Observation I
Asheville Community Yoga Gentle Flow
04/19/2022
Mary Friedman
Did the teacher welcome students and establish a theme or intention, if so, what was it?
She highlighted at the beginning: it’s a gentle flow, slow down, pay attention to the body, and let it be a refresh for the rest of the day. Then, she went into talking about props and how each person will use the props in a different way. She incorporated the weather with her theme and reminded people to “use this class as a place to focus”. She circled back to the theme in saying “you’ll notice your hips are there” after child’s pose. She also consistently came back to guiding participating to do what works for them today and not necessarily what they always do. She also said the phrase “sense the vitality of you” and then mentioned some parts of the body like a mini yoga Nidra which aligned with her theme. When she said, “you might want to gaze down and see what that feels like,” it went with the theme of paying attention to the sensations in the body.
Was the teacher’s voice clear?
Yes, she annunciated particularly well. She thoroughly guided the pranayama to clearly walk the students through it. She did not get into some of the details in pose cueing as students around the room were having incorrect form. Her enthusiasm in the voice let students know what cues to focus on and kept the students going with her. She communicated a sense of sympathy as she did it with them.
Were the instructions understandable and were modifications given?
Modifications were given regarding coming into a comfortable seat. She also effectively said “everything I say is an option” and did the poses with students to help clarify the instructions. She gave lots of modifications for Eagle arms. Amazing modifications to support the head in child’s pose! She mentioned putting fists or a block under the head and clarified it’s for the purpose of supporting the spine. She was concise in talking about plank muscle engagement. Room for improvement is that she did not give students specific modifications for shoelace pose, as she only mentioned not to do it if it’s painful.
Did the instructor provide verbal or physical adjustments/assists?
No physical adjustments/assists. Consistently used explanation of where to press into (i.e. for modified side plank- pushing one hand into the ground while simultaneously reaching up with the other hand) in order to give specific cueing after getting students into the pose. Phrases appeared to be more so planned out rather than based upon adapting to needs around the room. However, I did learn later on without me bringing it up to the teacher that she actually did adjust the sequencing based on reading the room as she replaced her agenda with more restorative-type poses. She repeatedly also said “if it’s painful, don’t stay”.
Did the teaching lead me to a deeper understanding of yoga and myself?
Yes. She spoke with conviction which helped guide me into a deeper understanding of yoga and myself. She also said specific words gently which helped me incorporate a sense of calm into the understanding of yoga and myself. Her cueing was strongly linked to grounding the participants which reminded me how that’s such a crucial component of the practice. Her use of questions as part of the cueing also helped guide me. Her cue “surrender to this moment” in Savasana supported me in being present in those final moments of observing the class. She also supported my self-compassion as she reminded students over and over that it’s ok not to do all the poses. She also circled back to the theme that the heart is a place to come home. It reminded me the heart is the center of myself and a great focus to come back to in yoga.
Did the instruction demonstrate humility, compassion and sincerity?
Yes. She was sincere and humble from the beginning as she closed her eyes in the comfortable seat with the participants. She radiated a genuine fascination with pranayama and gave energizing verbal cueing on the inhale to go with the purpose of that part of the breath. She expressed humility in honoring the power of the breath as a tool. She appeared to truly believe in what she was saying. Her ending statements were humble as she communicated being so grateful to be with her students.
What was your overall experience observing the class?
It definitely reminded me of how simultaneously joyful, goofy, sacred and invigorating a yoga class can be. I felt empowered as she emphasized the vitality in lengthening the spine and the breath. It was beautiful to see how healing her passion was o a group of people that were particularly so physically tight. Observing her remind them to listen to the body was great to witness. It was so empowering to consider breath as a tool and watch the participants take that to heart and incorporate it. The ambiance in the room changed so much over the course of the class as the students really bought into themselves. I felt like I was witnessing something so tender, and delicately beautiful.
Observation 2
Asheville Community Yoga Vinyasa Flow
04/21/2022
Mary Friedman
Did the teacher welcome students and establish a theme or intention, if so, what was it?
