What is the number one responsibility of a yoga teacher?
Is it being able to do handstands? To do wheel pose? Large classes? The answer is surprisingly simple. The number one responsibility for yoga teachers, is to teach yoga. This may seem overly simplistic, but in my view, it is as paramount as it is obvious.
People come to yoga for a variety of reasons. Some come to fix their back, others want peace of mind. Still others come for greater flexibility. Any of these sound familiar? I have certainly taught classes that address these needs.
In the scope of what is possible through yoga practice, these accomplishments (as wondrous as they may be) are relatively minor. Skilled yoga teachers teach you much more than triangle pose, they will help you to understand yourself – the shadows and the gold – with great clarity. They instruct you on how to minimize suffering and skillfully work with adversity. They teach you to generate energy and to use it wisely.
They teach you to generate energy and use it wisely.
Said differently, yoga teaches you to be integrated; such that your thoughts, speech and actions are congenial. It imparts the desire and means by which you can live your purpose in a manner that is beneficial to yourself and others – to live with greater joy and far less fear. The number one responsibility of a yoga teacher is to teach you yoga. They can assist you to the degree to which they recognize yoga in themselves.
Like raindrops that send intersecting ripples out across the surface of a once placid mountain lake, yoga reveals the interconnectedness of all aspects of life. Yoga is reflected in how we sleep, speak, play, our desires and of course in formal practice.
Yoga shows us how seemingly individual components are part of a greater whole. Gradually students see the lattice of circumstances and life-responsibility they inherited from their past thoughts, words, and actions. And more importantly, how to chart a new destiny.
This may sound lofty, however it starts with something very simple – self awareness. The postures, done with proper attention, generate a degree of self awareness. As you consciously breath and mindfully move you become more self-realized. A skilled yoga teacher offers additional methods to expand self-understanding and actualization. That is their primary job.
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I shared this question with my current teacher training students over the weekend. They looked equally appreciative and puzzled.
You would think that the desire to live in harmony would be greater than the urge for affliction. Yet somehow that does not appear to be the case.
Like many noble pursuits, peace can easily be dismissed as fanciful, a hangover from the counterculture movement, or even a sign of weakness. Peace is not in keeping with the status quo, a tide of stimulation usurp its place.
“Why is that?”
Years ago, when I first met Baba Hari Dass, someone asked him “how to develop personal discipline?”
His response:
“Climbing is hard, slipping is easy.”
The words still ring true decades later and epitomize why peace is not the priority. It takes deliberate effort to develop positive qualities and the temptation to deviate can be strong.
The impulse to be impatient or disregard the needs of the whole may come more habitually and with greater urgency. It takes far more energy and thoughtful consideration to create a building than it does to destroy it.
In short, cultivating peace requires dedicated self-reflection and effort – to swim against the current shortcomings and climb towards a noble pursuit. And it can be often far more convenient to choose otherwise.
Behold. Another season has come to pass and we now edge into the fall season.
Recently, I’ve been pondering how limitless the Universe truly is; from the quiet life of a small grain of sand to the unspeakable jewel box of stars that shine so freely far off in the heavens. And how water remains so youthful even after millions of years of existence. And how baby turtles brave their way into the sea.
I’ll never meet many of those stars, know the ageless secrets of water, or know the life and death struggle of sea turtles; and yet they are accounted for within the great field of intelligence that unites us all.
Earthly societal woes, fire & health crises can appear with such dire-urgency. Sometimes, if only for a moment, I respectfully recognize them as moments in the colossal history of time, space, name & form.
As humans and as yogis, we’re anointed with the seemingly impossible task of navigating both heaven & earth; loss & gain; suffering & compassion; and the yearnings of the individual with the timeless source of life. The only way out is through.
May we skillfully traverse the hard truths before us and recognize the presence of peace that lies within and beyond it all.
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I wanted to take a moment and share our Yoga Teacher Training Covid Response Plan. Thankfully, Denver is reopening its doors and we hope it will not be an issue. While we are doing our best to be preventative, also recognize that there also factors that are beyond our control and may have to adopt an online format. Not my first preference, but possible necessary in full disclosure.
But here is the good news, we have a very robust yoga teacher training covid response plan in place:
Our rental space is separate from the rest of the building and is used minimally.
