Testimonials
Ellen Eison Berger
Rubber Soul and Teacher Training
Cal Clements reminded me of Herr Drosselmeyer (from The Nutcracker) from the first moment I saw him sitting in lotus position at the front of his yoga studio, Rubber Soul, in Athens, Georgia. His posture was perfectly regal and his demeanor demure, but there was magic afoot. This would be no ordinary yoga class. Unsurprisingly, a few months later, it became a revolutionary yoga teacher training, as his students marched along downtown railroad tracks playing brass instruments like novice initiates on a mysterious pilgrimage. Some rode unicycles. All explored blazingly new psychological roles.
Cal lives at that screaming precipice we like to call "the edge." His whole life is a cornucopia of art filling each day, so that he lives more in a world of shapes, colors, and vibrant expression than in the 9-5 treadmill existence of those around him. Always busy but never moving, he is the focal point of the room without anyone realizing it until later, until the magic spell is spent and each student queries how Cal guided them so far from their usual patterns into exciting new sub-stratas.
"The most powerful person in the room draws everyone into their reality," Cal once stated dramatically, instructing his students to take turns being the most important person in the room, then the least. The palpable difference was felt, an experiment that radically shifted awareness of power.
The man with a thousand faces, many of them clown faces, Cal Clements performs and teaches as one who still stretches his boundaries each day, rather than staying in safety while others seek the edge. He is all in. And in his presence, you're all in too. And the journey is not only for enjoyment, because when someone steps on an ethical landmine, Cal has a way of asking provocative questions, the kind you remember when you wake in the wee hours. Like: When you throw something away, where is "away"? His face is a mirror for the universal soul.
Anonymous Student
University of Georgia
First, I want to qualify myself as an excellent evaluator of professors at this university. I am a graduating senior who has had classes in nearly every department of this school. Therefore, I can say with great certainty that Dr. Cal Clements is a wonderful professor. He had great energy and ability to stimulate interest even in teh most difficult works read by the class. I thought the way class was conducted prevented embarrassing silences and encouraged discussion. As far as assignments for the class were concerned, I felt all work was appropriate for 3 hours of credit. Even the paper assignment, which took me several weeks to complete, was very rewarding in the end. Furthermore, I cannot find any fault in Dr. Clements ability to explain his interpretation of the work. On the contrary, he helped to clarify any confusion I had. What I will remember most is Dr. Clements' character. He is highly amusing, which is a must in a long Tuesday/Thursday class. So, just because I have nothing but praise for this class doesn't mean that I am merely being nice and polite. I am stating the truth.
Anonymous Student
University of Georgia
I loved this class from the start. I have never been so enthused in a class during my very extensive (and by that I mean long) college experience. I thought, however, that the whole delightfully whimsical flip of the coin was not a very scientific way to decide whether to have a quiz. I loved the reading list. Every book found treasure; I loved them all and plan to keep them and reread them. The classes were a constant surprise. Nevery knowing what to expect, the classes never felt stale or trite. We delt with big issues in a relatable way. The structure of the novel was just as important as the content. What I learned was greatly enhanced by the delightful teaching styles of Dr. Clements. I learned that through fictional literature, questions can be raised that, in ordinary writing, people are afraid to address, thus bringing about an understanding of humanity I find essential to life. in 5 or 10 years I will remember how Dr. Cal Clements encouraged us to voice our thoughts and ideas and how I found my voice.