Te acher zone
Teacher’s Tales:
A
s for me, it depends. I seem to have a foot in both
camps. In my earlier days of teaching, I used to
agonise over music for each class, structuring
playlists and seeking out the perfect tracks but over
the past few years that’s changed. I realised recently
that in the majority of my classes now I don’t play music at all.
In some instances this was a conscious choice, in others it was
circumstances, like having no access to a stereo. I always have
silence in savasana though – that’s a non-negotiable for me when
I’m teaching. As a student I enjoy music in classes – it depends
on the class in question – though I find music in savasana too
stimulating (and it makes me stroppy!)
If most of my classes now are music-free, why am I still playing
music in others? I have no explanation other than because it seems
to feel right for those particular classes. I’ve also noted that these
tend to be my longest established classes, so maybe there’s a
feeling of a precedent being set with the inclusion of music? Or is it
attachment on my part? Or assumed expectations of the students?What’s wrong with silence in savasana? Or silence throughout class? When teaching
do you use music or do you believe that silence is golden?
At one class, the stereo broke down one week so I taught without
music. I apologised at the start, explaining that there would be
no music today. My voice provided the soundtrack along with the
noises of weights being thrown to the ground in the body pump class
next door. At the end of that class one of the regular attendees
approached me and said, “Don’t worry about the music - you really
don’t need it.” Moments later, someone else told me the class felt
very strange without music and that they missed it (even though I
use pretty much the same playlist for this class each week).
When used mindfully, I feel that music can be a positive and
powerful tool for many people. A well-placed song can, like a yoga
prop, help to support one’s practice. But I accept that for as many
practitioners who love music with their yoga there will be just as
many who hate it and believe it has no place in a yoga class.
You can’t please everybody. Can we agree to disagree?Paula Hines is a London-based yoga teacher and writer
(ucanyoga.com)Silence is Golden