The Good Teacher

THE GOOD TEACHER

My friend Ali asked, “What makes a good teacher?”

For me it all starts with sincerity, a teacher who is a yogi in their own right, someone who can teach me something I don’t know, and the application of a high level of intellectual rigor to the practice.

I’ll use Edward Clark, founder of Tripsichore Yoga, as an example.  A few years ago, I completed his one month intensive training, and I’m headed back to London next month to complete his two week “graduate” program.

What initially drew me to Edward was that what he was doing was so uniquely different.  Even the few poses that I was familiar with were done differently.  Though handstands are pretty ubiquitous these days, at the time it was highly unusual and even suspect, to do inversions mid-sequence.  And what’s more, he’d actually thought through the process and had a reason or intention for everything he did—from the choice of vinyasa to whether a particular move was an inhale or exhale—and could articulate it.  Every time Edward came to town, I would consider what and how I was teaching asana and think I should scrap everything and start over.  It was a radical departure from the mainstream.  He was also gut-bustingly funny, and for those of you who know me, you understand how I prioritize humor.

Asking questions, I was worried and hesitating; I wasn’t sure if a question was overstepping my privilege as a student and would be unwelcome.   I was delighted to discover that he is incredibly kind, thoughtful and accessible as a teacher.  In sharp contrast to the other “master” teachers that I had encountered, he welcomed sincere and thoughtful questions and discussion, even when questioning his logic or method.  I remember one instance where I questioned something that seemed contradictory to a previous principle he’d espoused.  Edward’s reply?  “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice that.”  Wow!   

This combination of passion, ingenuity, creativity, intellect, lack of ego around being “right”, and an obvious desire to share his knowledge led me to his training in London.  When I arrived, I was even more pleased to discover his knowledge and study of traditional yogic texts, and learn about the grounding of his methodology in yoga tradition.  And all of this from a guy with no real teacher-- I was flabbergasted.  Before ignoring or disagreeing with the ancient traditional texts in yoga, he actually studied them, and then created his own system based on the teachings.  This system is rather iconoclastic in terms of its pursuit of sainthood or enlightenment via movement.  These yogic pursuits have historically been achieved through the more still practices of seated meditation and inner practices.  No one has ever done it through vinyasa.  Edward readily acknowledges this is an experiment, one that likely won’t bear definitive fruit until after he’s gone, but he has his mandate from the yogic texts, this is what he thinks will do the trick, and he’s committed.  He’s committed his life to what’s possible.  Whether you agree or not, you have to respect that.  Who is that brave?  Who is that intelligent or creative?  Not many of us.  History will tell whether he is an innovative yogic genius, failure, or even more interesting, the guy who “invented” the yogic equivalent of the glue used on post-it notes (an accidental invention by a scientist working on developing a super strong adhesive- characterized as “a solution without a problem”.)

What impresses me most about Edward is how generously he offers his knowledge and experience, and tirelessly teaches everything he knows.  This comes with the expectation that the student will not rest on that knowledge, but take what he has given and do more.  Use that knowledge to advance the practice, as a foundational springboard to something better that can only be given by someone else who has learned, experienced and added to that knowledge.

In a world of participation trophies and short cuts, I appreciate the contrast of a teacher that exemplifies discipline, and a challenging practice that requires it.  Of course, the best teachings are always by example.  Edward not only lives his practice, but has high expectations in terms of work ethic and effort on the part of his students.  He can be incredibly sweet and caring, and it’s wrapped up in greater expectations of the students than we have of ourselves.  Edward has done it, he’s been there, and he’s learned what he knows without a “guru”.  That knowledge is hard-won, and can be respected through effort and a willingness to try, even when success is beyond our grasp.

It’s a blessing to have had incredible teachers who have these qualities, and Edward exemplifies them beautifully.  In gratitude, I will strive my entire life to embody these examples.
For info on Edward's upcoming workshop in Seattle, October 5-6, 2013- click HERE!

Master Teacher Workshop with Edward Clark- Tripsichore Yoga 10/2013

One of my teachers, Edward Clark - founder of Tripsichore Yoga- is coming to town October 5th and 6th for workshops!

 

For those of you who have met Edward, you know how wildly entertaining and intensely interesting his workshops can be.  For avid students, teachers and anyone interested in smart discourse on yoga philosophy, technique and the meaning of life, this is a highly anticipated weekend--sure to be the talk of the Seattle Yoga Scene for months to come.

