This week, I had the infinite pleasure of meeting Nicole Taylor, who is trained as a Yoga Warrior instructor, a yoga practice that is designed specifically to assist soldiers in coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as the daily and specific stresses that military members are exposed to. The classes are also open to those who are first responders, such as paramedics and firefighters, who also witness emotionally difficult experiences. Each class is designed to relieve many of the common symptoms of PTSD, including jumpiness, feelings of agitation and anxiety. The concept of Yoga Warriors is especially close to my heart since I was a forth-generation soldier, having served almost a decade after my dad served for thirty-five years before me. This is a photo of me, just a year ago, proudly donning my air force uniform.

Nicole Taylor is the only Canadian to be a trained Yoga Warrior instructor, as Yoga Warriors started in the United States. If you would like to read more about Nicole, please click here, to read a local news article from the Barrie Examiner Newspaper. If I could paint a picture for readers as to the perfect person to lead this kind of practice, Nicole would be the model upon which I would base my drawing. When I walked into the studio (located in Barrie, ON, at Ann Green Bliss Yoga Studio), she was warm and inviting, non-judgemental and informative, kind and compassionate. She was quick to answer all of my questions and was more than willing to share about this innovative method, even when answering the questions from my dad, the ultimate skeptic. As a yoga virgin, he was a little more than nervous to be “getting all touchy-feely,” which is how he (and many other soldiers) describes anything that relates to any sort of emotional experience. But donned in our yoga gear and entering the studio with open minds, we settled into our mats and prepared ourselves for the Yoga Warrior experience.

The class was very much a Hatha style, with great meditation both before and after the session with a small group of just six people. There was specific focus on mindfulness, allowing ourselves to remain in the present and be aware of our surroundings. The largest difference between other Hatha classes I’ve taken was in the approach and words that were used. It has been my experience that sometimes, the terminology used in classes can be off-putting to those trained to be “tough” and business-minded. To say the very least, we aren’t really a crowd accustomed to “getting in touch with ourselves” or picturing grassy meadows and saying words like Namaste. Nicole used words that were accessible and realistic, which is key to reaching those who aren’t familiar with this type of practice.

Working a yoga class around groups of soldiers can be no easy task. Serving in the Forces is a job that demands a certain kind of detachment from oneself, when working conditions and traumatic experiences get the better of us. Especially for those soldiers who have deployed and been put in harms way, the response, upon returning home, can often be to detach from both yourself and the people who love you as a means of coping. We soldiers are trained to respond logically and use our training in each and every situation we encounter, which usually doesn’t leave much room for emotional response. We are taught to “soldier on,” which means we are to continue on no matter the pain, be it physical or mental. Sometimes, this mentality is necessary to survive and sometimes, it only teaches us to retreat into ourselves, never to come out again. This is where Yoga Warriors comes in, and in my opinion, this innovative practice is about the spread like wildfire across Canada and hopefully, across the world. Nicole also teaches classes on several military bases, with many commanders getting on board, acknowledging that their troops need methods to cope with the stress of their work and experiences.

My dad still isn’t sure how he feels about yoga, but we’re headed back to Yoga Warriors this coming Wednesday. For the lovely Nicole Taylor, full of positivity and energy and dedication to her work with our soldiers and veterans, I am in awe of the work you do and the passion you bring to the studio. Thank you for sharing your gift and expanding the minds of our soldiers and their leaders.

In the meantime, you’ve created a new Yoga Warrior who both salutes and stretches, all in one day.

Kelly

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photo credit: orchidgalore

We are all students in life, aren’t we? Be it our yoga practices, meditation, academics or just every day living, we continue to learn as life goes on. Alas, it is impossible to talk about learning without talking about teachers, and what it is that makes them great, as teachers in life take many forms.

My favourite teacher of all time was Mrs. Walsh. Oddly, I had her as a mentor for four years in a row, from grades 4-7. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I was a painfully quiet and lonely child, often more stressed than smiling. She recognized that in me and took the time to develop my social abilities, always teaching with a sense of humour, an extraordinarily compassionate spirit and a kind heart. Essentially, she changed my life. So these are the qualities that I look for in all the teachers who help me on the path of learning.

