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	<title>Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</title>
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	<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com</link>
	<description>Author, Blogger, Yoga, Ah-Muse-Ing Teacher</description>
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	<title>Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</title>
	<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com</link>
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	<item>
		<title>So You Wanna be a Yoga Teacher?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-yoga-teacher/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-yoga-teacher/#respond</comments>
				<pubDate>Sun, 07 Apr 2019 15:34:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teaching Yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Business of Yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Corepower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogi muse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogimuse]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2408</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>I am proud to be a brand ambassador for CorePower, even though The New York Times has made it out to be really bad, like Facebook, the Mueller report and basically all of Washington D.C. First off I want to say, Facebook isn’t evil and neither are the people who use it and/or Instagram. The&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-yoga-teacher/">So You Wanna be a Yoga Teacher?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
]]></description>
								<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CPY-Times-e1554650745672-525x700.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2409" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CPY-Times-e1554650745672-525x700.jpg 525w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CPY-Times-e1554650745672-300x400.jpg 300w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CPY-Times-e1554650745672-768x1024.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px" /><figcaption>Teaching is a practice too.</figcaption></figure>



<p>I am proud to be a brand ambassador for CorePower, even though <em>The New York Times</em> has made it out to be really bad, like Facebook, the Mueller report and basically all of Washington D.C.</p>



<p>First off I want to say, Facebook isn’t evil and neither are the people who use it and/or Instagram. The problem with Facebook is more complicated and involves really stupid people reading really stupid posts and believing them. When we can solve the nation’s crisis in education and lack of critical thinking, Facebook will no longer be a viable platform for the Russians.</p>



<p>Same with CorePower. It is not all bad. It is also not perfect. Like everything, it is somewhere in-between. </p>



<p>CorePower has introduced not hundreds, but <em>millions</em> of people to yoga. That is a
good thing. The more people sweating it out on their mats, the less people who
are picking fights on social media. CorePower is where I started, along with
many other teachers. </p>



<p>The Times has repeated allegations contained in several
lawsuits against CorePower, lawsuits that have not all been settled yet. But
here’s the thing: if you employ thousands of people, perhaps hundreds of
thousands of people, you are going to get sued. We live in a litigious society.</p>



<p>That is not to say that all the suits are without merit. But
I don’t want to get into that. What do I know? </p>



<p>I want to get into this: Once upon a time a CorePower teacher asked me to take teacher training. I did. It changed my life. Then I took another, and another, and another from many different styles of yoga. In all, I am certified in: Hatha, Power, Anusara, Therapeutic, and I offer my own, certified, Yoga Alliance approved training in Yoga Themes. </p>



<p>Not every student who takes a teacher training will become a
teacher. It is not an entrance examination to a guaranteed job like a civil
servant exam (which is perhaps the most misunderstood part of the process). It
is a doorway to personal transformation. </p>



<p>If you have the aptitude to be a teacher, then most likely
the Universe will open a door for you to teach, somewhere. If you only received
an education and experienced a life-changing transformation, if you took a
giant step towards Samadhi, or Enlightenment, if you found a passion for life, and
new friends and a new way of thinking, then I guess it sucks for you if you
didn’t get hired. </p>



<p>But what do I know? </p>



<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is an award-winning writer and the author of three books on yoga. Her newest, </em>Theme Weaver: Inspiration is Inside,<em> is due in June. She is also a proud ambassador for CorePower yoga, and her haters can suck it.</em></p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fso-you-wanna-be-a-yoga-teacher%2F&#038;title=So%20You%20Wanna%20be%20a%20Yoga%20Teacher%3F" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-yoga-teacher/" data-a2a-title="So You Wanna be a Yoga Teacher?"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/so-you-wanna-be-a-yoga-teacher/">So You Wanna be a Yoga Teacher?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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							</item>
		<item>
		<title>I Lost More than Yoga</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/i-lost-more-than-yoga/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/i-lost-more-than-yoga/#respond</comments>
				<pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2019 15:02:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anusara Scandal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anusara]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogi muse]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2399</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>A very special person died recently and when I heard, I cried. But that is not when she was taken from me. I am going to tell you a brief story about community in yoga. Years ago, I was part of Anusara. I want to give props where props are due: John Friend created a&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/i-lost-more-than-yoga/">I Lost More than Yoga</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
]]></description>
								<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/qtq80-wkbEzZ-700x467.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-2400" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/qtq80-wkbEzZ-700x467.jpeg 700w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/qtq80-wkbEzZ-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/qtq80-wkbEzZ-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption>I lost more than yoga.</figcaption></figure>



<p>A very special person died recently and when I heard, I cried.
But that is not when she was taken from me.</p>



<p>I am going to tell you a brief story about community in yoga. Years ago, I was part of Anusara. I want to give props where props are due: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="John Friend created a fabulous system for keeping students safe and helping them go deeper, not just into poses, but into their inner life.  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/magazine/25Yoga-t.html" target="_blank"><strong>John Friend created a fabulous system for keeping students safe and helping them go deeper, not just into poses, but into their inner life.</strong> </a></p>



<p>It blew up in 2012 when a tech guy created a website and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="posted photos and documentation of some very strange behavior. (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-friend-anusara-scandal-inside-the-wiccan-sex-coven" target="_blank"><strong>posted photos and documentation of some very strange behavior.</strong></a> There were tax issues. There was sex. <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="And there was the sharing of pubic hair and howling at the moon with it. Good grief. (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/downward-dog/" target="_blank"><strong>And there was the sharing of pubic hair and howling at the moon.</strong></a> Good grief.</p>



<p>The original Anusara blew up and the community, which felt
betrayed, went with it.</p>



