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Spring 2000
NAMASTE,
Several years ago I wrote a series of newsletters suggesting some of the requirements I feel are necessary for being a good yoga teacher. In those essays, I discussed a number of responsibilities that accompany the decision to be a teacher and emphasized some of the qualities I think it takes to be a good one.
Students have responsibilities, too, and there are qualities that make a good student as well. Learning yoga, at least the way we approach it here at Unity Woods, is not simply purchasing a product. You are, as a student, entering into an agreement by which you have an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop your practice of yoga. As with any agreement, both sides have obligations to fulfill if the agreement is to work. So let's take a look at what some of the students' responsibilities are.
I suspect that some students come in with the idea that all they have to do is show up. Of course, that is the first order of business - you do have to come to class to get what we have to offer. Quite frankly, I learned solely from books for the first three years of my yoga practice. It is possible to learn a lot about yoga without going to class. The reason for attending classes, though, is to accelerate your learning process, help you to avoid dead-end paths in your practice, and assist you with any problems that may arise. In attending classes, a good student should observe a few basic rules. Most of them are simple rules of courtesy.
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Be on time. If you are late, your entry is a distraction to the teacher and to the rest of the class. Beyond the issue of courtesy, you also do yourself a disservice by coming late, since the class is put together in such a way that the opening prepares you for what is to come.
Pay attention. The teacher is up there trying her best to convey the beauty and subtlety of yoga and it is her job to keep the ball rolling; but as in any interaction, some effort on your part is required. It is just plain rude to be glancing around the room, yawning, cleaning your fingernails, looking bored and uninterested, or chatting with your neighbor. If your teacher is boring, find another teacher. Believe me, there are definitely teachers who can make the subject come alive for you. Keep looking - it's worth it.
Be respectful. Your teacher is (or should be) a professional who has devoted years to the study and practice of yoga. You may, either by previous study or reading or hearsay, have your own ideas about yoga. Leave them at the door. Be an empty vessel so that you can receive what the teacher has to offer. I don't mean that the teacher knows everything or is infallible. If something doesn't make sense or doesn't seem to work for you, you should feel free to ask about it. And the teacher should be delighted to try to help clarify, adjust, or correct the situation; after all, that's what he's there for. But challenging a teacher or insisting on your own opinion in class is disrespectful and puts significant impediments in the path of your learning. If you have serious disagreements or problems with your teacher, talk with him outside of class. If you don't trust your teacher's knowledge and/or intentions, I would suggest speaking to him, and if that is unsatisfactory, find another teacher.
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Beyond these simple rules of courtesy are a few things that, if observed, can make you a much better student and make your experience with yoga significantly more rewarding.
Something to keep in mind that may help you to be a good student is that we're not really teaching you yoga; we're teaching you how to practice so that you can discover yoga for yourself. To be a good student, it is important to practice. I know that this is may be demoralizing, since establishing a practice is the most difficult part of yoga. Still, no practice, no yoga. You wouldn't expect to learn to play the piano by playing just once a week during your lesson. Why would you expect that yoga would be different? You can have an experience; you might enjoy yourself; you will learn something - but if you don't practice, you won't really do more than scratch the surface of yoga.
More than anything else, the issue of practice separates the ordinary student from the good student. How much you practice; what you practice; how you practice - all of these things will determine whether you progress and how rapidly. And a good student is one who makes progress, grows in his/her practice, brings enthusiasm to the exploration of her/himself through yoga, and finds joy and illumination in the process.
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This will happen more readily if you don't worry about getting it right. Instead, observe carefully what you are doing and what the results are. Each person's needs and abilities are different, and you will have to adjust what you learn in class to your own capacity and requirements. This is another reason why practice is so important.
Put your full effort into it. Yoga is always in accord with the laws of the universe, and one of those laws is that you get out what you put in. By effort, I don't necessarily mean physical straining and forcing. More often than not the effort of directing your attention and energy is more important and productive than just working hard physically - and more difficult.
These are a few of the things that will help you to become a good student. Of course, the entire discussion raises the issue of good and bad - a bit of a sticky wicket. On one level, of course, there is no good or bad anything - teacher, student, person. We are just playing our parts in the dance of Being, and playing those parts perfectly. But we do use those terms - good, bad - in the course of our lives. Good drivers, bad shots, good taste, bad time, etc. It is that level that I am addressing, and on that level, some students are better than others. More importantly, whether or not someone is a good student is not something that can be measured on an objective scale. It is a complex question that takes into consideration what the student brings to the process, what the student wants from yoga, what the teacher brings to the process, and what the teacher wants from the student. Some teachers and students want to teach/learn increasingly fancier and more difficult poses. Other teachers and students want to teach/learn how to feel comfortable and happy. Some teachers and students want simply to be present, with all that that implies. The only good reason for being a good student is that in so doing, you will taste the sweetness of the fruit of yoga more readily.
In the limited space available, I have only cracked the door ajar on this question. If you are interested in peering further inside, I invite you to our discussion group on Sunday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. in Bethesda. As always, refreshments will be served and all are welcome free of charge.
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