Saturday, November 12, 2011

Yoga Instructor. Yup I Have a Job!

Glen Ellen, California


 Last week, on a Tuesday morning before the sun had risen, I stepped in front of a room full of yoga students for the first time as a teacher. The back of the bicycle seat had been let go by my instructors, and I was on my own. It was awesome, and humbling all at the same time!

4th Street San Rafael, Shot with Canon G11
I think that being a teacher is a real calling. Most people who end up in a yoga room for the first time, and subsequently stick with the practice become amazed at the impact in short order. Some, me included, get so jazzed with the whole thing that they want to teach. When I decided to stop sailing (you can read about why I stopped sailing by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom) and go to college, my initial thought was to become a high school teacher. I love to teach, and instruct, but getting involved with the another bureaucratic organization turned me off huge. I've backed off on the high school teaching idea since. 



It's funny how things normally work out in the end. How plume boring life would be if you could plan everything in advance, and then have the plan work out to the letter. I may not be a high school teacher, but I am now a yoga teacher.


I now have a smooth four classes under my belt. The first class, at least for me was a little rough. You don't walk into a yoga room as an instructor or as a student with confidence for the first time. Confidence comes with practice. As a student, you can tuck in to the back of the room for anonymity. As a teacher, you just have to open yourself up, and not take it personally. There is no other way. Even in only having taught four classes, the difference between class four and class one was substantial. Class four was a Friday evening hour class, fit students, and well stretched out after having been up and about all day. It flowed, and I just loved it!


The above pictures are of the new Red Dragon Yoga studio in San Rafael, California that is to open in the coming week. I've been attending RD since I arrived in California, and it is a special place. The owners Stephanie & Craig have a generous work trade program, where you work 2.5 hours per week for free yoga. Yoga is not cheap, so I took advantage of the program. This is how I got to know everyone so well, and before you know it, they encouraged me to get some yoga teacher training. So I did, and all of a sudden they plugged me into the schedule! Now with the opening of the new studio I have two regular classes I will teach per week. With the holiday's bearing down, many subbing opportunities have come up. So I'm teaching at every available opportunity. Practice is the mothers milk of improvement. So jazzed!

Yogi C

Cool graphic from Google +

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

No doubt that the Baron Baptiste school gave you the confidence needed and of course the experience with being around experts to guide you and see what makes them experts.

"Atta Boy"
Dad