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| Hello I have been teaching Yoga for the past year. I would like feedback on the following. I have a 60 minutes class with warm up, core poses, cool down and final relaxation. This is a problem area I have a 20 minute final relaxation and then 5 minute sitting meitation. My students tell this is too long. I don't feel it is too long but what are thoughts from others?
In Peace~
gracemae59 |
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| This is my opinion:
- There is NO such a thing as too long.
- If the class is under your control and is called Yoga, then you should decide timings, and NOT students. You are the teacher and they are students.
- But, if the class is not under your control, such as a slavery in the name of employment, then you should follow exact guidelines of the employer, while keeping your freedom. In this case, you become an employee, and the students become Clients.
Hurray OM.
gracemae59 - 2008-02-15 7:12 AM
Hello I have been teaching Yoga for the past year. I would like feedback on the following. I have a 60 minutes class with warm up, core poses, cool down and final relaxation. This is a problem area I have a 20 minute final relaxation and then 5 minute sitting meitation. My students tell this is too long. I don't feel it is too long but what are thoughts from others?
In Peace~
gracemae59 |
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| Welcome Michele. In theory, I agree with Brother Neel (Kulkarnn); however, I'm supposing you are teaching a public beginer class in the U.S. and think that a 60 minute class with nearly half of it being lying around and meditating with people who don't know how to do it, didn't know that was the class's intent, don't want to do it, and have paid to do it will get you some pretty empty classes. As evidence, you have the gang's feedback. If my assumption of the class population is correct, I'd recommend wearing them out for 50 minutes then a guided 10 minutes max of savasana/meditation. |
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| I'd be inclined to agree with Bruce. My own teacher does about 15-20 savasana/pranayama at the end of a 90 minute class. Once a term she'' say at the beginning of class that we're focussing on chest openers as preparation for a longer savasana. You could try doing something similar so that you get the chance to demonstrate the other aspects of yoga without your class feeling like they're not getting enough of the exercise element?
Fee |
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Expert Yogi
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| I agree with Neel as well, with one difference. As Bruce says, people don't know how to be still that long, and they actually require more asana time to prepare them to relax, otherwise they fidget or fall asleep. If you are advertising teaching meditation, that is another story.
As I often do with new teachers posting here, I will ask this question: what has you own teacher/mentor said about this? Is this the style you have been taught to teach? Being out in the world teaching yoga (or macramé or t'ai chi or whatever) without solid backup is really a tough gig and we need teacher trainers to be there for the newer teachers. |
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| Hello Thank you for the feedback! I teach in the US, I always explain during the first class what the class will look like and at the end ask for feedback , questions or comments from students.
Also, I teach 4 evenings a week and 2 of those classes those students like the 20 minute final rexalation and I have a good turn out. It is the other 2 classes all women , that have disagreements on the structure of my class. the students have compared my classes to others that they taken. My last class that I took the instructor, had a 60 min. and it was a 30 min. final relaxation. I am always seeking to improve, so thank you for the feeback!
In Peace~
gracemae59 |
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| I would agree that practically speaking, that's too much time devoted to savasana & meditation in a 60 minute class to meet the expectations of most people. (I think a 60 minute class is too short in most cases and that's the bigger problem here, but I'm assuming you don't have control over that.) I would generally agree you should be yourself and teach your style and what you think needs to be taught, but this seems like a time it makes sense to take the desires of the people taking the class into account. After all, if they leave the class you won't get to teach them anything.
Since you have people that seem to desire 2 different types of classes, perhaps you should run and promote the classes that way so people know what to expect before signing up for the class. You might find people are interested in both if expectations are set properly. |
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| If your class is an asana class, I would suggest for a 60 min class: warm-up 10 min, active poses 30 min, cool down 10 min, relaxation/meditation 10 min.
If you are teaching a relaxation/meditation class, then a little breathing and gentle stretching (maybe 10 min) might be a good way to start.
I think that you need to be clear exactly what it is that you want to teach; whether you want to teach an asana class or a relaxation/meditation class. Once you have communicated that to your students, it is up to them to come or not. |
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| Good responses here already. I'll just add a few ideas, food for thought. Do you have the flexibility to go to a 75 minute class? How would you feel about a class structure with a mini-savasana for centering at the beginning (maybe 5 mins) and then a longer at the end (maybe 10-15 mins)? What is your philosophy as a teacher? What are the expectations of the students? Is making the students more comfortable by giving them more control over the structure of the class helping them or hindering them? I personally love savasana but it is even better after a good physical class. In our 60 minutes classes I typically see a 10 mins savasana followed by a 5 minute mediation. No right or wrong as it is all yoga... |
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| Do you know why you do a 20 minute relaxation?
Just dipped our toes in course planning at TT. And our teacher said that we should be able to explain every part of our sequence - why we did what we did. This is a very intriguing thought to me - it really means that every movement in a class should have a purpose.
So I would ask - do you know why you do a 20 minute savasana and what purpose does it serve? With Neel I agree - this is your class - you don't have to justify what you do to your students - if they don't like it they can find another teacher. But I would still ask do you know why you are doing it?
I think lengthy savasana is a thing of the west. I've always understood it as a rest before pranayama. Desikachar does not give a max but he does say in the Heart of Yoga that a 5 minute rest for an hour class is minimum. But if you are resting 40 minutes into the class you are spending another half resting. I know I wouldn't like it as a student.
And I cannot emphasize enough Tourists point about asking your teacher and/or mentor. If you don't have one - consider getting one.
I always think this savasana thing is funny anyways. I don't need to pay someone so that I can lie on their floor and do what? Rest? I do feel for people who's lives are so crazy that this is such a need for them.
You might also enjoy reading about pranayama in the Heart of Yoga. My understanding is that we do asana to bring awareness and focus using the body, breath and mind. We do pranayama to bring awareness using the breath and mind. And meditation to focus the mind.
For some (dare I say most?) people coming to meditation is a very slow process.
I don't think you need to justify yourself - but I would be curious as to why you feel so strongly about the 20 minute savasana.
Best wishes.
Vic |
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Expert Yogi
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| Excellent point vic. I think this calls for a thread in the Teacher's section. See "Why savasana?" |
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