Yes, the teacher stood next to the front desk and greeted each person individually. She started by stating the needed props and announced I would be observing just the teacher and not the students. She then stated the theme being Hanuman’s birthday. She explicitly mentioned class will include all Hanuman poses and listed out the specific ones. She then effectively instructed everyone to start in any comfy, laying down position. She depicted Gods and Goddesses as a way to connect with our divine nature. She also connected Hanuman to the breath by emphasizing he is the “son of the wind” and then guided chanting to connect with Hanuman’s qualities that are all part of our divine nature. It was interesting she had people chant while they were laying on their backs. I saw it as effective because they were chanting from a place of calm. She mentioned mantras are conducive to “liberating the mind” which supports a one-pointed focus on divine nature. She referenced the detailed story of Hanuman throughout class. For instances, she mentioned bringing hands together is the merging of that which within which is mortal and that within which is Godly. I also loved that she said “as you give yourself a hug, hug all of you that makes up who you are” as it combined self-love with self-knowledge.
Was the teacher’s voice clear?
She spoke at a medium speed and projected well. She emphasized some words for meaning just like people put emphasis on syllables. She broke up cueing into short statements to make the movements for manageable for people. Room for improvement is that she could have had more moments of silence in between cueing. She was also imperfect having a a bit of insecurity in her humor and needing affirmation.
Were the instructions understandable and were modifications given?
Yes. She started with Figure Four on the back and listed out lots of modifications for it. She repeatedly said “there’s the option to stay right here or do this” which encouraged people that perhaps not going into a further variation is advanced practice for their situations. She mentioned people shouldn’t do Kalabati pranayama sequences if they have a cold, headache or are on their moon cycles. She cued putting a blanket under the knees in table top. She encouraged students to listen to the wisdom within and noted that the wisdom encompasses generations of ancestors, as well. She emphasized that we are all practicing in community while everyone has different needs and may even skip poses entirely. In forward fold, she gave the option to bend the knees, widen the legs and emphasized there’s no need to go so deep right now.
Did the instructor provide verbal or physical adjustments/assists?
Her snapping to keep the rhythm is pranayama was effective. She cued students to reach the crown of the head towards the sky as students were in the middle of the pranayama sequence. She provided anatomical insight in low lunge to guide students towards a focus once they were already in the pose. She brought in cue to have knee over the ankle after students were already in low lunge. She also cued keeping the weight even in the feet and having the jaw soft in a standing side stretch. No physical adjustments.
Did the teaching lead me to a deeper understanding of yoga and myself?
Yes, she did so through the story of reminding us who we are. It was super empowering how she brought it all together to emphasize we have godly qualities within and see students leverage that to feel strong. She clearly linked breath with movement, specifically in cat cow when she mentioned life force traveling
through the body. She mentioned the poses bring us into a regulated nervous system rather than only flight or fight which guided me in linking awareness of who we really are with a sense of calm. All in all, she guided me towards a reverence and giving thanks.
Did the instruction demonstrate humility, compassion and sincerity?
She gently noted that the divine nature we’re connecting to is abstract in a compassionate manner that let students know it is a subtle experience to have. The way she focused on the traditional story of Hanuman and honoring ancestors demonstrated humility in relation to the essence of yoga. Specifically, she depicted child’s pose as a reverence we’re bowing down to as we are each God in human form. She brought some light-hearted humor into the class which had the effect of increasing sincerity. When she slipped up, she said “words are hard” and there was a sincere surrendering to it.
What was your overall experience observing the class?
In general, observing the class connected me to the joyful, playful qualities within me. She was so clear in guiding yoga in the sense of merging individual consciousness with cosmic consciousness. I felt empowered, and I noticed a lot of vitality running through the students’ veins as the class went on. The class was conducive to supporting people in accessing their inner strength while also humbly surrendering to access the divine light within.
Observation 3
Asheville Community Yoga Gentle Flow
05/05/2022
Mary Friedman
Did the teacher welcome students and establish a theme or intention, if so, what was it?
He brought people all the props as the announcements were being said and stood I the back of the room as it was happening. It was effective. Said “good to see ya’ll”. Shared his years of experience teaching at ACY. Asked students about the sun glare in the room. Established theme as being centered in the present moment. Referenced Patanjali saying it’s in the stillness that we get to know our true selves. Emphasized it’s the present moment that we find happiness. Highlighted the moment of stillness in the breath.
Was the teacher’s voice clear?
Yes. Loud and clear. Took lots of pauses between phrases. Created space for the students to implement the cueing. Walked in the middle of the room between the group of students so he wasn’t that far away. Repeated key phrases to highlight them. i.e. “next time your legs are to the left, keep them there, next time your legs are to the left, pause”.
Were the instructions understandable and were modifications given?
