Thank You Mother Nature

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Final Reflection

I feel like I’ve been in “Dancing with the Stars” doing the Tango moving back and forth in this love hate relationship with technology and the computer. First, I get going along enjoying photo sharing, pod casting, you tubing and then the dance changes into the hate mode, it all seems like I’m doing it for the first time and I don’t have a clue what to do, which is what’s happening to me now as I try to finish the portfolio. Pod casting was fun to work with I can see it having its benefits for the students in a yoga class. They could download it listening to me explaining pranayama and meditation techniques to refresh their memories outside the class, I whipped right through pod casting! Jing I would like to practice with more to improve my skills so I could use it to share with the students the many limbs of yoga that they want to deepen their knowledge of. Wow, I’m on You Tube! That was fun to do, another great tool to deepen the practice of yoga for the students when they want to know more. I could demonstrate asanas, pranayama, even meditation exercises. Way Cool! So, the music is ending and I will finish my dance with my computer and technology. I enjoyed the class, teachers and friends that I met in the 8 weeks. ~ Namaste~

Thank You

Friday, April 9, 2010

My Philosophy on Teaching

My philosophy on teaching yoga to the students is to always move from your heart space and breathe, allowing the mind to rest and renew while being in their yoga practice. I offer them the principles and practices of the 5000 year old philosophy of healing and inner development of Hatha yoga, through understanding basic asanas correctly and safely, explaining the basic theory, introduce the Sanskrit names for each of the asanas, breathing techniques, meditation, to have them experience the benefits of a yoga practice as it relates to other physical activities in their daily lives. I will invite questions and ideas to encourage them to deepen their studies and practice. I love to see the change in the students as they walk out of the class having more self esteem and feeling good about them self. It can be very challenging and frustrating to a student in the classroom, so I bring in a lot of humor and show them it is okay to laugh and not to be so serious and critical about them self and life. I love to say to the students, “Let your inner child out be playful with yourself and life”.

I was reading in a book called Yoga Gems and found this passage by Swami Chetananada, The Dual Purpose of the Teacher

The role of the teacher is basically twofold: to arouse the deepest creative power of Life present within you; then, to support you as this power unfolds. As this happens, the creative power of Life makes you aware of the intimate inter-relationship of all spirit and matter, and of the oneness of all spirit. Supported by the teacher, you enter into an experience of union not only with the teacher, but also with that teacher in whom your own teacher is unified, and with the Teacher from whom all things have come forth….