Subbing in a new Space 2.29.08

Today I subbed for Tucker Adams at Sacred Space. Her 9:30am gentle yoga class is comprised of mostly seniors. I was nervous about walking in the door this morning. I woke up early and sat at the dining room table drinking mate and reviewing Tucker's sequence from last week. Eating my sprout grain bread and almond butter spread, I flipped through my Elderly Teacher Training manual for more material.

For one thing, it seems more difficult to sub a class than to teach your very own ongoing class. Students usually have certain expectations (and for good reason)- they become accustomed to the voice, mannerisms, style, and pace that their teacher has to offer. I remember my days practicing at Yoga Center Santa Cruz. On occasion when my teacher would have someone sub for her, I would peek my head in the door and turn around and walk right back to my bicycle, because it wasn't Mitra!
So I understand that having a sub can rock the boat in your yoga practice...

Another interesting factor is the room. As I walked around the enormous warehouse of a studio this morning, I noticed that I could barely hear my voice. It sounded softer and a bit more timid than at Lulu Bandha's. I wasn't on my home turf.

When I teach at Lulu's I feel held by the space. There is a certain pure vibration that radiates in the studio. Some would say it's the acoustics, but to me, it's this sensation of feeling held, supported by a force that is bigger than all of us. The world that comes to mind is, Divine. As I prepare to teach a restorative class, I will sit for a moment and listen to get clear. Showing up as myself, being present, and channeling the sensations, the teaching that are coming up from the heart and through me. That is the essence of yoga, right.

Notes to Self about subbing this gentle yoga class:
look more- teaching gentle yoga to seniors requires lots of looking.
most of time, peeps will be uncomfortable in a pose and stay there, thinking that they need to work thru the pain and discomfort. It takes seeing the "mis-alignment"
to ask them, "are you comfortable, would you like to try this?"