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Top Ten Yoga Teachers

Monday, May 12, 2008

Here are my top ten yoga teachers, not in any particular order….

1. John Scott - haven’t worked with him for a few years but was the gentlest, most inspiring introduction to ashtanga.

2. Gerry Kielty - based in Scotland. Iyengar-ish. Great on anatomy, on sequencing and on getting a very focused, calm atmosphere at workshops. Knows exactly what posture your body wants next.

3. Petri Raisanen - Finnish ashtanga teacher who gives workshops and retreats in US and Europe. Good on technique. Good adjustments. Great hair.

4. David Roche - American ashtanga teacher who taught in London. Dance background, very precise. Lovely calm presence at workshops. Great adjustments.

5. Christian Pisano - French Iyengar teacher. Very wise on anatomy. Strong workshops. Demanding in the best way.

6. Richard Freeman - a master. Reminds you to take pleasure in practice. Will always remember him murmuring “mmm, delicous!” while demonstrating sun salutations - as if he was eating ice cream.

Oh dear - there must be some women!

6. Dena Kingsberg - Australian ashtanga teacher. Lovely workshop leader. Great energy, kept a very focused workshop going.

7. Patthabi Jois - citizen of the world.

8. Maxine Tobias - one of the all time great Iyengar teachers. London based.

Thinking how odd it is that I don’t have more women - even though most yoga students are women and there are of course great women teachers. But maybe I haven’t been taught by enough women! Have heard that Donna Farhi is very good. Annie Pace? Shiva Rea?

9. David Swenson - travelling ashtanga teacher. Gentle, wise, and Texan.

10. David’s wife Shelley - they are a great team.

So, please post your own top ten! Always looking for great teachers, whatever form.

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Shivasana in peace, please

Monday, May 12, 2008

Hello Fellow Yogis,

Very excited about contributing to this new site. I am a longtime yogi, with a daily ashtanga practice, but experience of many years of Iyengar, Jivamukti, and countless workshops with teachers famous and not so famous. Yoga practice is the most important part of every day. And yet… there’s an awful lot of censorship in the yoga community and it would be great to have a forum to give honest feedback about teachers and experiences of various forms. I don’t want to slag anyone off, but I do want to know, when I’m deciding whether or not to pay £200 for a weekend workshop with a teacher, what to expect. Some yoga students like to hear a teacher talk for two days and not get round to leading asana practice. I don’t.

So, having just done a one day workshop with a reasonably famous yin yoga teacher, here is what I’m thinking about today -

Why do yoga teachers talk through meditation?

This teacher didn’t even lead us through shivasana at the end of a seven hour workshop - he led a seated meditation. My body SO wanted to lie down and let go. But we sat, cross legged, listening to his instruction, which never stopped. There was no silence, and there had been none during the whole workshop. Is that a lack of confidence on the part of the teacher? Are some teachers afraid to let go of the students’ attention? Or just uncomfortable with silence? I think meditation is about exploring silence, and hearing the noise in your head, and trying to let it go.

So please, teachers, let us lie down and be quiet. It’s the space to end a practice and let go of listening.

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Triyoga mass walkout

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Any one want tell me what went on at Triyoga in 2007 when John Scott was teaching there & had a mass walk out???
Keep hearing about this on my travels, but apart ….if anyone who was actually there could spill the beans i’d be interested to get to the bottom of the rumours.

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Teacher training

Sunday, May 11, 2008

( Advanced Studies ) with Erich Schiffmann at the Exhale Center in Los Angeles.

These are the words used.”.Teacher training “and “Advanced studies.”
I arrive in Los Angeles only to find out that i am 1 of 24 people on the course, with over half of them not being qualified teachers and the other 40% have taught for less than 3 years!
The Advanced studies included one person asking if they had to learn the sanskit.”.is it really necessary?” Another asking ” What is neutral spine? ” Another saying they had chosen this course above others because it didn’t start until midday & they didn’t want to go on one of those courses where you have to get up early in a morning! Then on day 2 our “Advanced homework ” was staring at a candle so we could start to learn how to meditate!!
Sorry , but if you’re gonna call it Teacher Training at least make sure your clients are teachers, and if it’s Advanced studies, one would assume that these teachers are practitioners of yoga with some years of asana, pranayama & meditation experience under their yogic belts.
I want to advise all you fellow teachers out there to be really careful ( however respected the teachers name is, ) when embarking on these courses, and maybe for the accreditation bodies, such as The Yoga Alliance , to make sure they are accrediting people with 40 hours of appropiate skill levels of teaching experience …..and to Erich Schiffmann…Use your experience to benefit the yoga teachers who travel to spend time and lots of money being with you.!

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