babblingsbabblingshttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010-09-09T14:51:37ZSquarespacegiving myself permissionhttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/9/9/giving-myself-permission.htmlBabs2010-09-09T14:49:59Z2010-09-09T14:49:59ZI'm at the Magazine of Yoga today.  Talking about the ups and downs of teaching yoga and building a business.  But, mainly talking about giving myself permission to BE a yoga teacher and soaking up all that goes with it.

Happy Thursday!

]]>free yogahttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/9/8/free-yoga.htmlBabs2010-09-08T15:13:04Z2010-09-08T15:13:04ZLast night was my first FREE class to celebrate National Yoga Month.  It was super successful!  I had 21 students and the studio was packed!  I really couldn't believe that many people showed up.  My heart was absolutely swelling out of my chest.

Of those people only three were brand new to yoga.  Although quite a few were new to a flow style of yoga.  So, I taught a really slow flowy class.  I even got them to chuckle a couple of times!

After class, and even when I asked permission from the studio, I got a lot of comments about how "generous" this was of me.  

Hmmm.

I suppose it is generous, but in an entirely self serving way.  I am all about spreading the yoga love and getting as many people as possible to try it.  Healing one back at a time!  Giving someone one hour of peace in their hectic day!  But, honestly, this is me advertising for my class.

I had been doing an evening class and a $5 Saturday morning class at the studio for a few months.  And, I wasn't really getting a lot of students.  I would get two or three in the evenings and about six on Saturdays.  I looked at placing ads in the newspaper (which I would be totally pissed to give the paper here any money.  barf.) but it is expensive.  I started a little Facebook fan page in the hopes of finding some students with an ad for it.  Most of my Facebook "fans" are not even from around here.  I have a website that is ready to go, but not yet online.  And, I did all the yoga teacher marketing 101 staples:  cards with a free class, posters, and emails to the DLC list.

I just know people would love me if they gave me a chance!  he he he!

I read about National Yoga Month and thought, "hey, I'll create the chance for them."

So, see, it is completely self serving.  I'm flat out fishing for students.  Hopefully it is working.

And, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't like all the comments at the end of class.  That is totally the frosting for a yoga teacher.  If you ever take a class, be sure to tell the teacher THANK YOU and if there was something about him/her or the class that you really liked, be sure to mention that too.  I know as yogis we are trying to overcome that silly ego.  But, comments like this FEEL so damn good.

I will be interested to see who returns and if the class grows or shrinks during the month.  

What about you?  Any clever ways to find students?  Any clever ways that teachers have found you?

]]>fall & scheduleshttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/9/7/fall-schedules.htmlBabs2010-09-07T19:52:25Z2010-09-07T19:52:25ZOne of my favorite things about starting school in the fall was the new schedules.  I have no idea why new schedules make me so excited.  I like looking at them on the calendar and finding those spaces to carve out my own time.  Not that my own time always happens.  But, just knowing that it could makes me happy.

It is extremely difficult to schedule yoga classes.  I teach at four different places, so that is always challenging.  And, then when I finally get myself worked into a desired time slot, other teachers put on the pressure because they want that spot too.  

Things worked out pretty good this fall.  I have a huge gap on Tuesday nights, but that is a small price to pay.  And, I'm not fond of teaching classes during the day.  Those noontime classes will definitely be a challenge for me.  It is just difficult to change gears during the day...and clothes.  But, I love to teach so I try to be that person who is always up for taking on more classes.  Here is my fall schedule:

Mondays:  

12:00-1:00 PM @ IMX Pilates

7:30-8:30 PM @ Fuel Fitness

 

Tuesdays:  

5:30-6:30 PM @ IMX Pilates

8:00-9:00 PM @ Dancing Lotus Center


Wednesdays:  

12:00-1:00 PM @ IMX Pilates

5:15-6:15 PM @ Helena YMCA

7:30-8:30 PM @ Fuel Fitness


Thursdays:  

5:30-6:30 PM @ IMX Pilates

 

Saturdays:  September 11th & 18th

9:00-10:15 AM @ Dancing Lotus Center

]]>a week offhttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/30/a-week-off.htmlBabs2010-08-30T14:42:30Z2010-08-30T14:42:30ZI teach two classes today and then I have an entire week off of teaching!  Is it sad that I can't wait?  I've just gotten so run down.  

And, it is getting cold here.  I can't believe it.  It rained all day yesterday and I spent the day curled up on the couch with a blanket, hot tea, the hound, and the girl who kicked the hornet's nest.  

Anyway, babsbabble will be taking a little break too.  Hope you all have a very lovely week!

]]>september is national yoga monthhttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/27/september-is-national-yoga-month.htmlBabs2010-08-27T17:09:57Z2010-08-27T17:09:57ZI had no idea.  I read about it in Real Simple.  You can find more information at their website or their Facebook page.

In honor of National Yoga Month, I'm offering ALL of my September yoga flow classes at Dancing Lotus Center for FREE!  Yup!  Six free classes in September.  

I thought it would be a great opportunity to promote my classes and the studio.

