What a difference a week makes. I’m talking about the number and diversity of the people who showed up for class this past Sunday. Of course once again in my excitement I forgot to take a photo of everyone so I’ll have to paint you a picture one more time. But before I do that I want to back up a bit.
For Sunday’s class I wasn’t as last minute in planning as usual. It was still a Saturday night planning session, but at least it wasn’t midnight. I also wasn’t as nervous as I had been the prior week, but I was still feeling some butterflies. I guess it’s just like in yoga teacher training (YTT). The first week is killer on the psyche. I mean you have no idea how it’s all going to go. Our teachers told us, “If you don’t make some mistakes in the first practice teach then you fail.” LOL. Of course not really, but the point is that we were learning. So this week of class was much like week two of practice teach. I felt more confident, but I was still nervous.
As you know, these are my Thank You classes to folks who donated toward me getting to YTT. A woman named Kathryn donated to my fundraiser, but she emailed and said she couldn’t make it to Brooklyn for class because she lives in Dobbs Ferry, NY, which is about an hour or so away in the Hudson Valley. So she asked me if she could transfer her comp to her friend Pat who happens to live around the corner from where I’m teaching. Of course the answer was yes and with that I knew I had one student for Sunday. Also my friend Stephanie told me she was coming so that was two, both of whom had a free class. I emailed Pat to let her know she was all set, and she told me she was bringing a few folks. Nice! Then Rachel of Hip Dhamma said she emailed her list to tell them about my class as well. Since you never know how things will do, I was sticking to my two people for sure. This is New York and people are known to change their plans on the fly.
When I arrived at Freebrook on Sunday there were just a few things to straighten up and then I would be good to go. My friend Desiree came by with her two sons to wish me luck before class, which was great! Then before I knew it people were showing up for class.
I think Chris was first. Yeah, one man in class! He came because of the email that Hip Dhamma sent out. Then Pat showed up with one of her friends. She thought it would just be the two of them, but then two more of her friends came through the door.
Now let me tell you about Pat and friends. These are grown folks if you get what I’m saying. I have no idea how old they really were and they all look amazing, but these ladies could have been grandmothers and I loved it! They had great energy and it was an honor to teach them on Sunday. So that made 5 people in class up from 2 the week before. Then I got my third surprise, Ganessa came! Ganessa is my friend and bassist in my band. Turns out that was her first yoga class and she loved it! That really meant a lot of me because I think a persons first yoga class is so important. I think that will dictate if they go back again.
For my series I have to wear all the hats. So I’m taking money, checking my comp list, setting up the room so there is enough space fore everyone and trying to center myself as well. As we started to settle in, the people kept coming. Next came Tiffany, then Stephanie, then Maria, then Bianca and then Erica! I couldn’t believe it. The room was packed. If anyone else had come I would have had to turn them away. Now that’s crazy. I had a feeling this might happen, but not till the final week. I was a bit overwhelmed looking out at all the faces, but it was also an overwhelming feeling of joy.
As I mentioned, this was week 2 of my Thank You Series. So the focus was on giving thanks for your body. So often we say such mean things to ourselves about our body. Sometimes it’s so subtle that we are not mindful of the negative self talk at all. Then we wonder why our body fails us. Think about it. So the class was all about giving thanks even for those parts that give us aches and pains and to breathe some good energy into those places. This time I made a class plan that was that was the correct amount of time. Actually it was probably just a minute or so long. So next week my goal is to be right no time.
When class ended, my students applauded! Now that was wild. They were not all people that I knew so that was totally unexpected. I’m surely not teaching yoga for the roar of the crowd. That’s why I make music and get on stage to perform it. Teaching yoga, doing Reiki, and healing in general is such a deep calling for me. Music and art is right in there, but hands on touch and moving meditation is the tops.
After class some of the students came up to talk to me, and folks wanted to sign my mailing list. I am so thankful. So, so thankful.
The picture that I really want you to see when you close your eyes and think about this class is the colors, shapes, genders and sizes of the people who came. So often when people think about yoga the picture that comes their minds eye is that of a young, skinny or very fit, white woman in a very small and sometimes expensive yoga outfit. Well I’m here to tell you that yogis come in all shapes, sizes, colors and genders. Some people think that black people don’t do yoga, but yes we do! Ninety-eight percent of my class was people of color. Yes that does have something to do with the neighborhood, but they came. Also I had grown folks in my class and one man, which no matter what color is wonderful. I would love to see more men in yoga. The sizes of people probably ranged from size 6 to 16. It was just beautiful. Also people levels varied greatly, but I offered props and assistance and we had a great time.
I know I should stop sounding like I’m in such shock, but a little over a month ago I couldn’t do any of this. Now, I’m a yoga teacher.
