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OPEN MIND OPEN BODY Teaching Tools |
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Students Find Their Own Way: One of the most common questions other yoga teachers ask me is "Why are your students so comfortable self-guiding in class? How did you teach them to guide themselves?" I know what they mean - students often resist self-guiding if it's sprung on them with no explanation or easing into it. I've seen some teachers invite students to self-guide before savasana, only to have the students pack up and leave - without even practicing savasana. I include a self-guided part in every yoga class I teach - typically near the end of the class, before savasana. I see a self-guided classroom practice as the bridge between group classes and developing a personal practice. It's a safe 'yoga lab', where I can provide individual assistance, and students can be inspired by the group's energy and focus. The self-guided part of class may last 5 minutes or 20 minutes, depending on the class, the students, and the day's particular practice. My students practice an amazing assortment of poses: from simple to ambitious; from slow, deep holds to creative vinyasas; from a continuation of the class theme to a total departure from the earlier poses. It's a time when I see students try the poses that they complain about when I ask them to do it. They try what's scary and what's challenging. They practice what they like and what they think is good 'medicine' for them. They go for the "groaners" - the deep hip openers that pull you apart and put you back together again. They sit up and breathe. Sometimes they watch others, but mostly they seem deep in self-awareness. They practice everything you can imagine and then some. Even those who don't exactly seem to enjoy it rarely skip it. And it is my favorite part in class, because I learn so much from watching them. Below are some strategies I use for introducing a self-guided practice to new classes. The basic idea is to help students become comfortable making decisions about their practice, and to give them opportunities to pay attention to what their needs are in the present moment. Once a class is comfortable self-guiding, I find that new students quickly adapt and do not need much hand-holding. 1. Give students a choice between two poses that have similar actions (for example, bridge and bow; shoulderstand and legs-up-the-wall; tree pose or another standing balance). Explain the difference between the poses and invite students to choose the pose that best suits their bodies, state of mind, and intention. Do this several times throughout class, to help students practice making conscious choices. 2. Ask students to choose (or invent) a pose that stretches a specific part of the body. For example, ask them to come into any pose they like that will relax and stretch the back, after a series of backbends. Pause and see if students easily select a pose; if not, provide examples and suggestions. 3. Near the end of class, ask students to do a body scan and see if there is a part of the body still holding tension. Invite students to then stretch/relax that part of the body with a pose of their choice. Sometimes, I ask students to choose their own opening pose instead, selecting a pose that will best 'wake up' their body, depending on how they feel.
4. Ask students to practice a pose they don't like/are intimidated
by/think they aren't 5. Ask students to practice a pose that will feel good. No need to be more specific. Prepare to be surprised by what your students practice. 6. End the "guided" part of class in a comfortable pose that students could hold for a while. Then, invite students to hold the pose as long as they like. Tell students to exit the pose only when they feel an impulse to move into another pose...and let students use the remaining class time self-guiding. 7. When you begin a self-guided period, give students the option of practicing breath awareness or entering final relaxation. If you place the self-guided portion near the end of class, and invite students to enter meditation or relaxation when they're ready, students will feel less pressure to 'perform'. 8. Tell students that the self-guided part of class is a time when they can ask individual questions or ask for help in a pose. This will encourage students to think about their practice, and also help students understand the value of a self-guided practice in a group class setting. 9. Slightly dim the lights, put on background music, or in any other way create a signal for students to become less self-conscious. Changing the practice space slightly can help students feel more comfortable guiding themselves. 10. Ask students to set an intention for their practice, and to choose poses that reflect that intention. You can have students set their intention at the beginning of class or the beginning of the self-guided practice. Remind students that how they practice is as important as what they practice. Enjoy these ideas? Sign up to receive monthly ideas for your yoga teaching in the free Open Mind Open Body Newsletter.
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