Thanks for the support!!

I can't thank you all enough for providing positive feedback and comments.  It helps so very much -- this evening was rough, at least in my mind.  It can be frustrating when you do your "homework" as instructed, and it compromises  your delivery of the dialogue.  Then the new coach criticizes you exclusively for doing what you were told to do.  Grrrrrrrrrrr.

But here's the thing:  When I get back and start my apprenticeship, it might be a little rough at the beginning, but as I find my own way, I KNOW I will be a great yoga instructor.  As I mentioned in the last post, I may have a different style than others, but I know that there will be people who appreciate my style.  In addition, I am not the best yoga practitioner in the world, not even close, but the fact that I struggle in so many poses will help me have compassion for those who also struggle, and with that compassion, encouragement and use of the dialogue, I will help people.  

Last week we saw a recent news clip of Rajashree talking about the benefits of Bikram yoga and while she talked, they were showing some rubber band of a human doing a bunch of poses in the 26/2, but this bendy person was ALSO doing very advanced poses.  In my opinion, anyone who watched that, even though Rajashree said that it's for everyone, probably thought, "Well, I can't bend like that, I can't do that yoga, they're crazy if they think I can do that"!  One of the things I will insist upon if I ever get the opportunity to participate in any kind of news coverage, is saying that I struggled for two years to get my hips on the floor in fixed firm, I am still working toward getting my head on the floor in many poses, and stretching my hamstrings still is a challenge, but I'm better than I was and I will continue to improve, and so can YOU!!!!  In a visual, I will insist that there be both super-bendy  and a regular-bendy  human so people can see the natural variation in the yoga practice.  

Sorry for the preaching, I'm a little worked up tonight.  Should be learning camel, but I won't be able to until I get all this off my chest.

I also think that at this stage in the training, we know our group members more than some of the coaches.  Although coaches have information that can provide benefit, I think the system would  be better if we had one or two members of our own team up there as coaches to discuss and encourage, to identify steady improvement, and to consult with the senior teacher/coach because what he/she wants to say, may NOT be what that person needs to hear to improve!

Perfect example:  One person from our team stood up tonight and delivered a very strong dialogue and showed fabulous improvement.  From where she had started weeks ago, it was a great delivery!  The coach, however, said to her in a squeaky voice, "you have a squeaky voice".  You should have seen her face drop.  Not only was it not what she needed to hear, it negated all of the positive feedback that came before.  This young woman will not remember any of that, she'll just remember that "she has a squeaky voice".  If we had a person from our team on the committee of coaches, we would be able to communicate her progress, her strengths and also coach HOW to deliver criticisms in a way that the person can receive it in a positive manner.  Oh well, wishful thinking, but thanks for letting me get it off my chest.  

And thanks again for the positive comments, support and questions.  It does help so very much. Now I need to learn Camel.  

  

Love to all,  Lucille