It's funny to me that we call it "Teacher Training" and not "Student Training." You'll never hear about a 200 hour "Student Training." It's all about becoming a teacher. And yet I've found that the best yoga teachers are the ones who are the most devoted yoga students. I've found that at my deepest essence, my identity is that of a student, more than a teacher. That's why I teach, so that I can learn more about whatever I'm teaching, whether it be anatomy, backbends, or the Yoga Sutras. I teach so that I can learn from the gifts and challenges that my students bring to my life and my class. I'm truly an eternal student and hope to be for the rest of my life!

The more we can place ourselves in our student's hearts, in our student's minds, in our student's bodies, the better we'll be able to serve them in class. The more that we can develop our own studentship, the better our teaching will be. The qualities that make someone a great teacher are the same that make someone a great student- and vice versa.

Part of our work as teachers is to continue to develop the qualities of a good student. John Friend uses the lens of the Mahabhutas (the five great elements) as a way of understanding adhikara. The Mahabhutas are earth, water, fire, air and space. Each one of these elements carry within them certain attributes that define them and that apply to studentship.

For instance:

Earth is grounded, steadfast, patient...

Water is fluid, receptive, adaptive...

Fire is bright, intense, like a burning passion...

Air is generous, creative...

Space is the beginner's mind, open, spacious...

We all have an element or two that's dominant in us and in our teaching, and we all have one ore two that might be lacking. The Mahabhutas are a great map for us to look at ourselves as teachers and as students of yoga, seeing which one we need more of. They can also help us save a class when say for instance the energy is really low or when the student's energy are depleted.

And in terms of Anusara yoga the five elements apply quite nicely to the five Universal Principles of Alignment:

Open to Grace (Space)

Muscular Energy (Earth)

Inner Spiral (Water)

Outer Spiral (Fire)

Organic Energy (Air)

 You start a pose being open, spacious, remembering the big picture, that's the first principle. Then from that place you begin to engage your muscles, createing in your body stability and a sense of being grounded. After that we then create an opening in the thighs and pelvis, by sloshing the thighbones back and widening them apart. Then keeping that we add the fire element by outer spiraling the legs and thighs. Lastly, keeping all of this we extend from the focal point out in every direction, dispersing our energy out like air. And the whole process begins again, continuing in every pose.

My favorite yoga teacher is Sianna Sherman. I once heard her say that you can never do enough of the first principle. Also John told me once that the most important attribute for a student is to be humble. So may we all continue to cultivate a spacious and humble attitude as students of yoga; learning from everyone, asking for help when we need it, staying open. Just like Arjuna in the second chapter of the sacred text The Bhagavad Gita. He says to Krishna "please teach me" and so the dialogue begins... May we stay open to learning, every day of our lives...