<p>It’s been six years and still what I hear when I go to
workshops is this: I miss the community. </p>



<p>It’s not like any of us disappeared. I’m still here. My teachers are still here. But if you ask, it’s not the same. There is a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="new (old?) Anusara school  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.anusarayoga.com/" target="_blank"><strong>new (old?) Anusara school</strong> </a>which has kept the principles, but Friend is teaching a new methodology and many of his original students have gone with him. </p>



<p>My friend left her body this week, but I lost her years ago.
At that time, John Friend sought shelter from the storm in a new community (can
you blame him?) and he stated clearly, either you were with him, or against
him.</p>



<p>I was neither.</p>



<p>This man was never <em>my</em>
teacher – he was my teachers’ teacher, but as for me, I didn’t have the money
or the time to follow him around the world as many did. He would say we were a
merry band of bohemians, but I had a mortgage, and children, and honestly, I’m
not that merry. </p>



<p>Friend was interesting, but not my teacher. He has a great
eye for alignment, but not my teacher. He was amusing and charming, but not my
teacher. He was always polite and respectful toward me, but not my teacher.</p>



<p>I did not want him to be my enemy though. I will say for the
thousandth time, I wish him well with his new alignment and all the pubic hair in
the world. </p>



<p>But for Friend, he has a way of creating community by shrewdly saying he is persecuted for being an authentic being. He asked his followers to cause me harm. I had to call the police. He told them to write negative reviews on my books, to “ruin my business as I had ruined his.” A reporter called and asked why I hated John. I don’t hate him! Honestly, I don’t even think of him. If I’m John’s worst enemy, then he had a much bigger problem of simply becoming irrelevant in today’s yoga. </p>



<p>My dear sweet friend, who I had loved since we both first stepped onto a mat in 2007, participated in the ex-communication of me. She un-friended me, wouldn’t call me back, and blocked me out. I cried then, as I cried today for her passing.</p>



<p>I ran into her just a month ago, for which I thank the Universe.
She seemed delighted and held me a long time in a hug. She did not look like
she was winning her battle with cancer. She was taking her daughter out for a
special day of shopping and lunch. No yoga. No craziness. Just one lovely day
to enjoy what was important. I cried then, and I cry today for what is lost forever.</p>



<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is
the Yogi Muse. You can find her wherever books are sold, or on the internet at <a href="http://www.MichelleMarchildon.com">www.MichelleMarchildon.com</a> </em></p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fi-lost-more-than-yoga%2F&#038;title=I%20Lost%20More%20than%20Yoga" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/i-lost-more-than-yoga/" data-a2a-title="I Lost More than Yoga"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/i-lost-more-than-yoga/">I Lost More than Yoga</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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							</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why is Home Practice Such a Sh*t Show?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/home-practice-sht-show/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/home-practice-sht-show/#respond</comments>
				<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jan 2019 15:09:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[home practice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yoga practice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogi muse]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2395</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>Midwest, are you in the house? East Coast, are you in the house? Here in Colorado it’s freezing outside and I cancelled a yoga class because no one showed up. I’m sure everyone is practicing at home, right? Ahahahahahahahahahaha! You have a mat. You presumably have a 72” space where to put your mat. You&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/home-practice-sht-show/">Why is Home Practice Such a Sh*t Show?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
]]></description>
								<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-r2BJ5G-700x609.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-2396" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-r2BJ5G-700x609.jpeg 700w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-r2BJ5G-400x348.jpeg 400w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-r2BJ5G-768x668.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>



<p>Midwest, are you in the house? East Coast, are you in the
house? </p>



<p>Here in Colorado it’s freezing outside and I cancelled a
yoga class because no one showed up. I’m sure everyone is practicing at home,
right?</p>



<p>Ahahahahahahahahahaha!</p>



<p>You have a mat. You presumably have a 72” space where to put
your mat. You have a body and if you listen to it, you have a teacher. So why
is home practice so difficult? </p>



<p>I get it. I’ve been teaching for more than a decade and I
still have a hard time getting on my own mat at home. I’ve narrowed it down to ten
reasons why this is hard.</p>



<p><strong>Top Ten Reasons Why
Home Practice is Hard</strong></p>



<p>10. The dog. Or the cat. Even the goldfish wants attention
when you practice. Ignore them. Or, consider playing with them your “yoga” for
the day. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/009Michelle-700x560.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1815" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/009Michelle-700x560.jpg 700w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/009Michelle-400x320.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption>Down Dog with Dog</figcaption></figure>



<p>9. The children. See pets above.</p>



<p>8. The laundry. Multi-tasking does not work. Yoga only works
if you give your practice your full attention. This is my best advice: All that
stuff on your To-Do list will still be there in an hour. Isn’t it good to know
that some things don’t change?</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_7707-700x700.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2397" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_7707-700x700.jpg 700w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_7707-200x200.jpg 200w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_7707-400x400.jpg 400w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_7707-768x767.jpg 768w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_7707.jpg 1125w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>



<p>7. You can’t find your mat. Look under the bed.</p>



<p>6. Instagram. Looking at all those people doing yoga counts
for a practice, right?</p>



<p>5. The rest of social media. I know you don’t look at this
stuff, and then poof, the day is gone.</p>



<p>4. A couch, a cup of tea and a good book. This is my excuse.</p>



<p>3. You don’t have a puja. A puja is a space that’s dedicated
to your practice. Some people make a small table with mementos of loved ones and
gods and goddesses to whom you offer your work. I don’t have a puja, or a sophisticated
HVAC, or a gong to wake me up from Savasana. That’s my excuse.</p>