Said positions need to be taken with comfort and ease. Mentioned it as being according to the Sutras. Said move at your own pace and take any posture that you need. Emphasized open at beginning to be reclined on the back or a seat. Offered turning gaze side-to-side in cat cow. Offered keeping toes on the may in vyaghrahasana (Tiger Pose). Mentioned if lower back has pain in sphinx then lower down completely. Started everyone with blocks in wide-legged forward fold and triangle. In down dog, he mentioned bringing the feet wide to protect the back.
Did the instructor provide verbal or physical adjustments/assists?
Emphasized softening and feeling held by the ground. Moved the props out of a student’s way when the student was not using the prop and was reclined on the back which was effective. Repeatedly brought up finding stillness in a variety of poses. Mentioned bending the knees in hamstring stretch. Emphasized listening to the body rather than listening to thoughts which helps coming into the present moment.
Did the teaching lead me to a deeper understanding of yoga and myself?
Showed me that enthusiasm and a focus on presence through stillness can go together. Reminded me yoga is so much about stillness, noticing stillness in the body and the space between words and actions. Reminded me that poses are about supporting the body and allowing softening into it.
Did the instruction demonstrate humility, compassion and sincerity?
Noted it’s difficult to come to stillness and that it’s a practice. He had compassion saying “notice whatever you notice” as a humble way to guide recognizing he does not detect what someone else is feeling. He had enthusiasm in his voice in a way that enhanced his sincerity. Took everyone into each pose step by step which brought a sense of compassion.
What was your overall experience observing the class?
There’s definitely a lot of self-compassion circling the room. Awesome to see people so focused on listening to the body. Nice to see people moving so slow and how relationships with stillness varied throughout the student population. Since he gave people so many options, it supported people focusing on connecting with self through listening and acting accordingly. It was pleasant watching cueing that was so slow.
Observation 4
Asheville Community Yoga Vinyasa Flow
05/06/2022
Mary Friedman
Did the teacher welcome students and establish a theme or intention, if so, what was it?
Said good morning. Asked for requests and gave supportive feedback to them. Announced for people to hold back if there’s pain. Asked if anyone was new to yoga. Said to honor your shoulders because classes are upper body intensive and invited people to ask questions considering it’s an intimate, small class. Set intention to breathe in and out of the nose and let go of what’s happening outside of class.
Was the teacher’s voice clear?
Simple, quick cueing. Not having extra wording was useful for establishing focus. Calmed voice when she talked about softening. Language was accessible because she used words everyone would understand. Clearly explained the safe way to go into camel with leg engagement, focus on opening the heart, and engaging abs in a clear way that supported people in doing it safely. Stayed quiet during yin poses which was effective.
Were the instructions understandable and were modifications given?
Guided students to move at their own pace. Unfortunately moved through poses so quickly that there wasn’t a lot of room to give modifications. Told everyone to shorten state of down dog and play with that to see how it feels. Gas down dog modification to come onto forearms or do child’s pose. Provided option to skip the vinyasa all together. Brought everyone into modified side plank and taught students to engage muscles in the modified version all the way from head to feet in order to emphasize ab engagement. Showed figure four as an option. Gave option to do anything to shake out hips in between pigeon sides.
Did the instructor provide verbal or physical adjustments/assists?
Reminded students of squaring the hips in Tiger Pose and talked about the strengthening benefits of doing so. Walked us through plank engagement from feet to hands which is a useful strategy for cueing in a variety of poses. Said to shake the head around in down dog and press into hands to drive hips high. Cued belly button towards spine in chair. Gave the cue to slow down breath in chair to settle the nervous system. Reminded students to move with breath and not rush. Reminded us to keep torso over hips and balance between effort and ease in Warrior 2. Encouraged students to check their own alignment and detect where they feel it in the body.
Did the teaching lead me to a deeper understanding of yoga and myself?
Yes definitely guided me in seeing contrast between yang and yin. Considered the balance between effort and ease when a lot of her during in a difficult physical sequence had to do with calming breath and loosening in areas of tension. She reminded me to feel strong in my body and notice where my mind goes in moments I go slow. Also encouraged seeing yoga as self-knowledge.
Did the instruction demonstrate humility, compassion and sincerity?
Sincere tone of voice. Compassion for students in terms of shoulder pain and reminded them to do whatever is needed. Acknowledged it’s a lot on the legs and encouraged the students in that and communicated humility through that. Reminded students to not have tension in the body, do what feels good, which radiated a lot of compassion. Sincere in terms of bringing students into what’s going on in
the teacher’s head to be sincere. Talked sincerely about being someone who typically moves fast in life and wants to slow down to be someone who doesn’t miss the fruits of life.
