Archive for June, 2008

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Much like any other subject, there are three basic ways to learn Hatha Yoga. In order to effectively process information, it is best to understand our strong or weak points. Each of us learns Yoga in a different way, but it all comes back to the senses of sight, sound, and touch.

Some students may have a dominant sense or two, but rarely are we attuned to all three. It is important for Yoga teachers to reach out to all three groups – even when he or she also has one or two senses that are weaker.

Let’s take a look at each learning style to understand ourselves and enhance our abilities. It is rare to access all three senses equally during class, so do not judge yourself. Just observe from an objective viewpoint.

The Visual Yoga Student: Learning by sight is a strong point. This student learns by taking notes and reading books. In Yoga classes, this person will usually see the subtleties of alignment, when a teacher demonstrates an asana.

Yet, this same person may not pick up the concepts of Pranayama or meditation as easily. Pranayama and meditation may require audible instruction, and feeling them is important. If you require silence to study, are good at written language, dream in colors, understand maps easily, and close your eyes to remember, or visualize, the past – visual learning is one of your strong points.

The Auditory Yoga Student: Learning by sound is his or her strength. This student responds well to a Yoga teacher’s cues, while some students in class are looking around to see what the teacher or other students are doing. Verbal directions are easy for an auditory learner to follow.

Although an auditory learning has many advantages, students with this strength may find themselves reading out loud to retain written information. Some will catch themselves moving their lips in silence while reading. If you retain information from audio books, are good at explaining, remember verbal directions easily, and read slowly – auditory learning is one of your strong points.

The Kinesthetic Yoga Student: This student learns by doing. The feel, touch, and experience of an event, gives this student firsthand knowledge to perform better next time. With experience, this student becomes exceptional at Yoga and any other hands-on activity.

Therefore, physical or mental practice makes the kinesthetic learning student much better over time. A physical assist is most beneficial to a Kinesthetic Yoga Student.

Kinesthetic learning has a distinct advantage, as the student continues to experience Yoga through steady practice. If you use your hands to express yourself, and easily develop athletic skills – kinesthetic learning is likely to be one of your strengths.

Students, and teachers of Yoga, can benefit by understanding the differences in each of these three learning traits. When teaching groups of people, instructors should address the senses of sight, sound, and touch, throughout the class.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Within Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, you learn many things, such as the Yamas and Niyamas. Yet, the moral ethics found within the Yamas and Niyamas are not always easy to apply to your daily life. The following is an example of using one Yama and applying it to your life.

Some of us may work, socialize, or live with people who have very difficult personalities. For example: How do you handle someone, who sees compassion and a willingness to negotiate, as weakness? If you are trying to negotiate with him or her, you are in the way. This person has needs, wants, and desires. If you speak in terms of logic, it sounds like an unknown language to him or her.

This personality envisions victory over perceived enemies and uses negotiation as a form of deception. How can you reason with someone who will lie, cheat, and steal from you? If you have the ability to see reality, and your vision is not distorted, you still hold some “valuable cards.”

A self-centered personality will not bother to open dialogue with you, unless you have something of value. Take the time to see his or her hidden agenda. All is not lost when you see each matter as it truly is.

This situation could possibly become a very basic form of “carrot-and-stick” negotiation. The carrot is a positive reinforcement, and the stick is negative reinforcement. You really have no choice but to use this tactic, because this person would like to beat you with a stick rather than negotiate with you.

You do not have to resort to any form of conflict, but you have to make a difficult person aware that there are potential consequences for the “wrong action.” At the same time, he or she should realize there are rewards for the right action.

If you are an “even handed” person, you may see negotiation as an art form, but you have to adapt to each situation. When negotiating with someone, who is always looking for your weakness, you might consider resorting to the art of influence. To initially offer concessions will likely be misunderstood and possibly seen as a gateway to victory.

One way to influence this person is to paint a picture of a gateway to loss. Even if this is an illusion, a bullying personality will usually back away from the potential to lose, and opt to take the gentler route of “playing at” negotiations.

