Blog post #1: Tanya

Day 1-3

The first three days have been a humbling experience and eye-opener for me! As someone
who has self-practised for about 4 years, I did not realise the importance of having a teacher
to watch out for my mistakes and incorrect postures (and a mirror to self-check my poses).
Frankly speaking, I was confident that I would be able to execute poses correctly given my
gymnastics background. However, I was proven wrong when Jessica demonstrated and
explained every single detail that needed to be present to be able to execute the ‘perfect’
pose. It did not matter what athletic background an individual has; yoga is not a walk in the
park! The most challenging part is not the pose itself, but the process of being hyperaware of
your own body and knowing the body parts to engage. With just minor adjustments to certain
body parts and shifting of the weight, these modifications can make significant differences as
to how I feel when executing poses. While possessing certain amount of flexibility, strength
and endurance important, but knowing how to manipulate weight distribution and body
placement is equally crucial! Another important part of asanas would be learning the
Sanskrit, which was something I wanted to do but never got down to it.
Before attending this course, I only practised the asanas as form of exercise and aid me in my
other sporting pursuits of climbing and running. I did not practise meditation, had limited
knowledge on Pranayama and knew nothing about bandhas or cleansing techniques. I have
also come to realise that sitting still and learning to breathe has proved to be the greatest
challenge I have encountered so far. With eyes closed and being in a seated position for a
prolonged period, it forced me to be conscious of the state of my body and focus on the
present.
Everyone had the chance to practise giving instructions for sun salutation and although I have
heard the cues many times during my own practises, saying it is a different matter!
Remembering the cues and pacing the class was tricky! I recalled my mother encouraging me
to be a yoga instructor as it should be ‘easy for me’. She was wrong. Other than memorising
the Sanskrit, there is the sequence, the instructions for transitions and properly executing the
poses, being able to correct postures to consider when teaching a class. It is a lot of work!
Despite my worries, I look forward to learning more! Here is to the next few weeks of fun!

 

Tanya
200HR YTT May’21 Weekday