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| Dear YogaComites: I am sure some of you may be fed up of my writing this note too frequently, "seek Experienced Teacher".
I know that some things can be learnt from books and some other from Videos/Audios. Each thing has its own place. But, there are somethigns that are learnt only from an experienced teacher. At least one should use books/audios/videos/etc of an experienced teacher, and NOT from medial.
This is the Email I received today. All names are suppressed or modified:
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I use to practice kapalbhati and anlom vilom after watching the shows on TV.I was doing everything perfectly but after 2-3 months I found that I am getting fever and shevering very heavily and I would feel that oh god let me die.I could not understand why this was happening but one day I did not do the yoga and that day it was less then I left and things got ok.I told about this to one Homopathic doctor and got some medecines and when I use to have and do yoga the shevering and fever was not their. This same thing happened to my elder sister and when she told me about this I adviced her to stop doing yoga and now she is also ok. I think some thing to do with the body liberating heavy/dirty acid and due to which me and my sister are facing this problem but I would also be looking for your advice about this.
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| there might have been a point where i was getting sick of that advice...but now i think it's the best advice around.
i've certainly taking to dispensing it as well.
...
i hope these people are okay... |
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| In fact Neel it is exactly the opposite. That caution (or advice as you call it) absolutely should be automatically included in each and every reply. It is so pertinent that I hope we'll get to a point where "we" don't have to write it any longer.
There are so many instances of students learning improper practices and doing themselves harm, in some cases very serious harm, that we cannot afford not to say it. Some students have actually been institutionalized for mental disorders as a result of such improper practice.
One such practitioner approached my teacher after a workshop and I stayed around to help tidy up. The student was almost unable to speak, to actually formulate words and convert thought to words. This was a result of a certain sort of practice they were engaging in that was not appropriate for them. It was both jarring and sad.
Since you are one of the esteemed members of the board, often times it will fall to you to speak this phrase of sensibility in an otherwise tidal force of nonsense.
Continue on. |
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| I know I commented on the "get an experienced teacher" response, but it's not that I think it is an incorrect statement. More that I feel it's helpful to put some context around it.
If there's really no aspect of a persons questions that can be addressed in a response and that's the only answer, I think it's helpful to at least explain a little to someone _why_ they should get a teacher. If they didn't know before they should get a teacher, and that's all they're told - well they probably don't really understand any better why, or who might be the right sort of person to look for. Unfortunately it takes experience to recognize an experienced teacher... |
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| i think the hardest thing is not getting a teacher, but getting an experienced one.
most people don't know what an "experienced" or "qualified" teacher is or how to find one. the truth is, people just trust the institutions that they go to. they trust that if you're hired to teach there, then you know what you're doing.
the truth is, some people know what they're doing and some don't.
but for the client, it's all the same. one place where i work has two experienced teachers and four brand spankin' new teachers. another place where i work, there is one yoga teacher with yoga experience, the rest are group fitness trainers who also teach yoga either via their regular aerobics certs or through a weekend of yogafit. yet, to the clients, all teachers are the same--no one knows how experienced one teacher is as compared to another.
So i think that perhaps instead of asserting just why one would want a teacher, the next question would be how does one know if a teacher is experienced?
i think it comes from asking the right questions. I think this is a start:
1. how long have you been practicing yoga?
2. how did your practice begin?
3. have you ever practiced with a teacher in person, and if so, then whom and for how long?
4. after how many years of practicing yoga did you take your teacher training?
5. how did you decide to take training?
6. with whom did you take training?
7. what is the emphasis of their program, how long does the program take?
8. have you taken other teacher trainings and if so, with whom, with what emphasis, and at what duration?
9. beyond training, what are your specific interests and independent studies in yoga? which resources have you utilized to study these things?
10. how long have you been teaching?
11. what are the commonalities between the majority of your clients?
12. do you have experience with this specific special need?
13. how experienced are you with this special need?
14. can i speak with clients with whom you have worked who have also had this special need?
15. do you feel confident and comfortable working with my special need, even if yu have no direct experience?
16. how would you prepare to teach me regarding this special need? which resources would you utilize?
When a new client comes to me with a special issue, i talk about 12-16 specifically, and i offer the email addresses of clients who had similar special needs so that they can chat and get insight into whether or not i'm the right teacher for them. |
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Learng Yoga Fr Experienced tea
