a safe space for the work.

2. Knowledge. I want to learn something. So I want to know that the teacher knows something of what they are teaching and more than I do. Generally, for me, this means that they have a. studied it for a reasonable length of time and b. continue to study and see this as a lifelong journey . When teaching asana ( and most Western teachers do) then  I want to know that my teacher understands bodies – very well. For me, I trust them even more if they have studied another body work system or at least really know their anatomy, physiology and bio-mechanics. So safety comes into this too.

3.  A personal practice. I want to know that my teacher does what they are teaching. Has experienced from their own personal relationship with it.

4. A real human being. I am drawn to teachers who share something of themselves and are honest about their humanity/foibles/mistakes. I also appreciate a sense of humour, a weakness for chocolate and in the case of one of my cherished teachers – a bit of a grumpy streak! basically – no bull***t!

5. Teaches from the Heart. Someone who shares from the heart of love, compassion and honesty.

6. Holds nothing back. There are no secrets or mysteries. They share what they know. All of it. With love. They are also honest about what they don’t know. I don’t want to be fobbed off with half-truths or pseudo -science.

7. Creates opportunities for growth. A teacher who is able to safely challenge boundaries, comfort zones and  physical abilities and to take his or her students into the realm of discovery of what is possible. This is the essence of Yoga.

8. Doesn’t show off.  A teacher is not there to show me what the amazing shapes they can get into or to use the time for their own practice. Just…no. It isn’t about them.

9. Communicates with ease. Seems obvious but a teacher should be good at explaining stuff. I don’t want to be confused and if I am, I want them to take the time to help me understand. Even the most esoteric elements of yoga can be opened up by someone who both understands and can communicate clearly.

10. Laughs. Often. At themselves and at the world. But not at me (unless I invite it!)

The third part of my series

Reasons not to do yoga #3 – I can’t come to yoga because I  have stiff/sore knees/shoulders/back. I injured myself running/mountain biking/getting out of bed. I have sciatica/a frozen shoulder/hip replacements

Another difficult one to tackle, but I’m going to

FACT: If you do not move your body, it will seize up.

FACT: Those aches and pains that you feel will probably get worse if you don’t move.

FACT: There are very few conditions that mean you can’t practice yoga. In fact, if you can breathe, you can practice yoga.

FACT: Yoga , practiced properly and under the guidance of a qualified teacher, will not make it worse.

OK – if you have broken a limb, or ruptured your ACL, had surgery or something similar, then yes, please don’t come to class until it has healed and your doctor says it’s OK.  But afterwards would be probably a really good time to come to class. Always let the teacher know.

If you are just stiff and sore from working out, then you are probably not actually injured. Unless you felt something “go” while you were exercising and it’s (very) been painful ever since, it isn’t likely to be a “pulled” muscle. If you are sore a day or two after your exercise encounter, it’s because your muscles have been working and they need to stretch. Could be that  a good stretch will sort you out. Indeed, a more regular good stretch will make the stiffness less of an inevitability. Guess where you can get a good stretch?!?:-)

For some of us (most of us even) Some pain in the body is natural. I have pain right now from a spinal injury sustained four years ago. I still practice yoga. I practiced yoga as soon as I could. In fact, if it wasn’t for yoga…

I am going to say something unpopular. Pain isn’t necessarily an indicator that something bad has happened to you. This is very much one of the lessons of yoga. Listening to your body to understand its signals. Sometimes playing your edges. Learning the difference between something that could be described as “challenging,” “a good stretch,” “deep,” and what doesn’t feel right. For beginners this can be anything that they haven’t encountered before. One of the concerned “doesn’t feel right” phrases I have heard many times from new yogis is “I can really feel it in my…” and I always  say “good!”

