Experiential Learning

Many of you are taking advantage of the current series of workshops. Instigated by a member in our community, I designed them to support your yoga practice and enhance your confidence. We’ve done two of the ten now, and I’m receiving feedback that without handouts, yogis struggle to remember their learning.

The short of it is: trust your body.

For the long of it, read on:

Most of us grew up in an educational system that favoured cerebral learning—drilling verbally, memorizing, testing. Sometimes, visual and audible learning are used. The underutilized somatic learning, or experiential learning, is left out, and sometimes completely. I had trouble with cerebral learning—I was tongue-tied, and I tested poorly. Undiagnosed dyslexia. I was insatiably curious though, and I adjusted in order not just to learn, but to learn well. I listened. I touched. I felt. I slept on it. I took time. The next day I’d do it again. While I still tested poorly, I retained the knowledge. I learned experientially. Somatic learning takes time and practice. Trust it. Your body remembers a lot more than you think.

As a student of teacher trainings, I wrote very little. Integration and retention? Easy!

I teach without notes. My body puts poses in sequences for me.

In this age of technology, with knowledge doubling every five years, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s tempting to give up. Stay the course. Keep practicing, and let your body wisdom surprise and delight you!

Add experiential learning to your tool bag.

For the Sun Salutations, Modifications, and Back bends workshops, however, I will have handouts…customized and written just for you...right from the practice.

Feel free to comment on this…and happy practicing!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Merry's blog editor here. On this post, I wanted to keep her original voice, and I chose not to change a thing. She remarked, "I knocked this out in 10 minutes because it was in my body!"