Your energy, not sequence is what matters most

// two classic vinyasa flows

Dear Humans,

I want to give you a homework assignment. For the next two weeks, when you go to a yoga class, I want you to notice, not the teacher’s sequence or cues, but their energy. What does their presence feel like? How does their tone throughout class contribute to the experience? Are there any moments where you feel distracted because of something they’ve said?

This isn’t an exercise to judge, it’s an exercise to learn. And yes, by doing this you’ll take away from the true purpose of going to a yoga class: to quiet the mind and thoughts. But sometimes as teachers it’s important to study our craft. To learn from others: both what we like and what we find distracting.

In this newsletter we talk about many things, but a primary focus is sequencing. I think that’s likely what drew many of you here.

Sequencing is beautiful and fun and creative. I think it certainly impacts the experience of a yoga class and some students will come to your classes just because of your sequencing approach.

But I want to suggest that the most influential factor in any yoga class is not your sequence, it’s you. It’s your presence. It’s your energy. Do you guide with calm confidence? Or warm compassion? Or playfulness? Are you earnest? Do you veer towards cheesy. I do sometimes ;). Sometimes, you could be stressed. Sometimes we are all of these things and more.

I was recently at a yoga class and the sequence was great, but the complexity of the sequence meant that the teacher seemed to be getting frazzled. I could feel their stress. My experience shifted from personal introspection, to one of empathy for the teacher. That’s not really what we want for our students. We don’t want them to be focused on us, we want them to be focused on them.

This isn’t to say you can’t make mistakes. You can and will and should. In fact, you will likely make a mistake in every single class you teach. But how do you get past that in real-time?

If you start a class off rocky, maybe jumbling your words (me, this Saturday), then what is your internal dialogue like in the moment? Is it filled with thoughts like: “oh, this is going downhill!”? Could you instead replace it with a thought like: “I’m going to regroup. I’ve got this.”?

The students will care about your sequence, yes. But mostly they want to feel held. They want to feel like their teacher has “got them.” Not that their teacher is perfect, that never will be the case, but more so that their teacher is going to hold space so that the students can dive inwards, and that their teacher is taking good care of themselves as they teach, too.

An experience within a yoga class is created through energy. Whatever that energy is. There are lots of ways to cultivate it. And lots of different expressions of it.

So go out into the world and witness. See what you find and notice. See what you want to bring into your own teaching, and notice when you, as a student, get distracted.

We always are learning from each other, my friends. That’s part of the beauty of being human.

This week, I’m sharing with you a “go to” vinyasa class. It’s not super flashy. But to the point above, it doesn’t always have to be. This is a beautiful sequence that flows and feels great. For my paid subscribers, I’m also sharing the mini-flow that I taught before this main flow.

Sending love,

Izzy

Izzy Martens

author, yoga teacher, sequence enthusiast

www.yogahumans.com

What I Taught in Yoga This Week | October 16, 2024

the write-up

• downward facing dog

• three legged dog

• knee to nose

• high crescent lunge

• airplane

• high crescent lunge

• open arm twist

• exalted

• warrior II

• reverse warrior

• warrior II

• star

• goddess (add heel lifts)

• temple pose

• cartwheel to standing splits

• shiva squats

• reverse dancer’s pose

• mountain

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If you’re new here – hello!

Let me introduce myself! My name is Izzy Martens and I’m just a human who teaches yoga, writes, hangs out with her two cats, hikes around Colorado, and enjoys creating yoga sequences.

Read more about the history of this newsletter, Yoga Humans, and my ethos below.

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Bonus! Here is the mini flow that I taught before the main flow above. In my thinking, a mini flow features the building blocks for the main flow. It features some of the same movements, but usually tuned down. This means, by the time your students get to the main flow they are prepared, ready, and eager to try new variations. I hope you enjoy!