Regular cleanings.
Ample hand sanitizer, tissues, etc.
Masks required. Simple and effective.
Personal prop kit (including blankets, blocks, a strap and bolster) for your individual use only.
Limited class sizes
Outside class sessions. (weather permitting).
Spiritual practice for protection and healing including mantra and meditation.
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Full confession, I have had seasonal allergies for years; itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and sneezing attacks, the full deal. As a yogi – someone who places a premium on self healing – it was a point of consternation.
Historically, I’d adjusted my yoga asana practice (to include more inversions) to address it, but had minimal results. Natural supplements did not do the trick either.
This season, and last season, I decided to dedicate myself to a path of self healing and implemented simple ayurvedic remedies for allergies. Ayurveda is the ancient healing science of India that grew up side by side with yoga.
Ayurveda is the ancient healing science of India That grew up side by side with yoga.
According to ayurveda, allergies (along with many other ailments) stem from accumulated toxic build-up, called ama, as a result of poor digestion. The treatment is quite simple; reduce ama. This can be done through a deeper cleansing process (called shat karma) or, more immediately, through diet.
Here are the basic guidelines I follow. I find it easier to negate certain foods and eat what remains, which will inherently be nourishing. Ayurveda has a lot to say about diet but here are the basics:
Typically it helps to have a 4-6 week dietary reboot before the actual allergy season hits. “Prevention is Supreme” as they say in ayurveda. All the same, these simple changes will make a change, it just may take a little longer to reverse the cycle.
Remove sugar, dairy, gluten, caffeine, and alcohol
Maybe start by reducing one or two and phase others in once you see the value of the preceding changes
Start by removing sugar and dairy (then gluten)
Additionally, I find it helpful to brush my teeth immediately after eating to reduce any cravings. You can also integrate turmeric shoots for their anti-allergy properties and for general anti-inflammatory properties. The bitter-astringent taste also reduces cravings.
Dandelion greens are good anti-allergens as well, which you can probably get from your backyard.
”Prevention is Supreme.”
Changing one’s diet can be a tough pill to swallow but inevitably turns out to be worth the sacrifice. In this case, the payoff was increased energy, eliminating allergies, and a sense of empowerment – I can heal myself through my own choices and actions.
Of course, a dedicated yoga practice will also help the cause. Consider taking a class (online). I happen to be offering a meditation series that you are invited to attend.
The rhythm of our culture has changed in response to COVID-crisis. For some, the mandated isolation has been the source of angst and others relished the chance to slow down. And we should also recognize the toll on human life across the globe, God rest their souls.
Personally, my response has been to offer a meditation class to the general public as a way of bringing peace and empowerment into people’s homes. As part of that class, we recite the mahamrityunjaya mantra, also known as “the healing mantra”.
For those who may have been attending the class, or those who may have an interest in the larger scope of yoga, I wanted to elaborate on the significance of the mantra.
We worship Thee, oh sweet God of transcendental vision, Giver of strength, who liberates from death. May we be free from the bonds of death, Like a ripe fruit dropping from the tree. May we never again forget our immortal nature.
For the skeptic, it may seem a stretch that chanting would somehow translate into healing. How then does a mantra correspond to healing? Is it simply based on sentiment or are there other factors involved?
To answer this question, let us view the mantra from its indigenous perspective, which is very distinct from our modern, science-based world view.
Firstly, the healing mantra comes to us from a different time and paradigm quite unlike our own. In days gone past, people lived in the center of the natural world. They were much more attuned to her forces, rhythms, and currents.
Early yogis saw subtle, vibratory patterns woven into the fabric of the creation. These pre-manifest fields of energy are the preliminary force underlying Sanskrit mantras. Mantras are the vocal equivalent of these forces. Of course, they can be chanted silently as well. Through their recitation, our body and psyche align with these greater vibratory patterns. The resonance of the healing mantra is one of healing benediction.
“Its resonance is that of healing benediction.”
Secondly, mantras are embedded in mythology. In the case of the healing mantra, Lord Shiva, “God of transcendental vision”, rescues a teenage boy from a fated death and grants him immortality. The boy’s plight is not unlike our own. All of us are destined to pass, and yet, through the power of yoga, we can discover our immortal essence, the timeless atman or soul.