So, which Yama would you be practicing in the above-mentioned circumstances? Which Yama would teach us about loving kindness, mercy, and non-violence? You would be practicing “Ahimsa,” the Yama of the non-harming with our thoughts, words, or actions.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Ishvara Pranidhana is sometimes referred to as the last Niyama (restraint or moral observance). Ishvara Pranidhana means to surrender to a “Higher Power.” Some Yoga teacher training courses skim over this subject to avoid potential conflicts.

Why should the concept of surrender to a higher power be a potential source of conflict? If you look at the principle closely, this is to put your faith and trust in a higher power’s hands. At the same time, there is a problem with describing what that higher power is.

Humans have struggled with the concept of a higher power since the beginning. There are no shortage of names for The Great Spirit, The Divine, The Father, God, Allah, Yahweh, and Brahman. We have all heard many more names and there are many religions to compliment our variety of beliefs.

Yet, putting our trust into the hands of God is not a call to exterminate every person who does not agree with our religious beliefs. Intolerance and fundamentalism have been a “tribal minded” curse on humankind since the beginning.

If we observe the social behavior of chimpanzees, we can look back into a “window of time.” We can observe primal behavior and the chimpanzee’s simplistic approach to tribal life. Although they appear peaceful, sometimes chimpanzees hunt other monkeys and kill each other.

Although humans are a unique primate species, we also display a tribal mindset through intolerance and violence toward each other. Human behavior has not completely evolved beyond massive warfare, genocide, and violence.

Realizing this, who is prepared to listen to an “outsider’s” concept of God? When we surrender to God, how will we know what God wants us to do? In fact, we know what is right, and what is wrong, but it is very difficult to walk the right path.

If we really want to practice Ishvara Pranidhana, we must practice all of the other Yamas and Niyamas. To live a life of non-harming, honesty, charity, purity, contentment, discipline, and spiritual learning is a difficult path.

To be pure in our thoughts is nearly impossible, because everyone has negative thoughts at one time or another. With thousands of thoughts running through our minds, they cannot all be pure and good. Most people do not take action based on fleeting negative thoughts, because they live according to a moral code of conduct.

Therefore, we inherently know what is right, and what is wrong. If you look into the moral guidelines of societies, from opposite corners of the earth, ethics are very similar.

Ishvara Pranidhana is to live an ethical lifestyle of non-harming, honesty, charity, purity, contentment, and discipline. All we have to do is let God handle the details.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Are you frustrated with searching for diet answers? Are there really any Yoga secrets for losing weight? How could low impact Hatha Yoga and a Sattvic diet really make a difference? Why has Yoga been successful in weight loss studies?

It should be understood that Yoga was never designed to be a weight loss system. When Yoga was first developed, approximately five thousand years ago, obesity was not the problem it is today.

On average, people did not live as long as we do. At the same time, people were much more physically active. We rely on machines, use computers, and sit much more than our ancestors did five thousand years ago.

So, where do we get this idea about Yoga and weight loss? The most common form of Yoga, outside of India, is Hatha and its many sub-styles. Hatha Yoga’s approach to physical exercise is usually low impact movement, holding postures, or Yogic breathing techniques (pranayama).

From the outside looking in, Hatha Yoga doesn’t seem to place much demand on the body – in comparison to running, cycling, or jumping rope. However, Yoga is not an exercise system. Yoga is a complete health maintenance system, which improves your mind, body, and emotional state.

Practitioners of Yoga tend to practice for decades without injuries. Much like anything else, it is possible to hurt yourself if you push too hard or force a pre-existing injury. Finding competent Yoga instruction is also important.

Yet, in comparison to any other physical activity, students of Yoga will practice for longevity. The reason is – Yoga becomes a lifestyle and it is fun to practice. It is not a dreaded chore to practice Yoga. In comparison, if you ask most people about standard forms of exercise, they will tell you they see exercise as torture.

This is the main reason why most people are physically inactive; they do not enjoy exercise or they find it boring. This is where Hatha Yoga has a big advantage over exercise systems. On top of that, there is a Yogic diet, which is also known as the Sattvic diet.

