Scott Lamps Yoga
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • About
    • About Scott
    • Books
  • Contact

Teaching Without a Script

9/5/2015

0 Comments

 
I regularly teach the 26 posture sequence developed by Bikram. I know the monologue associated with its instruction, but I get further away from it every time I teach.

There are inevitably moments that are the same in every class. Like the Sit-up, where the whole class is meant to do the movement together. These moments require a forceful, rhythmic use of the language that gets repeated several times. The class can simply do what I say as I say it, and the result is that they all do the Sit-up together.

But these unison, rhythmic movements are few and far between. I would even argue that they are the least yogic. I want to encourage my students to explore their own experience, to notice their bodies and minds, and to adjust what they need to adjust. I do not want my students to all take the same approach, move their bodies the same way, or even look the same in the postures.

Each day is different, and each student is different. Some need to work harder, some need to back off their effort. Some need to bend their spines more, others need to focus on their hips or feet. This is an inevitable challenge of teaching more than 2 or 3 people at the same time. But sticking to a scripted monologue adds a layer of restriction that prevents me from addressing each class, each day and each student appropriately.

There is the argument that a scripted monologue allows new teachers to guide their students with more precision and effectiveness than they would be able to otherwise, by using the words of their teacher instead of their own. This is true, though it ends up being detrimental to everyone over the long term. 

New teachers are often thrust into a leadership role with a poor understanding of the body and the postures, relying too heavily on a script. Also they are prevented from making their own mistakes, enduring their own struggles on the way to developing their own language, tone and pace.

New teachers would be better served by studying the mechanics and purpose of each posture and sequence. They should be required to come up with their own language to guide the students based on their own experience of the yoga. That is the only way to keep the tradition alive and prevent it from becoming stagnant and dogmatic.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    This journal honors my ongoing experience with the practice, study and teaching of yoga.

    My Favorites

    - Lessons From Tony
    - Lessons From Tony, 
    Part 2

    - This Complete Stillness
    - Truth Is a Pathless Land

    Popular Posts

    1) Sridaiva Yoga: Good Intention But Imbalanced
    2) Understanding Chair Posture
    2) Why I Don't Use Sanskrit or Say Namaste
    3) The Meaningless Drudgery of Physical Yoga
    5) Beyond Bikram: Why This Is a Great Time For Ghosh Yoga

    Categories

    All
    Community
    Ghosh Study In India
    History & Theory
    Kolkata
    Meditation
    Physical Science (Anatomy/Mechanics Etc)
    Postures
    Practice
    Pranayama
    Pratyahara
    Spirituality
    Sun Salute
    Teaching
    The Mind
    Tony Sanchez Advanced Practice

    Archives

    November 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

©2016 by Scott Lamps. Madison, WI. All rights reserved.
Classes | Journal | About | Contact
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • About
    • About Scott
    • Books
  • Contact