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Every day and all over the world, yoga teachers are preparing to guide students through class. Get Ready With Me features teacher’s pre-class routines, rituals, and tips.
Andrew Sealy‘s teaching style is all about embodied play. From his rhyme-ridden speaking style to his arm balance practice to his ever-present grin, Sealy demonstrates that yoga can and should be fun—and that approach begins within.
“I find that guiding students into practice really starts with me first,” says Sealy. “When I have the deep sense of awareness within my own body, with my own presence, then I have the opportunity to share that with others.”
Whether he’s teaching yoga at a festival, at a retreat with friends, or virtually from his home in Costa Rica, Sealy finds accessing a grounded state to be an essential step before stepping into the role of the teacher. His pre-class routine takes the form of literal grounding—aka walking barefoot on the earth—as well as meditation (in silence or with the help of singing bowls), flute playing, intentional breathing, and journaling.
Sealy adds that “practice makes precision,” an approach that extends to all aspects of his teaching. “One of the most important things that I do before class is really take the time to outline, in my journal, the sequence for the class, and to infuse it with some mantras,” he explains. Taking the time to write out his sequence helps Sealy to visualize the class, bringing it into existence in his mind’s eye and allowing him to tap into the energy, poses, and overall vibe of the practice.
He adds that there’s nothing quite like getting out into the world and sharing your practice with others to determine your ideal teaching routine. “Integrated practice comes from experience,” he says. “It comes from going to new places, sharing grace and uplifting vibrance with new faces.”
Though he may love a rhyme, Sealy’s classes are all about clarity of movement, intention, and speech. “The more precise that you become with your words, the more poignant you become with your power,” he says.
The majority of this footage was shot on location in Costa Rica.
