The Journey (Part 3 of 4)
The Highs
Learning to teach started with my teacher showing me how to adjust people during Mysore class. I started off with lots of enthusiasm but I was lacking any knowledge or background of teaching.
I needed formal training.
Tim Miller is one of the first Americans to learn, bring Ashtanga back to North America, and the first to be certified as a teacher. He started teaching in 1979 in a deserted church in Encinitas, California. In 2017 I attended his two week intensive teacher training course which was held in Carlsbad, California – not far from the original site of that deserted church.
On the first day I came in, saw Tim, introduced myself and he said “oh you’re the guy with Multiple Sclerosis, you don’t look so bad”. Thus began the best two weeks of learning I’ve ever spent. For the entire two weeks each day was an uplifting, joyous, loving, singing, chanting, experience and all the while I learned how to adjust and assist Ashtanga students – I loved every second of it.
The days were long and some days became difficult for me from a fatigue point of view but overall I was surprised that I made it through. There was one day, Marichyasana day, where the whole day was devoted to those four asanas. I was twisted so many times that I felt every muscle in my body especially my back muscles – and not in a good way. I went directly to a massage place immediately after class that is just around the corner. Then from there I walked into a local restaurant ordered a local draft and downed it – man that was so good – few beers have tasted better.
A typical day would be from 7:00am to 9:00am with either practice or observation. Then from 9:00am to 11:00am with either practice or observation. It was our own choice as to which time slot we practiced and the other slot we observed. As we got more experienced, observation turned into assisting / adjusting. My hand shot up when Tim asked who wanted to assist him during teaching – an experience I will never forget – so awesome.
Classes started at Noon and finished at 5:00pm. There was an option to take pranayama class at 6:00am which I did for three days but I eventually stopped as it was a very difficult class and I think I really needed the extra hours rest. As I think back about it now I should have stuck it out. It was a rare learning opportunity.
There were forty students and five teachers including Tim. Part of the enjoyment of this course was meeting all of these people and the sense that we were all involved in something bigger than just learning how to teach. For me it was a lesson in life, a lesson about community, and a trip back in time.
Class started every day with Tim talking about astrology, philosophy, stories about his life, characters whom he met along the way, Guruji, and Hanuman. Many of them funny, many informative and we were all captivated as he talked.
I think it was the second or third day that I brought it up. There was a long preamble but in essence the question was how do I, as a man, touch women. I’m a grown man and I know the question sounds stupid but where do I place my hands, how do I place my hands, etc. etc. To me it’s not a stupid question, it’s a genuine concern. There was a long discussion and the answers and the events afterword including help from fellow students, allowed me too get past my concerns. It’s the best outcome that could have happened.
I learned different ways to assist in the asanas of the primary series in such a friendly and inclusive environment, and for me this was what I needed. One thing I would do differently is not volunteer as often. I spent way too much time as an example instead of watching what to do, however I still learned lots.
All asanas were taught and counted in Sanskrit from Samastitihi. If I were to take this class again I would have learned how to count in Sanskrit before I got there – another thing that took focus away from learning assists. Memory is an issue that has always been there since MS engaged. It’s actually got better since yoga but it’s still an issue. I still have difficulty remembering all the asana names and even the invocation. And I’ve studied them over and over – the challenge continues.
But I’m not here to fix my memory I’m here to learn how to assist and adjust Ashtanga students. And that is what I do plus more, much, much more. We switch partners for every asana that we learn. It’s great because many different body types male and female gives opportunity for me to understand my own use of force.
From the very beginning of this course I could tell this is one of them times you know that you’re part of something bigger than the goal. There’s a melancholy vibe throughout this course we all feel. His stories seem to have an extra special lilt to them and I am loving these interludes between assisting and adjusting.
Sometimes these interludes included singing or chanting. I did not think I would actually sing but I did and I enjoyed it. The songs we sang were mostly about Hanuman and sounded extra melancholy partly because Tim accompanied the songs playing the harmonium.
As I said in the beginning, this is the best two weeks I’ve spent and in such a welcoming loving environment. Over the two weeks I lost about seven pounds but gained a life experience I will never forget.
I was excited to meet Tim and soak up all I could.
I was saturated.
Ahimsa