I have a major gripe...which I've never mentioned here...but feel very much like doing today. Someone mentioned to me that I go to too many different teachers. This person also seemed to think that I will not be able to progress unless I declare myself as so and so's student and stick with one teacher.
I don't know what to say about this. I personally think its very unreasonable to expect me to practice only with one teacher, especially since I live in a place where I have hardly any access to good Ashtanga teachers. Who am I supposed to go to for adjustments, advice and community, if I have to limit myself to only practising with just one teacher??
In a way, I feel almost obliged to comply with this, or risk not being able to move forward in my practice. On the one hand I respect this person who said this to me very much. On the other hand, I am left feeling a little disappointed that I am hearing this from this particular person.
I personally don't care if my teacher is certified/authorized or whatever, as long as I learn something useful from them, I consider them my teacher. And in this case, the only real guru of Ashtanga is Pattabhi Jois and everyone else is simply teaching HIS teachings. So why is there this exclusivity thing going on about who is whose teacher etc etc. If all my teachers have been to Mysore and studied with Guruji, then all they are teaching are his methods, and no one should or can claim that people that they teach can only practice with them and no one else!
I guess being exclusive to one teacher may be the case for someone who has access to many shalas and hops around those different shalas..but I haver NO access...and ANY teacher is better than none...
Sigh..this is putting a dampener on me at the moment..and although I know it will pass, I'm still feeling rather troubled by it right now..
6 comments:
Hi,
I guess I'm in a very similar situation: There are no Ashtanga teachers in the area where I live so I practice on my own most of the time and occasionally I visit workshops with different teachers.
It might be true that the progress is faster if you have the chance to practice with one teacher regularly. But it's not true that there is no progress if this is not the case. As long as you do your practice there will always be progress but it might manifest in different ways. Home practice also teaches us a lot of important things a teacher never can give because they have to be discovered by ourselves.
Hi,
I guess I'm in a very similar situation: There are no Ashtanga teachers in the area where I live so I practice on my own most of the time and occasionally I visit workshops with different teachers.
It might be true that the progress is faster if you have the chance to practice with one teacher regularly. But it's not true that there is no progress if this is not the case. As long as you do your practice there will always be progress but it might manifest in different ways. Home practice also teaches us a lot of important things a teacher never can give because they have to be discovered by ourselves.
Although I don't know your exact situation, I can say that some of the benefits of sticking to one teacher for an extended period of time are
-you develop a relationship with your teacher. they get to know your body and practice and you get to know how they teach.
-you learn how to apply what they teach you and they can watch to see if you are really understanding the concepts.
-by watching your practice over an extended period, they can provide meanigful teaching based on your habits in practice.
-you get to build trust. when you trust your teacher (I mean REALLY trust them), then things start to open up. You get more out of their teachings.
-adjustments are deeper (not nec stronger) because your teacher knows your body and you know how to receive your teacher's adjustments.
Ok that stuff said, maybe an extended period is a month, maybe it is 10 years, but when you drop in, there's is only so much a teacher can give.
and actually, Guruji says that he is only teaching what his guru taught him. so then is there really ever a true guru other than what--God I guess?
You will progress fast if you practice regularly and consistently. Doesn't matter if you go to teacher A, B, C, and D all at the same time. You will internalize all of their teachings. And that's how you progress. And of course everything Elise is also true :)
Thanks for your thoughts...;) I think I may just be too impatient..but glad to read your comments;)
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