I did not break anyone in my first restorative class! Whew. Not that I was genuinely concerned. But it is a relief to hit that halfway point in a class, and realize, hey, I can totally do this. I AM doing this.
Amusingly, the biggest challenge from teaching restorative yoga didn't come from setting people up in the pose or working with all the various props. It came from needing to stay quiet. Unlike a traditional yoga class that might have 20-30 poses over the course of the class, filled with instruction of asana points (release your shoulders away from your ears, spin your inner thighs back, release your tailbone towards your heels, etc) in restorative after getting the class comfortably into the poses, my job is to provide silence. To let the yogis relax into themselves and quiet the mind. And then to gently transition the class into the next pose with as little disruption to the peace as possible.
This restorative class was my third class of the day. I'm so used to filling the time giving guidance, correcting alignment, encouraging the class to take their practice deeper. In restorative, I spent the 75 minute class going into six different poses -- seven, counting savasana. It was so lovely to just sit in the silence while the students settled into their pose. It was a very peaceful space, and I was honored to be there.
Look forward to taking more restorative classes in the future. And best of all, I won't hesitate to volunteer to sub another class again.
You should never hesitate to sub a class, provided you spend time prepping. You are far more capable than your hesitation gives you credit for.
ReplyDeleteYou are rocking it, baby!