If you have an injury  – and it isn’t something that requires you to be immobile  -  then we need to make some modifications, but you can still go to yoga. Let the teacher know what is sore, and s/he will tell you how to support that part of your body, and, depending on their expertise, maybe suggest things that might help. Get advice from your physio if you can. I have never met one that doesn’t think yoga is a good idea. Repetitive strain injuries are probably the most common ones I see. We can modify and yoga will get you off the internet for a while

If you have a chronic inflammatory condition such as MS, CFS, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis etc. then again, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot do yoga. Yoga should actually help your condition, but only if you let the teacher know so that they can help to modify the practice for you.  Could be that you don’t go to a Hot Yoga class. I don’t recommend it. for inflammation.  But, depending on your levels of fitness etc. then there are many different styles of Yoga to suit and again, a well trained teacher should know how to help you modify and to explore the practice in a way that is accessible.

Next in the series – how to find that well-trained teacher I keep going on about!

Here, in the second in this series of posts on reasons not to go to yoga, we are looking at reason#2

“I can’t afford it”

This is a tricky issue. Who am I to say what you should spend your hard earned cash on? However, just like the “no time” reason, we can acknowledge some of the self-sabotaging excuses that we come up with to avoid what we know what is good for us, and what we need.

I suppose the first thing to say is that Yoga really isn’t expensive. I once worked out that many Yoga teachers often earn less than the minimum wage for an average class!  Yoga isn’t expensive compared to other things. Here is a list of comparisons to put it into perspective.

1 Yoga class = £8

£8 =  1  bottle of Rioja

£8 = not quite 2 taxi rides home (based on Charing Cross to Merchant City)

£8 = 3 (and a bit) lattes

Most yoga teachers are socially minded sorts and will offer discounts for block booking, or concession rates. And some, like me will even consider barter economy and energetic exchanges (meaning I sometimes swap yoga classes  for other services, goods and favours)

At In The Moment, we have the “Karma Fund” specifically designed to support yogis who can’t afford to pay for a yoga class. We take a small donation for the use of a yoga mat, and for cups of tea, and this goes into a pot to pay a yoga teacher if they choose to offer a free or subsidised class to someone who would otherwise not be able to afford to come.

I simply trust that those who CAN afford it are happy to pay the full amount and to make donations towards those who can’t. Some people are proud about accepting things for free, so pay what you can. I also believe an energetic exchange is a wonderful concept. If you don’t have a specific service to offer, then there are always things to be done at a Yoga studio, so perhaps you could offer a little of your time doing some cleaning, or handing out flyers, or helping to tidy up after class?

What I am saying is, please don’t let not being able to afford yoga be a reason for not coming to yoga. There is always something we can work out.

Next in the series – reason # 3: ” I can’t do yoga right now because have a sore knee/shoulder/wrist/back”

photo by liewcf on flickr.com

As yoga teachers, we ride the seasonal waves of classes that are full of enthusiastic yogis or  virtually empty – apart form the three stalwarts that make it rain or shine. New yoga teachers often take this personally. I know that I had a hard time with it when I started teaching. But over the years, as I have seen students come and go, and often come back again, I have learned to see it as part of the natural rhythm of teaching. In fact, it is the natural rhythm of life.

I also recognise that whilst a might be top of my list, for many people it is just one of the many things that fill their lives.

We all know how life happens. And it happens at such a pace, and with so many demands upon our time and attention that sometimes, the weekly Yoga class might just be  the first thing to make it into the trash folder.

I thought it might be interesting to look at some of the reasons that I have been given over the years, and break them down, to see if we can’t just give ourselves a little extra motivation to make it to yoga.  So the next few blog posts will be devoted to this topic.

#1 I’ve just been too busy

It’s a common mantra. I use it myself all the time, and sometimes I even believe myself. The truth is that if I really decided to, I could make space.

We are constantly switched on these days. Most of us carry a  Smartphone which keeps us connected via phone, text, e-mail  and social media 24/7. And this gives the illusion of having to do things all the time, so that there is never a point during the day when you are not available to work. If you are self-employed then I am guessing that this is even more the case.

E-mails arrive and demand our attention when we could be having a little downtime. Sometimes, that e-mail will ping into your inbox ten minutes before you are due to leave for your yoga class, and before you know it, you’ve missed class- again. I know how it goes, I’ve been there. Thankfully, as the teacher, I have the imperative of having to be at class, because it IS my work. How many of us have lost an hour, two hours, more – or Facebook or  YouTube and the like? We all know how these things suck us in.

