Led practice and leading practice

by Emma Wiadrowski.

A number of years ago I found myself attending early morning led practice sessions as a prospective leader, wide-eyed and very nervous. The led practice program was just commencing in the Institute, and until that time I had given the prospect of being a leader little thought. While becoming a leader was daunting at first, the program provided ample opportunity to learn from and watch the other leaders, and there was always a ‘buddy’ in the room providing quiet support. With time the nerves subsided, and being part of the program allowed me to see the value of led practice as both a leader and participant in the room.

Practicing in a led class is very different to the experience of a regular class. With no instruction the room holds a different quality. There is stillness, but not emptiness. Imagine the group balancing and extended in vrksasana; or moving, as one, in and out of standing poses. There is a certain energy and a quiet momentum in the group. To an individual this atmosphere can be influential, compelling. Though the space and quiet-ness that a led practice provides can so easily be filled by the reactive and opinionated mind. And for this reason led practice is challenging.

To overcome these aspects of mind, I often set an intention for my practice. Maybe I’d focus on something I was working on in the body at that time or hold a focus on the breath. At times I would aim to touch on what I had recently (re-)discovered in class. Some days all that was evident was that I was not capable of focusing my practice at all. Those sessions dragged. My capacity (or lack of capacity) to apply myself was often very clear.

The challenges of a led practice are opportunities for further self-study and learning. To me it was always very apparent when a leader moved differently to what I was accustomed to, maybe they moved between standing asana faster than I would, or set the pace of the sequence in a different way. At times I would find myself reacting to these differences. It’s easy to notice aversion, and while it’s not a ‘nice’ reaction, it always teaches me something about my own habits and tendencies, likes and dislikes.

As a leader you come to know your own habits. In the beginning I looked very closely at my presentation of asana and worked on my capacity to deliver a well-timed sequence. I quickly found the quirks and comforts that I carried with my practice — ‘Why didn’t I hold Virabhadrasana 2? Did I really need to move mid-pose or look down to check that my back foot was turned in?’ Many of these behaviours would have been unnoticed if it wasn’t for leading.

Leading a led practice will very quickly ask that you to bring a greater awareness to your practice of asana. Potentially of even greater value, is being led through a sequence where there is uninterrupted space to observe yourself. While you may not always like what you see, it is a learning opportunity, an opportunity you won’t often receive in a class environment full of instruction.