A few months ago I read this post on MindBodyGreen online. I generally enjoy the articles they put out and was intrigued by the title, curious what one considers a "red flag" for a Pilates or yoga teacher. I wish I hadn't read the article. Beyond being overly opinionated and one-sided, it reeks of judgement. I was even more alarmed to see that a fellow yoga teacher wrote it. My heart sank. If other yoga teachers are out there judging and slamming others ability, then how and what are we teaching as the practice of yoga? Apparently others felt the same way as I did and if you read the comments, you see the author is quick to defend her words as "bringing awareness to teaching." In the end I honestly think she meant well, but I consider this article to be in line with a bevy of other voices screaming for attention at this same time. It came out around the time of the "How Yoga Wrecks the Body" hubbub and we all know how I felt about that.To tell you the truth, it is articles like these that left me seriously considering whether I wanted to be part of the yoga blogging world much longer.
I had put the article out of my mind, but this all came up because last week I started teaching a new morning class and I was having one of those days where my right was my left and my hand was my foot--meaning, I was messing up my words from time to time. It happens. It wasn't really that bad and I was quick to realize that I had made a mistake. For whatever reason, a long time student felt the need to correct me, even though every one in the class was doing the pose with ease. It can be a little unsettling when this happens because there's a difference when the correction is playful and when it's just mean. What sort of expectation is it that your teacher will never make a mistake or have a day when things get a little confused? Sounds crazy to me. In case you hadn't noticed, your yoga teacher is human too.
And that's where this article came to mind. For a split second I actually entertained the thought that I may have sent a "red flag" to the students...and then, I realized that was ridiculous and I moved on. Why is it okay to expect your teacher to never mess up and hold them to some higher standard than your or the rest of your peers? How are you practicing your yoga when you criticize rather than lead from a place of compassion and understanding? I can let it go because I know that making a mistake is no big deal. In fact, it's when the teacher makes a mistake that I remember I can make mistakes too and maybe I'm not so hard on myself. Just last week, I watched as Sri Dharma Mittra fall off his platform during Dancer pose (Natarajasana). Did he get upset? Nope, he just laughed it off and kept right on going!
I wish more people would put their practice into action rather than their egos. People have bad days, everyone has a different teaching method and even more, mistakes happen. Instead of letting yourself get ruffled by a teacher's mistakes, stop and bring awareness to why you feel compelled to judge. This is where practice begins.
For what it's worth, I believe a good yoga teacher is not the one that makes you sweat the hardest or proclaims to have all of the answers, but rather, the one that gently and humbly guides you through your practice and your "stuff" in order to dismember the ego. I understand that not everyone may feel the same way and may need something different from their practice, so that is why it's important to have a variety of skilled and able yoga teachers available for students to meet them on their journey. But that's just my opinion.
For the record, since this article in January, MindBodyGreen online has posted a lot of well written articles that put teaching in a more positive light. Many thanks for sharing a variety of opinions on the matter!
Yes, judgement has no place in our yoga community. Everyone's approach and tastes are completely different which makes it very subjective. Some people are interested in super bendy poses while others are on an inner voyage. And, some "teachers" are more advanced then others. But I feel like attracts like and the appropriate students will be attracted to the appropriate teachers. I think the challenge with its transfer from India to the West is that we are still trying to find our identity. While I do not prefer how some people approach their yoga, to each their own. Just focus on yourself.
ReplyDelete"For what it's worth, I believe a good yoga teacher is not the one that makes you sweat the hardest or proclaims to have all of the answers, but rather, the one that gently and humbly guides you through your practice and your "stuff" in order to dismember the ego."
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about Yoga, but I loved this sentence as you can use it in ALL different context just by changing few words. What I mean is that you can replace Yoga teacher by doctor, therapist, mother, etc. and say the same thing. A good "teacher" in life is the one who walks with you to teach you, not the one who imposes his ideas.
I hear you. It's not just in the yoga world! There are different levels of evey community and at the lowest levels judgment comes, unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Jodi
I agree and thank you for your comments. Certainly everyone needs something different in their teachers and practice, but it doesn't mean that the approach is wrong.
ReplyDeleteActually, I disagree with Yogi Sara's comment that judgement has no place in yoga. This is the opposite pole of what Rachel rightly pointed out about the article. The "it's all good or subjective" message is just spiritual fluff. Compassionate, intelligent critique is part of the learning process for all of us, regardless of our position. The article writer wasn't compassionate in her words, nor was - from the sounds of it - the student from Rachel's class.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if you think about the ways in which you have learned yoga over the years, it always includes some well timed corrections, verbal, visual, or otherwise. I'm not just talking about body placement - I'm talking about everything, including understanding of the deepest spiritual messages of yoga.
Just as there is a need to check your ego when judgement arises, so there is also a need too check your desire to be comfortable and safe all the time. Honestly, I think that a lot of yoga people like to hide out in the feel good and non-challenging. Which can be nice for awhile, but in the end, stunts your growth.
So, I say "It's not all good." But if I'm going to critique, I figure out ways to do it compassionately, or I choose to drop it if I can't.
I am a chronic left-right mixer-upper and known by my students for saying gloriously ridiculous things such as "now bring your left head towards the left foot...". I laugh it off and this usually means that my students do too!
ReplyDeleteYoga needs to be taught from a place of experience, knowledge and compassion. There is room for all of us to grow and become better teachers, and it's such an important part of my teaching to get feedback, realise when I make mistakes, and above all, to keep learning. BUT I don't think that there is a set-in-stone right or wrong way to teach yoga, and when judgement is being passed against one person's subjective list of "red flags", that raises a red flag for me!!
Yoga is good. I love Yoga.
ReplyDeleteI was sick with back problems and aching joints for 3 years, thanks God recently I have discovered a proven systematic set of techniques that will allow us to enjoy the richest whole body benefits of yoga... from the top of our head to the bottom of our toes.
As an experienced Yoga instructor working at
ReplyDeleteAnamaya Yoga , I believe learning Yoga is a continuous process and no one can claim that he/she knows everything about Yoga. Even every Yoga teacher is some how a students too, he/she is learning from his/her Guru or sometimes even from his/her students. Anyway, I love and respect your passion for Yoga.
Monirul hoque
Yoga Instructor
Anamaya Yoga and Surfing