By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500
Below is a list of questions, related to our Yoga teacher training courses, and how to answer your own student inquiries.
Q: Before I get to teaching, what qualifications for Yoga postures should I have mastered? I am intermediate, and still have tons to learn – but do not want to teach a class and not be able to do the postures myself as a demonstration – or is that okay?
A: Mastery of anything (teaching or practicing it) is a life’s work. You are graded on your ability to teach others, more than your ability to master techniques.
Tip: Whatever you decide to create in a lesson plan, choose techniques that make you shine.
Q: Before I teach a class, would you recommend knowing all the postures inside and out, or the ones I plan on teaching?
A: You should focus on the Yoga techniques and postures that you plan to teach.
Q: What kind of questions do most clients/students ask about their Yoga class, and the answers, so I can be prepared?
A: The sky is the limit – there is no end to possible questions students might ask. Most prospective Yoga students want to know about results before they get started. I ask them to give Hatha Yoga a 30 day trial, just like a diet or a prescription. My point is: Yoga is not an instant cure, but they will see progress in 30 days.
The same expectations of progress can be expected with a proper diet or a prescription. In looking at the therapeutic application of Hatha Yoga – a positive change of diet, or a prescription drug – each one is an ingredient of a lifestyle change.
For the average person, the deeper solution is found in a commitment toward a healthier way of living. To understand potential questions that are addressed to Yoga teachers – my suggestion would be to go through our Forums and Blogs. You can see there are thousands of possible questions, but there are realistic answers for all of them.
Yoga Teacher Blog: //yoga-teacher-training.org/blog
Yoga Teacher Forums: //yoga-teacher-training.org/forum
Q: I had someone ask me the other day, when I mentioned that a certain posture has certain benefits, and was stunned with the question “How do you know that those are the benefits, is this scientifically proven?” How would you answer that question?
A: Skeptics of all kinds are learning that Hatha Yoga helps people prevent problems and find natural solutions for many ailments. At the same time, the western medical community often recommends, and networks, with local Yoga teachers.
Therefore, the skeptics are seldom from the medical industry. More often, Yoga’s skeptics are people who need to see scientific proof of why something works. It is not enough to see that it works, but to have a scientific trial as to why it works is the only way for them to believe in anything.
The therapeutic application of Hatha Yoga and Yoga Therapy have been under scientific and medical scrutiny for centuries in India, and for decades in the west. Below are a list of websites that will give you reliable information about Yoga’s past medical, or scientific, studies and studies in progress.
International Association of Yoga Therapists: https://www.iayt.org/
Web MD: www.webmd.com
Integrative Restoration Institute: https://www.irest.us/
Samata International: https://www.samata.com/
List of Active Yoga Clinical Trials for Cancer, Stress, Fatigue and More:
https://trialx.com/curetalk/2010/04/list-of-active-yoga-clinical-trials-for-cancer-stree-fatigue-and-more/
With the climate of liability suits, in the west, it is unwise to dispense medical advice, if one is not a medical professional. Rather than make uninformed promises of better health, Yoga instructors should familiarize themselves with past Yoga studies and current studies in progress. We also have a Forum, Yoga and Specific Health Conditions, which can be found at:
//www.yoga-teacher-training.org/forum/forum.php?id=12
When students ask about their health and Yoga, it is wise to point them toward published medical and scientific information, without making promises.
© Copyright 2010 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
See our testimonials to find out what our graduates have to say about teaching yoga students and our selection of home study hatha yoga instructor certification courses.
If you are a teacher, yoga school manager, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is. Namaste!
Leave A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.