In a nutshell, the Sattvic diet is vegetarian and consists of natural or whole foods. Sometimes, people will find this eating boring, but let’s try a different strategy. The next time you go shopping – do not try to make a big change all at once.

Introduce a few natural or whole foods for weekly meals. Reduce take-out meals and lower the consumption of meat – especially processed meat. By making a few small changes at a time, you will improve your life and the lives of your family members.

Giving family members the choice of processed food, beside natural or whole foods, will open their minds to new tastes. Gradual change is a natural part of life, while drastic change is something we sometimes accept.

There is no need to make your dinner table a source of conflict. Natural food is just another choice. This is one reason why researchers, at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in Seattle, saw positive dieting results from Yoga. A lifestyle you are comfortable with has less stress, anxiety, and frustration.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga has similarities to many other philosophies in regard to humility. However, Gurus and Swamis traditionally chose their students. In fact, much like traditional martial arts students, Yoga students traditionally saw training with their teacher as a privilege. Prospective students would seek out a Yoga teacher, begging to be accepted for instruction.

Now, we have the age of entitlement. No matter how many signs you put up, cell phones ring off in Yoga classes. No matter how many rules you have, a small number of students continue to break old rules and create new ones. If you hand the studio policies to a new student, you may hear, “Why do you have so many rules?”

After all, you posted them on the web site, your bulletin board, and now you take time for the orientation of each new student. Why do you have to explain each “for instance?” Sometimes, you may ask yourself, “What was my main objective, when I decided to become a Yoga teacher?”

Back to reality: Most of us decided to teach Yoga because we felt the positive benefits of a steady practice. As a result, we wanted to share the gift of Yoga instruction with others. Creating rules about taking a bath, taking your shoes off, and how to be respectful to others, is not part of what Yoga teacher interns envision.

Then, one day, a new student shows up to class, but he may never have taken a bath in this lifetime. You may have read about this, but you have never been in the presence of an aroma like this before. Thoughts begin to run through your mind, and you are going to teach a class in ten minutes.

What exactly is that? You could speculate on how long that aroma has aged. What are you going to do? You have other students and this person is wearing “student repellant.” This is surely a “lose-lose” situation. Do you have a rule made up for this?

This is one situation, of many, in which your Yoga teacher training may not have prepared you. Sometimes, you may have to turn a student away. There is no need for conflict, if a student is not a “good fit;” you have the right to refuse to teach him or her.

This is much similar to the way students “shop around,” if they do not like something about you, or your classes. You can be assertive without being guided by ego. Develop your skills to lead, motivate, and direct Yoga students, with compassion and tolerance.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Written By Kristin L. Gilbert

Yoga has a fast-growing following and there are as many possible explanations for that as there are asanas within the Yoga practice. Most people would contend that the most important reason why Yoga seems to be growing in popularity, (especially in its newest market; the Western World) is due to its astonishing and well-recorded effects on stress relief and relaxation. While many people think Yoga is nothing more than a strange and foreign concept, left only up to “Indian rubber men” (Hewitt 167), those daring enough to attempt the practice have found far-reaching rewards of the mental, spiritual and physical kind. I will discuss these benefits in depth in the following essay divided into three sub-categories: I. Spiritual Health, II. Mental Health, and finally, III. Physical Health Benefits of Yoga.

I. Spiritual Health Benefits of Yoga—Seeking Inner Peace on a Turbulent Earth

The spiritual health benefits are, for some, either the most powerful, or, the least noticeable effects felt with consistent practice. Because Yoga in itself is not a religion, not all Yogis choose to explore a spiritual path with their practice, but those who do can look forward to many worthy benefits. Regardless of whether one specifically seeks spirituality through yoga or not, all yogis seek the same greater whole, the unity within the self, or that “Oneness” as the ultimate goal. This sought connectedness within itself is a form of spirituality: a connection of all parts of self with the whole earth that surrounds us in happy symbiosis, a connection, a blending and a cooperation that can be described as nothing less than peace.