 

Especially if you have been studying Tripsichore with me for the last six months, this is your chance to ask the questions and get answers straight from the source!  No one delivers like Edward.

 

Here're the details:

 

Hours 8:30am to 4:30pm at Skinner Auditorium, 1245 10th Ave. East, Seattle, WA 98102, on Capital Hill, next door to St. Mark's Cathedral.

Saturday October 5, 2013:
8:30-9:30am: Introduction/Philosophy of Vinyasa

9:30-11:30am: Practice
11:30-12:30pm: Break
12:30-1:30pm: Bhagavad Gita: Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Yoga

1:30-2:00pm: Break
2-4:30pm: Workshop on Backbending

Sunday October 6, 2013:

8:30-9:30am: Reflection on Yoga in the modern world

9:30-11:30am: Practice
11:30-12:30pm: Break
12:30-1:30pm: Sequencing and methodology of vinyasa

1:30-2:00pm: Break
2-4:30pm: Workshop on Arm Balances and Inversions

  

Pricing:

Full weekend: $275

Early Bird paid on or before August 5, 2013: $225

Drop-in rate per session: $50

  

Registration:

email: lizdoyle@msn.com

call: 206.660.2321

  

Payment methods:

cash

check (payable to Sattva Yoga)

PayPal (please cover the PayPal fees)

  

If you want more than the standard yoga fare, this is just what the doctor ordered.  See you there, and feel free to contact me anytime with questions or for registration. 

  

Love,

Liz

//LizDoyleYoga.com

206.660.2321

The Yoga of Injury, Ageing, and Limitations

One of my students recently asked me what I meant when I said that we use yoga asana (the physical postures) to teach us that we are more than our bodies.

I've heard it put best by master teachers like Edward Clark and David Swenson, and I paraphrase-- If yoga (asana) was about achievement in the poses, we'd be looking to gymnasts, acrobats and Cirque du Soleil perfomers for the secrets of Enlightenment. This is not to diminish their accomplishment, it's that there's something unique about yoga asana that makes it more than contortionism; and even if we've never thought specifically about it, on some level we know that.

Perhaps it's not until we've reached "a certain age" or had an injury-- minor or debilitating, temporary or permanent-- that we recognize we are something more than our physical body. It doesn't make it any easier to "gracefully surrender the things of youth" (Desiderata), but it does underscore the value of our practice beyond the physical.

The question then is- why do the physical poses at all? Beyond taking care of our "temple", it's a vehicle through which we can understand and learn about everything around us. The practice room is like a laboratory, and we "experiment", putting our body through the paces, creating situations that create stress, intensity, discomfort, in a safe and controlled environment. We do this and learn about ourselves, train ourselves on many levels-- physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual-- so we can grow.

I ran across a poem by Theodore Roethke called Infirmity that I think illustrates the temporal nature of the body and our attachment to it, the play of the senses, and That within us that is always the same. We might call it "Spirit" or the "Soul", but it's this eternal Inner Light of Awareness that we seek to uncover in yoga, and better yet, allow to inform all of our thoughts, words and actions-- even while obscured by this body we inhabit.

INFIRMITY by Theodore Roethke

In purest song one plays the constant fool
As changes shimmer in the inner eye.
I stare and stare into a deepening pool
And tell myself my image cannot die.
I love myself: that's my one constancy.
Oh, to be something else, yet still to be!

Sweet Christ, rejoice in my infirmity;
There's little left I care to call my own.
Today they drained the fluid from a knee
And pumped a shoulder full of cortisone;
Thus I conform to my divinity
By dying inward, like an aging tree.

The instant ages on the living eye;
Light on its rounds, a pure extreme of light
Breaks on me as my meager flesh breaks down-
The soul delights in that extremity.
Blessed the meek; they shall inherit wrath;
I'm son and father of my only death.

A mind too active is no mind at all;
The deep eye sees the shimmer on the stone;
The eternal seeks, and finds, the temporal,
The change from dark to light of the slow moon,
Dead to myself, and all I hold most dear,
I move beyond the reach of wind and fire.

Deep in the greens of summer sing the lives
I've come to love. A vireo whets its bill.
The great day balances upon the leaves;
My ears still hear the bird when all is still;
My soul is still my soul, and still the Son,
And knowing this, I am not yet undone.

