Selfishness, hoarding, and gluttony are hard to sleep with. Greed drives us insane, and over consumption causes grief. Helping others does not require money. Selfless service will help those in need just fine. Sometimes an encouraging word, a thank you, or a compliment, is worth more than money. This is because you showed recognition and gave a feeling that becomes self worth.
How many times do people hold back on giving thanks, praise, and mutual respect to others? No wonder the divorce rates are so high in some cultures. It is because no one wants to give, forgive, or try to understand anyone including their wife, husband, or family members.
No one wants to accept the blame for anything. Everything is the fault of some ?wrong doer.? We are living in the new age of blame. How often do you hear about teachers and parents blamed for trying to do their job?
When you see someone change his or her attitude around for the best, it does restore your faith in humanity. If we cannot forgive, we become negative and hostile, too. Below is a formula for helping negative people, and you may learn a little more about Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, (the path of devotion), in the process.
Smiling is contagious and puts the unhappy person ?off guard.? Remember that negativity is also contagious, but smiling is an ?equalizer.? It is very hard to get mad at a happy person. Think pleasant thoughts and do not let yourself come under the spell of gloom. It is easier for most of us to smile than to frown all the time.
Listen emphatically, but do not take problems that are not yours to heart. I know a person whose favorite saying is, ?It?s not my problem.? Always remember that you do not have to take on the problems of the world, on your shoulders, to be a good listener.
If you feel this person is dragging you down, give yourself a break. Just because you want to help - that doesn?t mean you have to write a suicide pack with him or her. You have to know your own tolerance level for being around pessimism. Too much pessimism and negativity can have an adverse effect on anyone.
Look at ?wartime behavior? as a prime example. People are scarred for life by atrocities, brutality, poverty, starvation, battle fatigue, constant fear, and imprisonment. This is a haven for negativity to flourish in. This is much like the mind-set of a pessimist.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
Showing posts with label Good Listener. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Listener. Show all posts
February 23, 2009
Communication Skills for Yoga Teachers
Here is an oxymoron for you: Some of the best Yoga teachers are great listeners. This is a general guideline for Yoga students who aspire to teach some day. Listening skills, in Yoga, start when you take your first class, as you learn by hearing, watching, and doing.
The Yoga student who learns predominantly by listening will be able to verbally communicate the finer techniques to others in the future. This is not to say that other methods of learning have less value, but a skilled Yoga teacher must be a communicator and be able to reach into each individual student?s mind.
Therefore, not all Yoga students can learn from you in the same way. Some will learn by listening carefully to your cues, others will gain more from an assist, and some will be able to copy just by watching. As a Yoga instructor, you still have to be a good listener when it comes to all of your students? questions.
Most Yoga teachers do a good job with handling student questions. However, here is something to think about: Do you try to clarify why a question is being asked? Consider that your student may not be clear in his or her communication skills and you need to ?get to the heart of the matter.?
The motivation behind a question is more important than the question itself. You don?t want to waste your time giving unrelated information before, after, or during a Yoga class. So, get a clarification about what you are being asked, and learn why your Yoga student is truly asking you this question. This will benefit the both of you and avoid wasting your student?s time, as well.
If a student asks you a simple question, with a ?yes? or ?no? answer, you can still find out the motivational source by saying, ?Yes, but why do you ask?? This technique is really that simple, and you may find the question is much deeper than you originally perceived.
Another mistake some Yoga teachers make is handling a question defensively. Your student thinks enough of you to ask for your opinion and is interested in your answer. If he or she had no respect for you, your opinion would not be important. Now, whether you perceive an objection or not, you should ask for a clarification before answering.
There is a positive side to all of the questions your Yoga students ask, but you must clearly see the motive behind the question in order to give the best answer. The bottom line is: Even though you are now at the front of the Yoga class, your listening skills must be better than your best listeners in your class.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
The Yoga student who learns predominantly by listening will be able to verbally communicate the finer techniques to others in the future. This is not to say that other methods of learning have less value, but a skilled Yoga teacher must be a communicator and be able to reach into each individual student?s mind.
Therefore, not all Yoga students can learn from you in the same way. Some will learn by listening carefully to your cues, others will gain more from an assist, and some will be able to copy just by watching. As a Yoga instructor, you still have to be a good listener when it comes to all of your students? questions.
Most Yoga teachers do a good job with handling student questions. However, here is something to think about: Do you try to clarify why a question is being asked? Consider that your student may not be clear in his or her communication skills and you need to ?get to the heart of the matter.?
The motivation behind a question is more important than the question itself. You don?t want to waste your time giving unrelated information before, after, or during a Yoga class. So, get a clarification about what you are being asked, and learn why your Yoga student is truly asking you this question. This will benefit the both of you and avoid wasting your student?s time, as well.
If a student asks you a simple question, with a ?yes? or ?no? answer, you can still find out the motivational source by saying, ?Yes, but why do you ask?? This technique is really that simple, and you may find the question is much deeper than you originally perceived.
Another mistake some Yoga teachers make is handling a question defensively. Your student thinks enough of you to ask for your opinion and is interested in your answer. If he or she had no respect for you, your opinion would not be important. Now, whether you perceive an objection or not, you should ask for a clarification before answering.
There is a positive side to all of the questions your Yoga students ask, but you must clearly see the motive behind the question in order to give the best answer. The bottom line is: Even though you are now at the front of the Yoga class, your listening skills must be better than your best listeners in your class.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html
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