Approach the jumps uphill

Tonight, after idiotically driving through the fire that had crossed I-5 (despite Meg's attempt to warn me!), we had a jump lesson that included a repeat of Sunday's lesson on the flat.  Because despite all the time John put into it Sunday, and me trying to ride it again Monday, and having warm up time, I still couldn't repeat it until John got there and walked me through it step by step.
So he had us start cantering and go over a vertical over a little box.  This proved beyond my grasp, although I can't say why.  Duke gallantly tried, over and over again, and I just flailed.
So John backed us up, had us work on the flat, which was a repeat of Sunday - inside leg - outside leg - bend him to the inside - both legs ... I could feel it as we got it right, and occasionally as he was saying it, but I couldn't do it all on my own.
Then we switched to jumping the gate.  Here, John had us work on getting Duke uphill, instead of getting onto his forehand and barreling towards the gate.  This was sitting up, giving him a half halt, and, when needed (argh! feel!) also some bend to the outside.
After that, we did the gate at an angle, which Duke did like a dream boat.  Apparently he likes angling fences, because we did it three (?) times, each of which was a perfect take off.
From there, we did an oxer-oxer line.  The first time, I completely flubbed it.  Maybe the first two times.  Then Duke jumped it perfectly.  And I think what was different was setting him up WAY out (as soon as we started the first of two turns towards it), thinking half halt, keeping the rhythm, and not letting him step to the side and mess up the distance.
John had us do a bit more flat work, with some trot, getting connection, haunches in, then neck bent in (which is super hard to combine those two), then letting him get straight and go forward.  We also did a trot - 10 steps of walk - trot again.
I was actually super proud of Duke.  Not only was I, inexplicably, a flailing mess, and he stayed cool, calm, and collected, but he did not rush off the way he has our other jumps so far.  He was a little "lazy" when we started, and it was hot and hard work, but he was basically pretty ho-hum about it.
Afterwards, I walked him down the road and back, and we had to stop and look at Katy setting up the big training level brush/ditch about 100 times, but he didn't spook or bolt, he just wanted to look, then he'd keep going.
I also asked John about not carrying a whip.  He asked why not, and I said I hadn't needed to use it and was clumsy with it.  He made the elegant and simple point that I won't get any less clumsy by not using it, and said he's already talked to me about this, which is the third (?) time since I got Duke that I've had a moment where I think I'm making John repeat himself.  I need to set aside time this winter to go back through and read my old lessons (in addition to the riding theory books).