Things without hands take hands: there is no choice,-
Eternity's not easily come by.
When opposites come suddenly in place,
I teach my eyes to hear, my ears to see
How body from spirit slowly does unwind
Until we are pure spirit at the end.

See you soon and keep practicing!
Liz
//LizDoyleYoga.com

200 Hour Teachers Training: A Rose By The Same Name May Not Smell As Sweet.

My dear friend, Ali Valdez, and I lead annual teachers trainings, and our next 200 hour starts in April.  There is still a few days to make the early registration cut off, and I thought it might be useful to hear from Ali on the topic of the ubiquitous nature of 200 hour programs and why we think ours is the choice for yogis who are serious about the practice and teaching.

Here's what Ali has to say...

Teacher Training 2013 is coming up rapidly. As teachers who teach throughout Seattle and the Eastside, as well as conduct workshops all over the country, it is incredible to see how many studios offer "teacher trainings." In fact, which one doesn't?

But what is a teacher training and the philosophy behind creating a great teacher and creating a great yogi?

A great yogi has to have the discipline to do the daily practice. Period. No excuses. But a great yoga teacher should hold themselves to the same standards. It does not make sense to aspire to be a teacher of yoga, and not actually do yoga. If you were a college professor in a topic such as English Literature, but never felt like reading, nor enjoyed literary criticism or analysis, over time, the law of diminishing returns sets in. The quality of the teaching will disintegrate because what you are delivering to your students ceases to be a gift from the heart, developed and nurtured within, but more like a product, one of thousands available on a shelf.

A great yogi by design, per Hatha Yoga Pradipika, is not necessarily inclined to 'reach out' and be connecting with the world. A great yoga teacher, however, has no choice. The desire to teach requires some level of accessibility, vulnerability and servitude. How does one teach those skills adequately?

One thing that I love about yoga is the eight limbs: all of them. They provide a true life long path for spiritual growth and self realization. They are the backbone also on how and what to teach. The cornerstone of a solid practice transcends merely the physical aspects; after all, we are profound and lovely spiritual beings. The path is not straight, very long, and often times cluttered by the weeds of vritti (fluctuation of the mind) and klesha (afflictions or sufferings), but it is a glorious path nonetheless. Having spent some time entrenching oneself into the signature of each of the limbs brings dimension and richness to the overall development of your being. Teaching from that place can pack an inspirational punch.

The spectrum of eight limbs is not for everybody coming into a teacher training, day one, all at one time. The connection between student and the teacher should be one that can layer themes, build on ideas gradually then play them out in one's own life and yoga practice. Working with their teacher who faciliates showing how all the factors are woven together, and should withstand the test of time, especially a time so fleeting as 200 hours.

It is my hope that together we can mindfully create a community of great yogi yoga teachers, and through our experiences do our best to truly walk the walk and bring the fruits of our journey to the program.

It is my hope you will join us and the different yoga studios that will be participating this year, to experience the essence of the heart of yoga in a complete way, offering up the right tools in the right way for your development, inspired yogi, or aspiring yogi yoga teacher.

There is only one two hundred hour program available this year in Washington state, and it starts April 12th. Early registration ends February 1st.

More information can be found at www.sattvayogaonline.com/teacher-training/power-vinyasa or info@sattvayogaonline.com. 

(You can check out our Kids' Teachers Training here: http://sattvayogaonline.com/teacher-training/kids-yoga/)

Kids’ Yoga and the Bigger Picture: How Children’s Yoga Teachers Can Create a Better World

Teaching kids’ yoga sounds like a lot of fun—and it is fun!  The reason for a comprehensive kids’ yoga training is that it’s not easy, and there’s much more to it than entertaining kids for an hour.

It’s my goal to introduce children to yogic practices and concepts (like being relaxed in the body while maintaining an alert mind), not just yoga poses.  The truth is, all children really need is lots of time for free play outside to learn all they need to know about themselves and life.  It’s a sad thing, but most kids don’t get that in these modern busy times, and that’s where children’s yoga can be beneficial.

Often in the "real" world, we ask our children to suppress their natural instincts to make noise and move in odd, loud and distracting ways.  As children’s yoga teachers, we learn to manage the loud, energetic, controlled chaos in a way that teaches them impulse control and ultimately how to have a “loud” body and quiet mouth.  In this program, you’ll learn many games that assist you in managing the group without extinguishing  their natural (and correct) impulses for experience and understanding in the physical world—creating better humans and yogis in the process.  For the children, these kinds of exercises are the beginnings of discovering that the body is separate from the consciousness and one can be relaxed in the body with an alert mind, and/or have an alert, active body and calm mind.

