By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed
Teaching Yoga to students who are living with a chronic illness, injury or healing from a surgical procedure is both a challenge and a wonderful opportunity to make a substantial difference in a student’s life. By modifying Yoga asanas according to your students’ individual needs with Yoga props and creative sequencing, you will allow students of all levels to participate more fully in a multi-level class. In addition, if you allow time for a reclining healing meditation at the end of class, you will support your students in practicing the time-honored tradition of Pratayahara or the withdrawal of the senses, which will allow them a grace period of rest when they can focus on sending healing energy throughout their body and mind.
* Reclining Healing Meditation
This meditation is wonderful to do lying down, ensconced in blankets and supported by a Yoga bolster under the knees. Before beginning the Reclining Healing Meditation, it is recommended that you ask your students if they need a bolster or an extra blanket. If eye bags are available at your Yoga studio, you may also want to suggest that your students cover their eyes with the eye bags, in order to further facilitate the withdrawal of the senses from the external world.
When your Yoga students are ready to begin the Reclining Healing Mediation, instruct them to lie down on their Yoga mats and place a bolster under their knees. They may wish to cover themselves with a blanket and place an eye bag over their eyes. To begin the meditation, have your students take five complete, slow breaths. As they complete the fifth breath, suggest that your students visualize a healing white light (or a color of their choice) pouring gently into their Crown Chakra. As they breathe fully, gently guide them in visualizing the healing light flowing like honey throughout their entire body, filling them with a nourishing, warming energy.
After the warm, honey light has filled their bodies completely; if there is one part of their body that needs special attention today, guide your Yoga students to focus the healing light even more strongly in that particular area. Allow at least a full ten minutes for this Reclining Healing Mediation. When your students have completed the meditation, instruct them to remove their eye bags and Yoga bolster and roll to their right hand side. After pausing for a few breaths, instruct your students to gently push themselves up and pause in Easy Seat on their mats as they feel the reverberation of the healing energy throughout their entire being.
© Copyright 2013 – Virginia Iversen – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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Reclining Healing Meditation is wonderful to do lying down, ensconced in blankets and supported by a Yoga bolster under the knees. Thank you Virginia Iversen for writing this good article.