What was your overall experience observing the class?
I appreciated the teacher’s sincerity from the start. I was concerned with how physically rigorous the practice was the beginning and was also amazed at how she reminded people of their strength and used the props with reminders to loosen tension as support. It was then so tender observing people encounter their resistance during the yin and beautiful to see the surrendering that was going on with it as well as the progressive easing up that happened with slight movements of loosening during the yin.
Observation 5
Asheville Community Yoga Vinyasa Flow
05/12/2022
Mary Friedman
Did the teacher welcome students and establish a theme or intention, if so, what was it?
Enthusiastically greeted people who she knew and wasn’t in a rush with them. Put out all the props next to her which communicated to students what they can grab and nonverbally encouraged them to use props. Made announcement that Sunday is a full moon and we are in between 2 eclipses. Announced this has been one of the most beautiful weeks in WNC and asked if the class has noticed it. Casual, silly vibe when giving announcements enhanced the ambiance. Announced theme as Lakshmi (deity that represents beauty, abundance, and wealth as a tool for transforming darkness) and mentioned that noticing beauty opens up our own beauty and shatters thought patterns and such. Intentioned doing a grounding practice to ground into the beauty with forward folds and twists and slowing down to go with the chaotic full moon energy. Introduced Lakshmi mantra. Helps us stay present and invoke light and beauty within us and invited students to the collective space for inviting in love. Encouraged students to feel into the sensations and breathe into it. Specific phrases to go with the theme included: “feel it”, “feel your legs moving like beauty through the air”, “notice what you notice and how you notice those things”, “soften your shoulders, Lakshmi is here”, “curiosity give us information and helps us be guided”, “big breaths tell our systems that we’re good and safe here in this sacred space”. Also, brought up honoring the sun in the sun salutation.
Was the teacher’s voice clear?
Yes. Annunciated well. Explained definitions of words in the mantra. Slightly condescending tone of voice but there was humility in her silliness.
Were the instructions understandable and were modifications given?
Told students to take all the time they need in transition to down dog. Offered table top as a modification of down dog and child’s pose instead of taking a vinyasa. Offered dropping knees for Chatturanga push- up. Offered taking ankle rolls in a fast or slow manner as long as there’s mindfulness. Guided students into half splits with blocks. Encouraged students to listen to their bodies and allow body to naturally unfold.
Did the instructor provide verbal or physical adjustments/assists?
Connected the “beauty way” as not rigid to cues of letting the neck and arms hang in forward fold. Explained in chair to tuck tailbone to the earth before going into a twist. Went into depth explaining what the phrase “hug the belly towards the midline” means. Cued to pull the front leg hip back in high lunge. Encouraged bringing attention to grounded front foot in Warrior 3 as students were transitioning into it and then reminded them to keep hips on the same plane. Cued students to “inhale lengthen the spine and exhale twist the belly” and explained it was all for the purpose of eventually opening the heart energy for the “beauty way”.
Did the teaching lead me to a deeper understanding of yoga and myself?
Celebrated that yoga is expression of reverence to the divine and feeling the strength within and noticing the sacred in the beauty around us. Honoring divine qualities. Connected me with all the beauty including feeling myself as part of it. Guided me in seeing how grounding goes with attitude of fascination with beauty. Showed me there’s specific body parts I can anchor down to ground.
Did the instruction demonstrate humility, compassion and sincerity?
Honoring elements of nature while doing asanas demonstrated humility. Demonstrated sincerity while sharing with the class her genuine love for one of the songs on the playlist as her favorite. Demonstrated compassion in saying that if students don’t quite feel the beauty way, they can “fake it til’ they make it because that’s what I do too”. Outwardly expressed “wooo we are at the back of our mats” in a sincerely funny way. She was sincerely stoked about the Lakshmi theme which was conducive to students jumping onboard with it. She demonstrated compassion during the winding down phase of the class when she congratulated students for staying in the room. Very sincere in her delicate energy in her singing and guitar playing at the end during Savasana.
What was your overall experience observing the class?
Witnessed students being empowered. Interesting to see how establishing sacredness in a space is conducive to creating a sense of safety. She mentioned, “it was a practice designed to feel grounded and quiet so we can take beauty in” and that’s exactly what it did. I felt super calm after the class. Gave students examples of parts of their body to feel and breathe into to guide students and exemplified it by pointing out specific aspects of the song that she was noticing. That sort of focus throughout relaxed me.