Really understanding child development (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual) is critical to designing age appropriate yoga classes that actually teach the child yoga, rather than take them through a series of entertaining physical movements and games.   For example, until age 8 or so, they are practically in their own magical world, and the messages should be hidden in the stories, songs, games and poses—much like children’s fairy tales.   It helps me to think of the kids as little spiritual creatures who are new inhabitants of a body and the physical world and they are just testing things out to see what they can do.  I think when we stifle this as children, we end up as overly individualized adults, which in my opinion, creates humans unaware of the group. The question, which kids understand and seek to answer, is NOT "how do I become powerful?", but "what do I do with all this power?"

This is why we spend an entire weekend just on child development and how to teach yogic practices and concepts to children in a developmentally appropriate way.  We want you to leave with all the tools to create your own children’s yoga experience.  Don’t worry, we’ll teach you all the games, songs and stories we know, but we’ll also teach you how to create your own.  And it’s through this process that you become a teacher of yoga to children and understand them better.

Ultimately, as kids’ yoga teachers, if we do our jobs well, we help them learn the tools to manage their power and channel it effectively for the benefit of humanity, thereby doing our part to create happier humans and a better world.  It’s the most important work, and I hope you’ll join us in Spring 2013.

“I really want to say how happy I am and thank you for all your great help and teaching.  I leave classes smiling and so happy to be doing what I do now.  I have a 3-4 year old class, a kindergarten class, elementary class and a middle school class.”

 ~B.C., 2012 Little Friends Yoga Kids’ Yoga Teacher Training Graduate

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: lizdoyle@msn.com

http://sattvayogaonline.com/teacher-training/kids-yoga/

 

Life's Meat Tenderizer

In the past 50 days (original writing 4/8/12), the Universe has asked me to let go of some important things in my life. It started with my 20 year old cat's death. Two weeks later, my 90 year old grandmother, with whom I was very close, died. Five short weeks later, my 15 year old cat died. For those without pets, it may be difficult to understand the loss, but these were creatures with whom I had my longest relationships outside of my family.

In spite of, or maybe because of the pain, I've learned a lot through these experiences. It has been a gift to be with each of them when they died. And I've learned lessons from all of them. My cat, Tiffy, was the poster cat for acceptance of all circumstances, unconditional love, joy and contentment. My grandmother was a dignified woman, who made me feel important, that I had special gifts to offer the world, and they should be shared through the things about which I am passionate. My other cat, Maddie, demanded from me full engagement, and she taught me discernment; she was a unique cat, but did not share herself indiscriminately.

Having experienced this "Trifecta of Death" in such a compressed time has left me feeling pretty roughed up, but I can see the value in it. An image became very clear to me a couple of days ago-the process of tenderizing meat. It feels like Life sprinkled a powder of experience on me, and Universal Timing took its spiky metal hammer and pounded the crap out of me. I realized that there were really two options: become hardened by the experience in an effort to shield myself from further sadness, or allow it to strip away all the BS and tenderize my heart. Believe me, I could use some tenderizing. I can often be without sentiment, too direct in my speech and unsympathetic. Pain has helped me understand the importance of leaving people with a good feeling about themselves after being in my presence. I'm not sure I'll get it perfectly anytime soon, but you can bet I'll be trying a lot harder.

There has also been an unexpected lesson for me. Respect for everyone's life situation, even if it seems unjust and beyond their control. I can recall situations from my own life-- some I chose unwisely, others felt more imposed upon me-where someone could have intervened and helped me. I can say with complete certainty that I benefited in untold ways from all of my experiences, good and bad. I hope I will not be misunderstood; it is important to help when necessary. I suppose what I'm saying is that I'm redefining "necessary" and hopefully I'm not nearly as arrogant as I was 7 weeks ago to think I know best for everyone. I think I understand what "live and let live" means.
There's also recognition for me now that I am not in charge. I'd like to think I'm holding the reigns, but I understand in a new way that I cannot see the whole picture and as the Desiderata says, "whether or not it is clear to you, the Universe is unfolding as it should." What I can control is the managing of myself through the processes that present themselves in my life.

Sound like a bunch of junk a former "cat lady" minus one grandma tells herself to feel better? Maybe, but it works. I DO feel better. And more grateful, more aware, more connected, and hopefully, a little more tenderized by Life's occasional bludgeoning. The good news is that I am still alive to do some good with my new knowledge.