Jai Bhagwan!
Sovereign Hands Yoga: The Thank You Series
@ Freebrook Spaces in Association with Hip Dhamma
375 Stuyvesant Avenue b/w Decatur & Bainbridge Sts.
Brooklyn, NY
Sunday December, 16th (Last Class of Series)
$10
11am-12:10pm
[If you have a mat please bring it with you. If not, there are a few mats for use.]
By Train: A/C to Utica Avenue
Contact, More info & Talk to Me
sovereignhands@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/sovereignhands
Twitter @sovereignhands
Check out Hip Dhamma Too!!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The Thank You Series ~ Class 1
I went to bed late on Saturday and got up early on Sunday. Class wasn't until 11am, but I was probably up at about 7:30am after going to bed at about 1:45am. I was nervous. Although yoga teacher training wasn't that long ago, sometimes it feels like eons. My folks in my YTT sangha have moved on and although we keep in touch on Facebook it's surely not the same as waking up to their faces daily. I'm still adjusting.
Sunday morning I got up and went through my whole class by myself. I went through the whole hour and change in hope of being clearer with whomever was going to show up that day. I had no idea and no expectations. I'm working hard not to bring my same thought patterns to the yoga side of my life that I sometimes bring to music side, which is, everyone says yes and then no one shows up. I know that sounds strange so say if you have been to one of my shows because people do show up. They show up all the time, but I have to admit the fear that sits down under the surface that no one will show. But today I knew that one person would show and that was Rachel from Hip Dhamma. We had been talking about me coming on teach at the studio. So she was coming so I could "audition." No pressure. Right!!
As it got closer to the time to head to Freebrook Spaces where my classes are being held I did my best to calm down. I had no idea what I was going to walk in to. I mean of course I had some idea, but this was really new territory. I kept thinking about what my teacher Devarshi would say, "If your heart is pounding then you must raise your hand and say something." My heart was surely pounding and teaching the class was like raising my hand. I was saying yes.
One of the best things about teaching at Freebrook is that it's right near my house so I can walk there. It was such a great feeling to be able to take that walk and have a moment to meditate and settle down a bit before I got there. I realized on my walk that I forgot a couple of things like sage to clear the space and my comp list. As you know, these are my Thank You classes. So some folks are getting class for free, some for $5 and anyone else who just drops in it's $10. It's ok. Breathe Shelley. No worries.
When I arrived at the school (Freebrook is a school during the week) DeeArah, who helped me book the space, was there cleaning up a bit. Let me tell you a bit about Freebrook. It was once somebody’s mansion so the place is huge and grand. They actually filmed Boardwalk Empire there a couple of times. Surely there are still some spirits up in there. As you enter the front door and walk into the foyer it is all dark wood; the walls, floors and the staircase. There are two big rooms on the ground floor and also a kitchen and some other smaller rooms. Then on the second floor there are more rooms, nooks and crannies that I have yet to explore. My class is in one of the smaller rooms at the top of right staircase. Yes the staircase splits in two. I told you it was majestic.
I really like the room on the second floor. There is lots of sun and it’s cozy. DeeArah gave me the lay of the land a bit and then I tried to get myself situated.
Soon Rachel arrived. She is one of the women who run Hip Dhamma, the yoga studio that usually runs out of Freebrook. She was kind enough to let me use her props for class, which was a blessing. I can see that the Hip Dhamma crew are really about community building and I love that it is through movement. Luckily when she came she had some sage with her so I was able to smudge the room. We talked for a while and then she went to take care of some other business before class.
I had a feeling that it might just be Rachel and I that day, but just before class was about to begin my friend Calia showed up. Yeah! I was more than ready to teach one, but two was great! I showed Calia upstairs and then we began pretty much right away. I wasn’t sure what happened to Rachel, but she showed up right after the sound of OM.
Did I say I was nervous? I know I was in my head a lot in class. There were things that I should have said before taking people into certain postures and I talked about a couple of contraindications after we had already done a pose, which doesn’t help at that point, but I know the nerves will wear off after a while. I’m still getting my feet on the ground after all.
For this first week of the series since it is on giving thanks, I asked the class to focus on their breath and give thanks for the in breath and out breath. In short, give thanks for every moment. As I moved through teaching my first class outside of school I really missed the faces of my sangha. We got so much reinforcement from each other while in school, but out here you never know what you will get. Well, I was moving along quite nicely when I looked at the time and realized that I still had a lot left and I had done everything I planned! OK, time to think on my toes. I had to go through my mental Rolodex of asanas and pull something out of the sky. Of course it all worked out and as my YTT crew would say, nobody died. LOL!