<p>2. You don’t know where to begin. Have you heard of Down Dog?
Child’s Pose? Standing still? Sitting still? Those are good places to begin.</p>



<p>1. And the number one reason why home practice is a shit
show? Because you’re at home silly. So, put on your boots and come to class.
That is all.</p>



<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is the author of three books on yoga, most of them  probably non-essential in a government shut down.  You can find her at www.MichelleMarchildon.com, or wherever books are sold, like Amazon.</em></p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fhome-practice-sht-show%2F&#038;title=Why%20is%20Home%20Practice%20Such%20a%20Sh%2At%20Show%3F" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/home-practice-sht-show/" data-a2a-title="Why is Home Practice Such a Sh*t Show?"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/home-practice-sht-show/">Why is Home Practice Such a Sh*t Show?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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							</item>
		<item>
		<title>Given Up Yet?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/given-up-yet/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/given-up-yet/#respond</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 19 Jan 2019 23:01:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Off The Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Theme Weaver]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yoga themes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2276</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>If you are in the wellness business, then you probably know that by now most of your clients have given up. What? It’s true. According to USA Today, most people have given up their resolutions by January 17. It takes more than just a promise to keep those resolutions going. It takes inspiration. For many&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/given-up-yet/">Given Up Yet?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
]]></description>
								<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-qtsAtN-700x467.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-2280" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-qtsAtN-700x467.jpeg 700w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-qtsAtN-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-qtsAtN-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/qtq80-qtsAtN.jpeg 1254w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption>Which way to go?</figcaption></figure>



<p>If you are in the wellness business, then you probably know that by now most of your clients have given up.</p>



<p>What? It’s true. <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/16/thursday-january-17-day-most-new-years-resolutions-fail/2539402002/">According to USA Today, most people have given up their resolutions by January 17</a>. It takes more than just a promise to keep those resolutions going. It takes inspiration.</p>



<p>For many of us, making a massive change in our lives comes with a shift in our habits, mind, body, spirit, and well, habits. And since habits lurk in the dark unconscious places, we need constant reminders to bring our intentions into the light.</p>



<p>This is where you come in. Whether you teach a fitness class such as spinning, or guide yoga, you need to do more than just show up to keep your students on track. You need to be inspiring to keep them going.</p>



<p><strong>Match Inspiration with Perspiration</strong></p>



<p>Inspiration is the secret as to why some trainers thrive and have the highest retention of students and clients, and why some see a decline almost right away.</p>



<p>Who doesn’t experience a thrill to see new students in January? I do! I love that people are turning on to the benefits of wellness and making their health a priority.</p>



<p>And who doesn’t experience a little pang of “WTH” when those same students disappear by February? Whenever I lose a student I try to find out was it time, money, injury or just a lack of mojo?</p>



<p>Many times, a student quits because they just lost interest. </p>



<p>So how do you become inspiring to your students and clients? How do you keep them motivated, whether they are on a mat or on a bike or lifting weights?</p>



<p>Being consistently prepared for class is just like those resolutions our students make in January. The first step is the hardest. </p>



<p><strong>Themes are Dreams in Action</strong></p>



<p>The road to inspiration is paved with good intentions, but intention really needs you to take action. I begin by deciding what my “theme” is going to be. I think what might be relevant to the most people at that time.</p>



<p>Then I write down a few phrases and concepts that support this idea. I also add a human virtue, such as compassion, forgiveness, perseverance, or strength. This underlying virtue is what really motivates your students.</p>



<p><strong>&#8216;Tis the Season of Treason</strong></p>



<p>For example, saying a theme of “Tis the Season of Treason” is a cute idea for your students to recognize that they may be tempted to give up. But just saying that over and over again in a session will make it trite.</p>



<p>If you add an underlying virtue, or a human value, then you make it meaningful. I might add perseverance. For example, we unconsciously commit treason on our intentions. Therefore, we must stay relentless even when we want to give up. This makes our cute theme much more meaningful, and the impact can potentially change someone’s life.</p>



<p>The concept of a Theme and the Virtue is explained in “<em>Theme Weaver: Connect the Power of Inspiration to Teaching Yoga</em>.” You can use these concepts for yoga, or for any kind of activity where you want your students to stay motivated.</p>



<p>Yoga is known for dropping a little nugget of inspiration in each class to keep students coming back to their mats. This also holds true for the wellness industry. Wellness is not a one-night stand. It’s not a hit and run relationship. It’s a lifetime commitment. For those of us this industry, we need to do more than just show up for our students. We need to keep them inspired, motivated and on the path to more. </p>



<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is the author of three books on yoga including</em> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theme-Weaver-Connect-Inspiration-Teaching/dp/0984875514">Theme Weaver: Connect the Power of Inspiration to Teaching Yoga</a>, <em>available wherever books are sold. </em></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TW-front-453x700.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2267"/></figure>