I read a lighthearted blog post recently, by one of my favourite bloggers/teachers, Leonie Dawson. It was about how to make your creative ideas take shape but it can be applied to life in general. In fact, I have been applying to my life as much as possible over the past week or so.

“…And while we’re at it” she writes  “Get the f*** off the internet. No last Facebook checks to see if anything significant in your life (or anyone else’s) has changed. You have work to do…”

So if it helps – you can say to yourself “Get the f*** off the internet, you have Yoga to go to” Lightheartedly, of course! 

This is my belief. And I know from my own practice that it is true. Firstly, we often sacrifice the very things that are good for us, before we sacrifice anything else in our lives.  I am not going to even  try and unravel the psychology of this, but it has a lot to do with the difference between the feelings of immediate comfort and gratification, and the benefits of long term physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing. For example, my favourite comforter is hot, sweet soya-milky chai. And I could easily spend a yoga class’s worth on chai in a day, not to mention the hours sitting browsing Facebook in cafes…

Secondly, if you make time for yoga, you will be less busy. Really.  Because busy-ness is a state of mind. If you have a deadline, if you are working on a presentation, if you feel pressured to spend an extra hour in the office, if you just want to go home after a busy day and collapse on the couch with a glass of Pino Grigio, then COME TO YOGA instead. I guarantee you will feel better, less busy, less pressured and more able to tackle whatever it is that made you feel busy in the first place.

In the next instalment – reason not to come to yoga #2 “I can’t afford it”

Guest blog by Lorna Penney

Hello, I do hope that all is well with you on this bright and beautiful spring morning.

I walked in Pollok park yesterday and it was gorgeous to see snowdrops, crocus, a buzzard and hear a woodpecker drumming. I am really feeling the movement out of my own deep, dark Wintry, Watery depths as the rising energy of Spring, of Wood, becomes available in and around me.

This linking of Winter to Water and Spring to Wood comes from the correspondances provided by the Five Element System of Dynamics, which is used by a whole range of practitioners  Acupuncturists,  Herbalists, Yoga Teachers, Massage therapists, Psycotherapists and so on, it provides a nuanced, detailed description of the relationships between our internal nature and the external nature outside of us. It is a beautiful system, that although rooted in the work of the ancient healers of China, is extremely contemporary in the way it supports a ‘fractal’ or ‘holographic’ view of the universe as does current quantum physics research, making it extremely practical and useful as a way to meet the challenges and demands of out busy day to day lives as modern people.

I make use of this system in a range of ways both within my personal practice and in my professional offerings and am continually inspired, ignited and supported by the breadth and depth of its potential applications.

I am currently preparing for offering my extended Spring Workshop and I thought you might enjoy hearing about some of the ‘correspondances’ that are going to be explored in that space, so that you can connect to your own Spring Awakening more fully. I often feel the strength of the seasonal transition from Water / Winter, to Wood / Spring more dynamically / dramatically, than any of the other seasonal transition points of the year. I notice how this is echoed in the vibrancy of the nature around me too; the fierce singing of the birds’ dawn welcoming as they catch the breath of Spring, is so different from the way the greet Winter’s dawns; the sudden sight of delicate snowdrops and crocus thrusting up and out of their secure Winter space to become visible in the crisp bright frosty, possibly snowy, above ground world, always feels such a powerful invitation for me to likewise come in to visibility with the seeds I have held in my depths over the dark quiet days of Winter, with my delicate vulnerability in place.

The season of Spring and the energy of Wood is about putting plans in to action, definition, turning our attention outwards from the depth of Winter’s descent…..when our Wood energy is in balance we are able to stand in the breadth and depth of our own unique vision of life, we hold our benevolence close and are able to initiate our actions with confidence and precision; we have the momentum to see things through to completion. When our Wood is out of balance we can be frustrated in ourself and at the same time frustrating to others, as we can struggle to settle in to any decision, meaning that moving forward coherently and creatively becomes impossible, because we are not able to trust the vulnerability that is the characteristic of this kind of change. By tending our Wood energy with kindness, specificity, commitment and visibility in word and deed, we are able to find the nourishment that enables our roots to hold firm as we grow confidently towards our own uniqueness.

