When aspiring teachers enter, they heal, they grow, they blossom.There is a secret garden at Stillwater Yoga.
In the garden the land of certification is aerated and fertilized.
In Iyengar Yoga, it takes several years of teacher training to be ready to go up for the first level of certification; and many, many years to become certified in the intermediate and advanced levels of The Method. To become a Certified Introductory Level 1 Iyengar Instructor you must pass a specific Certification Assessment. To pass, you must show your ability to demonstrate and teach the poses on your syllabus in The Method of teaching that B.K.S. Iyengar continues to dedicate his life to perfecting. In addition, you are tested at your level on your understanding of the art, science, and philosophy of the Astanga path from which The Method is based.
This year, Kathleen Pringle, owner of Stillwater Yoga in Atlanta held the Iyengar Yoga Association Southeast (IYASE) sponsored Introductory Level summer training. She began by carefully going over all of our certification questions. Going up for assessment the first time is stressful and anxiety-ridden for most of us. Granted, it could be said that aspiring Iyengar teachers are perhaps a little overly involved in svadyaya (self study) and still working on the balance of that with abhyasa (effort) and vairagya (letting go) that more experienced teachers already have.
While we are all sincere and passionate about wanting to share this incredible Method of teaching, aspiring Iyengar instructors naturally tend to be more concerned about whether we are "getting it right". The amount of knowledge required to teach in the Iyengar Method is extensive. While it's important we have an accurate understanding of The Method on our syllabus, we have to learn to see the students who are right in front of us. Teacher trainings help us develop our skills and the ability to see the needs of our students through peer training. We learn to apply what we know to help students work safely while developing the poses to the best of their abilities. The more we train, the more we seed a better balance of svadyaya (self study), abhyasa (effort), and vairagya (detachment/letting go).
Nashville student teacher, Sam Cooper commented that, “I am learning that for those of us studying to become Iyengar teachers, Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 1.12 Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah applies as much to our teacher training as it does to our practice of asana. ‘Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.’ If I ignore the counsel of this Sutra when I undertake peer teaching, I find out quickly that I am either ill-prepared or a nervous wreck, or both!”
Teacher Trainings are packed with good information, but learning anything takes time to digest and integrate. We all assimilate information a little differently, so it's important to check and re-check that you are integrating the information correctly. Kathleen talked about how we may know something intellectually, but applying what we know takes time, which is why I have found my teacher trainings with Kathleen, my class observations, and assisting in classes with other experienced teachers like Kquvien DeWeese invaluable to my development as a teacher.
Aspiring Iyengar Teacher, Dr. Metka Zupancic commented on her experience in the June training, "The new awareness I gained from this teacher training, is the accent on "how" we teach a pose. When we give our "three points" in our initial demonstration, we need to indicate the "process" in which students may complete the actions. I am much more aware of that process now. For example: rotate the triceps in to open the chest and shoulders."
There were many questions answered concerning assessment; however, Kathleen instilled a very salient point to remember: the idea that "how we teach in assessment should be no different than how we teach in the studio." Assessment is merely a more condensed version of a normal class. By keeping our dharana (focus or concentration) on the students in front of us, we take the focus off (read disempower) our fears and anxieties.
The seed that is planted in Iyengar Training is always organic.
Iyengar Teacher Training starts with an heirloom seed. A seed passed on from generation to generation, rich with nutrients. It takes root and sprouts quickly in ways we never expect. While the event brought students from Alabama, Charlotte, Nashville and as far as South Bend, Indiana --by the end of it, we knew we were all growing from the root of the same tree. Student teacher, Tammy Seigal from Charlotte, N.C. commented on the weekend saying, "Teacher Training with Kathleen offered the key components and practical aspects of the assessment process with compassion and wisdom. The Stillwater yogis welcomed the participants and created a sense of community during our weekend together."
Over the course of her 30 years as a Certified Iyengar Instructor, Kathleen has led many teacher trainings for beginner and more advanced teachers. She understands how to cultivate the space for learning. This summer, she shared her past experiences as a new teacher with humor and candor --- adding the advise, "Get them hooked before you stress them out," all to create a light, safe place for the tendrils of our authentic teaching skills to show themselves.