This promotion of tranquility or purification is similar to many religious practice’s goals. James Hewitt describes it as “Absolute, Brahman, God, Reality, Ultimate Reality, Cosmic Mind, Cosmic Consciousness, Universal Sprit, Over-Soul, Over-self, Void, Buddha Nature, It, That – to name but a few” (The Complete Yoga Book, p. 371) and Swami Vishnu-devananda explains that, “as long as one’s wandering mind moves externally toward objects, one cannot come face to face with truth or God,” (The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, p. 4). Therefore, the most spiritual of benefits received from regular Yoga practice is that quieting of the mind which allows the yogi to feel peace and come to a still point of contemplation within the Self, to take an objective stance on the events around them…and then to let go of all unnecessary, superfluous thought. It allows the yogi to release control over what one cannot rationally take control of (death, circumstance, the meaning of life, life after death) and leave it to the powers that be. This sort of blind trust is the sort of material a religious foundation is built upon.

No, Yoga is not a religion, but Yogic practices can certainly pave the path toward spiritual understanding, and for some fortunate souls, spiritual enlightenment. Vishnu-devananda simplifies the theory stating, “the science of Yoga gives a practical and scientifically prepared method of finding truth in religion” (p. 5). Perhaps the most valuable, spiritual practice which Yogis will experience is that this type of truth, this spirituality, is not the form which requires convincing, preaching or converting. It is a quiet journey, as yoga is a quiet practice. Slowly, but steadily, quieting the questions, quieting the mind and making the way for very private, transcendental spiritual experiences, opening us to intuition and allowing for deeper understanding of our Selves and the universe surrounding us. In short, Yoga provides the means for finding Oneness.

II. Mental Health Benefits of Yoga—Proving it is Mind Over Matter, After all

The mental and spiritual health benefits of yoga blend together quite nicely. The Unity sought though the practice of Yoga allows for spiritual clarity, as does it facilitate mental and psychological strength and centering. A person with mental clarity will be more at ease, make decisions with confidence, know themselves, experience less anxiety, feel more relaxed and happier, and overall, feel confidence and strength from the inside out.

The practice of meditation is perhaps the most important aspect when discussing the mental health benefits of Yoga. Hewitt mentions that Yoga has a “supreme goal of intuitive enlightenment” (p. 371) which in itself could be said to be a superior form of mental health. He also describes the act of meditation quite simply and accurately as “mental hygiene”. In an ever-growing world where things move faster by the day and one can barely keep up with the latest crazes, gadgets and gimmicks, it is more important than ever that we are able to clear out the mental clutter that gathers day by day. Yoga gives us one tool for shoveling out such mental clutter. In fact, perhaps the most popular calling for those entering newly into the Yoga practice is their search for the oft-described ability of Yogic meditation to “cleanse the mind, refine and clarify consciousness, lighten the spirit, and foster mental poise and equanimity” (Hewitt, 372). Everyone in the crazy-paced world wants a little piece of mental peace and quiet. Yoga offers this to everyone; no matter how hectic their schedule! Yoga meditations may even be adjusted and catered to specific mental “issues” focusing on the various chakras and where an individual needs more or less opening.

Meditation is not the only route toward mental health and stress relief. Reduction of stress is probably the number one reason why people in modern society are flocking toward Yoga practice. Timothy McCall M.D. says that stress can “make life less enjoyable and contribute to such bothersome symptoms as headaches, insomnia, and back pain, but it’s [also] linked to many of society’s killers, including osteoporosis and heart attacks.” McCall goes on further to describe stress as “endemic in our society” (yogajournal.com). So what is Yoga doing to lessen the effects of this endemic felt by so many people today? Well, aside from the aforementioned benefits of meditation, the practice of Pranayama is yet another aid for brighter and better mental health. Appropriate supply of oxygen to the system strengthens the nervous system and brain and gives the yogi something to focus on other than daily stress creators. Simply lengthening and focusing on each exhale and inhale can almost instantly create a calming effect.

