After years of dedicated practice, in 2016 I took yoga teacher training, and I have been lucky enough to be teaching consistently ever since. I have taught everything from vigorous, athletic Ashtanga to slow-moving restorative yoga; senior’s yoga and yoga for stroke survivors, Hatha yoga and chair yoga, and even one outdoor children’s yoga class, for my niece’s Sparks unit. Teaching this wide variety of classes has given me a very good understanding of different bodies, abilities, and needs, and I think it has made me a better teacher.
Recently Suzanne (HI SUZANNE) asked her readers to discuss things that they excel at, that make them feel in their element, and for me, I think it’s teaching yoga. More specifically, I think my strength is making students feel comfortable and welcome in my yoga classes, and encouraging them to just be there and be part of the group. I really try to make new students feel like they are immediately part of the community; I work hard to make a warm and welcoming space for everyone to explore yoga postures as they need to.
I trained to be a yoga teacher under a man who was himself Iyengar trained, and if you know anything about yoga, you will know that Iyengar-style is very focused on alignment; in other words, to be very exact in how the posture is taken. It is ironic, then, that my particular teaching style has nothing to do with this. I believe very strongly that we all have different bodies, and so every asana is going to look different for every person. I spend a lot of time thinking of different variations so that any given posture can be accessible to every person in every class, regardless of any bodily limitations.
I became very good at this when I was teaching yoga for stroke survivors; some of my students were seated on mats, some on chairs, the occasional student in a wheelchair or scooter. I would read the room and then figure out how we could all do, for example, baddha konasana or butterfly pose. On a chair, it looks like putting the soles of the feet close together while allowing the knees to go apart, on the mat it looks different, but it is having the same benefit. One is not better than the other, but one may be more appropriate or accessible, depending on the person.
In 2017 I started subbing every so often at a community centre, and I ended up taking over these classes entirely a little while later. These are registered classes, which are an absolute joy. Students have come and gone – and this week I had two new students, one lady who had never done any yoga before in her life – but I have been teaching a core group of ladies, and the occasional gentleman, for years now, and I know all about their lives, their spouses, their children and grandchildren, their surgeries, their blood pressure and cataracts, just everything about their lives. I am a people person and for all the classes I have taught, I have always tried to find out at least a little bit about every single person. I have taught a lot of people over the years, and so I occasionally forget a name or detail, but not with my registered classes. Seeing people regularly for years really builds up a great sense of community.
There is one small thing about these wonderful classes, and I can’t decide if it’s ultimately a “we’re all in this together,” character-building, This Is Real Yoga thing, or if it’s what it feels like, which is kind of a negative: the actual physical space. It’s different from the cushy studios I have taught at over the years that feature art and candles, props and blankets, soft lighting and tea after class. This is an old-school community centre hall: a big spacious, drafty room with fluorescent lighting and linoleum over concrete floors. It’s chilly at the best of times, and this past six weeks, all classes have been cancelled as they have been replacing the HVAC system. Last Monday was my first class since mid-March, and I was excited to see all my students again.
I received an email the week before classes restarted, which said that classes were still starting as scheduled but there was still no heat in the building. This is a room that is chilly at the best of times, but with no heat? People, it was brutal. There were space heaters, but they did not seem to improve the situation at all. The room was 16 degrees in my Monday afternoon class but 13 degrees for my Thursday morning class; I wore a jacket with thumbholes and thick legwarmers with wide stirrups, I tried to incorporate as much movement as I could to keep warm, but it’s a ninety-minute class, and ninety minutes in a cold room is a long time. And the heat won’t be fixed until Friday, so I have two more classes like this.
It reminded me of when I used to teach Yoga for Seniors at a beautiful studio, pre-pandemic. The room at the studio was kept quite warm – between 24 and 26 degrees – and I usually tried to cool it down a bit before class, as the warmth was not popular with my senior students. One gentleman in particular HATED it. He used to ask if he could open the windows in the dead of winter, and once plaintively asked me if there was any such thing as “cold yoga,” and if so, where could he sign up. I’ve thought of him many times through the pandemic: he would have loved chilly outdoor yoga classes, and he would have absolutely been all over the classes this week. I guess it shows that there is truly a yoga for everyone.
