In training, they tell you that the "full circle" is completed when you teach your first class. In 9 weeks, we learn each posture individually, one set only (there's two sets to each posture). So we never practice teaching the entire series as if it was a real class. You are also on your own to learn the breathing exercises, 2nd sets, sit ups and transitions. It always puzzled me why we never got to teach a mock class. So that's why I was a bit worried before teaching my first class on Thursday -I was scheduled for the first Thursday after flying back home!
When I re-visited the postures, I felt like I was looking at them for the first time! YIKES This was going to be tough...oh, and did I mention that I was sooooo incredibly exhausted that I snoozed for 20 total hours on Monday?! Hibernating bears don't even sleep that long! Boy did my body feel like a used piece of meat. My body was craving Zzzzz's. So re-studying dialogue was on the bottom of my list!
My studio manager helped me snap back into reality and I knew I had to get my butt in gear. During my practice session, I only made it through 1st part of Awkward (2nd posture). There was no way I was going to be spewing out all 26 postures! I almost chickened out and contacted the studio owner to ask for more days to study...but I decided to just go for it. I went home and studied, recorded myself and crammed as much into my brain as I could.
So there I was, 6:15pm on a Thursday standing outside of the room I was about to teach. There were 24 students! EEEEK! It was in the '80's and I wished that more people would've skipped yoga and played in the sun. I had to do a few breathing exercises and got a pep talk from one of the instructors. She reminded me that it's all about the students and to have the yoga speak through me. I was merely the messenger so there's no need to be nervous. Oh and to imagine that a mini Bikram was standing on my right shoulder, guiding me along in his black spandex bikini. I took a deeeep breath and walked into the classroom. I thought, "Here I go - sink or swim!!"
Overall, it went ok. I got my rights and lefts mixed up and forgot a posture and a second set of a posture...but I made it out alive (or should I say, the students made it out alive!) My first reaction was, "That was HARD!" I found my dialogue during the standing series but lost most of it during the floor series. But you find 'normal' words to get the students in and out of the postures. WHEW - was it a BIG relief to get the first class over with! Thank goodness the students are all so understanding and didn't hang me. I was so relieved that I practiced the 8:30pm class afterwards...the first class since training!
Since then I've taught one more class. This time only 6 students. I find that I still need to work alot on my dialogue and mix it up so that i don't sound like a broken record. But they say it comes with time so I will trust that. I'm still in shock that I've survived two classes!
*Pic of me behind the desk checking in students before class!
