What would your answer be if I asked what pleased a teacher the most? Teaching, having many students or being loved by his/her students? In my opinion, what pleases a teacher the most is to witness the progress of his/her students. Seeing the improvement and progress of all students and realizing how they improved in time… This was what had happened to me last week.

When I went to a group yoga class last week, I observed the students as usual in order to understand what they were willing to do that day. Most of the students were eager to try balancing poses. “We have not tried balancing poses for some time. Can we test our balance today?” Surely we could. But what would the peak pose be? I should decide on this. There were many peak poses in my mind and I could not pick one of them at that moment. Then I decided to focus on a flow in which many balancing poses were added to each other. It would be a fairly advanced class. But we were working with the same group for about two months and I believed that they could easily do this flow.
Following the opening meditation, we came on all-fours to start balancing. After “vyaghrasana” (tiger pose), we neutralized the spine with “marjaryasana-bitilasana” (cat-cow stretch). Then came a “vinyasa” and we stood up in “tadasana” (mountain pose). After warming up the bodies with “surya namaskara” (sun salutation) series, we started to test our balance. First we grounded on the left foot, bent the right knee and lifted the right leg up until it was parallel to the floor. After staying in this pose for five breaths, we did the same thing by grounded on the right foot. Following a “vinyasa”, we stood up in “tadasana” to ground on the left foot again. This time, we extended the right leg to the front. Following five breaths came the same asana on the right foot. Another “vinyasa” and “tadasana.” This time, the left leg was grounded to get into “vrksasana” (tree pose). “Vrksasana” was not a challenging pose for that group. So I had to make it harder. I was thinking what we could do to make “vrksasana” a challening pose, I decided that the students should try “vrksasana” with eyes closed. “Staying in vrksasana, pick a point in front of you and gaze at that point. Now slowly close your eyes but visualize that you are still looking at that gaze with eyes closed. If you are losing balance, slightly open your eyes and re-focus on the gaze. Now close your eyes again and try to stay balanced with eyes closed.”
It is easer to stay balanced with open eyes. However, no data goes to the brain with eyes closed and it is hard for the body to perceive its position and location. Therefore, it is fairly hard for the body to find balance with eyes closed.
When we talk about balance, we should also talk about vestibular and proprioceptive systems because both systems help us balance. Vestibular system contributes to balance in mammals and provides the leading contribution about movement and sense of balance. Situated in the inner ear, it sends signals primarily to the neural structures that control eye movements, and to the muscles that keep a creature upright. The brain uses information from the vestibular system in the head to understand the body’s dynamics and kinematics (including its position and acceleration). In short, vestibular system is a system in inner ear that gives us information about the position of the head.
On the other hand, proprioception is the sense that helps us perceive where our body is in space and gives us the ability to plan and coordinate movements. Sense receptors in the joints and muscles are constantly sending signals to the brain and with the help of these signals, we can know about the position or tension of our joints and muscles. One should have a developed sense of proprioception in order to move right, healthily and in coordination.
Let me try to give you an example to make it more clear. In “virabhadrasana II” (warrior II), it is the “vestibular system” that makes us perceive whether the back arm is in the same level with our shoulders. With proprioceptive system, we can feel the “grounding” or the connection. With this system, we can plan and coordinate our actions. This system creates “body awareness.”
We have information about the position of our organs thanks to our eyes. This means that when our eyes are open, we can easily know if we could lift our leg to 90 degrees or if it was staying in 45 degrees. With open eyes, we can see and easily access to information. However, it is not that easy to get access to such information with eyes closed. Therefore, balancing asanas are more difficult with eyes closed.
If we go back to that day’s class… “Vrksasana” with eyes closed. Where is the body? Can I joined my hands in front of the heart in prayer position? Is the bent leg on the knee cap or under it or above it? Trying to realize all these information with eyes closed.
Another “vinyasa” after “vrksasana” and slowing down the breath in “tadasana.” Now it was time for the flow full of balancing poses. “Vrksasana”, “garudasana” (eagle pose), “virabhadrasana III” (warrior III), “urdhva prasarita eka padasana” (standing split), two different types of “utthita hasta padangusthasana” (hand-to-big toe pose) including the one with leg extended to the front and the other with leg extended to the side.
Balancing poses one after the other without losing the balance. Without losing the gaze and without putting the leg in the air to the ground… I told you, it was an advanced class. And what pleased a teacher the most? Seeing the improvement and progress of his/her students. Seeing how the balance of the students had changed and developed in these two years and how they could easily do all balancing poses without even touching their toes on the ground… Worth everything…
After working this much balance, we rested in “malasana” (garland pose). Then I found an interesting idea. We had worked this much balance. So why weren’t we trying “bakasana” (crow pose)? There were also new students in the class. So I asked them to lean on the front and try lifting the foot one by one. I told the old students to directly try “bakasana.” All the old students managed to do “bakasana” and stayed at least five breaths in the pose.
Following neutralizing and calming asanas, we had a long “savasana” (deep relaxation and resting pose). I ended the class by reminding that the balance of the body could change anytime, the balance and energies of the right and left of the body could differ, the goal of yoga was to ensure the balance and eliminate the imbalance between the male and female sides of the body and wishing that our goal in yoga and life should be to find and ensure balance between dualities.
Driving home after the class, I was thinking one thing. What pleased a teacher the most? Teaching, having many students or being loved by his/her students? Yes, what pleased a teacher the most? Witnessing the progress of his/her students… Seeing and realizing how bodily, mentally and spiritually the students have improved and progress and growing and progressing more and more with them each passing day…