In India, as with many cultures, the lines between “mythology” and the material world are blurred. Parables, such as the origin of the healing mantra, are imbued with archetypal forces indelibly written in the hearts and minds of a culture. These stories are further brought to life by festivals and sacred places of pilgrimage – a living mythology you might say.
“These stories are further brought to life
By festivals and sacred places of pilgrimage.”
Thirdly, yogic wisdom places a premium on interior life; subjective experiences, particularly more expansive states of mind, have a validity unto themselves. Our felt-motivation behind our actions shape outcomes differently, even if it is the same action. Mom’s casserole, cooked with love, is much more satisfying than the store-bought variety, even if they are made with the exact same ingredients.
Similarly, our felt connection to or faith in the mantra will also shape its effectiveness. Some people readily embrace faith while others remain skeptical, which will result in different outcomes. Regular yoga practice, which may include mantra, increase one’s faith, either in themselves or the greater creation-equation.
In summary, yoga is an ancient system for total wellbeing and integration born out of the revelations of ancient sages who looked deeply into the patterns of nature and directly perceived the voice of mantra. Many of their discoveries and teachings were chronicled in the form of archetypal myths. In part, these myths come to life through faith and reverence. Mantras, such as the healing mantra, help us to attune to forces greater than our finite intellectual understanding.
Hatha Yoga Meditation Class Taught from the serenity of my ‘yoga basement’ this class will emphasize the direct practice of tantric hatha yoga meditation, more so than theory or explanation.
Forty-minute class format: – Intro and asana – Candle lighting and Mahamritunjaya mantra (for personal and collective healing) – Dedicated pranayama practice – Guided meditation – Closing mantra (Shantipath for peace)
Dates and Times and Location: W/F | April 22nd to May 1st | 7:30am – 8:15am Zoom link provided upon registration. = No charge =
First, a word of thanks to all of those who extended their good wishes, food, and prayers after I broke my leg some three weeks ago. I’m happy to say that the force of healing is alive within me and I make noticeable progress each day. In part, I attribute this healing to repetition in meditation.
As an offshoot of that healing process, I started to offer a free, online meditation course on Wednesday and Friday mornings, 7:30-8:10am. The class consists of a brief asana practice, opening mantra, followed by pranayama, then meditation proper, and a closing mantra. Admittedly, it starts abruptly to ensure we cover these synergistic practices. We don’t discuss theory so much as, well, just get started.
So, I want to give a little context and share one simple idea underlying our practice. That is simply this, “repetition in meditation”. Repetition is integral to any discipline; whether it be learning the violin, fostering a loving relationship, or advancing spiritual growth. The journey of 1,000 begins with the first step. And then the next step. And then the next step…. repetition.
There is a fairly well-known expression within meditation circles:
“Better to dig one deep well than many shallow holes.”
For this reason, the repetition in meditation technique I present remains the same for the remainder of the series. My hope is that we get enough of a footing on the method that it becomes a part of us – to give it a fair chance to positively shape the way we view ourselves and our world.
Adopting a single technique for forty days is a common benchmark to get acquainted with a technique. After those forty days of repeated practice, you can adequately assess if you wish to continue, or not. There is an overwhelming chance that you will see the benefit and want to continue, you will have seen the value of repetition in meditation.
At the same time, we live in a culture obsessed with variety, innovation, and distraction (largely for commercial purposes). Methodical repetition is antithetical to the pace of modern life (though that seems to be on hold for the moment). However, to develop mastery, or better yet, to develop mastery of your mind, body, and character it takes more than one try. With persistent effort, you will discover the benefit. The meditation class is here to support you to develop that skill. Of course, I’d encourage you to practice outside of class as well.
“The beginner has many options, the master very few.”
The beginner has many options, the master very few. As you develop your meditation practice, I invite you to embrace repetition. Through repetition in meditation, gradually clear away the dust and grime that obscures the inner-mirror. This inner-mirror aids you to see yourself more clearly, to dismantle fear and anxiety and reflect greater peace and joy back upon you. But it doesn’t all happen by itself, it requires repetition.
