Teaching Recap: June 2023

Y’all, the heat has scrambled my brain and I barely know what or how to write this month. We apparently just experienced the hottest day on earth in 125,000 years or something equally unsettling.

I had a chat with some yogis recently about Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), and there were so many feelings expressed about the pose. Some like it, some hate it. It’s foundational to most vinyasa-style practices, it is often returned to many times over the course of a single class. I remember in my early days of practicing, I thought absolutely nothing about it. My hamstrings are long, I assured myself, I can achieve this shape no problem, and then I would mentally check out for however many breaths my teacher held us there.

Over the years, as I learned ways to feel my body, I realized that my approach to the posture was largely passive. Yes, my heels could press to the floor, and if I locked my joints in place, I could just hang the weight of my body off the skeleton like a droopy yogi hammock. My down dog was a backbend and it was stagnant.

Today, it is a living and ever-evolving posture. I urge myself to tune in. How much work does this feel like in my arms today, can I feel when I’ve pulled my spine out of extension and can I hold it in something closer to neutral? I don’t really care about my heels on the floor, but I do care about using the muscles in my legs. I don’t really care if my shirt crowds my face or blocks my view, but I do care about feeling the sides of my abdomen. And the pose is never achieved, never complete, never accomplished. It breathes as I breathe.

I want to exist in this state of eternal contemplation. I wish I could say that I’m as thoughtful and curious with every pose in every practice. But since I”m not, I go back to the mat to keep at it. I go back to the mat in hopes that I can be awake and alive and contemplative when I step back off it.

The Deets

June by the numbers:

• 69 classes
• 75.5 hours of teaching time
• 641 students in attendance
• 9 locations
• 3 babies welcomed!

The June class total was the same as in May, which was nearly the same as April. From May to June, total attendance dipped slightly, about four percent. I expect it to keep dropping through the rest of the summer, as folks head out for seasonal travel, take on other activities outdoors, or just put the practice on pause for the season.

Schedule Updates

I have stepped away from teaching at MOTA in Somerville, which removes a Tuesday evening vinyasa and a Wednesday evening advanced vinyasa from my schedule. I have loved getting to know the yogis who practice there, and I”m grateful to them for trusting me to guide them through twenty months of classes. I know this is not the end of the road for us, and I’ll look forward to connecting with y’all in other ways or in other locations.

Summer is slumpy in YogaLand, so I am not looking to replace those two MOTA classes immediately. I am, however, hoping to grow my one-on-one instruction and private group instruction. If you were looking for a sign to try out private yoga, this is it! I love working with people on their individual goals, or helping them continue their movement practices while managing injuries.

Your Words

And here are a selection of sweet comments and funny feedback from students and peers, received or overheard during the month of June. Thank you for being a part of the community with me.

• Do you remember that alien in Men in Black that looked like a dude, but was made of insects, and didn’t know how to use his limbs correctly? That’s what I felt like during class. I feel like I learned so much about how to move my body!
• Your voice was so soothing during the pranayama portion. I thought I was going to fall asleep sitting up.
• You teach in a way that shows you’re really watching each student in the room. And I love how you speak to options and choice in such a seamless way.
• Your classes are the best part of my week, and every week I’ve not been able to join, my partner is always rooting for me to pick it up again soon. They know the goodness that is Tender Tuesday!
• Some friends were commenting on your creative transitions.
• I miss your class so much, I’ve been traveling a ton over the past month. I can’t wait to get back to some normalcy.
• You and your classes were such a part of the studio feeling like home to me.
• I’m so ready to be done with being pregnant, but this class has honestly been the highlight of my week. Thank you for creating a warm and welcoming space. I’ll miss it so much!
• Wowww! Midday Mobility is no joke! I feel like I worked so hard and I think it was such a useful complement to the running I’ve been doing. I love the combo of attention to strength and flexibility!
• I like how you teach us a lot about our bodies in Midday Mobility! I feel like I learn a lot.
• Do you feel like yoga has been extra good lately? I feel like every week is the best week ever. Like, what is the yoga equivalent of “slut era”???