Last week, after a class she wasn’t even teaching, I asked Miranda what I could do about my balance. I’d asked her once before and she told me to see her sometime after class.

I chose this particular class - one she hadn’t even taught, and one I
had barely muddled through - to ask her. I figured she might provide a
correction, or one of those on-the-fly-demonstrations she does, but no,
she offered me a karma class. She said she could see me trying (I call
it struggling) and thought I could benefit from a one-on-one.

Now this was Miranda (and we all know about the rainbows, sunshine, and unfettered magic she seems to bring to our space) but it was not the only time a SSHY teacher has offered help. Alexis and Heather, right from the start, were quick to make suggestions. Ivanka has pulled me to the side and tried to convince me of a better way, Jenn has continually shared knowledge and support, as has Vicky and Billie (who, even before she was stamped with the Bikram seal of approval, had suggestions on
ways of coping).

I know this advice is shared freely, not just with me but also anyone
who walks through the doors. As we lay in the final Savasana and every
teacher offers the parting words ‘/If you have any questions or need a
little help, come and see me up front’/, they really mean it.

Posture by posture, Miranda provided adjustments and advice I can
already feel working its way through my thick skull. I say this in as
much of what she had to offer I have heard before, basically in every
class. The beauty of the Bikram dialogue is that it reinforces the
movement of each posture. Miranda was telling me what I had heard
before, time and again. In fact, I thought I was already doing some of it.

For example, the major ‘thing’ I took out of the session was a greater
concentration on breathing. Pretty basic, yes, but it seems in all the
pulling and locking and stretching and pushing, I neglected doing what
should come naturally.

Keep breathing; it is something every instructor, in every class,
reminds us to do. Breathe. So I had heard it before and I thought I was
doing it, but obviously I wasn’t listening.

I’ve often said that all yoga asks is that you breathe and try. Not only
was I not listening to my teachers, I wasn’t listening to myself.

So, on Miranda’s advice, I now enter the class with the mantra /I’m
going to breathe for/ /90 minutes today/. Again pretty simple, yes, but
oh how effective. Breathe. Of course there is the 80/20 (and I’m working
on the where and when) but for the most part I strive to keep breathing,
normally, and not hold my breath in certain postures.

Breathing: I could even call it my stumbling block. It slays me that
every class I hear the same thing but it wasn’t until last week it made
sense.

Call it the power of listening, or the power of persuasion, but I have
the feeling it may be the true power of yoga. It comes to you not when
you want it to, or not when you need it, but perhaps only when you are
ready.

-jeffrey-