I’ve recently been away, and one of my favourite things to do on holiday is attend
local yoga classes, wherever I can. You might be wondering why I go to a class when I could very easily do my own practice, as I do when I’m at home! Here are some of the benefits I get from being a student…
Being taught is a real treat for me, and I’ve had some great experiences over the years. Yes, I have an established daily practice, which I am able to tailor to my needs, but sometimes it’s just nice not to have to think about what to practice, to let someone else make the decisions and tell me what to do. Best of all, if I’ve chosen the right class, I also get guided through a relaxation.
I’ve experienced lots of different yoga styles, with many different teachers, some I’ve enjoyed more than others but without exception I’ve always learned something. I always go along to classes with an open mind, I listen to and move with the instructions trying not to pre-empt. In that moment I am a student, not a teacher. By behaving this way, over the years I have picked up some really nifty techniques and flows that I’ve been able to then take home and play with. Not only that, I often get taught postures that I might not practice as regularly as I might (we all have our favourites ha ha!) so it’s great to be reminded of these and discover why another teacher enjoys sharing them.
I now have quite a broad, first hand knowledge of different styles of yoga which makes it easier for me when I’m helping people find the right class for them. I truly believe that there is a yoga for every body. When I know that my teaching style isn’t going to work for someone, my experiences of other yoga helps me direct them to other teachers that they may enjoy more.
By immersing myself in the student experience I can gauge what works well. I’ve been teaching yoga now for 17 years, I’m very aware of how easy it could be to become complacent and get stuck in a rut. This way though I can put myself in my student’s shoes, see what improvements I can make to my teaching, how I can evolve my teaching or how we can improve our service in general.
Inevitably some styles of yoga have resonated with me more than others. Kundalini is always one that I enjoy (and indeed I’ve been to so many Kundalini classes that I now have quite a network of Kundalini friends), whilst more recent trips have introduced me to Vinyasa flow, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I always return though to my beloved Dru Yoga, grateful that I’ve found my yoga home. Dipping my toes in other styles reminds me how much Dru Yoga means to me, and how many of my boxes it ticks. Like any holiday, it’s great to be away, but it’s great to come home too 🙂
I very much hope that you enjoy your Dru Yoga as much as I do, and I really do hope you stay with us at Inside Out, but if my musings have inspired you to try other styles and teachers, then that’s great too. Remember we have quite a team of Inside Out tutors now, so if you are already with us, why not try one of our other classes? What’s important is that we all find a practice that nurtures us and a teacher that we can connect with. As always, I’d also love to hear your views on our sessions, we genuinely do listen to feedback and are always looking to improve our service. Do tell us what you want our sessions to focus on too, then we can plan to help you.
My summer break has left me very much revived and rejuvenated! I can’t wait to get started on our Autumn programme, I’ve got all sorts of interesting and fun things to share 🙂 Ix