Yoga Sutra

Yesterday, I rose bright and early to attend a teacher training as part of my 500 hour yoga certification at the Triad Yoga Institute. I found it enjoyable, as I always do, but got some great learning out of the day as well! The workshop was centered around various teaching skills, such as demonstrating, adjusting your students, use of the voice and effective language, sequencing and pacing. The exercise that stood out to me the most however, was the very last exercise of the day. The final exercise involved physicalizing the Sutra of Patanjali. Reviewing some of the Sutra and being asked on the spot to teach a series of poses, or a pose in the essence of that Sutra was both challenging and fun. It made me want to focus on this aspect of the practice in a bigger way. Not just reciting the Sutra to my students, but weaving them more fully into the physical practice that I present.

Today as I taught class however, there was no mention of the Sutra at all. No mention even, of the overall goal of yoga. The fact of the matter is, that some of the places I teach would rather hear nothing about the holistic aspects of yoga and just give the clients a good workout, which is what they are there for, right? I certainly understand that most of the people who come to yoga with no prior knowledge would only like to work out, and that for a long time, that is all they understand. But at what point can you begin to introduce all eight limbs of yoga? It is a question with which I struggle often. Nonetheless, I felt I gave a well-rounded practice, in that we moved in all directions and did both active and passive postures. We did a 7 minute final rest and we always close with a quiet few moments to acknowledge the effects the practice has had.

Additionally, I finished the Peggy Lee dance today and am happy it will be ready for the performances in Fayetteville in two weeks. Tomorrow, I need to begin to get "Words Apart" back in my body. This month is going terribly fast, and I can hardly keep up!

~Cara