Meet Virginia Woodhead
What gives you the greatest joy in teaching yoga?
A student in class tells me they have a dog named Lancelot,
and I’m transported, thrilled, thinking about what that
tells me about the person. It’s so romantic, that name,
and the saying of it adds a quality of romanticism to our class.
Or someone says they really get the idea that how we respond
and work with a yoga pose is a metaphor and a mirror for how
we respond and work with our lives. I’m transported, thrilled
at what we can create in a simple yoga class. When we do yoga
together, there is a path on which we can meet and explore our
individuality. We can be mindful of each other’s and our
own uniqueness. And create wonderful ways of being in our body,
mind and spirit.
How does "off the mat" yoga help with a busy family
schedule and traveling?
Although the alignment aspect of yoga is what kept me involved
in the beginning, after ten years of serious practice, the meditation
and mindfulness aspects are becoming more and more integral to
every day. In sitting meditation, I ask the question "who
am I and how can I be of service." The day unfolds and I
trust that whatever happens is what is meant to be. I recognize
that meditation and mindfulness are present in many guises. A
few examples: Watching my husband and my grandson getting totally
excited about eating fresh blueberries. Walking for 5 hours,
much of it in silence, from a small village in France to another
small village, with a backpack of picnic, and a map. Feeling
the total fatigue in my legs, observing my thoughts such as "why
did I ever decide to do this hike?" Observing my elation
when the day’s hike is done and I am happily soaking in
a warm bath. Exploring the latest city one of our sons lives
in. Cleaning up our cat’s hairball. Yuck!
What books are you reading?
I often read Pema Chodron. I find her writing clear and interesting.
Her book "The Wisdom of No Escape" took me by surprise.
This book taught me the value of observing what is, without judgment,
as a way to create clarity and insight. As humans, we are hooked
on feeling good, not bad. So we get caught in samsara, chasing
the good, being fearful of the bad, and unwilling to be present
with our feelings. When we understand the human condition is
a natural unfolding of energy, and that we are a part of the
grand whole, we begin to let go of clinging to preconceived ideas
about how life should be, and release into the present moment
with trust of the underlying love and compassion that exists
within all of us. Can I live by this understanding every minute
of my life? That is an interesting question. Pema has another
book, just published, called "The Places That Scare You."
When the terrible tragedy of September 11 happened, I turned to my family and friends for guidance, and to spiritual guides. Jack Kornfield, in his book "A Path with Heart," pointed me to a chapter entitled "Stopping the War" in which he quoted Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi said he had three enemies. The British Empire, with whom he had some influence. The Indian people, who were a lot more difficult to influence. But his greatest enemy was Mohandas K. Gandhi. With him, he found he had very little influence. In our efforts to control the world, and to come to terms with the horrible terrorist attacks, how to be with our feelings of anger, fear, distrust, grief, how to find clarity, the toughest person we have to deal with is our self. To create peace, we try to be in peace ourselves, and yoga and meditation take us toward that state better than anything I know.
What pose would you pick to do at a party?
When I am traveling people often ask me What is Yoga? If
the time is right, I just suggest they raise their arms overhead
and stretch, and I do it too. Everyone is willing it seems. Then
I might say something about reach through the fingertips and
press the heels into the floor. They get it right away, and often
say "That feels so good."
At a party, I think I’d try tree pose, vrksasana. It is such a fun pose, and can create a lot of good feeling and laughter about falling over, and being a little off-balance, which we all are anyway, being human.
What or who has been an inspiration for my teaching?
Teaching runs in my family. My mother is 93 years old, and
once every week, she goes to teach Greek myths to 3rd graders
in a school near her retirement home. My sister works with kids
to create stories about their lives and act them out with costumes
and masks that they make. My brother teaches college students
how to interpret the world around them through experiencing architecture.
What they do inspires me. I am inspired by my favorite writers,
the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, Eudora Welty,
Jane Smiley, Leo Tolstoy. Poetry inspires me. Jane Kenyon, Pablo
Neruda, Rumi. Poetry gets me out of my habitual way of thinking,
which I consider a very important quality in teaching. I love
the Poet’s Corner in Book World of the Washington Post because
it introduces poetry into my life every Sunday. I am inspired
by my fellow teachers, their quality of awakeness in every class,
my friends, my wonderful family, my students, being on Edisto
Beach and watching the dolphins play.