May your transition in to Spring be invigorating, bright and may all you are putting in to place vigorously flourish.

 Lorna Penney (Breath, Body, Voice Teacher-Practitoner) lorna@dynamicalignment.co.uk

I offer Extended Seasonal Workshops at ‘In the Moment’ throughout the year. Dates for 2013’s offerings are -

Spring / Wood 17th, 18th, 19th March

Summer / Inner-Fire 16th, 17th, 18th, June

Summer / Outer-Fire 20th, 21st, 22nd June

Harvest / Earth 1st, 2nd, 3rd September

Autumn / Metal 3rd, 4th, 5th November.

blog also appears at  Ceibhfhion.blogspot.co.uk  and switchingoffblog.blogspot.co.uk

“Every act of business can be an act of love.” Mark Silver, The Heart of Business 

This post also appears at ceibhfhion.blogspot.com

I was teaching class on Wednesday night. It’s a class that hasn’t been very well attended. It is a Yin Yoga class and although my monthly Yin class is well attended by my regular students, this weekly class hasn’t really taken off. There are a number of reasons why this could be: Yoga teachers in general are feeling the bite at the moment; I know I should probably need to do some more targeted marketing; and if that doesn’t work, accept that perhaps Glasgow just isn’t ready for so much Yin and do something that people do want. There are lots of things I can do.

However, I have such a belief in this profound practice that every week, I show up and I “hold” the space for whoever comes. Sometimes there will be five people, sometimes just one. Every time, I remember to teach from the heart, and  mindfully acknowledge why I am there. And I always find that I can take joy in that one person who has come to receive the practice. I also have faith in my passion for and ability to teach the practice, and I have also been teaching long enough to know in my heart that it is not because people don’t want to be taught by me.

But on Wednesday night, when just two people came,  what was in my heart was despondency. This is a tough admission for a Yoga teacher, that we get pissed off like everyone else. That we feel sorry for ourselves like everyone else. That we sometimes feel hopeless. But I have learned over the years, and from the teachers that have taught me, and whose teaching I respect,  that one of the biggest gifts I can give as a teacher is to show that I am human.

As I began the practice, I felt this upwelling of emotion. I was feeling sorry for myself. It is at times like these, that I am thankful for my mindfulness practice, and I was able to do something with what I was feeling, in order to continue to hold the space, and teach.  As my students were attending to their breathing, I was attending to mine, aware that the feelings would pass.

As I sat, breathing, with my eyes closed I was suddenly aware of a bright luminosity and an image appearing before me. I became aware that I was seeing an image of Lord Shiva, the God of the Yogis. But then this image changed to one of his son, Ganesh, the Elephant headed God. It was nice to see him. He and I have not connected for a while, although during my studies in India, we were good friends

I sat and enjoyed the vision for a while and then realised, of course!  Lord Ganesha is the remover of obstacles.

Whether Ganesha was indeed appearing before me, or whether the image was a vibrant product of my own imagination is neither here nor there. I was being reminded of the obstacles that I was creating for myself by allowing this negative thinking to take hold, even for a moment. I was able then to move on with my teaching, joyfully, in the knowledge that I had a couple of pretty powerful assistants.

The next day, it also led me to think about  what the other obstacles might be, and not just the practical ones. My sister said to me the other day – talking about her own experiences- that it is often when we finally let go of something that we have been holding on to that we make the energetic space to allow other things to come into our lives. And sometimes when our energies are divided or scattered, then we are not 100% energetically committed to what we are doing at any one time.

So it is a time for clearing some space. I have begun to let go of some things. This isn’t necessarily an easy process. Letting go is never easy, even when it is about ridding yourself of something that is causing you pain. When it is something you love, then making space is even harder. Of course, the divide isn’t necessarily clear. We have all had experience of loving something that isn’t good for us!

