long Student scurry

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 02/01/2001 8:21:25 AM W. Europe Standard Time,

kundaliniyoga writes:

 

> Don't be discouraged! KY is definitely intense, and often people are

> not ready to pursue this sort of work, even if they enjoy it very

> much at the time. As my first teacher advised me when I started

> teaching (and having similar experiences), you gave them a wonderful

> experience, a taste of something that is very effective, and even if

> they are not ready for it right now, they know it is there and can

> come back to it when they are ready.

>

 

I really agree- I had years in Hatha Yoga before I was ready.

 

I saw similar dropout rates in my beginning class, for what it is worth,

although the class has filled in since.

 

The instructors advertise with

a brochure with an introduction to k-yoga that contains

the general purpose/approach/philosophy of k-yoga/3HO,

good info for beginners (the opening/closing mantras, what the

mantras mean, the injunctions to

wear comfy clothes, bring water to drink). The brochure also

has contact info, costs, and some line drawings showing some

of the exercises.

 

It is one piece of inexpensive paper, printed on both sides, and

triple-folded,

a not-very snazzy pale green. But it works.

 

The instructors also post more attractive flyers on billboards

with the number to call, and then

they mail this brochure to you if you call.

 

The local 3HO office also provides a four-page booklet for

instructors to give out, which has even more info. I was handed

that during my first class. This booklet clarifies

the relationship of k-yoga to religion for example

and can put peoples' minds at rest if they have any concerns

about that, the chanting, etc.

 

So this is how it is done here in Germany, where everything

a human being does is accompanied by a torrent of documents,

but I personally found the handouts very helpful, plus they

gave me something to give my friends, one of whom is now

going to start taking classes too.

 

Um, I had another thought. The flowers and candle are very important.

When my instructors don't get it together to bring in fresh

flowers, they have a pretty paper one that they use instead (but I admit

I find it a bit disappointing). They use a timer but it is a silent one

so we don't have to hear the beep.

Lights are kept low- very important since most fitness studios

are overlit for a yoga experience.

One instructor regularly brings a big thermos of tea and some mugs,

so if anyone forgot water or just wants tea instead, she pours for them.

 

All these details say "you matter, what we do together matters"

and that is a very healing message to give, and a good basis

for the teachings that follow in the class. I tend to trust a person

who can make a consistent effort to tend to the details of making the class

experience nice.

 

My very first class was a difficult experience- my instructor

picked to teach this class of mostly newbies

what I have since come to regard as ~the~ most challenging

set in K-yoga ever- it was 13 exercises long, each done for

three minutes, and some of them were just exhausting. Even the warm-ups

she chose (another 5 exercises) were hard.

The class was literally

impossible for most of the students, and people were very unhappy.

 

I was acutely miserably sore for three days after, despite a hatha

yoga background and a regular jogging routine.

I think my instructor lost herself some students through this choice.

 

I think, if you are a serious yoga student/teacher

and you have always enjoyed

pretty good physical health, that you can get completely

out of touch with the newcomer experience and newcomer realities.

 

If you can't remember

when simply extending your arms directly over your head was excruciating,

even for 10 seconds, or you never had such poor health/fitness

in the first place (where

you had to struggle even to accomplish a "normal" range

of motion), then you are probably going to have to work hard to

understand what some of your new students may be going through.

 

One of the women in my class can't sit with her legs

outstretched, much less bend forward.

The instructor doesn't "get it", she has repeatedly if gently told the student

to straighten her legs as if the problem is in the mind of the student,

like she doesn't know her knees aren't supposed to be bent.

 

The problem isn't in the student's mind, it is in her

short hamstrings, shortened by an average

Western lifestyle without any previous stretching/fitness activities.

She is probably about where most women are, age 55, if they haven't done

anything physical since they last had to in school.

 

If this student will practice at home regularly to lengthen her hamstrings

(for me, a painful process)

and she can cope with the physical and emotional

discomfort and awkwardness of not being able to come anywhere

close to keeping up with the class, in one or two months she'll

be able to sit with completely outstretched legs like most of the other people

in the class- which is to say, still fairly badly (lower back

rounded/pelvis tipped to provide some ease to the hamstrings).

 

I think most people tend to focus on and

teach what they are naturally pretty good at doing.

But students often take classes for things they are horrible at, because

they want to grow as people. This mismatch between student-instructor

experiences can make for some failures of

perception and empathy on the part

of the instructor.

 

Were I teaching,

I guess I would ask myself, am I doing everything

possible to make a pitiful if sincere student feel that this class

is going to be a safe nurturing place for her to work and learn and grow

(and suffer) at her own best pace? If an instructor does this, I don't think

she can fail in the long term, because she is really giving a wonderful gift

to the world through her teaching, and the world needs that gift.

 

Ardas