A large variety of Yoga asanas also assist in the calming of the mind. Physical activity alone is known to reduce a number of stress hormones and release those happy “feel good” hormones, but in Yoga we see an added punch: it is actually relaxing to perform the postures! Child’s Pose and Shivasana or Corpse Pose are perhaps two of the most well-known and most relaxing poses of the Yoga practice. Both serve to calm the brain, relieve stress and mild depression, relax the body, reduce fatigue, headache and insomnia, and even lower blood pressure while also relieving back and neck pain. All of these benefits from sitting still and calm for a few minutes—but perhaps the only few minutes a day for sitting still to some students of yoga!

Swami Vishnu-devananda discusses what is known as the “autosuggestion,” or the body’s ability to relax its own muscles and internal organs. The restorative postures of yoga, such as Child’s Pose or Corpse Pose, pave the way for the autosuggestion to begin and the body is given the green light to begin its’ own natural healing and restorative process; filtering out the unnecessary clutter from the day and leaving the Yogi with a feeling of mental and emotional clarity.

III. Physical Benefits of Yoga—Strength from the Inside, Out

The physical benefits of Yoga are undeniable, however, seemingly less sought after as a primary motivator for the practice. While most Yogis begin their practice initially seeking spiritual or mental clarity, stress relief or simply out of curiosity about the yoga “craze”, it is often not long before one is able to see the physical effects which come with regular yoga practice.

The range of the physical effects felt from regular Yoga practice is astonishing. Swami Vishnu-devananda explains how it “acts as a lubrication system to the joints, muscles, ligaments, [and] tendons…by increasing circulation and flexibility” (preface xi). The focus on the spine within yoga leads to improved posture and freedom from aches and pains. It also encourages a healthier nervous system and therefore, brain—this all results in the promotion of a more youthful (looking and feeling) total being. Overall, “Yoga exercise can be compared to no other system for its complete overhauling of the entire being” (xi). Yoga works in the promotion of physical health from the inside out, increasing circulation, stimulating the nervous system, strengthening muscles and promoting flexibility; it is a complete physical health package.

The Pranayama, or breathing exercises of Yoga jumpstart many beneficial reactions within the body. In Pranayama, the breath “increases vital capacity, energizes, exercise the lungs and the respiratory muscles, oxygenates and purifies the bloodstream, removes phlegm, cleanses the nervous system, improves thoracic mobility and broadens the chest, improves digestion, massages the abdominal viscera, and calms and concentrates the mind” (Hewitt, p. 109). As if these benefits were not vast enough, breathing practice also helps establish the healthiest natural breathing patterns over time and trains for breath efficiency, along with assisting in the gathering of the life force, prana. It is also said that pranayama awakens the coiled kundalini within us.

As with pranayama, the Yoga asanas, or physical poses, offer an extensive variety of physical benefits. The most obvious and most sought after is improved flexibility, but this improvement does not come unaccompanied. Utilizing a system of slow, steady and gradual movements, the Yogic system cause the heart to beat more strongly due to activation of muscles. This causes in increase in circulation and therefore, oxygen to the entire body system. This increases body temperature, allowing the muscles to be stretched and “a stretched muscle can…perform more work than one only normally relaxed” (Vishnu-devananda, 50). This allows the slow and steady practice of Yoga to, yes, actually build muscle! However, the muscle tissue produced is of the strong, long and lean type, not the large and bulky type seen through activities such as body building. Held postures strengthen and lubricate joints improving flexibility, mobility and coordination and improving ligamentous and cartilage stiffness. Improved blood flow and flexibility of the spine aids in healthy nervous system function, improved flexibility, resiliency, better balance and coordination and ensures proper curvature of the spine. The endocrine system is also greatly affected. The variety of glands affected aid in healthy growth, emotions, metabolism, anabolic and catabolic processes, mental and sexual maturity and weight. And who could look over the fact that Yoga has been credited with contributing to a youthful glow and demeanor amongst its followers?

In conclusion, the health benefits of Yoga are endless and the list shows no signs of stopping. Every Yogi would describe a variety of benefits received depending on their level, desired results and own personal body. While some focus on the mental and emotional escape and stress relief, others look for the desired flexibility and lean strengthening of the physical effects. Still others may turn to the Yoga of meditation for a spiritual experience. And many use the health benefits in a combined goal of overall spiritual, mental and physical health. It is not surprising that the Yogic practice gains more followers by the day. The world has today its largest population of Yogis ever, and those numbers are only bound to grow—this fact alone can attest to the healthful benefits felt by all of those who have fallen in love with this amazing practice. To continued health and lifelong practice, Namasté.