]]>dog days of summerhttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/25/dog-days-of-summer.htmlBabs2010-08-25T14:35:49Z2010-08-25T14:35:49ZWhat I'm up to:

  • gathering up books for the winter.  i want a huge stack by my bed.
  • watching the garden squash literally take over my yard.  it is beautiful.
  • curling around a hot cup of coffee on these CHILLY mornings.
  • watching the mess i have inadvertently created with my bird feeder.  this morning there were two chickadees (for whom the feeder was meant), four brownish birds, one woodpecker, a dozen or so creepy big black birds, one squirrel, and one neighbor cat stalking them all.  sheesh.  
  • dreaming of a vacation that the wonderful husband and i booked in november.
  • counting down the classes i have left to teach before i have a week off of yoga teaching.  my body and mind and energy could use a little rest.
  • putting lots of chick flicks in my netflix queue for when the wonderful husband is travelling in september.  doesn't matter how bad it is or how awful it looks, i'm gonna watch it!
  • searching for winter boots online.
  • spending some special evenings with the wonderful husband on our newly redone hillbilly porch.  it is beautiful now, but it will always be the hillbilly porch to me.
  • oh, and i chopped off all of my hair.  all of it.  it is short, short, short!

The end of summer is so bitter sweet.  But, there is the beautiful fall to look forward to. 

]]>i am... (and give away)http://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/23/i-am-and-give-away.htmlBabs2010-08-23T14:21:13Z2010-08-23T14:21:13ZWow.  It is turning into Music Monday!  Today I'm listening to i am by mantra mom.  It is a collection "authentic Sanskrit mantras entwined with present-day affirmations arranged beautifully to modern-day music to help empower, calm and heal today's on the go woman."

I think this is a beautiful album, although kinda short.  Only 25 minutes.  I think it would be perfect for a nice restorative sequence.  It starts softly, but the last couple of songs are a bit more upbeat.  

Mantra Mom, Nina Patel, fondly remembers going to kirtans with her grandmother during her summers spent in India.  What a neat experience to share with your grandmother!  I really like the healing approach of Nina's music.  You can tell that she put a lot of love into this collection.  And, it is almost like she put it together just for you.  She also donates 10% of her proceeds to Vibha, an organization that helps children in India get healthcare and education.  

 

I'm giving away one copy of Mantra Mom's i am...  All you have to do is leave a comment below and I will use Random.org to pick the winner on Sunday!  And, of course I will ship anywhere and hope like hell it actually makes it to you!

]]>happy birthday babsbabblehttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/18/happy-birthday-babsbabble.htmlBabs2010-08-18T15:19:03Z2010-08-18T15:19:03ZTwo years today.  Wowza.

What my lil' ol' blog has given me:

  • a place to share my "fuck it, go for it" philosophy
  • a place to wonder if that philosophy really works
  • a beautiful community
  • a chance to ramble about what i want to ramble about and save the wonderful husband in the process
  • a place to hash out all of my feelers about yoga and teaching
  • a place to RANT
  • a place to post my shitty photos ;)
  • a little slice of cyberspace that I can make pink and orange just because I want to

Thanks all for your support, encouragement, comments and friendship!

]]>sharanam (and give away)http://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/16/sharanam-and-give-away.htmlBabs2010-08-16T15:14:20Z2010-08-16T15:14:20ZSharon Gannon of Jivamukti yoga has a cd out:  Sharanam.  I know nothing about Jivamukti yoga, but I am very aware of Sharon's name.  And, I find it very cool that yoga people make yoga cds.  I'm always searching for new and interesting music for my classes.

Now, I've never written a music review before.  I'm not really a musically inclined person.  And, while in some classes, music is an absolute necessity (to cover gym noises like grunting and dropping weights, and to cover the sounds of the crying kids in the daycare right next to the yoga room) I also like to skip the music when I know it will be quiet enough.

I popped Sharon's cd in at my house and began to listen and thought, "um, this isn't gonna work for me."  Her voice is really high and there is a lot of spacey effects in the music (i seriously expected to see some ufos).  Some very unexpected elements that I find distracting in a yoga practice.  Ugh.

That was the first listen.

For the second listen I actually practiced to the music and found that music transformed slightly for me.  It led me to a very flowy and yummy practice and I was not on the look out for aliens at all.

For the third listen I brought the album to the yoga studio...which is where it was meant to be played.  It did what I seek to do in my classes, transformed the studio into a special spot where one could escape.  It had an ethereal effect and I found it to be very, very sweet.  There is some music that I use in practice that I just can't listen to in any other environment because it is so special.  

I'm giving you the chance to see what you think of Sharon's new album.  Just leave a comment for a chance to win Sharanam.  I'll gladly ship anywhere (and cross my fingers that it gets to you!).  Winner will be chosen by Random.org on Sunday.

]]>the ups and downshttp://www.babsbabble.com/journal/2010/8/12/the-ups-and-downs.htmlBabs2010-08-12T14:09:24Z2010-08-12T14:09:24ZAfter I had written about some of the twists and turns in my life resulting in more and more teaching opportunities, I got a very lovely email from the Magazine of Yoga.  

I almost peed my pants.  The Magazine invited me to write for them about my journey in building a yoga "business".  

This is all so very exciting for me!  I have really come to enjoy writing and it is really nice to know that someone actually likes to read it.  All of your comments, emails, and support is so special to me.  And, all of that encouragement has led me to new places to grow as a writer.

Today is my first post at The Magazine of Yoga.  Let me know what you think!

]]>