I thought about the class the whole day, and was quite nervous. Even though I've been teaching for many years, I still get nervous. I guess it keeps me humble! As I was sitting with this feeling today, I came to the conclusion to NOT teach for anyone else but myself. I reminded myself that I LOVE what I do. I will bring the love into it again. Love and fear can't co-exist in one place. Then I can remind myself that this is EASY and ENJOYABLE.
With that intention, I brought a whole different energy into the room. Different from the nervous tension, and an old belief that I simply must show up PERFECTLY, for something outside of myself. That's just too exhausting to figure out. Instead I will hold on to my energy, and bring myself and my joy for teaching, into the room. And just let it flow.
All I needed to do, was watch my students, experience them, and get consumed with the moment. If I were to try and teach for someone outside myself, my mind would be way too active. Like it was earlier in the day. And I would sound fake, or try too hard, or say too much, or make the class all about me. And honestly, class has got nothing to do with me. It's ALL about my students. That is where the attention needs to be. Not on me, looking all PERFECT. Whatever the hell than means anyway!
As I taught class, I noticed that I really didn't need to say much. Because my ego was quiet, and it didn't tell me I need to DO MORE. I knew that, doing less, would then encourage my students to do more. I would empower them to find their own way. Let the music, the lightning, the ambiance, and the energy in the room be the container in which people can find their own way. My job is done. I showed up. That's it!
The music moved me, and I felt like dancing. I noticed it in my students too. I knew that they were on their way. And who am I to disrupt their journey towards stillness of mind, by having too many things to say? That will take them out of their zone, and bring them back into their heads again. Isn't that what we are trying to get away from? I'm deeply spiritual, and I have never experienced a style of yoga that has the potential to be transformative and spiritual, yet enjoyable at the same time!
Silence is the place for people to truly experience themselves, to GROW, and that for me is what yoga is all about.
This is where I am learning to trust, and know it's already happening. I don't need to tell them how, or give them advice, heal or fix them. All I need to do is give them a container, then let them go and find their own way. If I were to talk too much, I would rob them of the gift of empowerment and finding their own way on the mat, and in their lives. Making them co-dependant on me, and others around.
I've learnt this new way of teaching in the past 3 years. This from my spiritual teacher. "Stop trying so hard", he would tell me! The more we see our value, the less we feel the need to do, and proof, and explain, and show. We can just be.
How awesome is that?
That's why I love this style of teaching so much. It reminds me that I can do less. I can talk less. And I can leave class, feeling filled up. Why? Because I didn't use all my personal energy in class. Instead I stepped back. I cued a few things, I taught a flow or 3, and that's it. The rest is up to them...
I have, and can talk a lot. Way too much in class. And it comes out in me, when I forget to trust myself and remember who I am. And tonight I remembered what I've learnt. I left, feeling high. Satisfied. Balanced. Energized. And felt proud of me. Not because I did it perfectly. But because I remembered to just be. And I remembered to let them just be (flow) on their own journey.
I'm a spiritual teacher, and in my meditation classes I do talk more, this, because people are looking for guidance or advice in that class. I'm learning to only give advice or guidance when it's asked for. With the emphasis on learning. That's why I teach. To learn. Aren't we all?
I look forward to experiencing you all in the room. We are visionaries that are re-creating the LA yoga scene, and it will directly impact our personal lives. It's all about trusting the silence...
Remembering it speaks loudly! The silence is like a mothers womb. The dark mystery, the unknown, from which we birth a new (born) idea, or creation, or hear our intuition, or our next playlist. We can't hear without silence.
Words is a tiny vehicle that carries information. Our energy, our body language, and our wisdom that we hold in our hearts are much bigger communicators. I'm learning to trust that. Allowing my ego to step out of the way...
I love that I'm on this journey with you all. Be brilliant!! Love. xo m