<p></p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fgiven-up-yet%2F&#038;title=Given%20Up%20Yet%3F" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/given-up-yet/" data-a2a-title="Given Up Yet?"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/given-up-yet/">Given Up Yet?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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		<title>Can We Get a Little Integrity Around Here?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/can-get-little-integrity-around/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/can-get-little-integrity-around/#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 25 Aug 2018 19:22:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2244</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>Now that Facebook is deleting a multitude of fake accounts, I wonder when they will get around to deleting the fake yoga teachers? You know the ones I’m talking about. Yoga is more than just poses. There is a system of integrity behind it which seems to be almost forgotten these days. For example, I&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/can-get-little-integrity-around/">Can We Get a Little Integrity Around Here?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
]]></description>
								<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><div id="attachment_1910" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/love-valentines-day-theme/heart/" rel="attachment wp-att-1910"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1910" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1910" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/heart-200x177.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="177" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1910" class="wp-caption-text">Have some integrity.</p></div></p>
<p>Now that Facebook is deleting a multitude of fake accounts, I wonder when they will get around to deleting the fake yoga teachers?</p>
<p>You know the ones I’m talking about. Yoga is more than just poses. There is a system of integrity behind it which seems to be almost forgotten these days.</p>
<p>For example, I have been the “Yogimuse” since 2012 when I copyrighted the name, published three books, wrote a gazillion articles and joined Facebook.</p>
<p>Now suddenly there’s another “yogimuse,” who happens to be in a state of partial undress on Instagram. I am mostly okay with this because I think that a naked yogimuse can only help my ratings. I am still the “therealyogimuse,” who wears very cute clothes by <a href="https://www.kiragrace.com/">KiraGrace.</a></p>
<p><div id="attachment_2249" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/can-get-little-integrity-around/057michelle/" rel="attachment wp-att-2249"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2249" class="size-medium wp-image-2249" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/057Michelle-400x225.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="225" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/057Michelle-400x225.jpg 400w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/057Michelle-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/057Michelle-700x394.jpg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-2249" class="wp-caption-text">Who needs to be naked with KiraGrace?</p></div></p>
<p>What I’m not okay with is bad behavior by fake yoga teachers. For example, there is a studio in Washington D.C. that took entire chapters of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theme-Weaver-Connect-Inspiration-Teaching/dp/0984875565/ref=dp_ob_title_bk"><em>Theme Weaver: Connect the Power of Inspiration to Teaching Yoga</em></a>, copied them verbatim into their teacher training manual, and did not even give credit!</p>
<p>If this strikes you as odd, illegal, and un-yogic, you are right. It will cost me $5,000 to sue them, but I doubt this studio can pay me back. I know who you are <a href="http://www.thestudiodc.com/">“The Studio in D.C.,”</a> and I’ve seen the manual. (PS, It&#8217;s so easy to make this right, by giving credit where credit is due, and, um, an apology.)</p>
<p>There is also a studio in Cologne, Germany who did the same thing, and went further to offer a Theme Weaver weekend workshop. I guess imitation is the best form of flattery.</p>
<p>There is a more subtle fakery going on as well. These would be the yoga teachers who are “triggered” by other yoga teachers. I teach yoga too and I tell students that if I ever see any of them “triggered” on the internet I will send them back to Yoga 101.</p>
<p>You see, a real yogi is not triggered. A yogi breathes. A yogi has compassion. A yogi meditates when shit gets real. They do not send their followers to write threatening messages and nasty reviews all over the targeted yogi. This is not yoga. It is manipulation, but unfortunately, it has been proved over and over again that yogis are highly susceptible to manipulation.</p>
<p>And then of course there are the comments, like this one left on my blog <a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/why-yoga-is-a-broke-a-business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Broke A** Business of Yoga:</a></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Fuck all you yuppies who gentrify where ever the fuck you go. You all feel entitled. How so happy that as an indigenous person I by nature do not age as fast as you do.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>That is actually one of the nicer things said to me over the past few years. Others involve words that rhyme with runt and witch. Aaaaaauuuuuuuummmmmmm.</p>
<p><a href="https://businessden.com/2018/07/24/defecting-dog-5-franchises-bail-on-yoga-pod/">Lastly, there is a yoga chain that is currently being sued by 5 of their 20 studios</a>. That’s not cool. And don’t get me started on the hundreds of #metoo gurus that have abused women and men. There are even yogis who call people on the internet “fat, smelly and disgusting.” OMG! You know I can’t make this stuff up. It’s appalling.</p>
<p>So, when I saw that Facebook was cracking down on the fake accounts, I got a little excited. I thought maybe some of this bogus yoga behavior could be cleaned up too. I’m not triggered, I’m hopeful. After all, I’m the “real” yogimuse, and I meditate when shit gets real.</p>
<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the (real) yogimuse. She is an award-winning journalist and the author of three books on yoga. She is also an E-500 RYT in Denver, Colorado. She is a real voice in yoga, and never yoga voice. Or naked. She’s never naked on Instagram either.</em></p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fcan-get-little-integrity-around%2F&#038;title=Can%20We%20Get%20a%20Little%20Integrity%20Around%20Here%3F" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/can-get-little-integrity-around/" data-a2a-title="Can We Get a Little Integrity Around Here?"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/can-get-little-integrity-around/">Can We Get a Little Integrity Around Here?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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		<title>HOV – Hard or Helpful?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/hov-hard-helpful/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/hov-hard-helpful/#respond</comments>