I look for the same characteristics today, in my yoga teachers. Because of my injury, I need a teacher who does not judge me for my lack of ability, and instead, praises the things I can do, despite my disability. I need a teacher who is compassionate of all of the people in the room, because everyone else and their needs are equally as important. I also need a yoga teacher who is patient. During a very intense power yoga class, in which we were all bent into the fiftieth iteration of downward dog, the teacher came up to me (no doubt frustrated for the tenth time of having to tell me to point my fingers forward) and violently twisted my hands into the appropriate direction. Hmm. Not helpful at all. To show for this, my fingers bruised up so badly afterwards that I literally couldn’t wear gloves for a month. And for those of you from the southern Ontario area, you know how vital gloves are in the winter months.

Yes, I need a yoga teacher who is all those things. And perhaps those criteria extend beyond just that of my yoga teacher, but all of the teachers in my life.

So I put this question out to you, the readers; What makes a great teacher? When you think back on your life, to all the people who have touched it, what characteristics did those people possess that made you want to learn from them? How did they contribute to who you are today?

Whatever those criteria may be, never stop learning. Embrace that no matter how much we think we know, we always have more to learn. Even the most learned of yogis will tell you that no yoga practice is the example of perfection. All we can do is find our own way.

Kelly

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1. Teacher of Yoga
2. The good, the bad, and the Bikram
3. Why Pigeon Pose Makes Me Smile

My sister and I before a very tasty turkey dinner last year

Like most Canadian’s, I’ve returned to last week and I am having a hard time coming back from my turkey-induced coma, thanks to a glorious Thanksgiving dinner, combined with several tasty leftover sandwiches over the week. Alas, I have more than Tryptophan to thank for my inability to function; the previous Monday, I had my thyroid radiated with radioactive iodine in an attempt to waylay my intense Grave’s Disease symptoms. I’m now left feeling lethargic, incredibly sore, and comically swollen.

So when I nearly fell asleep at my computer this morning, I realized that I needed to find a way to bring back some vim into my life! But, considering my knee injury and my Grave’s disease, I’m not really in the best condition for doing much of anything. But it got me to thinking that when it comes to illnesses and injuries, it seems I’ve spent my entire yoga practice coming back from one or the other. And so, even though I may not be one to give advice, I’m going to give it anyways. After all, this is the voice of experience talking here. When it comes to illness and injury, there are a few steps necessary to take control of your own healing and to deepen your yoga practice:

1. Give Yourself Time. You have to give yourself permission to heal and give yourself the time that you need without punishing yourself. My friend Brian just survived a quintuple bypass, and actually, saying he survived is a bit of a misnomer, because in fact, he died for more than a minute before being revived by his wife. I digress. We were talking the other day about how difficult it is to be trapped in a body that refuses to cooperate, even though mentally, you desperately want to move on and get on with the process of getting well! How many of us have said something along the lines of, “I missed a practice today! I’ll have to do two tomorrow!” And then we feel we’ve missed the mark on the way to our spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. It’s a slippery slope to walk my friends, and if there is a most vital piece of advice I can give, this is it: Just give yourself time. The rest will come.

2. Know Your Limits. There are certain stretches that push us to the ultimate that we think we are capable. In some cases, you may have gotten yourself into a pose, but it feels impossible to hold. The thing about a yoga practice is that it is important to push yourself, or you never know what you’re capable of. However, there are times when your body is resisting because it can go no further, and you need to embrace that. Accept the limits that your body is setting and then perhaps tomorrow, you will be able to settle into a pose a little bit deeper or you will reach a profound moment in your meditation practice. Knowing your limits will keep you from getting frustrated and then allowing mental blocks to get in your way as much as the physical ones.

3. Try and Try Again. Lotus pose is my Mount Kilimanjaro and always remains a bit out of reach for me. My knee injury just doesn’t lend to the flexibility required to get into this seemingly easy pose. What’s more is that I used to be quite good at it, able to bend my legs into any complicated twist but since I broke my knee seven years ago, this pose is my nemesis. The thing is, I never stop trying to get there. I don’t ever say that I “can’t” quite make it. Today, I got halfway there. Tomorrow, I just might make it all the way. Keep on trying, folks.

So today, I needed some activity. I pulled out my yoga mat, sat cross-legged and took a few deep breaths before I began. But when I went to stretch into Cobra, the pull on my sore neck was so extremely painful that I literally cried out loud. Once I (somehow) managed to recover, I came back into my seated position and returned to my breathing. So today was not the day for getting back into the swing of things. But that’s okay. Another day, it will come. Until then, I just keep on breathing and being patient. If I give enough to my body, eventually, a day will come where it will give back to me.

