Post-yoga teacher training: Day 4

Ok, so apparently my sensitive post-yoga teacher training haze lasted only 3 days, lol.  I've now entered the stubborn, I-miss-the-way-I-learned-it phase, lol.  I went to a Vinyasa class last night with a teacher that I like and I had a mixed reaction to it.

First off, I was so excited to hear her use similar alignment language!  I don't know if that's a new thing or if I just never heard before because I wasn't listening for it, but it was comforting to hear it nonetheless.  I felt a little weepy during the beginning of class, especially coming into the Surya Namaskar section.  I really just missed the training, a lot.  I missed the super detailed instructions, the longer holds, the simple but purposeful moves that we did, the smaller group that allowed for more personal attention, and the sequencing of a YogaWorks class.  Everything in the sequences during the training had a purpose, even when we set up our props served a purpose.  It could very well be that it's the same in other classes and I just don't know it, but those were my thoughts last night.  I was also craving silence!  After the sensitivity faded off during the Surya section, I really wanted the music off, or at least lower, so that I could hear my breathing.  I was talking with another teacher prior to the class and I told her about doing the Mala in "silence" and she said that there is not enough silence in yoga these days.  I hear that.  During the class I was also craving my Ashtanga practice and I'll be returning to it probably on Monday.

I really miss the training and I want the learning to continue (which makes me a little annoyed that there is no YogaWorks in Boston to serve that purpose...yoga field trip to NYC?  Maybe...).  So, now I think I'm starting to feel out the best way to do that.  The Ashtanga practice stays.  It's my foundation and I had no idea how much I was learning from it or how strong it was making me until I went through the training.  The practice and the way it's taught feels like such a rarity in the Yoga world and it feels important to keep it alive and carry it with me.  But, the training also made something else abundantly clear: I need to hear instructions.  Not just to aid me if I ever decide to teach, but also because that is one of the ways that I learn best--that's one reason I didn't like distance learning courses in college.  So, I'm checking out classes and really listening to the teachers words as well as paying attention to their sequences.  I have to start making up my hours at work that I missed during the training, so, sadly, I won't be able to go to Natasha's public classes for a while.  But, tonight I'll be checking out an Advanced Vinyasa class with the same teacher from last night.  It's a smaller class and I'm hoping for not just more "advanced asanas" but also for more instruction--teach me about the yoga, please, don't just tell me what pose to go to.  That's what I'm looking for right now, something to pick up where the training left off.  We'll see what turns up.