A sixty-hour, Level One Silks Training class, how hard could it be? I’d been practicing Silks Yoga for 18 months already. I think it’s human nature to under estimate the quality of something based on the time you’ll spend on it. What I found to be true was that the time spent was very valuable. I’d like to share a little background and some gems from my training. I first came to Silks Yoga looking for a physical practice. I was looking for fitness, but I found so much more. In fact, it was this revelation that perpetuated me to take the teacher training. What I discovered was so important to me that I want to help others realize these same things through their Yoga practice. If you knew me, you would be surprised that I made the decision to teach. I am not the type of person to put myself in front of people. I’m quiet, reserved and not overly confident. So, what was it; what was that important to make me move outside my comfort zone? The answer is connection. I realized for the first time, in my quest for healthy fitness, that I had made a real mind, body and spirit connection and it was exciting to me. My time in the silk became my solace. A time of purification where I found peace of mind. From this experience I learned to except myself where I was, flaws, imperfections and strengths. I was a bit shy, at first, of the ritual practices of Yoga. I came to understand that the physical part of Yoga was practiced for fine tuning you mentally and spiritually. I began to enjoy this magical spiritual connection and found inspiration, peace and bliss for my soul. Who wouldn’t want to share this sense of freedom and bliss with others who are kicking off their Yoga journey. Now let me share my thoughts on Silks training. I was excited and nervous when I arrived for training the first day. I was up for the challenge of learning something new, but I didn’t know what to expect. To my surprise, I found the training to be a comprehensive learning experience. The instruction was great, and Jules did an awesome job dialing in on poses. We went over all Level One Silks poses, many times, until we became proficient. She coached us on how to correctly get into poses, where to be in respect to “plumb line”, what was important to cue and the correct way to cue it. We learned how to connect poses in a vinyasa flow and how to transitions from one silk series to another. We learned how to make physical adjustments and modifications to help students get in the pose correctly. We didn’t just learn the technical side of the physical poses. We learned how to put a class together from start to finish, Breathing, intention setting, warm-up, heat-up, flow, rooting, inversion, cool down, Savasana, gratitude, Ohm. We received practical information about the silk and some Silk Yoga history. We studied a brief history on Yoga itself and became familiar with the Yoga Sutras and the bodies energy centers, the Chakras. All this information gave me “tools in my shed” to begin my new practice as a Silks Yoga guide. It also fueled my desire to learn more about Yoga and deepen my personal practice. The biggest take away for me though was my voice. I realized that practicing and teaching are two different things. I had spent very little time in front of people speaking. Even more challenging was to “cue and do” at the same time. This skill was a stretch for me but a real confidence booster to get in front of a class and communicate. It wasn’t just instruction for the pose I was giving but I was learning how to help a student with the entire “art” of practicing Yoga. Yoga gives you a sense of community. During our class time together, my fellow students and I practiced diligently together. In the silks we demonstrated our skill at cueing poses to one another. We spent time practicing together and we took time to encapsulate our training by journaling. I made some friends during my time in training maybe because we were kindred in our yoga journey. I’m certain this same sense of community will continue to blossom with the yogis that come to practice with me. It doesn’t matter what your role, whether student or teacher. What matters is that you’ve taken time to practice, to honor the higher power, others and yourself. "The Light in me honors and respects the light in you!" - Debbie Whitman
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Raven ClementeJust passionate about the practice and feel compelled to share with the world. Raven Clemente, as seen in Yoga Journal Magazine for an Unnata Aerial Yoga article. Read the article
Check out this video of founder Raven Clemente promoting aerial yoga through Denver Colorado's Channel 7 News! ArchivesCategories |