				<pubDate>Sat, 25 Aug 2018 14:17:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga Themes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2240</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>If there is one place that causes the most confusion in creating yoga inspiration with the Theme Weaver method, it is using the HOV. What is an HOV? HOV stands for Human Operating Value. An HOV on the highway is the lane reserved for Higher Occupancy Vehicles. You have the sense of fullness. In this&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/hov-hard-helpful/">HOV – Hard or Helpful?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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								<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/events-workshops/workshop/theme-weaver-michelle-marchildon150/" rel="attachment wp-att-905"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-905" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Theme-Weaver-Michelle-Marchildon150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="246" /></a></p>
<p>If there is one place that causes the most confusion in creating yoga inspiration with the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theme-Weaver-Connect-Inspiration-Teaching/dp/0984875565/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1535206429&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=theme+weaver+michelle+marchildon">Theme Weaver</a> method, it is using the HOV.</p>
<p><strong>What is an HOV?</strong></p>
<p>HOV stands for Human Operating Value. An HOV on the highway is the lane reserved for Higher Occupancy Vehicles. You have the sense of fullness. In this case, an HOV is a term used to create a Higher Occupancy Human, or a human who is functioning with <em>more</em>.</p>
<p>The HOV is a virtue, a value, a characteristic or a trait that makes us better. It could be Self-Acceptance. It could be having Presence. It could be Compassion. It could be Empowerment. It could be Trust. These are all concepts, or values, that if we had a lot of it we would be better off and possibly happier.</p>
<p><strong>What is a Theme?</strong></p>
<p>A Theme is a phrase or an idea or a story that makes your class inspiring. I have Themes on Garuda, the half-man, half-eagle in mythology, or Ganesha, the half-man, half-elephant god. I have Themes on Serena Williams and Looking for Love. A Theme can be anything you want it to be.</p>
<p>Now here’s the thing: <em>A Theme cannot touch the soul without an HOV.</em></p>
<p>Wait. What?</p>
<p><strong>An HOV is a Highway to the Heart</strong></p>
<p>Let me try to explain using the example of Garuda.</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Garuda is a mythological creature who is half-man, half-eagle. The pose Garudasana is named after him, and today we will practice that pose.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>That’s not bad, it’s a start, but inspiring it is not.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/hov-hard-helpful/garuda/" rel="attachment wp-att-2241"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2241" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/garuda.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="200" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Now let me pair the Garuda myth with the HOV of Self-Acceptance:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Garuda was a man whose father wanted him to be a warrior. He was a terrible fighter, but he was an amazing runner. He was faster than the wind. Vishnu saw him run and gave him the wings of an eagle. Has there ever been a time when you did not appreciate your gifts? Let’s celebrate that we each have a special talent that is just waiting to be recognized with self-acceptance.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Let’s try the Garuda myth with the HOV of Empowerment:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Once upon a time there was a man named Garuda. He was in the battle of the Bhagavad Gita but he was not a good fighter. It turned out that he was an amazing runner. So, Vishnu gave him wings like an eagle and he became the most powerful runner on earth. What super power do you have? Let’s celebrate our strengths on the mat with a feeling of empowerment today.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Now let’s tell the story of Garuda with the HOV of Service:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Many years ago, there was a man named Garuda. He was not a great fighter; his gift was running fast. When the battle of the Bhagavad Gita came about, everyone had to fight to save the kingdom, but Garuda was a terrible warrior. Instead, he served his people by running fast to get more supplies. Without his efforts, everyone would have perished. Our talents are a gift from the Divine, but how we use them is our purpose. What are your gifts? Are you serving to the best of your ability?&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Three for One</strong></p>
<p>In these examples, Garuda is the Theme. However, we have three completely different ideas you can use for inspiration using the HOVs of Self-Acceptance, Empowerment and Service.</p>
<p>These classes are more meaningful, and are able to touch our souls rather than just saying the pose is named for the man.</p>
<p><strong>Do you have to have an HOV?</strong></p>
<p>No! You really don’t have to theme in yoga either. You can simply offer students the chance to move, to breathe and to sit in meditation and you will help them find a moment of bliss.</p>
<p>However, a theme without an HOV often sounds trite and meaningless. It does not touch the soul and cannot raise our spirit unless we make it meaningful.</p>
<p><strong>This sounds hard.</strong></p>
<p>You can make your life easier by making a One-Word Theme which is a virtue or HOV. For example:</p>
<p><em>“Today we will practice thinking of Compassion.” </em></p>
<p>That’s perfectly fine. Perhaps you add an Anecdote, or a little story. Starting easy is better than never trying to theme at all.</p>
<p>For more information, please see the book, <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Theme-Weaver-Connect-Inspiration-Teaching/dp/0984875565/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1535206429&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=theme+weaver+michelle+marchildon">Theme Weaver: Connect the Power of Inspiration to Teaching Yoga</a>,</em> available wherever books are sold.</p>
<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the yogimuse. She is an award-winning journalist and the author of three books on yoga. You can find her at www.michellemarchidon.com.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fhov-hard-helpful%2F&#038;title=HOV%20%E2%80%93%20Hard%20or%20Helpful%3F" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/hov-hard-helpful/" data-a2a-title="HOV – Hard or Helpful?"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/hov-hard-helpful/">HOV – Hard or Helpful?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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		<title>Yoga Theme: Always Be a Beginner</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/yoga-theme-always-beginner/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/yoga-theme-always-beginner/#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Wed, 15 Aug 2018 15:15:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Theme Weaver]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Theme Weaver:Connect the power of inspiration to teaching yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga Inspiration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yoga themes]]></category>