I guess I did well at my audition because I got a call back to teach at Hip Dhamma and Calia said she had a great time and really enjoyed the breath work. I think the breath is most important in yoga. A lot of studios don’t focus on that a lot, but you can’t do anything if you don’t have your breath and we take it for granted daily, really almost every moment. Remember your breath. If you think about it, it’s really what’s holding you together.
After class I chatted with DeeArah for a bit and talked some about my future classes. I made $10 that day. I decided in the spirit of it being Sunday and in the spirit of really taking this on as a business I paid myself first aka I made a tithe to myself. I put $1 or 10% of my earnings in my savings account. I know it may not seem like much, but how often do we not take care of ourselves first especially on the financial front.
I should have taken photo of Rachel, Calia and I, but I was totally buzzing. I will have a photo of the next folks to come to class, which is this Sunday at 11am. I hope to see some of you there.
My yoga practice has taught me so much, but I am still walking hard with my niyama of Ishvar-Pranidhana. Surrender. Surrender to what the Universe has for me. Be open and say yes. Thank you all so much for saying yes to me.
Jai Bhagwan!
Sovereign Hands Yoga: The Thank You Series
@ Freebrook Spaces
375 Stuyvesant Avenue b/w Decatur & Bainbridge Sts.
Brooklyn, NY
Sundays Dec. 9th & 16th
$10
11am-12:10pm
[If you have a mat please bring it with you. If not, there are a few mats for use.]
By Train: A/C to Utica Avenue
Contact, More info & Talk to Me
sovereignhands@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/sovereignhands
Twitter @sovereignhands
Check out Hip Dhamma Too!!
Sunday morning I got up and went through my whole class by myself. I went through the whole hour and change in hope of being clearer with whomever was going to show up that day. I had no idea and no expectations. I'm working hard not to bring my same thought patterns to the yoga side of my life that I sometimes bring to music side, which is, everyone says yes and then no one shows up. I know that sounds strange so say if you have been to one of my shows because people do show up. They show up all the time, but I have to admit the fear that sits down under the surface that no one will show. But today I knew that one person would show and that was Rachel from Hip Dhamma. We had been talking about me coming on teach at the studio. So she was coming so I could "audition." No pressure. Right!!
As it got closer to the time to head to Freebrook Spaces where my classes are being held I did my best to calm down. I had no idea what I was going to walk in to. I mean of course I had some idea, but this was really new territory. I kept thinking about what my teacher Devarshi would say, "If your heart is pounding then you must raise your hand and say something." My heart was surely pounding and teaching the class was like raising my hand. I was saying yes.
One of the best things about teaching at Freebrook is that it's right near my house so I can walk there. It was such a great feeling to be able to take that walk and have a moment to meditate and settle down a bit before I got there. I realized on my walk that I forgot a couple of things like sage to clear the space and my comp list. As you know, these are my Thank You classes. So some folks are getting class for free, some for $5 and anyone else who just drops in it's $10. It's ok. Breathe Shelley. No worries.
When I arrived at the school (Freebrook is a school during the week) DeeArah, who helped me book the space, was there cleaning up a bit. Let me tell you a bit about Freebrook. It was once somebody’s mansion so the place is huge and grand. They actually filmed Boardwalk Empire there a couple of times. Surely there are still some spirits up in there. As you enter the front door and walk into the foyer it is all dark wood; the walls, floors and the staircase. There are two big rooms on the ground floor and also a kitchen and some other smaller rooms. Then on the second floor there are more rooms, nooks and crannies that I have yet to explore. My class is in one of the smaller rooms at the top of right staircase. Yes the staircase splits in two. I told you it was majestic.
I really like the room on the second floor. There is lots of sun and it’s cozy. DeeArah gave me the lay of the land a bit and then I tried to get myself situated.
Soon Rachel arrived. She is one of the women who run Hip Dhamma, the yoga studio that usually runs out of Freebrook. She was kind enough to let me use her props for class, which was a blessing. I can see that the Hip Dhamma crew are really about community building and I love that it is through movement. Luckily when she came she had some sage with her so I was able to smudge the room. We talked for a while and then she went to take care of some other business before class.
I had a feeling that it might just be Rachel and I that day, but just before class was about to begin my friend Calia showed up. Yeah! I was more than ready to teach one, but two was great! I showed Calia upstairs and then we began pretty much right away. I wasn’t sure what happened to Rachel, but she showed up right after the sound of OM.
Did I say I was nervous? I know I was in my head a lot in class. There were things that I should have said before taking people into certain postures and I talked about a couple of contraindications after we had already done a pose, which doesn’t help at that point, but I know the nerves will wear off after a while. I’m still getting my feet on the ground after all.
