A student recently asked me to write down some of the lines I say in class. He feels they are 'classics' and worth remembering. Well, good that one of us thinks so, because I often have a hard time recalling what the heck I said since it happens on the spur of the moment. And besides, like many things in life ‘you sort of had to be there' to appreciate what was said. Taking it out of context looks like I might have the yoga whip close by. This is not true....just let me reassure you.

That said, here’s a few lines which are good enough to make public. To help things remain in their proper context, I have prefaced each line with what was happening.

To a student who was not breathing:

“Only dead people do not breathe.”

Instructing a student in warrior pose:

“Straighten your leg. In yoga straight has a new meaning. Straight is straighter.”

Giving an adjustment to a student in cobra:

“If I had another set of arms I’d really be able to help you out here.”

When a student misinterpreted the instructions and went to the resting pose:

“I know you are already at the resting pose. But sorry, we have a bit to get through.“

In shoulder stand posture:

“Don’t go for plastic surgery practise more shoulder stands. Marilyn Munroe practised this routinely. (Pause with laughter)...Also good for the boobs” (More laughter).

To be honest, I think a yoga class without a few good laughs at yourself, the teacher or just life in general is not worth taking or attending.

I could probably write a book on teaching, the art of it, its challenges, the intense way it makes you strive to be a better communicator and the way it challenges me to understand people, including myself. Because if I can't explain this to someone else I might not understand it properly either. I am pretty sure, however, that a lot of people do not understand that the teacher is also learning. In the West we are more accustomed to the G-E-T the degree and S-E-T-T-L-E down mentality. It was the Great Yoga Master B.K.S. Iyengar who said that ALL Yoga teachers are learning. He also said he was a beginner and this is well over 75 years of teaching and practising. So if he is a beginner then I must be back at the embryo stage.

It is the beginner mind that remains fresh, open, relaxed, non-judgemental and non-defensive. In zen they call it "no" mind and in yoga e-ka-gra-ta (one pointedness). Remaining beginner-minded is probably the toughest thing to do especially after practising for many years. It is something to be reminded of and in many ways the most important lesson of yoga.

I recently read a quote on someone’s blog entitled the Reluctant Ashtangi about when you fall, learn to fall better. There is some hidden poetic justice in there....re: fall better. It was nice and uplifting, because usually when we think of falling we see it as a failure. Maybe it is only words but it better to have tried and failed then to never have done anything.