Today my group had our yoga practicum. We had to collectively sequence a 1 hour and 15 minute class and then teach it. Because I’ve had stage fright for most of my adult life, I found those familiar little butterflies soaring around my stomach right before it was my turn to teach. My heart beat grew a little bit faster. My body temperature started rising. Always, the anticipation of an exam is worse than the exam itself.
I took a great big breath and began. As it turned out, this teaching, all teaching, has nothing to do with the teacher and everything to do with the student. I looked around the room to see what they needed, what they would find helpful in the moment. If they needed a break, I wanted to give that to them. If they needed to release a specific part of their bodies, I wanted to provide a way for them to release. Teaching, and particularly yoga teaching, is service of the most beautiful kind. My job was just to support the members of the class on their own paths to wellness.
As the class wound down, I was overcome with gratitude. I could feel the love and support pulsating in the room. Despite my initial nervousness, I didn’t want the class to end. I wanted that feeling to go on forever. I have been so fortunate to be a part of this program, to share these days with the other students and my teachers, to discover parts of my own soul that I never even knew existed. There are no words to express how moving it is to provide relaxation and peace and joy to another person. The best tribute I can pay to the great benefits I’ve received from this training, and to all of the people who made it possible, is simply to go out into the world and teach what I practice. Perhaps I’m closer to my golden compass than I realized.
Christa Avampato 