For this first week of the series since it is on giving thanks, I asked the class to focus on their breath and give thanks for the in breath and out breath. In short, give thanks for every moment. As I moved through teaching my first class outside of school I really missed the faces of my sangha. We got so much reinforcement from each other while in school, but out here you never know what you will get. Well, I was moving along quite nicely when I looked at the time and realized that I still had a lot left and I had done everything I planned! OK, time to think on my toes. I had to go through my mental Rolodex of asanas and pull something out of the sky. Of course it all worked out and as my YTT crew would say, nobody died. LOL!
I guess I did well at my audition because I got a call back to teach at Hip Dhamma and Calia said she had a great time and really enjoyed the breath work. I think the breath is most important in yoga. A lot of studios don’t focus on that a lot, but you can’t do anything if you don’t have your breath and we take it for granted daily, really almost every moment. Remember your breath. If you think about it, it’s really what’s holding you together.
After class I chatted with DeeArah for a bit and talked some about my future classes. I made $10 that day. I decided in the spirit of it being Sunday and in the spirit of really taking this on as a business I paid myself first aka I made a tithe to myself. I put $1 or 10% of my earnings in my savings account. I know it may not seem like much, but how often do we not take care of ourselves first especially on the financial front.
I should have taken photo of Rachel, Calia and I, but I was totally buzzing. I will have a photo of the next folks to come to class, which is this Sunday at 11am. I hope to see some of you there.
My yoga practice has taught me so much, but I am still walking hard with my niyama of Ishvar-Pranidhana. Surrender. Surrender to what the Universe has for me. Be open and say yes. Thank you all so much for saying yes to me.
Jai Bhagwan!
Sovereign Hands Yoga: The Thank You Series
@ Freebrook Spaces
375 Stuyvesant Avenue b/w Decatur & Bainbridge Sts.
Brooklyn, NY
Sundays Dec. 9th & 16th
$10
11am-12:10pm
[If you have a mat please bring it with you. If not, there are a few mats for use.]
By Train: A/C to Utica Avenue
Contact, More info & Talk to Me
sovereignhands@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/sovereignhands
Twitter @sovereignhands
Check out Hip Dhamma Too!!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Sovereign Hands Yoga: The Thank You Series! (Dec. 2nd, 9th & 16th)
Hi Everyone,
I know it's been a minute since I posted a blog. A girl needed to catch a break and get my feet back on the ground, and on the New York grind. It's great to be home, but the City does bring it's share of challenges for sure. But as a young man once known as Puff Daddy once said, "You can't stop the shining!"
With that in mind let the yoga begin! I am teaching the Thank You Series beginning tomorrow, December 2nd at 11am, and for the next two Sundays going forward. I am so thankful to you all for the support through this process and it's just beginning. I'll be blogging for sure throughout the series and I hope to see your face in one or all three of the classes and remember to Give Thanks!
Jai Bhagwan!
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, Thank You, that would suffice." Meister Eckhart
Sovereign Hands Yoga: The Thank You Series!
@ Freebrook Spaces
375 Stuyvesant Avenue b/w Decatur & Bainbridge Sts.
Brooklyn, NY
Sundays Dec. 2nd, 9th & 16th
$10
11am-12:10pm
[If you have a mat please bring it with you. If not, there are a few mats there for use.]
By Train: A/C to Utica Avenue
Contact, More info & Talk to Me:
sovereignhands@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/sovereignhands
Twitter @sovereignhands
I know it's been a minute since I posted a blog. A girl needed to catch a break and get my feet back on the ground, and on the New York grind. It's great to be home, but the City does bring it's share of challenges for sure. But as a young man once known as Puff Daddy once said, "You can't stop the shining!"
With that in mind let the yoga begin! I am teaching the Thank You Series beginning tomorrow, December 2nd at 11am, and for the next two Sundays going forward. I am so thankful to you all for the support through this process and it's just beginning. I'll be blogging for sure throughout the series and I hope to see your face in one or all three of the classes and remember to Give Thanks!
Jai Bhagwan!
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, Thank You, that would suffice." Meister Eckhart
Sovereign Hands Yoga: The Thank You Series!
@ Freebrook Spaces
375 Stuyvesant Avenue b/w Decatur & Bainbridge Sts.
Brooklyn, NY
Sundays Dec. 2nd, 9th & 16th
$10
11am-12:10pm
[If you have a mat please bring it with you. If not, there are a few mats there for use.]
By Train: A/C to Utica Avenue
Contact, More info & Talk to Me:
sovereignhands@yahoo.com
www.facebook.com/sovereignhands
Twitter @sovereignhands
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