Sources

Hewitt, James. The Complete Yoga Book. Schocken Books; New York, New York, 1977.

Kaminoff, Leslie. Yoga Anatomy. Human Kinetics; USA, 2007.

McCall, Timothy M.D. “Yoga for Stress and Burnout,” www.yogajournal.com. Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc.
an Active Interest Media company; 2007.

Vishnu-devananda, Swami. The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.

www.yogabasics.com, “Yoga Postures,” Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com; 2007.

Kristin L. Gilbert is a 25-year-old “retired” high school Spanish teacher from Maine. She is a massage therapist / Reiki practitioner / Yoga teacher and enthusiast and also an aspiring meditation teacher. Kristin will be making a move in July 2008 to Costa Rica in order to open her own massage and yoga studio (and continue working on her surf skills). The Caribbean beaches of Costa Rica are her favorite spot in the world for Yoga practice and for finding inner peace. She studied massage under Donna Kraft Smith LMT of Guilford, Maine, was attuned to Reiki with Master Teacher Liza Bishop of Bangor, Maine and completed her Yoga Teacher Training studies through Aura Wellness Center with Paul Jerard in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Kristin finds Yoga to be a perfect fit for her life with its mental, physical and spiritual rewards and looks forward to a lifelong practice and being able to share her love of Yoga with others.

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Students come to Yoga classes for a variety of reasons, but many are seeking some form of tranquility. Luckily, Yoga has many methods, which reduce stress levels and bring about inner peace. Let’s look at some methods you can practice to relax and live in tranquility.

1. Set and schedule a daily Yoga routine. Most people start to give me resistance on this, but anything worth doing requires practice. Everyone has ten minutes per day, which can be spared for Yoga or meditation. Look at your day and make an appointment, with yourself, and without distractions.

If you go to bed late, practice gentle postures (asanas), pranayama, prayers, silent mantras, or meditation. If you find yourself practicing a bit longer, that’s fine too. If you are an early riser, it should be easy to spare ten minutes in the morning. Early morning Yoga practice works for many of my students, as well.

One side effect, which you will notice within one week, is productivity. When you are on a schedule, you become much more productive in all areas of life. This is on top of the fact that you will feel tranquility and happiness.

2. Exercise each of the four planes of your existence. Mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health, are the four aspects, which contribute to your inner peace and happiness.

I. Challenge your mind daily by reading, listening, and learning new skills. You can learn a new language, a new life skill, or anything, which will contribute to your mental growth.

II. Spend time with those who love you and challenge yourself to develop patience. Always work toward tolerance, patience, and inner strength. Humility is not surrender, but it is a choice to be peaceful.

III. Engage in prayer, mantra, japa, or positive affirmations. Religion was designed to end suffering, not to start wars and provoke conflicts. Your choice of which way to worship is yours to make. Never harm others for any reason, especially in the name of your religion.

IV. Make physical exercise a part of every day. Walk, practice asanas, play your favorite sport, and make sure you enjoy what you do.

3. Eat a clean diet. You have probably heard this over, and over, again, but whole, natural, organic, and raw vegetarian foods, will contribute to the length and quality of your life. In Yoga, this is called a Sattvic diet.

Wash your food well, eat moderate portions, try to enjoy the preparation process, do not over cook your food, and eat in a relaxed manner. If you have to eat chocolate, or ice cream, make sure that your portions are moderate and you enjoy every bite. Moderation is a key to longevity.

This is the foundation of Yoga’s holistic approach to complete health. It is true that people will not always practice all of these steps each day. Just do your personal best, and you will find tranquility as you journey through life.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When teaching Yoga classes, have you ever run into a problem that is not in the books? In such a case, you should consult your Guru, mentor, or a trainer of Yoga teachers, for further advice. Here is an example of such a conversation.

