The Power of Championing

I had an amazing yoga class tonight. I‘ve practiced yoga on and off for years, with great love, limited skill and irregular attention.

I‘ve learned a lot from yoga, they key thing being the distinction between “striving” (running over the top of the moment to reach some future objective) and “challenge,” which blossoms in the moment.

Now, I would not make the cover of Yoga Journal under any circumstances. I‘m strong and somewhat squarishly built, with short compact muscles and not all that much flexibility. I‘ll admit with no shame to a time when I looked with envy upon those magical yoginis of the willowy limbs and the flexible spines. How I longed to be able to bend my tight, western body into that shape or to be able to execute THAT pose with grace and ease.

Green pepper in Dhanurasana ~ by Food Stylist and Chef, Amy Whelan

I‘ve learned over time to be present with myself and to engage in my own personal practice, bringing whatever I have to the mat and engaging fully with the present moment. This brought me a lot more joy and tremendous relief from the neck tension I was getting from trying to look around to get a gander at everyone else in the class. Hooray for me.

Tonight however, well, tonight was DIFFERENT.

A new teacher, not particularly elegant or willowy or inspiring to look at. And yet the class was truly transformative.

First of all, this instructor was incredibly generous with her corrections, both verbally and hands on–a steady flow of incredibly helpful and very specific pointing, sometimes delivered generally and sometimes personally. (I‘m not exactly clear when this woman learned my NAME. She asked once before the class began and that was that.) She held a clear assumption for all in the class that we weren‘t just there to take up space or to show off our nifty yoga togs. She was absolutely certain we were there to expand, to evolve.

All of this correction was delivered so enthusiastically: ”Okay everyone, TUCK your tailbone UNDER. . . further. . .further. . .terrific!” Or “Karen, turn your hands out just slightly in Down Dog to make more room for your shoulders. No, too far, a little less. . .PERFECT”. Her touch was so clear and firm and loving that I felt my heart leaping towards where she was pointing, felt the whole of my being unfurl and light up in response to her vision. All of this correction was sprinkled liberally with the most amazing positive affirmation. “That pose looks BEAUTIFUL. Great job EVERYONE. What a magnificent triangle pose, Karen. Truly LOVELY”. And so on.

As the class progressed, I came to realize that she was not teaching me, she was teaching INTO me. Into some future potential of me. She had all the space in the world for any physical limitation and would take the time to offer adjustments, props, whatever was needed and yet it became clear that when she looked at me, she did not see a middle aged woman with some extra weight and an incredibly tight shoulders. This woman saw and was teaching to. . .my INNER YOGINI!!!!

Wow! Suddenly the space both inside and outside of me expanded. I felt light. I felt grateful. I felt INCREDIBLE. I found myself reaching, reaching into poses where I‘d become complacent without even realizing it. Not striving as I had in the past. I was fully present and connected to my body and my breath. And I was inspired, not by what I saw in the TEACHER, but by what she had me see in myself. Holy yoga mat, Batman. It was an incredible experience and you can bet your latest Rodney Yee DVD that I will be going BACK.

As I was driving home from class, feeling alive and delicious and quite full of myself, quite in love with “my inner yogini”, I was struck by how similar my experience was to what our clients must feel when we champion them.

I think we probably have no idea of the impact our love has on our clients, the space created by our unfettered BELIEF in them. How magical it is to coach from connection and commitment to our client‘s wisest, most alive, most evolved selves. It‘s incredibly empowering and enlivening. It‘s not about US at all. Instead it is about our clients and our willingness to have room for their limitations and coach always that magnificent one. . .that inner yogini.

People ask me sometimes, “Yes, but what‘s the VALUE of Co-Active Coaching? Of working with a Co-Active Coach? I mean, who really needs it?”

Well, in my mind, it‘s the difference between living life from the kind of yoga that I‘ve been practicing and the experience I had tonight which was truly transformational. We only have this one life. Wouldn‘t we want to invest ourselves and our resources in a coach who will empower and support and CHAMPION our best selves? Our go for the gold, championship, reach for the stars, inner yogini selves??

The answer is clear to me. Gotta run. I need to re-arrange my schedule so I can fit in some more of that Magic, Co-Active Yoga!
KKH