Kelly

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1. Yoga for a Healthy Back
2. Getting back into the flow…literally

Jacquie Keeney, Instructor at The Asana Room

For me, yoga, much like my religion, has been more of a private practice. I used to go to classes quite often, liking the feeling of being surrounded by comrades and others who appreciated the exercises and stretches. But much like many of us do, I allowed life to get in the way, and soon, most of my practice happened at home to the tune of books, DVDs, and other instructional techniques, all of which, can be valid if done properly. But there is something to be said for instruction from a trained professional that I have always missed.

To make matters worse, seven years ago, I broke my right leg at my knee joint, and after two surgeries, five pain ablation procedures, and endless hours of physio, I am no further along in my healing process than I was the day I was injured. For those of you who don’t know, I was in the military for eight years, and recently, was released from the military due to this injury, which was caused by a week in the field doing all the fun army stuff! Sadly, my pain persists to this day.

For this reason, I allowed myself to be even more of a yoga recluse. I was embarrassed of my cumbersome leg brace or my inability to put pressure and weight on my right leg. I felt shame for not being able to move into downward dog with the same ease that I once did. Each pose is now accompanied by my grunts, groans and adjustments until the position can work for me.

I was struck in a proverbial yoga rut until recently, after talking with my friend, Jacquie, who is also a fantastic and compassionate yoga instructor at The Asana Room in Courtenay, BC. After explaining my plight, she told me that we can never learn unless we push ourselves beyond our comfort zone. She then promptly invited me to the class she teaches. Touché, Jacquie. After allaying my concerns that there would be professional yogis in the room, fully into Salamba Sirsasana, I agreed to make an appearance, full of advance apologies for not being able to do anything right.

Jacquie in Warrior Pose

I walked into the wood-laden room and instantly was filled with nerves, once again, forgetting what yoga is all about. It’s more about the journey, isn’t it? Not how I get there? Of course! I get it now! And so, filled with some semblance of confidence, the class began and I allowed myself to stretch into each Sun Salutation, reaching my arms toward the sky, and really appreciating what the move was doing for my body. When our pelvises settled into Warrior Pose, I remembered that in my previous military life, I was a warrior! And here I am, being one right now, in the moment. I am capable and strong, occasionally in ways that aren’t always physical. And it felt good to recognize that.

I went through the rest of the class somewhere on the brink between emotional and elated. I smiled when I realized I wasn’t the only one who grunted or groaned when moving into tricky poses. It’s all part of getting there and giving your body permission to make that noise. And when a certain position was too hard on my knee, I just stopped. I focused on my breath. I realized that I was taking a big step today, by putting myself, and my yoga practice, out there in the real world. I did something worthwhile today. When another pose pinched my knee, I adjusted until it worked for me. And in the room of The Asana Room, with other eager students, there was no judgement or gawking at my changes. There was acceptance.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is part of what yoga is all about. Accepting yourself, your body, and your fellow students for all that they are.

So, my thanks go out to Jacquie, for creating such a positive environment for me to practice and providing a skillfully delivered class full of diversity and relaxation. I’d be lying if I said the class didn’t challenge me, but someone wise told me that if I don’t get out of my comfort zone, I’ll never learn.

Kelly

Related posts:

1. Using yoga to come back from the turkey coma
2. What Can Yoga Do For My Aching Back?
3. How to Stretch the Shoulders, Chest and Back with Cat and Cow Pose

photo credit: Axel Bührmann

Just a quick point before we begin:  Why “Teacher” as opposed to “instructor?”  In my own view, the word “Teacher” carries with it thousands of years of honorable and deeply spiritual meaning.  “Instruct” fails to convey the deeper values and meaning of Teacher…and I don’t like the way it sounds either!

I am far from being a good teacher, which is why I offer free Yoga sessions Sunday mornings at a local park…I wouldn’t feel the students were getting the value for the money if I charged anything more than a smile, or even a half-conscious grumbled “good morning.”  It is not that my heart isn’t in the right place, but I still struggle with patience and frustration when someone just can’t “get it,” no matter how I try to explain.  The sacred position of a teacher is not something I accept lightly, and I worry I might sully the field somehow through my inept efforts.  I leave the true teaching to those more deserving the role – Yoga or otherwise.

