Rookie created a monster

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I’ve been trying to learn Yoga at home for several years now with almost no success, and just last month started taking formal classes. My husband says that I have become a nicer person in the last few weeks. I’m not sure how to take that. When I have access to a full teacher and not just a gym instructor, I’d like to get more of the spiritual aspects, but that is not available right now.

Anyway, I also just started working as an in-home caretaker for individuals with brain injuries and developmental disabilities. In my first three weeks, many of the clients and most of the other staff know me as the “Weird Chick:” black clothes, dog collars, health food, yoga, fiber crafts… yeah…

But we’re supposed to be pushing the clients to eat more healthy foods and exercise, and many of them complain that the people who are pushing them will eat MacDonald’s in front of them while making them eat salads and the like. I’ve been having better luck, asking them to show me the gym, rather than asking them to go exercise, and the like. None of the staff are actually promoting good health, just ordering it in others. Grr. So here I am, chatting about all things healthy and what exercises do YOU like, and after a while the clients think that the diet and activities are their ideas, not mine. Everyone’s happy.

Here is the dilemma: I’ve been taking my Yoga Journals to work, as we get a lot of free time. I should have known someone would catch on; last week I wound up trying to teach a man with severe manual motor disabilities to crochet after his watching me for about a half-hour. Fun for all! But one of the lower-functioning clients, a full stereotypical redneck with the mind of a very adorable five-year-old, got ahold of my magazine and begged me to tell him ALL about it… then to bring one of my DVDs so he could try it. My trainer didn’t see any harm, so I told him that the next time I worked I’d bring the disk and he could try a few poses. Down dog, a simple tree, some warriors, even I can show someone that.

Hey, we can’t get this guy to exercise more than a little walk a couple of times a week. Yoga is GOLD for brain injury patients, from what I hear. The household team leader fell all over it. Yay, Redneck Dude! But he obsesses about things at random, and for days. And he has started gleefully telling everyone he can find (managers, staff, other clients…) that “She’s gonna teach me some Yogas!” Now management is talking about finding more mats, and some blocks to keep in the rec center.

What have I done??? I’ve only been doing this for a few weeks and it’s spreading! I can’t do any more than provide DVD access and relay a couple of things my teacher has told me. But it’s suddenly so important to Redneck Dude. He’s sooooo happy… and now everyone knows about it…

Help!

#2

Mme. Aurantia – I think the best thing that could come from this situation is that your management would be willing to hire a yoga teacher for a limited engagement. You might ask them to come to this forum and search for the words “injury” or “pain” to help them see how beneficial finding a teacher with training and experience in diverse-ability populations would be. Failing that, perhaps you can spread word of this to enough yoga teachers that one with a calling to volunteer will step forward.
Here’s hoping . . .

#3

Maybe you could get some of the better yogis to help teaching you

#4

I am sooooo glad you mention the integrity element in the post. When we are not living what we are teaching it creates disharmony inside of us. It is incredibly wise to share your living with your clients rather than asking them to do something you yourself are not wiling to.

Relative to the overgrowing popularity of asana, which is not Yoga but rather a small part of Yoga, simply communicate to the administration that the practice is very potent and that potent things in the wrong hands are harmful not helpful. Translation: there’s a risk management issue here.

At that point I would strongly suggest NOT teaching this population until you are trained to do so, insured, and your darkly-clad rear end is covered by something more than a black frock. Otherwise I see a potential for some friction down the road.

Giving the clients the DVD AND a warning may be sufficient but that is up to administrators to determine.

#5

Oh, I am so not a teacher. I wouldn’t mind becoming one someday, but I think that’s a long time down the road. After 2012, if Armageddon cancels. That’s sort of the issue. Maybe I can give management info about my gym, where classes are really affordable. The company doesn’t have much in the line of budgeting. I think that DVDs will be it for now.

Thanks, everyone.

#6

Yes. Teaching is a big responsibility. You seem to have good attitude towards that.

Well. Alot could be said about self-studies on yoga :slight_smile: but I found a nice website today when I was looking around a little, haven’t looked closely at all I was just checking some asana names. But it seems nice and they have animated postures. http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/postures.asp

#7

I teach some places and some clients for free, (because regular studio class is not affordable for some) there are few more instructors in the city who also volunteer at some places. You may find out people like that in you city. It is very good to get lessons from experienced person rather than watch dvds. Even taking class with the teacher few times a month would help to train on you own every day.

So, my advise is to look for free or affordable teachers.

#8

If budget is a problem you might be able to find some newer yoga teachers that are willing to put in some volunteer time to help them gain teaching experience. Although if your clients have physical limitations or injuries a more experienced teacher maybe more appropriate.