If you want to read the blog post I wrote after my grandmother died last month, click HERE.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to seeing you in the practice room.

Much love,
Liz

P.S. Another odd bit of timing related to all of this was a reminder I got today about a special practice I am doing on June 3^rd when Venus transits the Sun. The message of the practice to commemorate this galactic event is shedding the layers of protection that hide the True Self, allowing our actions to come from a place of purer intention. Two hours of fun, good work, and self-reflection- all for $20. If that sounds good to you, call Yogabliss to register, 206-275-2300, and I'll see you there!

Ashes to Ashes: Reflections on Death

Steve Jobs’ death a while back connected me with death in a way I’d never been before. At age 45, I’m officially “middle aged”, I’m the age my grandmothers were the day I was born, and even my parents’ eventual death seems an actual possibility to me. Now that I’m at or approaching “the back nine”, it’s been a time of inventory and reckoning. Am I doing what I’m supposed to be doing? Am I where I am a supposed to be? I have perhaps another 45-55 productive years
if I’m lucky, what do I want to do with them?

I read a quote somewhere a month ago, which I cannot find, so I must paraphrase: “the events of your Life are preparing you for your Destiny”. It’s so true, even the seemingly insignificant or unwanted experiences all accumulate to prepare you for “the next thing”.

My new found kinship with Death began with the demise of Steve Jobs 5 months ago. Meanwhile, I’m caring for my aging cat (Tiffy) of 19 years, my longest relationship excepting my family. For me, the care of my cat was emotionally very connected to my 90 year old grandmother in a care facility. Almost 3 weeks ago, I had to put Tiffy down. As I held her while she was dying there was a fleeting recognition that this experience was an opportunity for me to practice for my grandmother’s death. There have been many times when I’ve seen the fruits of my yoga practice, and it was especially apparent when Tiffy died. I knew the moment she left her body, and I did not have the attachment to her corpse that I expected.

The practice of yoga is all about death—severing attachments to our physical form, seeking Knowledge of the Atman (Soul) within. So much of my practice following Tiffy’s death was allowing my grief to move through me, this in-my-face reminder of the ephemeral nature of my body helping me be less identified with these “clothes” I’ve chosen for this Life. The practice
has been a true comfort, not to mention the blessings of valuable coping and adapting skills acquired over the years.

Not two weeks later, my parents called to say my grandmother was in the hospital. She was 90, on oxygen for 5 years, and it didn’t look good. Within 36 hours she was dead. She and I were very close when I was little, and maintained a connection my whole life that was strengthened when I lived with her for 3 months as her primary caregiver prior to her move into a care facility. I had visited her a few weeks before, and knew we had no unfinished business, so I was not concerned with the fact she was unconscious by the time I arrived at the hospital.

Though the situation saddened me, it still seemed exactly as it should be. My father handled it with admirable spiritual maturity. For the first time, I saw him expressing his grief and sadness with tears, not afraid to show his emotion to his family. He said that he did not want her to suffer and he wanted to be with her when she died. And he was. My dad, my mom, and I were with her when she left her body. Once again, I knew exactly when she left. And it felt right. I had no idea what a gift it is when someone allows you to be present when they die. It may sound crazy and morbid, but I’m grateful I was able to see her off. I read recently someone drawing a parallel between birth and death—both are transitions, whether intense and traumatic or smooth and easy, that we must voyage to get to the new world—and it’s a privilege to be invited.

Grandma was one of Life’s greatest yoga teachers for me. (You can read about one of the more humorous lessons in a previous blog post: http://yogawithliz.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-family-best-yoga-teachers.html?m=1.) She taught me, through her Life and Death, that Life is precious. Breath is precious. EVERY thing, EVERY experience is valuable, whether joyful or unpleasant. She also taught me that some of our Life Experiences may not be for us, but for the benefit or lesson of others, and this is a cherished offering to those around us. I learned from her not to waste a minute on anything , to do what I was put on this earth to do, to love and treasure my family and friends, and to appreciate all that I receive in Life. I know that Death is coming, and through yoga I practice death, which provides a contrast to underscore the importance of being fully alive while I have the chance. Through the glimpses of what’s beyond matter and the physical form, I hope I accept Death gracefully when it comes, knowing it’s just the thing I have to do to get to the next thing—whatever that is.