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				<description><![CDATA[<p>&#160; A Yoga Theme for Teachers Always Be a Beginner You: Why do you teach yoga? Theme: Enjoy being a beginner again. Going back to school. Theme for fall. HOVs: Ahimsa, Non-Judgment, Beginner’s Mind, Possibilities Anecdote: (Put here any brief story you have about when you went back to school, or learned something new.) Years ago,&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/yoga-theme-always-beginner/">Yoga Theme: Always Be a Beginner</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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<p><div id="attachment_1370" style="width: 268px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/yogi-muse-blog/dsc_9792/" rel="attachment wp-att-1370"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1370" class=" wp-image-1370" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DSC_9792-700x412.jpg" alt="Michelle Marchildon - The Yogi Muse" width="258" height="152" srcset="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DSC_9792-700x412.jpg 700w, https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DSC_9792-400x235.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 258px) 100vw, 258px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1370" class="wp-caption-text"><strong>Michelle Marchildon &#8211; The Yogi Muse</strong></p></div></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>A Yoga Theme for Teachers</strong></p>
<p><strong>Always Be a Beginner</strong></p>
<p><strong>You:</strong> Why do you teach yoga?</p>
<p><strong>Theme: </strong>Enjoy being a beginner again. Going back to school. Theme for fall.</p>
<p><strong>HOVs:</strong> Ahimsa, Non-Judgment, Beginner’s Mind, Possibilities</p>
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<p><strong>Anecdote: </strong></p>
<p>(Put here any brief story you have about when you went back to school, or learned something new.) Years ago, I rode racehorses in Birmingham, Alabama. On the racetrack, an apprentice jockey gets to ride with less weight because they have less skills. It is a huge advantage to be a beginner rider. What if we were all, always beginners? If we were constant learners, open to new experiences and new ways of doing things, we might grow our yoga practice from the inside out.</p>
<p><strong>Contemplations:</strong></p>
<p>Have you tried something that was out of your comfort zone? Did you have the same expectations? Was it freeing? How have you judged your practice as not being advanced enough? New beginnings mean you can start new, positive habits. Feeling like you should know it all is a trap of the intermediate student.</p>
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<p><strong>Golden Nuggets:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Enjoy a lack of success.</li>
<li>Enjoy not having it all at once.</li>
<li>Be a beginner always.</li>
<li>Stay young. Stay open.</li>
<li>Expectation is the end of everything.</li>
<li>Atha, now we begin yoga.</li>
<li>Beginners are sooo happy!</li>
<li>Intermediates know it all.</li>
<li>Thank your mind for sharing, and move on.</li>
<li>Put your judgment aside.</li>
<li>Remember when this was new.</li>
</ul>
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<p><strong>VP: (Value Proposition)</strong> If we can keep learning, we’ll never stop growing our practice.</p>
<p><strong>Quotes:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>“An intermediate student can hold a bad pose a very long time.” B.K.S. Iyengar</li>
<li>Beginners and advanced students are easiest to teach, because they both know, they know nothing.
<p>Intermediates are harder to teach, because they think they know everything.” Ana Forest</li>
<li>“I have to come to a point in my life where nothing is more important to me than my own growth.”
<p>Baron Baptiste</li>
<li>“Any fool can know the answer. The point is to learn.” Albert Einstein</li>
<li>“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin</li>
<li>“When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.” Ryan Reynolds
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Copyright © 2018 by Michelle Marchildon, Wildhorse Ventures, a Theme Weaver Theme.</em></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fyoga-theme-always-beginner%2F&#038;title=Yoga%20Theme%3A%20Always%20Be%20a%20Beginner" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/yoga-theme-always-beginner/" data-a2a-title="Yoga Theme: Always Be a Beginner"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/yoga-theme-always-beginner/">Yoga Theme: Always Be a Beginner</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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		<title>What Makes a Good Yoga Class?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/makes-good-yoga-class/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/makes-good-yoga-class/#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jun 2018 13:18:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teaching Yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yoga teacher]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogi muse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogimuse]]></category>

