On Yoga teacher training graduation day in April 2016 our teacher handed us a blooming kalanchoe ( also known as window's thrill). Little did I know that this plant would teach me so much about what it's like to be a yoga teacher.
Lesson #1 : growing requires nurturing
A year ago to date I started teaching Yoga. I still remember my first ever class , hanging in the balance between fretting over not having enough mats and wondering if anyone at all would turn up.
A handful of friends did turn up and kept turning up for several weeks after, supporting me during those early days with enthusiasm and encouragement.
Since that first day , just like I have kept feeding my little plant, my students have kept nourishing my practice by inspiring me to learn more and explore and keep growing.
Lesson#2 : food, water and a little sunshine go a long way
Alongside the encouragement of my students ( nurturing), continuous self-learning (food), regular personal practice(water)and the guidance and support of my yoga teacher friends at Yoga South( sunshine) my yogic roots have grown deeper and I have started to branch out into areas of Yoga that I didn't even know existed until a few months ago.
As my little plant now prepares to bloom after a few months of preparation, so does my teaching ! I have so many ideas and things I can't wait to get on with in the new year !
Lesson#3 : from one tiny plant ... many will grow
As a Yoga teacher and student I always heard the word Guru but never really understood it until I saw what my little kalanchoe is doing on my window sill. She is sprouting tiny little roots on every branch , every branch has the potential to become an independent new plant which will in turn produce many other little plants.
This amazing ability the little plant is displaying reflects how I feel about being a yoga teacher : so much potential to spread the benefits of Yoga but also what a responsibility !
I will take one more leaf ( pun unintended!) from my little green friend and just let my seedlings decide when they are ready to sprout their own roots and find their way. My only hope is that I will have given enough to allow them to stay true to themselves and their practice.
Lesson#4 : some leaves may fall but with a little care flowers will always come back
In the depth of Autumn my little plant looked rather bedraggled: lots of unhealthy leaves, yellow branches, old dried up flowers. One day I decided to help out by removing all the unhealthy looking parts. Sure the plant looked like it was on its last legs for a couple of weeks but now I can see flowers and it looks so healthy.
During my first year of teaching I have had several set backs, I taught to an empty hall and had several unexpected one to ones when only one person turned up for my group class. Each and every thing that didn't turn out as expected taught me something ,I can see little flower buds sprouting, my enthusiasm has in no way faltered , if anything I am a lot wiser and hopefully a better teacher because of those experiences.
Let go of what doesn't serve you even if it may be painful to start with.
Thank you for reading
Love and Light
Marzia