Weekly Reading
Bear. Have you ever looked at a wild animal and thought “I wonder what it would be like to fuck that?” Well, wonder no more! This book, about a lonely woman spending a summer on an isolated island in northern Canada, won the Governor General award in 1976, which really makes you wonder what was happening in Canadian literature at the time. It is literally a woman having a sexual relationship with a bear and not, as my son asked, a big furry gay guy. An actual bear. I don’t want to kink shame anyone but I think we can all agree not to embark on inter species sexual relations. This book is just as strange as you might think. Yes, if we were in a literature class we could talk about the symbolism of a woman going from a colourless, meaningless life in the polluted Big Smoke, and then becoming one with the glory that is Canadian nature, but also? The image of the bear giving oral along with its erection is incredibly disturbing. Did you know bear penises have bones in them? Well, now you do. This book gives a whole new meaning to animal lust, and also “boning.”
More Than You’ll Ever Know. This story revolves around a woman who was leading a double life – two families, two countries. She was married to two men, one of whom was murdered when this double life is discovered. Decades later, a writer tries to uncover the truth by telling her story. There are some very unexpected twists and a side story about the writer that I didn’t care for, but all in all a diverting read.
All Along You Were Blooming. This is such a wonderful little book of uplifting poems and readings. I have been reading this before my yoga practice for the past several months and it never fails to warm my heart. It’s really beautiful.
It is forecasted to be warm and sunny all this week, which I’m hoping will help with the warmth in the community centre. I have had a pretty wild, rollercoaster week, but everything has ended on a very high note. I spent the weekend at my parents’, which was lovely, and included a second birthday cake! Happy May, friends! May day, m’aidez! xo
I love hearing about everyone’s “day jobs” so this was fascinating. I love that you started with a strict practice and adapted it to everyone where they are.
It sounds like Bear would make a good pairing with The Shape of Water – from fur to fins. At least if I ever want more deets on bear naughties I know where to go.
Wait, what? The Shape of Water has…what? Is this like dolphin sex or something – should I google this? I’m scared to google it.
Girlfriend, I am now an expert in bear erotica.
It is a movie in which the main character gets romantically involved with a creature from the black lagoon-type that got a bunch of awards and that also left me feeling like I’m just not cool enough or something because I found it . . . weird? Offputting? Bizarre? Not sure how to describe.
Oh. Ohhhh. Ohhhhhhhhhhh. I think I’ll pass!
Wait. What is this book???? That sounds incredibly strange. And I guess it’s considered great literature if it won that award. Strangely, I have no desire to read it! It sounds disturbing. The third book you mentioned, on the other hand, sounds lovely.
It sounds like you’ve found the perfect job. I know your first career was in a completely different field, but somehow I can’t picture you doing anything other than teaching yoga. Your students are lucky! Except for this week, when they have to participate in “cold yoga.” I hope the warm, sunny weather helps!
It is SUPER disturbing on many levels! However, I’ve heard about it for years and now I have READ IT FOR MYSELF.
The weather really helped for today’s class! The room was normal temperature, happily.
I love how you focused on making yoga accessible to folks in so many different stages and situations! I think I’ve said before how much my mom loved chair yoga at the community she used to live in; they were all at different mobility levels, but it gave them such pride and presence to practice and feel connected to movement in a way that was safe and comfortable for them.
I love teaching chair yoga and I’m so happy your mom enjoyed it too! It’s such a great way to practice for people who might have trouble with balance or getting low on the floor. It’s really a lovely practice.
It sounds like you are so well suited to teaching yoga. Your students are really fortunate to have someone like you who invites them into the space and makes the experience so welcoming. The cold studio? Yikes. I wouldn’t survive. I’ve heard of hot yoga, but freezing yoga sounds uncomfortable.
I laughed out loud at the Bear book and also scratched my head. How on earth did this get published?
Not only did it get published, IT WON AN AWARD. What was the competition like that year? Who can say?
And thank you for your kind words!
OMG, the bear book. Why?? How?? I don’t think I could have stuck with it… I didn’t love More Than You’ll Ever Know but found it interesting enough. I agree that the side story of the author in the book was my least favorite part of the book. I think my enjoyment of the book was helped by listening to an interview of the author on Sarah’s Bookshelves Live. I really could not relate to Lore’s decision, though. But it was an engaging read so fell into my ‘good/great’ category. I’m anxious to hear what you think of Hello Beautiful when you get to it… I hope you love it as much as I did. Since you love character driven novels written by women, I think you’ll appreciate it.
