Yoga and the Broadcaster

Today...I had an epiphany! I have four days left at my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Frog Lotus Yoga...and the light bulb is now full-on! The lead instructor called me out on my sanskrit...and my use of extraneous words, and suggested I should teach a little less with my hands. She continued by saying, she knows I'm a broadcast journalist and I have a command of communicating. She's right! I am a broadcaster and do have a strong command of communicating. I started to think...maybe if I had a grading rubric, I would be able to step up my Shanti! Immediately, the rubric I use for grading new military broadcasters came to mind. There are nine graded areas and they sure do seem to lend themselves perfectly to teaching yoga.

1) Voice Quality: Depending on the class you're teaching you need to make sure your quality and tone support. Additionally, your voice quality must change throughout the class. In the beginning a calm and steady voice invites the students to be present. If teaching a vinyasa class, your cadence and directness must increase as the flow-tempo increases. At the end, in savasana, once again a calming, soft voice is required.

2) Vocal Energy: Your vocal energy must match the class you're teaching. Broadcasters rely on finding the "mood" of the story to determine their energy. In yoga...it is the type of class. For a slow-flow Hatha class, NO ONE IS WANTING A CHEERLEADER! However, after 45-minutes of a Vinyasa 3-4, a little pep just might be what the doctor ordered. (sorry won't unbold!)

3) Word Grouping: Are you leaving your students wondering what is happening next, or do you formulate (and actually speak) specific directions? Ever taken the class where you were left in a precarious position due to the instructor being lost in thought? That's word grouping.

4) Stress & Intonation: Let's face it...sanskrit can be a bitch! Body parts tend to blend. Was that drishti, or samasthiti?

5) Communication of Ideas: Was the class completely esoteric, or were there some easily to digest pieces of information that you can gain traction with? How many times did the instructor say, "UM?" Were there any "crutch" words and phrases? How many times can I "really enjoy the stretch?" What if I'm not enjoying the stretch? You know when you have a great instructor when he tells you what he wants you to do exactly. "Lengthen your side body as you inhale and reach through the fingertips."

6) Articulation: This is always fun...Try being a voice and diction coach, then attend a yoga school with folks from all over the country. I'm pretty certain many of these students don't know what an "r" sound is! One of my favorite instructors is a guy from Vermont. His articulation would put a cringe in my neck at my other job...but is very charming in this yoga setting.

7) Word Recognition/Comprehension: Broadcasters have proper nouns, yogis have sanskrit and anatomy. Mispronounce someones name...lose credibility forever. Invite a class to explore Adhra Mukha Savasana...and you'll get the "what-what" look. (Adho Mukha Svanasana- Down Dog)

8) Overall Performance: This is pretty easy to tell how well you did in yoga. If students hug you, or keep coming back with more friends...then you're money. If you're all alone, you might want to review the first seven graded areas.

9) Following Instructions: Did you in fact just teach an all-levels class? If you did, you provided modifications for the novice and the advanced yogi in the class. Check your ego, maybe even ask for some candid feedback from time to time.

I kind of wish I would have thought about this on Day 1, instead of Day 24!

No Dairy...And No Cheese...It's Not What You Think!

So as many of you know, my loving doctor informed me almost three months ago that I could no longer have dairy. In fact, her words were, "you can longer have cheese, tomatoes, and peppers." To which I replied, "I literally eat cheese, tomatoes, and peppers...EVERYDAY!" Back to my current story. I have not had any dairy for nearly three months now. I've switched from half and half to soy creamer...which now I actually prefer. I've switched my whole milk for almond milk...which is also very good. For the past month and a half...I've also been meat free...vegetarian! Believe it or not, I really don't miss the meat, or most of the dairy...what I miss most is the CHEESE! I LOVE CHEESE. The picture is one of my all-time favorite, Asiago Fresco. I was at the store tonight and I bought some olives. They were right next to the cheese. My mouth started watering...and then I came to a yoga realization. Thus the connection to my yoga journey!

I'm thinking about asking for my money back because I really don't think the students are really all "fully present." Even though I'm not a fully trained yoga instructor yet...I know when a class is present and when they are not!

This pose is called Ananda Balasana, aka: Happy Baby. I can not fully express this pose because I have tightness in my hip flexors and my lower back won't soften to the floor. Thus, I'm not a good barometer for being "fully present." When students are "fully present" in this pose, (here comes the dairy connection) they more often than not...cut the cheese! Yep, that's right, fart, toot, pass gas, float...whatever you call it...IT HAPPENS IN HAPPY BABY! Except in my Yoga Teacher Training class right now. Come on...we've been here for two and a half weeks. Let it go! It's totally natural and it's kind of like burping after a good meal. It is MAD PROPS to the instructor. Show some love. I'm kind of sad! Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the class in some kind of solidarity has decided since I can't have cheese, they won't cut the cheese. If that's the case...then this is the best class EVER!

Try It On!

Jennifer Yarro is the lady who is running my Yoga Teacher Training here at Frog Lotus Yoga.
On day 1 while talking about the different options she was going to be offering us, she said, "Try it on...you might not like it yet, but try it on!"

Those words really resonated with me since I'm trying a whole lot of different things (on) right now. I'm basically a non-willing vegan, I'm not eating my favorite veg, and currently I'm asking my body to sit still for 30-minutes at a clip...oh and I'm not talking (Mon-Sat) until 9:15AM. Of course there is also the fact I'm learning a new language, sanskrit, and practicing yoga for 2hrs daily. That is a lot of things to try on...at one time.

But, I'm willing to try it on! Sure there are somethings that are "fitting" better than others. Yes, it is easy to try some of the things I'm trying in my little yoga-bubble...and I think that is OK! Maybe you can't make a "bubble," but you surely can "try something on!" Last night was a huge test for me. All of my classmates had delicious pizza, while I ate dairy free, tomato free, gluten free, and nightshade veg free pizza. (On my facebook page one of my friends suggested it was also taste free!) While my pizza was not nearly as mouth-watering as the others...it really wasn't that bad. Maybe even a good start for me to explore and try different variations. Check out the difference between my pizza and my friend's Melissa's pizza. I think her's might be a better "fit" for me.

So...I'm trying a lot of things on right now. Some I will keep, other's I may not. I'm OK with what it is I'm trying to do right now. Which one is the better fit for you? I'm no longer talking about pizza, rather something you've been wanting to "try on!" Give it a try. You may not be able to make a big yoga bubble like I'm in, but I know you can make a little bubble and try one or two things on. What's the worse thing that can happen? You stop?