To teach anything to others is a holy and deeply spiritual calling – even if you are an atheist with no beliefs whatsoever.  Teachers participate in the same process that the whole of creation is here for:  To teach.  To teach or desire to teach Yoga is similar in my view to joining the priesthood, or becoming ordained as a minister; you are answering a higher calling not based on financial reward or physical gain, but an honest desire to share with others what you have learned and introduce others to the path of Yoga and its transformative qualities.  Let’s face it, when it comes to teaching Yoga, few make a full living wage without supplementing their income with regular or part-time work!

To be a great teacher

What does it mean to be a great teacher?  Why not just a good teacher?  From my narrow point of view, all teachers are inherently good through the very act of desiring to teach, and my respect for you knows no ends…The qualities of a great teacher are more than just qualities confined to teaching, they are many of the same qualities that we need to build upon to communicate effectively and enjoy meaningful relations with those around us.  All teachers are good teachers, as I have said before – but to be great:

You can explain anything to anyone – It is a real skill to be able to explain something to someone who knows nothing of the subject, or very little.  The true art of helping someone understand what you are teaching lies in your own ability to discern how that individual views what you are explaining, how they learn, and how best to present the material from their point of view. (One of my personal stumbling blocks…)

Temper, temper – There will be times when stresses in your own life and environment bring you to a point that you want to yell at those you teach, or at the very least yank some of your own hair out.

A sense of ‘ha-ha’ - Students find learning much more enjoyable if the teacher has a sense of humor.  This can be very valuable as a Yoga instructor, especially when you overbalance and collapse in a tangled heap of arms and limbs in front of your entire class while demonstrating an asana.  Humor allows you to participate in the laughter that follows, lighten the mood and energize the room, and use the incident as a valuable teaching tool instead of turning red with embarrassment and reacting poorly.

Common sense – A great teacher possesses common sense, which appears to be a rather uncommon quality as of late…perhaps it is time to ‘re-coin’ the term “uncommon sense” to replace it.  A great teacher is practical, and can size up developing situations and react appropriately in a seamless manner – dispelling issues before they truly arise, calmly acting upon as opposed to reacting.

You live what you teach – Students have an uncanny ability to intuit when their teacher has no belief or interest in what they are teaching.  As I have said, teaching is a higher calling – your own conviction and faith in what you teach will determine the conviction and faith you are able to generate in the classroom.

Both leader and follower – One of the best gifts from a student when in the role of a teacher is to have the student teach you something.  An openness to accept the position of follower in your own classroom or Yoga studio may be difficult at times…but no teacher is greater than those who can become a student as well.  Through this deeply meaningful experience of being taught by the student, the teacher is given the opportunity to grow and enrich every lesson they teach with the new knowledge the have been open enough to receive.

Tough skin – There are going to be times in every teacher’s career when circumstances in the studio or classroom leave you drained, feeling unappreciated, or even in despair over the events.  To teach is to interact with others in a difficult and often demanding environment where the same personality conflicts and other social issues can often be magnified.  Forbearance and a willingness to examine yourself without blame are important for your own mental and emotional health, as well as your attitude towards the students in your class.

Yoga Teacher

In my humble opinion, teaching Yoga is one of the highest teaching pursuits one can aspire to.  To teach Yoga is to help keep the doors open to ancient wisdom that is as current and true today as it was thousands of years ago.  As a teacher of Yoga, you are charged with guiding not only the physical and mental state of your students, but are also responsible for enriching your students’ own spirituality.  Yoga is an entire discipline and lifestyle built around a singular goal:  To exist in a state of knowing harmony with The Divine and all of Creation.  To try to play down or ignore this underlying component of Yoga is to do your students and yourself a great disservice.  To teach Yoga requires an additional component which is most often missing from other classrooms:  Deep spiritual conviction and faith.

Conviction and Faith

When we speak of “spiritual” in this case, we are speaking of the connection that Yoga has helped to forge deep in our being with our higher self. (Perhaps more correctly said: Yoga reveals the connection we have always had…)  That is one of the most profound powers of Yoga practice – you don’t have to have any faith at all, just follow the instructions.  The faith and the spirituality grow by virtue of nature.  Our natural state of existence is one of perfect harmony with our environment, ourselves, and all forms of sentient life.  Yoga is a science that brings about a spiritual result – the physical and mental benefits are more “side-effects” than they are meant to be goals.