Oof, cold yoga is a HARD PASS for me! I hope the room warms up! I have mixed feelings about hot yoga, though. I used to go to a really nice studio and tried hot yoga. It does feel good to sweat a ton but it’s also kind of gross and a little bit stinky? I dislike being cold so so so much so I would struggle with the cold room you’ve been practicing in. Most of my runs are around a lake and throughout the winter, there was a hole in the ice where people could take a dip. NO THANK YOU. And this spring, I’ve seen people swimming in the lake, too. That is so very unappealing to me. I’ve said before that I would rather run a marathon than do a polar plunge (an event where you jump into a hole in a frozen lake). I clearly live in the wrong part of the country, though, since it is cold here so many months of the year.
Yes, I am with you on that book! Exactly. Also, what was with the breakup and why? It just seemed disjointed. But, you know, fine. Like I would say a three star or so on my very subjective scale.
Lots of people do polar plunges in the river here in the winter and that is a no from me, dog.
I enjoy knowing about how you came to be a yoga teacher, although I’ll admit that my favorite yoga class was in a cold room instead of the more popular hot yoga classes. Stretching, while wearing a few layer, in the cooler air was refreshing to me, relaxed me more than being in a warm room. I know, I’m weird.
Ally, I have never done hot yoga but I do enjoy a warmer room for stretching – although for vigorous exercise I’ll always choose a cooler one. You are one with my cold-loving gentleman from years back! Today’s class was much warmer, thankfully for me! It took me HOURS to warm up after Thursday morning!
I LOVED this! So fun to read about an area where you feel so confident and capable. I have no doubt that you make yoga a highlight for your students. The cold studio though — yikes! That sounds dreadful, and I greatly prefer cold to heat. I hope your promised warm snap (is that a thing?) materializes so your next two classes aren’t so chilly.
I had to read the Bear review twice, even though I had also seen your review on Instagram. It makes me laugh. I mean, there must be SOMETHING to the writing that keeps a person engaged! And it won an award?! But… the bear… GIVING… oral? I have so many questions, Nicole. So many, many questions.
Yay for second birthday cakes! That’s fun! And hooray for roller coasters settling smoothly at the gate so you can GET OFF.
Suzanne, this afternoon is very warm and so my class was actually a nice temperature. No one needed their puffer coat, which is what happened on Thursday!
I almost want you to read Bear because it is literally so ridiculous. I mean, see my comment to Allison for um, more detail? I had heard about this book a while ago and then thought, you know what? I AM GOING TO READ THIS AWARD-WINNING BEAR EROTICA. Lol, it was nuts.
I would definitely be OUT on cold yoga. Our community center has a fireplace and I like to start the fireplace and have the space right in front of the fireplace. I like to be toasty.
It sounds like you are a wonderful yoga teacher and your students are very lucky to have you. Do you plan to continue teaching when you move?
I wish the community centre had a fireplace but alas. Today was much better though, since it is warm outside. I didn’t even need my legwarmers!
As for the other question, I haven’t really decided. There are a few things I might consider, but everything is too jumbled right now to think that far ahead, if you know what I mean.
I tried yoga for a year when I was in my mid-40’s and ultimately, decided it wasn’t for me. What I hated: having men in the class and thinking they were looking at my ass the whole time/the incense the teacher burned. I have a feeling that I might actually like it if you were my teacher, though.
I can’t even with that Bear book. Let’s pray it doesn’t become a movie! LOL!
Aw, I wish I was your teacher! I think you might enjoy my class, maybe. At least, I never burn incense! Too stinky and smoky!
I loved reading this. It was fun to know how you got starting teaching, and I think it’s awesome that you decided to be more flexible (ha! unintentional pun!) with the postures. But knowing your personality, I’m not suprised! I love yoga but I don’t have a lot of flexibility — but I continue anyway. I tend to go to the restorative yoga nowadays — although I tried for the first time since before the pandemic a Pilates-Yoga combo class last week. I felt like a fish out of water but it’ll get better! LOL
Hope it warms up soon there or at the very least, they can get the HVAC working again. I can’t do hot yoga; I can’t do exercises in warm/hot rooms/weather. I much prefer a cool room for working out, even for a more restorative yoga….but that kind of cold isn’t fun, either!
