by Erin Ipjian

I’ve been quite fortunate to have some incredible teachers over the years, all of whom have influenced how I practice and teach myself. If you can believe it, however, the teacher who has had the greatest impact on how I approach teaching these days doesn’t teach yoga at all. He’s my piano teacher.
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When beginning a new piece of music, I’m often overwhelmed. With the wise advice of my teacher, however, I am learning to approach music in very small parts, playing one measure over and over (and over) again until - as my teacher says - the mind steps out of the way and the music comes right from your fingers.
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I’m no expert in music (not by a long shot), but it fascinates me how this process unfolds with songs I spend a lot of time with. As we become familiar with certain patterns in a song, we see them repeated, sometimes in exactly the same way, sometimes with a slight shift, say in the key, and - with time - the fingers seem to know where to go. The mind begins to step aside.
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As a yoga teacher, I aim to help people step out of their thinking mind. Noting how repetition has helped me as a student in a new context informs the way I now structure the yoga classes I teach. I see the value in having a clear focus, developing a pattern that we build upon and repeat throughout a class, so that the mind can become more quiet, transforming the practice into a moving meditation.
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See you on the mat this week (and every week), virtually for now. Join me live or via recording. I’d love to see you there:
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Tuesday 9:30am
Thursday 9:30am
Sunday 12:00pm