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About Kara-Leah Grant
Kara-Leah is an internationally-renowned writer, teacher and retreat leader. Millions of people have been impacted by the articles, books and videos she has published over the last ten years. Her passion is liberation in this lifetime through an every day path of dissolving layers of tension into greater and greater freedom and joy. You can find out more about her, including when her next retreats are, on her website. Kara-Leah is the visionary and creator of The Yoga Lunchbox.
Min says
I have been challenged by this topic as I moved from being a teacher to a studio owner – I came across for the first time a student who could not meet my eyes let alone receive an adjustment – the same week a totally new student and her bloke literally bear hugged me after their first class – and my relationship with several students has shifted into genuine friendship and several friends into dedicated students – I used to hold a crucible Donna Farhi style but I question that now – part of what I should be teaching ( I now believe) is connection x
Kara-Leah Grant says
Hey Min,
I love how you distill it down to that one word – connection. That opens up a new line of inquiry for me. Thank you!
Trudi says
I literally laughed out loud when I got this article in the in-box after the post I put on your FB page yesterday Kara-Leah!
I’ve been thinking about Mark a lot lately – I’m teaching a class for a friend next week, and I’ve not taught for more than a year. When I first started teaching, it happened the same way. Teaching for a friend….and in one of those perfect synchronicity things, I attended a workshop with Mark a few days after my friend first approached me. Despite a longstanding yoga practise, and a profession that means I’m familiar with anatomy, I was feeling nervous about teaching and uncertain that I could or should, as I had no certificate or formal training. I asked Mark what he thought towards the end of the second day and (bless him) he looked at me like I was an idiot: ‘Of course you should do it! Don’t you teach already? Just teach what you know, what you do, how you do it. It’s simple.’ He moved on, shaking his head a little at how we all over complicate things, and I immediately made the decision to do it, feeling reassured that if I stuck with that then I would be safe.
I picked up the studio keys from my friend this morning for the class next week, and she asked me if I’m feeling nervous. I could honestly answer that I’m not – more excited to be back showing friends what I do right now. The opportunity to teach again has me mulling over how much my yoga has changed in the last ten years, since I first began teaching. Mark was an inspiration ten years ago, and he remains one because even if nerves do strike all you are doing is being yourself, showing people how you do it, and I just can’t be nervous about that.
I greatly admire his tenacity, plugging away with the same message that not all of us want to hear. His wisdom is extraordinary and I hope to see him home again for wanderlust next year.
Thanks for the article Kara-Leah – it’s so lovely to read about him when he’s been on my mind so much!!
Kara-Leah Grant says
I know! We’re both on a Mark Whitwell kick right now 🙂
Awesome to hear your perspective and how Mark has really inspired the way you teach. Thank you so much!
J. Brown says
I am having a problem with the notion that a “real” yoga teacher is someone who “wakes someone up.” Sounds awfully qualified and presupposes that it’s possible for someone to “wake” another person up. I’m not downplaying the role of a teacher to help someone but who is doing the actually waking up is the question. http://www.jbrownyoga.com/blog/2015/2/yoga-teacher-as-friend
Kara-Leah Grant says
Hey J,
Good point. Clumsy writing on my side. I struggle with the words “real” and “true” too. I haven’t figured out how to differentiate between yoga teachers and yoga teachers when there is a world of difference in what is actually being transmitted. Those who teach poses and those who teach presence?
And then, as you say, what is this “waking someone up” thing. Who is doing what to who? It is something I need to further contemplate and find a better way of communicating. Thanks for pulling me up on it.
I forgot too, that you’ve had Mark as one of your main teachers, so are very familiar with what he offers. Thanks for adding that link in to one of your articles. You articulate most of what I’m exploring in a much more concise and succinct way. I’m going to add a link to that article into the main body of mine.
Appreciate you stopping by and adding to the discussion.
A says
The book ‘Freud and Yoga’ which is actually a conversation between Desikachar and a psychoanalyst about the sutras is a wonderful exploration of the ‘therapeutic’ relationship and the teacher student relationship. It’s available as an e book.
Kara-Leah Grant says
Hey A,
Thanks for the tip – shall check that book out. Sounds pertinent to the entire discussion.
Sara says
Hi KL – Mark sounds like a wonderful teacher, deeply immersed in wisdom and presence. I was really fascinated with the idea of teacher as friend and teacher as awakener, and I definitely believe that there are both. My yoga teacher is a teacher as friend. She is a meticulous Iyengar trained teacher, about the same age as me, and she teaches me what she knows, and helps me refine my asana. I have teachers who are awakened though, and they are older and more experienced – my yoga teacher’s mother for instance is one of those teachers, as is my mother (not yoga as such but spiritual awakening). In my experience it is maturity and perhaps a natural evolution of people who stay with teaching these things a long time. Both necessary and valuable.
Kara-Leah Grant says
Hey Sara,
Yes, Mark is wonderful. I like how she share the different teachers you have & the function they provide. Maturity does seem like a requirement for sure!
Isabelle says
Some information on Mark that you might find interesting
https://medium.com/@digthyself/breath-to-speak-c5606af5db69
Lucinda Staniland says
Hi Isabelle,
Thank you. We have recently been made aware of Christie Roe’s account, and others, and we have decided to add this note to all the articles on the website that reference Mark:
“Editor’s Note: Since this article was published, several accounts of sexual harassment and assault have been made public by Mark Whitwells’s female students. We do not in any way condone Mark’s behaviour. You can read more about the accounts here – https://medium.com/@digthyself/breath-to-speak-c5606af5db69“