Oh, my…I just can’t even about the book with the bear! {My jaw drops then shaking head to try to clear that image from my brain.}
Oh, I LOVE restorative yoga. At least once a week I just settle into some restorative poses and it’s so wonderful.
The HVAC is still not working but it’s warm outside so today’s class was normal temperature. I have never done hot yoga, it’s very unappealing to me, but ICE COLD YOGA is also not great, Bob.
YOU READ BEAR? Well fuck, now I have to read Bear too (read it, not fuck it, I now regret the use of my favourite curse word, darn it).
I am absolutely certain you are a wonderful, understanding, sensitive, generous yoga teacher and I would throw Youtube Adriene out the window in a second if I could take classes with you instead. Did your heat-hating gentleman remind you of me? Hot yoga sounds like the sixth circle of hell to me, but I’m not sure heatless yoga would be the best either. Your poor purpling extremities.
Also, I thought Suzanne only meant we could do sports or exercises and now I’m rethinking the whole ‘in my element’ thing.
OMG YOU HAVE TO READ IT. You have to! And then we can talk about it. There is a line that is burned in my brain “the bear put his long ridged tongue up her c*nt.” WHOA WHAT NOW
I have never and will never do hot yoga, but I do like a room to be around 20-24 degrees for yoga, just so things don’t feel so creaky. 13 was A BIT CHILLY. Today’s class was happily much warmer as it’s warm outside.
I’ve never mastered yoga, so this is fascinating to me. You seem even more magical to me than before. I think that I should take a class in person. I’ve only done at-home classes so far, and nothing has stuck.
I was laughing so hard at your Bear review. That’s one book I’ll never have to read. 😂
I think at-home classes are good because they make yoga accessible, but there is really something to be said about having an in-person teacher. I hated teaching zoom because I couldn’t see my students well and so I couldn’t tell if the classes were working for them, if the postures were appropriate or made them happy. So, maybe the occasional in-person class might be the ticket!
I would love to take your yoga class! I have had many teachers over the years, including ones who casually say “And now move into your headstand” and lose half the class. I know several people who have been put off yoga by these type of classes and it makes me sad. My favorite class is a gentle class which mainly involves lying on the floor. It’s so relaxing! I’d love your advice on making time for yoga; you know we gotta get the cardio in for our heart, and also some weights so our bones don’t turn to dust, and by the time I do that and work my job and take care of my kids and home, I’m out of time!
I admire your fortitude sticking with an entire book about bear sex. Does the bear kill her in the end? Because that’s all I can think…
Thanks Sarah – I really try to read the room and change my classes based on who is in the class. I have some students who are unable to do certain postures (i.e., maybe being on knees is painful), and I don’t want them to feel unwelcome or unseen, so I either skip certain postures or teach them 3-4 different ways and tell my students to “choose their own adventure!”
I know what you’re saying: it’s hard to squeeze things in! There is always so much to do! I personally do my own practice very early in the morning because it helps me be centred for my day, but that doesn’t work for everyone. Let me give this a bit of thought and get back to you! Oh, and sometimes 5-10 minutes is a perfect yoga practice. On busy weekends that is often what I fit in. Maybe shorter practices? I’ll give this more thought!
I don’t want to SPOIL it for you but, no. He doesn’t kill her BUT he definitely injures her. So, um, don’t have sexual relations with a bear?
I wish I could take yoga classes with you! I loooooove yoga, and it helps me so much with recurrent pain in my shoulder and also mood regulation. You sound like an ideal teacher.
Our class today focused on shoulder mobility! I wish you were in my class too! Thanks for your very sweet words.
What a wonderful yoga teacher you are, Nicole. I’m not at all surprised by your teaching philosophy, because that’s how you are all the time here–gentle and generous and welcoming.
The blue sky in that last photograph is amazing! And Rexie! You’re just on the cusp of Spring greening–any minute now.
Let me go scrub The Bear details from my memory now. Haha.
Thank you so much, my friend.
