08: The Case for Teaching Without Demonstrating

When you teach yoga classes {group or private} how much are you demonstrating poses? If you have been hanging out in my world for a while you may know that I mostly advocate for a style of teaching that relies on language to convey important information, including subtle movements, instead of relying on the use of our body to teach. Do I think demonstrating a physical concept is always bad? Of course not! Are there sometimes totally valid reasons to use your own body, or another student's body, to clarify a movement concept. Absolutely! I also think that teaching without demonstrating is an extremely important skill to cultivate and I want to tell you why! In this episode I'll cover: Some of the reasons, both conscious and unconscious, that teachers prefer to demonstrate when they teach asana. The many benefits for you and your students of teaching without demonstrating. Why teaching our students to connect language and movement is a worthwhile endeavor. Tools and practices to help you use your voice more often in your yoga teaching and your body less. In the spirit of Shades of Grey, some of the good reasons I see TO demonstrate or practice with our students.