This is where Ganesha can be a strong ally. And one of the ways that we can tap into his energy is by chanting.  It is common for a Ganesha mantra to be chanted at the beginning of an undertaking, and often at the beginning of yoga classes in some traditions. A few years ago I undertook a 40 day mantra discipline. Every morning at sunrise I got up, sat in meditation and did Japa – mantra chanting – of the Ganesha Mantra “Om Gam Ganapataye Namah”  I chanted 108 times ( one round of the mala) every day of 40 days.

I had no agenda in chanting. I didn’t hold any mental picture of what I would like to change. To be honest, I was conducting a bit of a personal experiment. And do you know what? It bloody worked! Within weeks, everything changed. Everything that was holding me back. Some would believe that it was intercession, some that it was some aspect of myself that was being manifested. Either way, obstacles were removed. Big time. Even some that I wasn’t even aware of. A reminder, I suppose of “Be careful what you wish for”.

I may or may not do the mantra again (mindful that obstacles may be removed that I wasn’t expecting!) but I  am going to be committed to cultivating that energy that does not create obstacles.

Blessings of the Solstice, the shortest day. Take time to embrace some stillness today.

The Moment of Magic

Now is the moment of magic,

When the whole, round earth turns again toward the sun,

      And here’s a blessing:
the days will be longer and brighter now,
even before the winter settles in to chill us.

Now is the moment of magic,
when people beaten down and broken,
with nothing left but misery and candles and their own clear voices,
kindle tiny lights and whisper secret music,

      And here’s a blessing:
the dark universe is suddenly illuminated by the lights of the menorah,
suddenly ablaze with the lights of the kinara,
and the whole world is glad and loud with winter singing.

Now is the moment of magic,
when an eastern star beckons the ignorant toward an unknown goal,

      And here’s a blessing:
they find nothing in the end but an ordinary baby,
born at midnight, born in poverty, and the baby’s cry, like bells ringing,
makes people wonder as they wander through their lives,
what human love might really look like,
sound like,
feel like.

Now is the moment of magic,

      And here’s a blessing:
we already possess all the gifts we need;
we’ve already received our presents:
ears to hear music,
eyes to behold lights,
hands to build true peace on earth
and to hold each other tight in love.

 By Rev. Victoria Safford

Also appears on my mindfulness blog  Switching Off

photo by Sarahlizamoody on Flickr.com

I  have just completed the eight week MBCT (mindfulness based cognitive therapy) course. Over the weeks, the techniques of mindfulness are revealed in what feels like a gentle process of evolution. It was wonderful to see that evolution in myself and others as the weeks progressed. I’ve said it before, this mindfulness stuff works!

In the beginning – for those new to meditation – there was scepticism and the beginner’s frustration of “not doing”. And you could almost see the process of this unravelling – much to the surprise of the participants. “I feel better, but I don’t know why” . This is because there is no actual sense of process, or progress, or moving towards any particular goal. In mindfulness, there is no “end” in mind, only being with what is there. In the moment.

The miracle of mindfulness indeed.

One exercise that we did on the course was to write down everything that we did in one day. I chose a Tuesday because, curious to see where we were going with it (OK not quite in the moment) I chose my busiest day. Most people were finished their lists when I was still only at lunch time!

And then we were asked to go through our list and mark them with an N for nurturing, a D for draining or and M for those activities, nurturing or draining which we felt we had mastery over.

The word I think I used to describe what I revealed, was “startling”

Try it.

There was only one activity that just had an N next to it. There were many that had both Ns and Ds – as teaching can be both. There were quite a number of Ms, draining as some of the activities are, I think I’ve got Tuesdays down to a fine art. However, the one wholly nurturing activity – other than going to bed at night time – was making a cup of coffee in the morning before I left for work.

There are no answers provided in mindfulness training. Only questions and explorations. The lists, the Ns and Ds and Ms revealed all that was required. And what is required is always either a shift in behaviour, or a shift in thinking.

On the final day of the course we were all asked to bring in an object that spoke of our experience. People brought in beautiful, interesting and fascinating things. Things they had made, things that spoke to them of their experience, things they were wearing.

I brought in two objects – the first: a piece of sea washed pottery that I had beach combed. All to do with expression and activities I love and my unique sense of beauty and not being bothered whether others think differently.

And the second?.

…A coffee cup.