The Acrobatics weekend with Jonny as my co-teacher was a great success, and a very rich opportunity to gain insight from the experience of teaching. It reminds me of a very insightful anecdote about teaching:
I offer my practice is service to my students. My students offer their studentship, and give me the great opportunity to teach for my own benefit.
I learn so much from teaching. Jonny and I spoke at length in reflection on the weekend, and realized how we could only plan so much. I'm realizing how much of the teaching is a product of observing the students, and seeing how well they integrate what is offered... followed by a process of refining and expanding based on what is necessary. It reveals the deep well of knowledge and skill that we have as teachers to make decisions in the moment about what is necessary... this is the fine art of teaching.
The art of teaching relates to how well a teacher applies their resources to the needs of the students... in measured doses, sufficient to challenge the students while maintaining their confidence and working within their range of possibilities. It is a fine balance of giving in measured doses appropriate to each student's unique needs, while maintaining the high vision of the final form.
One clear intention that I had at the forefront of my mind was to give the students exactly what they need individually, and no extra. In the past, when I have fixed my dristi on the desired result, I often lost sight of the students capacity to assimilate information, and I would try to force the download. Every student has a unique capacity to receive and absorb the offering, and I trusted that everyone would receive exactly what they need to take their personal practice to the next level.
Our offering was to cultivate advanced awareness in acrobatics, and as teachers, we were practicing teaching with a heightened awareness. I am grateful to Kaline, who inspired the weekend from the very beginning. She was with us in spirit for our first offering, a Bhakti, Thai & Fly workshop on the Friday evening before the weekend. Kaline has a very unique ability to listen to her intuitive wisdom, observe an audience, sense what is necessary, and in a seemingly formless space, facilitate an experience that brings students to the essence of the teachings. She is incredibly creative in her teaching style because she is always listening... always attentive to what feels right in the moment... and she has a deep trust in her ability to transmit the wisdom through a clear channel.
Kaline reminds me to keep my channels open to receive guidance... she reminds me to listen and trust my intuition.
Our theme also included building a strong container... a permeable container that allows light in and shines light out. The strength of our container enables us to cultivate energy in a way that expands boundaries, rather than breaking them. So as a prelude to our physical endeavors, we planted seeds of cultivating both physical and mental strength... a strength of will and intention.
On the second day, we focused our intention on cultivating strength of mind... clarity of purpose... and a clear vision of where we see ourselves in our highest and best. In silence, each of us cultivated a desire, a unique and individual objective for the workshop. We then shared our desire in a present tense statement, as though we have already achieved our desire. We used this as an affirmation for ourselves, and in so doing, created a gateway for the power of our mind to transform our reality.
By thinking it, speaking it and embodying it, we manifested our individual desires as a state of being in the present moment. This process speaks to the revelation that we already have what it is we are seeking.
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