Q: “I have Yoga student who has a bad back. Poses like the Fish and Bridge bother his back. I haven’t found anything in the books about not doing them because of a bad back. However, I also don’t want him to hurt himself. Should he do a different pose, relax and breathe, during that pose, or work only as far as he can to help build up strength?”

A: This could be a very serious pre-existing neck or spinal injury. This might not be a case where your student can strengthen it, because his pain may originate directly from within the spine or neck. It is important to know if the pain is in the neck, spine, or if it is a sore muscle.

Either way, you should strongly advise him to see a physician as soon as possible. As you know, muscle frequently repairs itself, over time, but the spine is entirely another matter.

In a case such as this, some Yoga instructors will refuse to have a student in the class, until he has his doctor’s approval. That may seem harsh, but student safety is a primary concern.

If it is a sore or pulled muscle, it will pass in due time. In the case of mild muscular discomfort, Cobra pose (Bhujangasana), or a version of modified Cobra, might be a good substitute for Fish pose (Matsyasana).

Do not speculate as to the cause of pain with your student. This could possibly be interpreted as giving medical advice, or practicing medicine without a license.
There are so many variables when considering the source of pain in the neck and spine, that there is no place for speculation from a Yoga teacher.

Very few Yoga teachers are medical doctors. Therefore, this is a problem for medical professionals to solve. My guess is your student should also avoid plow and shoulder stand. Either way, tell him to avoid anything, which causes pain by substituting a painless posture.

In some cases, particular forward bends and backbends can cause pain. You could try modifications to decrease angles, but for the sake of your student, you may want to avoid some of these postures all together. If that is the case, substitute relaxing postures, which keep his neck and back flat.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Over the past two decades, professional development of Yoga teachers has grown, in parity, with the volume of new students. Let’s look at some easy steps any Yoga instructor can take toward taking his or her knowledge and teaching skills to new heights.

Before you make a decision toward developing your skills, you may want to compile a list of areas where you feel you might want to go. Consider your performance reviews, feedback from program coordinators, students, or colleagues, and the input of your mentor, if you have one.

Ultimately, it is your decision to choose which direction of development or education to go in. If you have a wide variety of needs, you have to decide which ones are a priority – based upon a mix of rational thought and intuition.

Assess all of your options before choosing a path toward continuing education. When it comes to education, some of us are like kids in a candy store. We have difficulty making a decision about which course to take or which direction to go in.

Yet, there is a simple way to decide your direction. What are your students’ needs? After you become a certified Yoga teacher, your decisions are based upon the needs of your students. If your students are a particular age, have similar health conditions, or there is a predominant ailment among them, this may be your calling.

On the other hand, if you cannot see a particular need, there are many training methods, and many areas of Yoga, where we could use improvement. Some skills are on the fringe of teaching, such as communication, public speaking, and marketing. One teacher may feel these skills are not necessary, while another may see a value in improving areas, where he or she needs help.

Most importantly, choose an option that suits your specific situation. Finances and time should be given consideration. Do you have the means to travel, a budget for continuing education, or the time needed to attend an intensive for Yoga teachers? Are you a self-starter, who can learn from books, DVD’s, CD’s, and online sources?

This brings to light a variety of choices Yoga instructors have when taking courses to enhance their education and professional growth. While training intensives are an option, so are home study, independent study, online courses, and correspondence courses.

No matter which direction you choose, professional development will be the end result.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Yoga Teacher Training Support
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos.
Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”
——————————————–
Visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/member-offer.html
On-Site Training: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com
——————————————–
FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, 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, including the resource box above. Namaste
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Written By Dr. Rita Khanna

Regular practice of Vajarasana increases the stability of mind and improves general health. Muslim friends and Zen Buddhists take this asana for prayer or meditation.

Vajarasana is the only asana, which can be done immediately after consuming food to help in digestion.

HOW TO DO IT

Step 1. Sit on the floor with legs stretched forward, place palms on the floor, by the side of the hips, keeping back straight.

Step 2. Lean towards left, bend your right leg,keep the heel under the buttock.