My Mayday tree has started budding! Green is on the way!
The bear book…. Excuse me, I need to go bleach my brain now!
And I’m not surprised at all that you feel in your element teaching yoga. From where I sit, it looks like you were born to do it.
Oh Gigi, what an absolutely wonderful thing to say. Thank you! xo
Where I live, every full moon yoga and meditation sessions are held at El Morro in the Old San Juan (Puerto Rico), and I’ve always watched from afar, since it’s my mom who used to attend those. I never tried it because the amount of people who attended was intimidating; but maybe if I can find nearby yoga classes that aren’t as full, I would give it a go. It would be nice to take classes of something other than dancing; I’d love to teach my body something new!
I’m so happy to learn about your yoga-teaching experience and how you’re making everybody feel welcomed and capable <3.
Also… that bear book. I know I'm probably comment #500 about this book but it's impossible to ignore how crazy it sounds. I may be slightly disturbed, but I can't deny I'm also intrigued, lol!
Well, Alondra, ME TOO. Disturbed but also, I wanted to read it for myself! And it is a very short book so if you do decide to read it, it is not a huge commitment.
I hope you can find a nice yoga class – it’s a really good complement to dance!
I will echo other comments that I wish I could be in your yoga class! Living in a small town, the options close by are slim. The last yoga class I took ( many years ago) reminded me a bit too much of high school gym class where there was an uncomfortable pressure (by the teacher) to be in postures that didn’t feel right. There is nothing anyone can say that will make me want to do a headstand-like pose. No, thank you. And, don’t point out that others are doing it! I’ve considered trying an online/virtual class, but haven’t really figured that out yet.
Headstand takes a lot of work to work up to! I think it’s really irresponsible to pressure a student into any posture, let alone headstand! Aieeee!
I’m happy you have found such meaningful and satisfying work. I hope you get heat in the room soon.
I think I will skip the bear book.
Steph! I was thinking about you yesterday as I started ANOTHER celebrity memoir – Paulina Porizkova’s! I thought of our Venn diagram. I guess the Bear is in that circle too (although, honestly, it was such a short read and pretty ridiculous so I don’t regret reading it!)
Your yoga classes sound wonderful. Before I had my hip replacement I used to go to a yoga class with some friends, which was held in a cold, draughty church hall with old splintery floorboards. Mats weren’t just advisory, they were a health and safety requirement. In the end it was all a bit too Spartan for me. How are you supposed to ‘relax into a stretch’ when you’re shivering so hard your teeth are chattering?! I would like to give yoga another try though – I’m just really scared of dislocating the bionic hip.
I laughed out loud at the Bear review. Then I called my husband in to read it aloud to him and we both laughed some more. You have such a way with words!
I have taught many students with bionic hips! I think with the right class and teacher you could ease your way back into it, if you are interested. But, maybe not a freezing cold room…
You are so hilarious and wonderful! I love that you make yoga accessible to everyone, that you are gentle and kind and accepting. What lucky students.
Thank you so much Michelle!
I think you are such a gift to your students! The joy you get from leading a class and helping your students truly comes across. I can perhaps relate when I think about the years we owned a small gym and 90% of my members were seniors. I LOVED seeing them transform as the weeks and months passed. It was wonderful (too bad we never made any money at this lol). I could not do the cold yoga at all. I also hate hot yoga….I guess I’m a medium sort of person.
Wow Bear. I remember when this book won the award – is it that long ago? I was occasionally curious about it; I may just have to give it a read.
Honestly Pat, it is worth the read because it’s so short and it’s so ridiculous that you might actually enjoy it. She is actually a good writer which is probably why the award, but the concept is so silly and the “sex scenes” are kind of funny.
Well I’m just going to mentally explain the Bear book to myself the way I attempt to explain so many in retrospect clearly insane things about my childhood to my kids: It was the 70s.
Does this provide a real and meaningful explanation? No, but there are so many things from the 70s that are completely inexplicable…
IT WAS THE 70S. It actually does explain everything!
I don’t think I’m ever going to be okay again after reading your review of Bear. WHAT IN THE WORLD.
OMG, that cold yoga studio! That would be an immediate NOPE from me. Actually, here in Florida, we’d probably cancel the classes if the room was too cold. HA. Wimps. We are wimps here.
