"The one thing I know is that I know nothing."
-Socrates
As a yoga teacher, I'm discovering that there are many ways to teach the same lesson, that there are many paths to reach the same truth, and that there are many versions of the truth. None of these teaching methods, paths, or versions of the truth are truth itself. I think it's easy to forget that lesson, to decide we know best and to close ourselves off to opportunities for growth. For example, when I first became serious about practicing yoga, I practiced Ashtanga every day, which is a very strict and unyielding set series. In Ashtanga, you cannot move on to the next asana until you've perfected the previous pose, and every day you practice the same series in the same order without music. It is an intense practice, and for a long time I thought it was superior to every other type of yoga. Then I started practicing other types of yoga and experiencing the benefits. Now as a teacher, I find that every class I teach is a little bit different, so I try to adjust my teaching to better meet the needs of my class. I might change my voice to be more soothing or energizing, or I might change the asanas and offer modifications depending on what I think the class needs. I'm finding more and more that teaching is a creative process and never stagnant. As a result, I'm constantly learning.
I think Socrates' quote, "The one thing I know is that I know nothing" is an applicable quote for all lives because it reminds us how important it is to look at the world with fresh eyes, to embrace all that we do not know, and to be committed to growing and learning. No matter how familiar a setting may be or how embedded into a routine we are, we can always surrender to what we don't know and expand our universe through learning.
-Socrates
As a yoga teacher, I'm discovering that there are many ways to teach the same lesson, that there are many paths to reach the same truth, and that there are many versions of the truth. None of these teaching methods, paths, or versions of the truth are truth itself. I think it's easy to forget that lesson, to decide we know best and to close ourselves off to opportunities for growth. For example, when I first became serious about practicing yoga, I practiced Ashtanga every day, which is a very strict and unyielding set series. In Ashtanga, you cannot move on to the next asana until you've perfected the previous pose, and every day you practice the same series in the same order without music. It is an intense practice, and for a long time I thought it was superior to every other type of yoga. Then I started practicing other types of yoga and experiencing the benefits. Now as a teacher, I find that every class I teach is a little bit different, so I try to adjust my teaching to better meet the needs of my class. I might change my voice to be more soothing or energizing, or I might change the asanas and offer modifications depending on what I think the class needs. I'm finding more and more that teaching is a creative process and never stagnant. As a result, I'm constantly learning.
I think Socrates' quote, "The one thing I know is that I know nothing" is an applicable quote for all lives because it reminds us how important it is to look at the world with fresh eyes, to embrace all that we do not know, and to be committed to growing and learning. No matter how familiar a setting may be or how embedded into a routine we are, we can always surrender to what we don't know and expand our universe through learning.
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