My case of the Mondays

In case you haven't heard I'm training to become a certified Hatha Yoga instructor. As part of my certification I need to apprentice one of my teachers. Every Monday since January I've been apprenticing in the mornings at my local studio.

Since I'm home with the kids, my Mother-in-Law has awesomely been watching the boys so I can go and learn. It's a challenge for me, because we're basically supposed to sit and observe. Don't talk, don't correct students who are doing poses incorrectly. Don't walk around. Don't ask questions.

It's been brutal. Learning by observation is not my best learning style. I was always really pissed that I had to take time to do it if I'm being totally honest.

Until I taught my first yoga class. (It is also part of the certification. I need to teach at least 3 yoga classes on my own time.)

Teaching changed how I observe. Before, I was constantly looking for how people could do the poses more correctly, in better alignment, safer. Now I don't look at their bodies as much. I look at their faces. Because yoga makes everyone smile. I noticed it when I taught for the first time, coming out of poses, or getting into a really hard one - people are always smiling.

It's never boring to see, and there is always something to be learned.