As a teacher, you have already been affected at a deep and profound level by all the Yoga that brought you to where you are right now:  At the front off your class, with all eyes watching expectantly.  Some of those eyes are judgmental, some eyes may ridicule, others may convey boredom, and hopefully most of those eyes left over are glowing with attentive anticipation.  Each of your students is there for unique reasons, and each brings their present life-state with them.  It can be very easy as a teacher of any sort to find oneself overwhelmed with the problems students are having on personal levels, and this is where faith and conviction as a Yoga teacher are a must.

You have conviction regarding Yoga and its benefits, or you would not be standing where you are now.  Have faith that you are an instrument of Yoga whose honorable purpose is to teach what you have learned to others.  You don’t have to solve all the problems, and you will rarely if ever be able to meet all your students’ expectations or requests.  Have faith that in the same way Yoga began to make more and more positive changes in your life, it will in your students too.

Final Advice

For someone who feels he is unworthy of the role of teacher, it occurred to me that giving advice may be the worst thing I could do, but that is the great thing about advice – you as the reader don’t need to follow it!  If I could offer a few final words that may be have benefit:  Don’t teach Yoga, teach the love of Yoga…and don’t teach your students how to stretch, teach them how to relax…and finally, teach from the heart, not the manual.

Namaste my friends, my deepest respect to all of those we call Teacher.

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1. What makes a good yoga teacher?

photo credit: ImNotQuiteJack

I recently completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training certificate. It was an amazing experience. I learned so much from both my beloved instructor and the other teacher trainees in the program. We were a small group – only 8 people in total so over the 10 months of training we got to know each other quite well!

We had many opportunites to teach each other and to lead classes. Today I thought I would share some of the lessons that I feel honored to have learned from this great bunch of yogis! To be good teachers, I think we  also have to remain curious, questioning and enthusiastic students.

Voice - Always  be yourself. It’s sometimes tempting, especially as a beginner, to put on that melodic “yoga teacher voice”. If that is truly you, then perfect. If not, it will show. Don’t be shy about using your own true and unique voice.

Smile – A warm smile goes a long way to encourage students and create a warm learning environment. It really lifted my spirits to have  my peers look directly at me and smile when teaching. Made me love to be there.

Laugh – It’s so awesome to be open to laughter during yoga class. It’s so easy to take it very seriously!

Details – A few important details and building postures  in a systematic way really helps to bring students safely and confidently into poses.  My instructor often suggested working from the ground up when building the pose.

Fun – Try something different and unexpected in class. It’s great to shake things up once in awhile and helps to keep us in the place of havine a  of “Beginner’s Mind”. One of my friends had us all participate in her class by having each of us suggest a warmup. Another surprised us by incorporating laughter yoga and partner yoga into her classes.

Breathing – So important and so easy to forget as we focus to get the asana “just so.” You can never remind your class too often to remember to breath.

Knowledge – Anatomy, benefits, contraindications – bring em on!

Smooth Transitions – Whether you are teaching a vinyasa class or a more traditional hatha style class, it really helps to create a nice, safe flow if you are mindful of how you direct movement into, out of and between postures.

Key Safety Points – Be aware of common safety  issues and communicate them clearly to help ensure everyone has an injury-free experience that respects their needs.  For example, to protect knees; keep feet flexed (in poses such as 3-legged table),  pigeon toes slightly inward (standing wide angle forward bend).

Make it Real – Be genuine by bringing everyday anecodotes from your life  into the class.

Involve Participants - Allow them to take responsibility for their practice. Ask for input, leave room for questions.

Be Flexible – Sometimes students will do something completely different and that’s okay! This can be disconcerting – especially if you are new.  Remember,  it is the student’s practice after all and no one else can feel what’s going on in their body. (Of course if you have  safety concerns – then please speak up!)

Eye Contact – Acknowledgement (even brief) makes people feel special, like you are speaking to them directly.

Do you have any ideas from your own teaching experience or perhaps from a favorite teacher that you’d like to share in the comments below? What makes you love a particular yoga class?

Related posts:

1. Yoga Posture Adjustments and Assisting: an insightful guide for Yoga Teachers and Students
2. Yoga Postures and Acceptance – What I Learned Falling out of Half Moon