Happily it’s been warm this week so my class on Monday was normal temperature! Not sure about tomorrow’s class but we’ll see!
Oh Nicole, how I’d love to take one of your yoga classes – you sound like a great teacher! Not in a chilly classroom though.
I haven’t done hot yoga yet (and like my workout room on the cooler side usually), but this sounds TOO COLD. In German, we have a saying that says ‘think warm thoughts”, but I don’t even think that would help LOL
I like “think warm thoughts!” I have never done hot yoga either, it just doesn’t appeal to me, but I do like the room a bit warmer!
Nicole, I really enjoyed reading about how you teach yoga to people with various needs for adaptation – and I have a question! But first some background. I think you already know I’m deaf and hear with cochlear implants. I almost always need to read lips as well for comprehension and to make sense of what I’m hearing.
Because of this, I’ve never taken an in-person yoga class. Usually the rooms are big and echoey, with terrible acoustics (I’m in a small town; any in-person yoga classes are in community center-type rooms, not actual yoga studios).
When I do my at-home yoga, I play the video on my TV and I wear something around my neck – a neckloop called a ComPilot – and it uses Bluetooth to connect my CIs to my TV so that the sound is transported right into my head. I hear much better that way and can usually follow along without having to look at the instructor and read the TV captions.
Since so much of yoga is done in positions without being able to look at the teacher and read lips, and you need to follow along as they tell you what to do, I have just assumed I would not be able to understand and keep up with the class since I can’t use my ComPilot.
So my question is, have you ever taught someone with hearing loss and, if so, how did you modify for them? I’m comfortable talking with teachers before any kind of in-person instruction to explain what modifications help me (not all of them are receptive to this!) so I could use some advice if I decided to give in-person classes a shot!
Hi Wendy! I’m so glad you asked this question. I haven’t worked with anyone who has had complete hearing loss, but I have had many students who have been hard of hearing. What I do in those cases is position myself so that I am in their line of vision, and then give more visual cues as I give verbal ones, if that makes sense. So I usually suggest to the student where a good spot would be to put their mat, and I work around them so that they can see even if we are turned around (I move into their line of vision if we, say, turn a different direction). It’s a bit more challenging when students are lying on the mat (like in bridge or hip openers) but in that case I would just situate myself directly beside the person. I try to do this in a fairly discreet way so the student doesn’t feel awkward. I have also given students a brief outline of things that we will do prior to the class, and then check in with them as we go through the postures. Fortunately for me, these students were always a part of my registered classes, so as we went through the sessions they became more comfortable with my style of teaching, and I would try to formulate plans so they would roughly know what would be coming next. I hope you can find a teacher who is receptive to doing things in a different way to accommodate all students! Best of luck, Wendy!
The yoga teachers in my life (My MIL and Step-mom) both studied Iyengar, and neither of them were terribly strict in their classes either. I love that a strict education can give a person the freedom to think outside of the box and adjust as needed. My step-mom went to India several times to train with Iyengar himself, and yoga was her career, she owned her own studio. My MIL trained locally and taught at a community center that is a pool house, so much more like what you are describing. I believe they both got some real satisfaction from teaching yoga for people with MS. I haven’t been doing any yoga in a couple of months, and I should get back to it. I just do a little youtube video in the mornings when I do it, but it does help my body and my mind both.
That Bear book sounds horrifically disturbing.
Oh wow, that is so cool that you have such a close connection to yoga! And your step-mom studied with Iyengar! How neat. I get so much job satisfaction that it almost makes up for the, um, less than stellar financial compensation! I mean, it’s fine for the amount of work I do but you know what I mean.
I used to kind of sort of do “yoga”, but now I’m really limited because I can’t put any weight on my arms. So no downward dog, nothing that puts any pressure on my arms and shoulders. I love reading about all the different types of yoga – and differently abled people – you’ve taught. It gives me hope that some day, despite my issues, I’ll be able to do it again. I certainly could use it.
And also? I would have turned into a popsicle in that room. Serious props for persisting. Wow.
Anne, I have taught many people who cannot put any weight on their arms or shoulders. There are many ways to do it, and I wish I could show you in person!
Well, then, I’ll just have to plan a visit to Canada! Makes perfect sense to me. 🙂