Step 3. Similarly, lean to the right and bring the left leg under the left buttock. Keep the knees close to each other, spine erect.

Step 4. Bring the right big toe over the left big toe, to form a sort of cradle for your buttocks. (Do not sit with the feet placed one over the other).

Step 5. Sit in such a way that the toes are stretched out, heels should be apart and on outer side, the buttocks should be in between the heels.

Step 6. Both knees should touch each other and should point towards opposite sides.

Step 7. The back and spine should be straight. Keep the hands on thighs, palms down with fingers together.

Step 8. Look straight, close the eyes, the face should be cheerful. Sit peacefully for 15 to 20 minutes in this position. Start the practice from 20 to 30 seconds and gradually increase to 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 9. Breathe normally. With every exhalation feel relaxed.

Step 10. While returning to the original position, lean to your right, unfold left leg, lean to the left and unfold the right leg.

Step 11. Then sit with the legs stretched forward and shake the feet vigorously one after the other until the stiffness disappears.

HOW VAJRASANA HELPS DIGESTION?

Blood travels long distance from the bottom of the feet to the heart, approximately five feet from the ground. It means that the body has a lot of work to do. When we sit in Vajrasana, both the muscles of the thighs will share weight. Therefore, circulation of blood in those portions will be reduced.

This reduc¬tion results in greater proportion of blood, reaching stomach, heart and head. Thereby the nervous and infor¬mation system of the head gets stronger. Because of the pressure on the hind parts of the legs, flow of blood in the parts of the body above the navel is diverted in sufficient quantity and comparatively excess blood circulation is available in the digestive system. Therefore, the working capacity of the various glands connected to digestion process increases. This adds digestive power.

Young and old alike should all form a habit of sitting in Vajrasana for about fifteen minutes after every meal like breakfast, mid-day meal and evening or night meals. The problems of indigestion, gas formation or constipation will never arise and you can eliminate the main cause for production of acids.

CAUTION

• Beginners can take packing of a pillow or rolled carpet below the ankle and knee if they find too much stretch in their ankle joint. It takes the pressure off the feet and ankles.

• Another option is to sit on a sofa or a mattress / grass so that the ground under the feet does not hurt.

• If pain is felt in the ankles or knees, knees may be separated slightly.

• People suffering from arthritis of knee or ankles should not practice it.

• Vajrasana can be held for as long as it is comfortable (and depending on the reason for doing the posture).

BENEFITS

1. Vajrasana increases the blood circulation in the pelvis& strengthens the muscles of thighs and calves. It is good for those with flat feet, as it stretches and arches the sole. To get this result, one should practice it consistently for a long time for several months.

2. It is very good for Hyperacidity, Depression, Memory, Eyes, Premenstrual Tension, Menstruation, Constipation, Hernia, Piles, Intestinal Gas, Heart , High B.P& Pregnant ladies (More than four to five months of pregnant ladies should do Vajrasana by widening the knees).

3. It is a versatile posture well suited for meditation. It helps to establish equilibrium throughout the body & mind. It is the best meditation asana for people suffering from sciatica and sacral infections. It facilitates relaxation, concentration and ultimately total peace of mind.

IN CASE OF ANY QUERY, CONTACT:

Dr. Rita Khanna
2nd floor, Plot #22, Suman Housing Colony, West Marredpally Secunderabad-500026
Mobile: 09849772485 Ph:-040-65173344
Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com
WWW: http://yogashaastra.blogspot.com/
The Yoga Studio is open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Dr. Rita Khanna

Dr. Rita Khanna is a well-known name in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. She was initiated into his discipline over two decades ago by world famous Swami Adyatmananda of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh.

She believes firmly that Yoga is a scientific process, which helps us to lead a healthy and disease-free life. She is also actively involved in practicing alternative medicines like Naturopathy. Over the years, she has been successfully practicing these therapies and providing succour to several chronic and terminally ill patients.
At present, Dr. Rita Khanna is teaching Yoga in Secunderabad. She has been treating and curing various diseases and disorders through Yoga, Diet and Naturopathy and has been achieving tremendous satisfaction in disseminating this virtue.