Yoga By Andrea Longstaff

I enrolled in the yoga class at Park Avenue Adult Education Centre in September 2004 at the start of the new term for stress relief, or should that be release? The teacher Alison Carlisle is excellent. All of the people who attend the class would agree with that statement I'm sure. Everything was fine when an assessor came into the class one Wednesday to observe. Was this to try to find minds immeasurably superior to ours? I personally thought that this was an intrusive observation. The assessor, in her infinite wisdom, decided to give Alison a mound of pointless paperwork to be completed during and after the class.

Yoga is a very personal thing. It's very idiosyncratic. I attend because I overproduce adrenaline; it's a fantastic way to relax. Other's attend the class for their own particular reasons. It's obviously not an academic subject so why all the ridiculous paper work? Is it keeping someone in a job?

If Alison gets bogged down in pointless paper work it could well lead to stress and she may be forced to go onto pastures new which would be a big let down for all of us students.

I'm benefiting immensely from the yoga and this stupid agenda by 'them' is just counter productive. Stress out the yoga teacher! Yes a contradiction in terms that makes a mockery out of what is a really good class. We should all form a posse and run them outta this here town. Problem solved. If only it were that easy. I actually feel that there is nothing wrong with how Alison teaches the class and why she isn't left well alone to do what she does very well is a complete mystery to me.

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