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				<description><![CDATA[<p>And what makes a really bad one?  Greetings fellow yogis. I have just returned from a really crazy, really bad yoga class. It was so wrong, that my friend and fellow teacher wants her money back. It was so wrong, that I feel slightly mistreated. It was so wrong, that I am compelled to write&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/makes-good-yoga-class/">What Makes a Good Yoga Class?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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								<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?attachment_id=2227" rel="attachment wp-att-858"><img class="alignleft wp-image-2227 size-thumbnail" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/TheYogiMuse-200x200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></a><em>And what makes a really bad one? </em></p>
<p>Greetings fellow yogis. I have just returned from a really crazy, really bad yoga class.</p>
<p>It was so wrong, that my friend and fellow teacher wants her money back.</p>
<p>It was so wrong, that I feel slightly mistreated.</p>
<p>It was so wrong, that I am compelled to write about what makes a truly terrible, horrible, very bad yoga class in the hopes that you may never repeat these mistakes.</p>
<p><strong>It wasn’t the yoga!</strong></p>
<p>First of all, what makes an experience go bad is usually not the yoga itself. Yoga is a combination of poses with breath, intention and good vibes. There’s a bit of <em>Yamas</em> and <em>Niyamas</em>, also known as <em>Yadda Yadda</em>, which convey the importance of being a decent person. And that’s it.</p>
<p>How can breath, movement and good vibes go bad? It may not be perfect every time, or your cup of tea, but rarely is it terrible, right? Therefore, what usually goes wrong has to do with everything else.</p>
<p><strong>The Studio</strong></p>
<p>The studio or venue is not just providing four walls and a floor. From the first “hello,” to the last, “Have a good day,” the studio is the cradle for the experience.</p>
<p>In this case, the class was sold as a 60-minute, fun-loving, booty-shaking, sweat-making, heart throbbing, foot-stomping flow class. That is what we signed up for, and that is what we expected.</p>
<p>However, once we put our mats down, the teacher said this was a special event. If you change the format, you <em>must</em> tell your students <em>before</em> class, preferably in an email or website announcement. Doing so in the room is a classic bait and switch.</p>
<p>So, the booty-shaking, foot stomping flow was now going to be … a restorative class? <em>I can’t make this stuff up!</em> Not that there’s anything wrong with gentle yoga, but it wasn’t what was sold. If people come to move and instead they sit, they cannot get that hour back in their day.</p>
<p>Then, after about 70 minutes the instructor revealed that the class was now a 90-minute format. That also needs to be announced <em>before</em> the mats go down. People have shit to do.</p>
<p>Know this:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>When you keep your students late, or change a format, </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>you make the class about you.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>When you honor the time and format, </em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>you make the class about your students.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>For the future, studios please note: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Be nice and greet your students.</li>
<li>If your student puts a health issue on the little form, please suggest how they can stay safe. If the student took the time to write it out, then you should take the time to acknowledge it.</li>
<li>Keep your space clean and welcoming.</li>
<li>Confirm the class formats are correct.</li>
<li>Communicate any changes ahead of time, if possible.</li>
<li>Post accurate information on social media and the internet.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>The Teacher</strong></p>
<p>I recognize there are many kinds of yoga, and that we all have different styles. I also take into consideration that every teacher is doing the best they can with whatever training they have. In this case, our class had a “master” teacher, who came from out of town.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, whether you are a “master” teacher, or just a local shlub teacher like me, there are some basic dos and don’ts to good instruction.</p>
<p>Be on time. Yup, so simple. Show up early, check your music connections, check the venue, make sure the room has good acoustics, see if you need a headset, make sure the mats are where they should be, introduce yourself to the students, ask about the students’ level of ability, familiarity with the format and potential needs. Right? So freaking simple and yet, apparently, so hard.</p>
<p>Be responsive. The teacher was told repeatedly we couldn’t hear her. The music was loud and she was turned away from us, speaking into the mirror. If students can’t hear you, you need to face them, speak louder, use a headset, adjust the music, and walk the room.</p>
<p>Pay attention. We are here to serve our students and if you are so preoccupied with the exciting vision of YOU in the mirror, you cannot possibly do this. Many yoga formats do not allow the instructor to put down a mat so they have 100% of their attention on the students. It is your responsibility to know what students are doing, who is struggling and who could be hurt. You need to practice on your own time.</p>
<p>Lastly, if you don’t know what you look like from behind, you might check to see if your pants are see-through. Just saying. However, that could have been part of this format, I’m not sure.</p>
<p><strong>For the future, teachers please note:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>We are here to serve.</li>
<li>Be on time. Set up your room and your music ahead of the class.</li>
<li>Greet your students. Make that important connection.</li>
<li>Pay attention to them.</li>
<li>Be responsive.</li>
<li>And be nice for God sakes. You are not all that.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>The Students</strong></p>
<p>We don’t have control over the community. We can’t pick and choose our fellow yogis as we can with friends. The best we can do when we show up for a class is hope we find our kind.</p>
<p>In this case, I guess it’s part of the format that the women moan and groan, yip and yelp and have their “moment” like the café scene from “When Harry Met Sally.” Yup, I might have wanted what they were having, but I came for something else. When I think about it, that is what made it a really weird yoga class for me.</p>
<p><strong>For the future, students please note:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Be mindful of other students’ space and experience.</li>
<li>Please keep your extraneous stuff out of the way.</li>
<li>That includes children and dogs. Seriously.</li>
<li>However, I really liked the children and dogs walking around. For me, it was the high point of the class.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is an award-winning journalist <a href="https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00E7MZM46?redirectedFromKindleDbs=true">and author of several books on yoga.</a> You can find her at </em><a href="http://www.YogiMuse.com"><em>www.YogiMuse.com</em></a><em>, or in Denver, Colorado where she is a local, shlub teacher who almost never wears see-through pants.</em></p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2Fmakes-good-yoga-class%2F&#038;title=What%20Makes%20a%20Good%20Yoga%20Class%3F" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/makes-good-yoga-class/" data-a2a-title="What Makes a Good Yoga Class?"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/makes-good-yoga-class/">What Makes a Good Yoga Class?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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		<title>Yoga Theme for Three Goddesses</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/2222-2/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/2222-2/#respond</comments>
				<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2018 14:18:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoga Themes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.michellemarchildon.com/?p=2222</guid>
				<description><![CDATA[<p>Theme Weaver: The Goddesses: Kali, Sarasvati, Lakshmi Your Why: Put your reason for teaching here. Theme: Three Goddesses of Hindu Mythology HOVs: Self-reflection, Self-Knowledge, Clarity  Anecdote: In Hinduism, the three Goddesses represent many facets of one self, the beauty, the fierce and the cultured academic. In yoga, Sarasveti the intellectual, might be represented by alignment-based&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/2222-2/">Yoga Theme for Three Goddesses</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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								<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/qtq80-uugshs/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2223" src="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/qtq80-uUGSHS-200x200.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Theme Weaver: The Goddesses: Kali, Sarasvati, Lakshmi </strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong> Your Why: Put your reason for teaching here.</strong></li>
<li><strong> Theme: Three Goddesses of Hindu Mythology</strong></li>
<li><strong> HOVs: Self-reflection, Self-Knowledge, Clarity </strong></li>
<li><strong> Anecdote:</strong></li>
</ol>
<p>In Hinduism, the three Goddesses represent many facets of one self, the beauty, the fierce and the cultured academic. In yoga, Sarasveti the intellectual, might be represented by alignment-based practice. Lakshmi could be a beautiful, breath-based flow. And Kali the fierce, would be a strong Ashtanga practice. However you practice, perhaps try a new path to invite more on the mat.</p>
<ol start="5">
<li><strong> Contemplation</strong></li>
</ol>
<p>Kali is the destroyer of evil and the restorer of Moral Order, but she is also the path to transformation. Kali alone can forgive and re-create Karma. A fierce practice can transform. Sarasvati is the Goddess of learning, knowledge and wisdom. She will keep us aligned and true. Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and beauty. Her practice would be gentle, pretty, breathy. She is associated with Grace. At times, we are all three goddesses.</p>
<ol start="6">
<li><strong> Golden Nuggets</strong></li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>Seek your inner Lakshmi.</li>
<li>Be strong like Kali</li>
<li>Nurture your mind with Sarasvati</li>
<li>We are all three, but not at once</li>
<li>Find the balance</li>
<li>Always do you.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ol start="7">
<li><strong> Value Proposition:</strong> If we can see ourselves through the lens of mythology, we might know ourselves better.</li>
<li><strong>Quotes</strong></li>
</ol>
<p>“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail.” Oprah</p>
<p>“Turn your wounds into wisdom.” Oprah</p>
<p>“A woman is like a teabag. You can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” E. Roosevelt.</p>
<p>“Anyone who says he can see through a woman, is missing a lot.” Groucho Marx</p>
<p>“There are many roads to enlightenment. Choose one. Try them all.” Michelle Marchildon</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>© Copyright 2018 by Wildhorse Ventures LLC. Theme Weaver. All rights reserved.</p>
<p><a class="a2a_dd a2a_counter addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michellemarchildon.com%2F2222-2%2F&#038;title=Yoga%20Theme%20for%20Three%20Goddesses" data-a2a-url="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/2222-2/" data-a2a-title="Yoga Theme for Three Goddesses"></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/2222-2/">Yoga Theme for Three Goddesses</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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		<title>Maybe We’re to Blame?</title>
		<link>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/maybe-were-to-blame/</link>
				<comments>https://www.michellemarchildon.com/maybe-were-to-blame/#comments</comments>
				<pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2018 14:49:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fearless After Fifty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[On the Mat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michelle Marchildon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yoga and facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogi muse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yogimuse]]></category>