Good light is essential for our skills to ripen.
When we feel safe to open up and reveal ourselves flaws and all, even laugh a little about it -- when we are able to put our ego aside and honestly admit where we are confused without fear of judgement; something amazing happens. The sprouts of our satya (truthfulness) are met with the light of Kathleen's extraordinary patience and insight. She is able to help us work on our weaknesses. With the powers of our joint svadyaya (self study) and our ever evolving abhyasa (effort) and vairagya (detachment), we all grow.
Like plants, students tend to follow the energy of the sun.
Kathleen's classes and trainings are always filled with wonderful scientific or psychological insight and vivid imagery. One of my favorite examples of visual imagery was from one of her pranayama classes. In order to encourage us to focus on a slower, softer, smoother puraka (inhalation), she had us imagine we were lingering over the sweet scent of a flower. I found with that image I was able to avoid any "forced breathing" and truly enjoy a slower, deeper, inhalation effortlessly. It was such a simple image, and yet so effective.
In training, she discussed the importance of creating images for our students. Whether those images are through our physical demonstrations or through creative imagery, they are very powerful. Seeing an image either in our mind's eye or on the teacher in front of us, resonates in our memory faster than hearing directives. Therefore, what we show and how we show it is an integral part of our student's learning. Whatever we "do" they will most likely mimic our actions. Scientists have been gaining tremendous insight into the brain by exploring the Mirror Neurons (click here to learn more) that create this phenomenon. The most recognizable example of this is when we see someone yawn. What happens? We automatically yawn too!
Where we place ourselves in the room for particular poses is integral to the student's performance of the pose for a similar reason. If we have them face sideways to us to do a pose and we don't move to face them, they will inevitably turn their head to look back at us, and not the direction we want them to face. Therefore, moving and directing from the place that supports the directional flow of the pose you are teaching is not only important, it's usually vital for the development of the pose. For example: in a Parvrtta Sthiti or lateral twisting pose, we want to encourage the chest to stay open and the flow of the trunk of the body to develop in a certain direction, so we move in order for the students' to be able to see us and easily maintain the directional flow of that particular pose.
The right balance of elements is what makes a yoga practice blossom.
Master teachers like master gardeners know that applying the right balance of elements (earth, air, water, and fire) is integral to your yield. Through teacher trainings, support of new teachers, observing classes, and assisting classes with more experienced teachers is the only way to cultivate the wisdom and discrimination we need to discover that perfect balance. It's the only way to truly understand all the essential elements that are needed. In training, we reviewed many of the elements: correct sequencing, clear demonstration, visual cues, tone of voice, crowd control, room set up, energy levels, links, insights, pacing; as well as the ability to observe in 3D to keep your students safe and able to develop their poses with the correct supports, concentrations, and directional flows.
It is the most precious gift we can give our students, which is why I am grateful to have access to Stillwater Yoga and the secret garden of teacher training. It is part of the secret garden that BKS Iyengar and his family continue to tend to with such love and devotion, so we can all heal, grow, and share the beauty of everything that blooms from it.
A big thank you to Kathleen Pringle for bringing that ideal balance of essential elements together with her incredible gardening skills to give us a magnificent bouquet of knowledge to take home. Another thank you goes to Nancy Mau for once again letting us pack into her class and learn from her clear and succinct style of teaching. I'd also like to thank the teachers in training who were all so willing to put themselves out there so we could all learn. A special thanks to Layla Newman (my training buddy who is not pictured in the photo above because she was taking it) for hosting an outdoor gathering in her beautiful garden and creating a lovely way for the teachers in training to get to know each other.
Namaste
For more information on Iyengar Yoga Association of the Southeast please visit IYASE.org
To learn more about Kathleen Pringle and other Iyengar Certified instructors visit Stillyoga.com
The title for my piece is based on a novel published in its entirety in 1911, called The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is about a young girl discovering the healing power of a hidden garden.
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