| Like a fish unaware of the polluted waters it lives in, | | | | an aura of peace. If they feel agitation, I ask them |
| we are so surrounded and infused with stress that | | | | to internally resolve: "Next time, I will do this pose |
| we don't even know it's here. As yoga teachers, part | | | | with a heightened awareness to create more peace. |
| of our job is to teach our students to become | | | | More peace." Then I ask them to open their eyes |
| aware of when, where, and why they are stressed. | | | | and move into the next pose. |
| Chronic stress, constant fatigue, and incessant | | | | We feel peaceful only when we feel safe. As soon |
| stimulation are an integral part of our culture, so five | | | | as we feel fear, our primeval animal nature is roused |
| cups of coffee are an unfortunate part of many | | | | and our sympathetic nervous system triggers the |
| people's daily routine. It's no wonder that stress has | | | | "fight or flight" response. Hence, it is our duty as |
| become the way they feel connected to their world. | | | | teachers to make sure our students feel safe in |
| Our duty, in part, is to help our students break this | | | | class. When they do, their parasympathetic system |
| popular addiction to stress and stimulation. We must | | | | comes to the fore, allowing self-exploration and |
| remind our students that stress is not an | | | | healing. Self-exploration is hardly a priority for one |
| indispensable part of life. Peace is. | | | | who lives in fear. As our leaders demonstrate, with |
| During class, frequently remind your students to | | | | appalling regularity, fearful people are more concerned |
| pause and feel what they are doing, both while they | | | | about defense and countering the aggressive force |
| are performing a pose and immediately after. While | | | | of an "enemy," even though the enemy is usually in |
| they are doing their poses, ask your students to feel | | | | their own mind, and often is their own mind. When a |
| the weight of their body dropping into their heels, or | | | | student appears to be fearful, ask yourself, "What |
| feel the pressure of their fingertips pressing into the | | | | have I done to make this student feel unsafe? What |
| ground. The mind automatically enters a reflective | | | | have I not done to make the student feel safe? Is |
| state when asked to observe what is going on inside | | | | the student reflecting my doubts or fears? If so, do |
| the body. | | | | I have enough training to teach what I am teaching? |
| As your students pause after each pose or after | | | | Is my egoistic desire to appear competent creating |
| each flowing series, encourage them to bring | | | | fear in my students and destroying their |
| awareness into their bodies and create equanimity in | | | | peacefulness? Or has this student dragged her own |
| their minds before proceeding. Closing the eyes | | | | fears into class? If so, how can I put this student's |
| creates calmness because the body responds by | | | | mind at ease and help her feel safe?" |
| shifting the nervous system from its active, | | | | Our classes should be tranquil antidotes to the |
| sympathetic state to its quiet, parasympathetic state. | | | | feverish fervor of modern life, giving our students |
| Opening the eyes reverses this. For example, when | | | | time to tune in, pause, and feel. Let us not reduce |
| students have finished Balasana (Child's Pose) after | | | | our classes to just one more hectic episode in a |
| Shirshansana (Headstand), I ask them to come out | | | | student's day, one more unrelenting blur of intense |
| of Balasana with their eyes open, sit on their heels in | | | | activity. Uninspired teaching creates sweat alone. |
| Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose), and then close their | | | | Inspired teaching creates a connection with the |
| eyes. I ask them to tune in and feel whether | | | | peace of the soul. |
| Shirshasana has left behind a remnant of agitation or | | | | |