Dates & Times:
Present through May 1st, 2020 (May extend depending on interest)
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Trust this finds you safe and perhaps even able to adapt to current circumstances. In either case, it’s times like these that force us to reframe our assumptions of “normal”, reconsider where we derive security, and reflect on our yoga practice.
Personally, meditation has always been my go-to safe-space. I can practice at any time, regardless of outer circumstances, and find refuge. It is a friend in times of plenty and in times of need.
On March 23rd, on the eve of the stay at home order, I slammed into the concrete in a bike crash and broke my left femur bone. Assessing the damage, getting to the hospital, going into surgery… it all felt so surreal and beyond my control. This is not happening to me?
Then the emotions came. At first, I held the warrior’s edge to deal with the pain and work with the medical teams. Which gave way to grief once the initial trauma subsided and I was alone in my hospital bed at 3am. Slow warm tears and a sense of loss.
It’s been a journey of reckoning. Throughout that journey, meditation has been my throughline, the port in the storm, my guiding compass and light. Bedridden, through the powers of meditation, I began to put my fragile self back together and ignite the flame of healing.
Adversity brings out many things in people, and in my case, it’s inspired me to share what I know and love best with you. Meditation. Current events make this offer even more pertinent. I hope we can all find a way to give our gifts in a time of need.
All are freely welcome. Come and reflect on our yoga practice.
Hatha Yoga Meditation Class Format: The 35-minute class will look like this:
Introduction
Candle lighting and mantra invocation (Mahamritunjaya mantra for personal and collective healing)
Taught from the serenity of my ‘yoga basement’ this class will emphasize direct practice of tantric hatha yoga meditation, more so than theory or explanation. I will provide supplemental links and resources so you can continue the practice outside of our sessions.
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I asked the students to go out and take some classes out in the community and report upon their experiences, both positive and negative. Here is one student’s reflections on an ineffective yoga class. Hopefully, this example will serve both yoga students and teachers alike:
As part of this exercise, I attended a vinyasa flow class. Normally I am drawn to vinyasa classes however this class turned into a cautionary tale rather than a source of enrichment.To me, it seemed like an ineffective yoga class.
Observation number one. Upon retrospect, the teacher clearly overestimated the ability of the students, the first step of an ineffective class. Almost everyone in the room was over fifty and new to yoga. The substitute teacher was young and looked pretty fit. I got the sense that he assumed everyone was more or less in the same shape as they were. However, this was not to be the case. I’m glad everyone got out of there alive.
Secondly, there really was no warm-up. This was my next clue this would be an ineffective yoga class. He started us in a standing position and he had us in warrior three within the first five poses. Personally, I need time to work up to a posture like that. Apparently, I was not the only one. I saw others struggling as well. Their version of warrior three resembled a very crude version of someone partially hunched over to lift up a wide box while standing on one leg. It was not pretty.
“Warrior three resembled a very crude version of someonepartially hunched over to lift up a wide box while standing on one leg.”
Thirdly, the pace of the class was very fast. I barely had time to finish half of an inhale before we were onto the next exhale or chaturanga. Why are we in such a hurry? The class was 60 minutes long regardless of how many poses you can pack into it. I think it is more important to spend quality time in each of the poses than racing to try and do as many as possible. Less is more.
Fourthly, the sequence was needlessly complicated. At one point, we did 14 successive postures on one side before only doing 12 on the second side. (I counted). It’s not surprising that the teacher missed a few poses on the second side given how complex the sequence was.
Like going as fast as possible (point number three) I’m not sure what the advantage is of doing so many poses on one side? I thought it made for an ineffective class. As a student, it felt like trying to digest 14 (or 12) different kinds of food all at once. Lemons, bulger, ham, cream cheese…. You get the point. I literally had a stomach ache. Choreography took precedence over quality.
“Choreography took precedence over quality.”
As a prospective teacher, I learned a lot from going to this class. There are lots of ways to teach an ineffective yoga class. When it’s my turn to stand in front of the room, I will keep everyone safe with the following. Firstly, tune into the level and needs of the students. Secondly, make time for a sufficient warm-up. Thirdly, move at a manageable pace. Finally, emphasize the quality of a sequence rather than its complexity.