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				<description><![CDATA[<p>There’s an ad going around featuring puppies and kittens and babies being born with the tagline, “We want to make Facebook like it used to be.” You know, before we effed it up. I’ll confess, I haven’t been as active on Facebook as I once was. But it wasn’t Mark Zuckerberg or the Russians that&#8230;</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com/maybe-were-to-blame/">Maybe We’re to Blame?</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.michellemarchildon.com">Michelle Marchildon—The Yogi Muse</a>.</p>
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<p>There’s an ad going around featuring puppies and kittens and babies being born with the tagline, “We want to make Facebook like it used to be.” You know, before we effed it up.</p>
<p>I’ll confess, I haven’t been as active on Facebook as I once was. But it wasn’t Mark Zuckerberg or the Russians that drove me off. It was the yogis.</p>
<p>I think Patanjali saw social media coming when he created the Yoga Sutras 2,000 years ago. He mandated “<em>Ahimsa</em>” first, that is to seek no judgment and do no harm. He said, “Anyone with a cell phone and a perineum will have an opinion, and we need to teach people that their job is to hold space and not to judge.”</p>
<p>Ha! It would be easier to teach one-armed handstand, to a person without arms. That&#8217;s not funny, I know.</p>
<p>Those crazy yogis! They will come at you for just about anything – what you eat, what you wear, and how you teach the pelvic tilt. Recently, I have been shamed for teaching older yogis inversions, because once you are 40 some think you should sit quietly on your mat.</p>
<p>Yoga teachers also argue over much more important stuff on Facebook like what kind of touch is an inappropriate touch, and giving too much power to a “guru.”</p>
<p>Listen, these are important matters to consider. “Gurus” who take advantage of their students and give an inappropriate assist need to go far, far away. But what exactly is a bad touch?</p>
<p>I hardly adjust my students at all these days, and it’s not because I feel I am touching inappropriately. It’s because someone will post that <em>in their opinion</em> my touch corrected them, and they are perfect just as they are, and they once got a trophy for being a winner, so I am a bad yoga teacher and probably run a pedophile ring in a pizza parlor, blah, blah, blah.</p>
<p>This gets the person posting a lot of attention, and that’s the crux of the problem with Facebook. People thrive on attention. “Me, me, me, please ‘like’ me.”</p>
<p>Here’s the thing: If <em>you</em> don’t like <em>you</em>, then all the “likes” in the world won’t make up for that.</p>
<p>Today it’s cool to be “triggered,” which means you are upset and within your rights to blame everyone else for your behavior from Mark Zuckerberg to the Russians. Being a victim gets lots of “likes.” Having your shit together is intimidating. Even the most powerful, together yogis I know are posting “I hate my body, too,” because it sells. This isn’t real vulnerability. This is marketing.</p>
<p>For example, if you are pregnant and glowing, and someone says, “You look radiant,” that person will post, “Someone told me today that I am sweating like a pig.” <em>I cannot make this up</em>. However, if you are pregnant and think this is about you, it’s not. I made it up.</p>
<p>Last year I was told that my “white birth” triggered another yogi. I know I can be very annoying. Have you heard my voice? But if my skin color triggers you, is that <em>my</em> problem?</p>
<p>I’m not sure that Facebook is as broken as we think, except for the part about selling our personal information and allowing the Russians to mess with our election. That is effed for sure.</p>
<p>I do believe, however, that <em>we</em> might be broken. In our current culture, having it together is never going to get you as much attention as being a victim. It’s just not <em>triggering</em> enough to create a high-performing post on Facebook. However, standing on your own two feet and taking responsibility for your actions, that might be somewhere in the Yoga Sutras if we look hard enough.</p>
<p><em>Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is the co-author of <a href="http://amzn.to/2oMnXvS">&#8220;Fearless After Fifty: How to Thrive with Grace, Grit and Yoga.&#8221;</a> If you find aging with vigor triggering, there are plenty of other books to read. For more wit and wisdom, find her at <a href="http://www.yogimuse.com">www.YogiMuse.com </a></em></p>
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