Alice is checking out a new home for her practice.
Alice looked at the door with hope. This is the third place she has visited in the past month. She is new to the area and is looking for a community to practice with. The first place she checked out the location was not the best, Alice felt uncomfortable walking from her car. The second place the location seemed great but there was something about the teacher that made her uncomfortable.
There are three aspects to a practice community that Alice is checking for before she commits to practicing there:
- The teacher
- The place
- Check in with your self
Alice starts with checking out the teacher and the people that are part of this community
1. The Teacher
While the people she will be practicing with are important the teacher drives the tone of the community.
Is this teacher experienced
Experience of two types: how long have the been practicing; how long have they been teaching. Teaching in general and teaching this particular style.
Look at the rest of the community
How many of the students have been here for a long time. A good teacher will attract and keep students for a long time. One of the place she checked out several of the students had been with the teacher for 5 years and some for even longer than that.
Check the teaching skills
Finally Alice checks out the teaching skills of the teacher. Does the techniques that the teacher use resonate with her. She also watches when the teacher responds to questions and requests for further clarifications. There are both teaching skills and interpersonal skills to consider.
Most importantly does the teacher make her comfortable and feel welcome.
Alice is feeling comfortable with this teacher. Not only do they have good teaching skills that resonate with Alice there are several students that have been with the teacher for a long time.
While the teacher is important to a successful and long relationship, it is not the only criteria to examine. Next Alice exams the location of the community which is important as well.
2. The Place
When consider the place there are several things to examine.
Where is it located
Other places Alice looked at had limited space available for parking. Some of the areas she checked out seemed sketchy and she felt uncomfortable walking from her car to the studio.
Alice discovered during her drive that the studio is easy to get to at the time the classes are being held.
This place passed the first test. Alice feels comfortable and safe. Now it is time to check out the practice room.
What is the space like
When Alice first walked into the practice room, she felt welcomed. The space was clean and well maintained. There was lots of natural light. The room was big enough to accommodate all of the people in the class without feeling crowded. The number of people in the room is an important factor to consider in its own right.
What is the size of the community
Some people like small classes so they can get lots of attention. Other people like a large community so they do not stand out. Alice prefers a smaller size class. This allows her to easily see the demonstrations.
Alice is less intimated by a smaller community and is more likely to ask for assistance and clarifications. The size of this community is just right for her.
The teacher is great, the location and size of the community resonates with Alice. Now it is time for Alice to check with herself to see how she feels about this community.
3. Check in with Yourself
Alice feels that the place is right, the teacher and the rest of the community are good, now it is time check in with herself.
How much is it going to cost
Can you afford to take classes at this school? Do they have unlimited memberships or do you have to pay for each class you attend? An unlimited memberships allows you to attend many classes in a month without increasing your overall cost. Do you feel that you are getting good value for the money you are committing?
Will your goals be advanced
Do you know where you want to end up after you have been practicing for an extended period of time? If you don’t now is a good time to think about that develop a series of short term and long term goals.
Once you have determined a set of goals, examine this studio and their classes. While this place and these classes help move you towards your goals? If not you should be looking somewhere else.
Does this community teach the style you are interested in
There are many styles of yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi or meditation. Does this place teach the style you are interested in? If not, is the style being taught close enough that you will gain from it and move closer to your long term goals.
What does your gut tell you
There are a lot of questions to consider, answers to evaluate, but the most important thing to consider is what does your gut tell.
Does this place, this teacher, this community feel like a good match. Does your instinct tell you to step away or embrace this community?
Alice instinct tells her that this is place where she can grow her practice.
What to do if your made a mistake
It can happen! Even after all the research that Alice did, she discovered that the previous place was not for her.
Alice prepared for this possibility from the very beginning:
Unlimited memberships are usually the best option from an expense point of view. They are usually cheaper by the month if you commit to an extended period of time. Going for a short duration membership allowed Alice to depart earlier without leaving a lot of money behind.
Continue to research other schools. Even though she has settled on joining this community, Alice continues to keep aware of other schools in the area.
Summary
After much searching Alice has found a school that will support here in her mindfulness practice for an extended period o time. She likes the teacher and the community of people. The place feels nice and welcoming. Most important of all her instinct tells her that this is a match.
Joining a community led by an experienced teacher will provide her with in-person instruction, the ability to learn new material, and the social support of a community.
Next Step
To improve her chances of success, Alice needs to find a practice Buddy. Someone she can a partner with for practicing, sharing the drive to and from the studio. Having a practice buddy will increase here commitment to get out and practice each week.
Additional Reading
A practice buddy will help Alice succeed in her mindfulness practice. The article How to use the Two Pots Principle to pick your best Practice Buddy.
This article How to improve your yoga practice; buy a new home has some suggestions for Alice to improve her practice while she is looking for a new place to live.
