Private Practice

I taught my first private yoga class this morning.

Lin, a client of my sister’s housekeeping business, emailed me last December to ask me if I taught private yoga sessions. To this point I hadn’t, but there was really no good reason why I couldn’t, so I told her that I’d be happy to. She asked me to print up a certificate that she could give her wife for Christmas; Sara wanted to start a yoga practice, but was too shy, as a brand-new beginner, to jump right into a group setting.

I showed up at their house this morning at 10, and led Sara through a basic class. We talked about what’s important to MY practice and what she could expect to find in MY classes, and I explained to her that every instructor is going to be different and that it’s up to her to figure out what she wants from HER practice. I spoke about how, for me, what’s important is that my students learn to “get inside their own bodies” and start to become aware of where they are in space and that my hope for her is that she can get to a place where she feels comfortable with yoga and can use it to reach whatever goals - physical, mental or emotional - that she has.

It was a really great session, I think, and I left feeling like I’d done well by Sara. She seemed pleased, comfortable, and energized - all things I was hoping, but not expecting, she’d feel. I gave her a lot for a first session, and I was worried that I’d overwhelmed her. I’m pretty sure she’s happy with the experience, though, and I’m looking forward to seeing her again next week.

Oh, and Liv, on your enthusiasm, I went out today and got myself a copy of Moving into Stillness. I can’t wait to get started….