I have openly admitted several times before that the reason I wanted to be a yoga teacher correlates with my fibromyalgia. I knew that if I trained to teach that I would also be able to take better care of myself. My condition requires consistent, gentle movements to help work out aches and pains... and yoga fits the bill perfectly.
However, as the Disney bluebird hops on my shoulder, I have found a joy in teaching people. I already know what yoga does for me... but every time I teach, I have a chance to see what it does for other people.
It's not much of a secret that I'm not a huge fan of "people," but yoga erases the attention these petty sentiments almost entirely. The lady in the front row might be the bitch who cut me off on the highway and the guy in the left corner could very well be that jerk who jumped the line ahead of me at the market, but in the yoga studio, no one is anyone. We are all existing in a bubble of wellness. All I can do once I enter that room is guide the students and absorb the energy that they are putting into their practice. I also have the exquisite pleasure of seeing some of them make large improvements in their technique, breathing, etc.
So, today I'm reflecting on what it has meant to me to start out quietly at a beautiful studio in Williamsburg and then to add to my schedule three classes at a very different studio in Newport News.
The Williamsburg studio is sort of idyllic... you walk in to a simple lobby and place your things in a cubby on the wall. Then you enter the studio as a damp wave of warmth fogs on your air-conditioned skin. The mirrors in the front and side of the room reflect the scenes of trees, weather, and birds through the windows. It helps to make the studio seem a little bigger than it actually is (maximum capacity is about 30 people). This was a calming sanctuary in which to study and practice during my training program. There were nine of us trainees in total, giving us space to spread out and make ourselves comfortable with mats, bolsters, and blankets. It was a unique moment in my life.
I teach one class there on Saturday mornings... it cuts into my time at the farmers' market, but I love going back to this studio, training with people I met during the program, and feeling the serenity of that gorgeous room.
I was acquired recently by another studio in the city next door. It's a whole different ballpark. Body to body, the room in which one practices can hold up to 75 people. There are four walls, two lined with mirrors. There's a covered fridge in which we keep cool cloths for the end of practice as well as little bottles of water (we carry those and packets of Emergen-C in case anyone feels faint). We plug in our i-pods to a sound system, turn up the heat, and shut the door. There is only aritificial light in this studio, but it has a nice dimmer switch to adjust for working out or relaxation time.
I took one class and realized that my teaching style is very different from the other girls at this studio. I find that kind of funny... it reminds me of two Lutheran churches... you might think there's a unity due to the denomination, but every congregation is very, very different. I've tried to blend my style with the sorts of instructions and variations that the other teachers give so as not to totally throw off the regular clientel.
I have to say that, so far, I've really liked these other girls. I feel pretty much at home in this bunch. They're all unafraid of being themselves and make it easy for me to do the same and step outside the "yoga aura" and admit to my likes, dislikes, and hobbies. I never walk into anything with the expectation of friendship... if anything, I work for solitude... but I feel I may walk away from this studio with a person or two with whom I won't want to lose touch.
I'm driving more often than I did as a college student! Back and forth from Williamsburg to Newport News... I'm remembering what fun I used to have in the car singing to my music or thinking about my day (which translates into "writing in my head") or talking to a friend or my mother on the phone. I hope that some shameless freak has written a book on Car Yoga... it's just such a great time for me lately to center, consider my angle for class, consider nothing at all, what have you.
I'm also seeing more of my family. The majority of my relatives live in Newport News... they've allowed me to come shower and offered me homecooked meals after standing in a room of 100 degrees telling people what to do... Yeah... life is pretty good...
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