In early September last year, I taught my first yoga class. I planned it for about three weeks, and thought it went OK. More classes followed, with lots more preparation, and I began to get more comfortable in the role.
It was January though, before I taught a class without planning it out. I just didn't have the time to do it, but found that I had enough stored up from the 4 prior months. Over time, I did less specific planning, and more general preparation. I stopped worrying that I wouldn't know what to do, and began thinking about how to keep things fresh and interesting - how to avoid a rut of teaching the same thing the same way for too long.
I explored some different approaches, including picking 5 poses for a week and using them in all my classes, from beginning to advanced, in appropriate ways. I taught short courses, focusing on breath for one, and shoulders for another, which focused me to dig deeper and carried out into my general teaching.
Now, heading into the fall term, I have almost 330 hours of teaching behind me. I'm at ease in the teaching role, but always looking to broaden and deepen my teaching. Each class has unique challenges and opportunities. Tonight I had a good number of new students - some new to the studio, and some new to yoga. I have to be observant and adaptable - which I always should be, but it's more obvious in this situation. I think it went OK.
Much has changed in the past year, and I want it to keep changing. I never want to find that I'm just "phoning it in."
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