Posts Tagged ‘hatha yoga classes’

What Should a Yoga Teacher Know About Meditation?

Thursday, May 17th, 2012

yoga trainingBy Sanjeev Patel

Meditation is the process of calming and focusing the mind. It can effectively relieve anxiety, stress, or depression. Many people use it every day to calm and refresh the mind. There are many positions to take upon meditation, but we often think of the image of a person sitting with his or her legs crossed, hands resting on the knees, and eyes closed.

Modern Yoga and Meditation

Most basic Hatha yoga classes include some type of meditative aspect, but it usually is not the central focus of the class. New Yoga instructors don’t need to be experts on meditation, but they should know how to teach basic meditative practices and they should continue to study and practice in order to become the best possible guide.

In some Yoga training sessions, meditation is at the beginning and end of the session. In a typical Hatha Yoga class, meditation takes place at the end of the session. The instructor normally cools the students down with some floor poses, and then eases them into a meditative pose, such as corpse pose. As the students lie there feeling any new sensations in their bodies, the instructor leads them in a short meditation session.

Stage-by-stage Relaxation

Although, relaxation is not meditation, it is a valuable building block toward meditating and focusing. A relaxed mind is more willing to meditate than an over-stimulated mind. As a Yoga teacher, you want to direct your class by giving cues to relax each body part, from the toes to the tip of the head. The students are usually asked to breath deeply and focus their thoughts on their breath, while letting other thoughts flow through the mind without dwelling upon them. After about 10 minutes, the instructor gently eases students back into the world by asking them to wiggle their hands and feet, arms and legs, and then come to a sitting position.

Mudras

Yoga teachers, at the 200 hour level, should know a few basic hand gestures, or mudras. Mudras help focus energy to specific parts of the body, and can aid in healing. To perform the Guyan mudra, place the tips of the thumb and forefinger together, while leaving the other three fingers straight. Guyan mudra can relieve stress, insomnia, anger, laziness, and indecisiveness.

Another common mudra is Varun. Perform Varun by resting the thumb on top of the smallest finger, while the other three fingers remain idle. It can help cure skin problems, dehydration, blood disorders, wrinkles, and excessive body heat.

Hold the tips of the thumb and middle finger together to perform Aakash mudra. Aakash should not be performed while walking. It will help improve bone strength and result in improvements in overall body weakness.

Asanas

Basic meditation postures include easy pose, corpse pose, or half lotus. Most importantly, yoga instructors should teach students to sit in a posture that is comfortable for them. If an asana is not comfortable, the student will focus on his or her discomfort instead of meditating.  With that said, some your Yoga students may need to sit in a chair or on a cushion.

Breath Awareness Meditation

The basics of meditation begin by focusing within.  To ask our students to observe the breath seems easy for us, but try to remember how hard it was to suppress that little monkey that runs rampant within the mind.  Paulji may find monkeys comical, but I know, first hand, they are trouble.  Breath awareness may keep the monkey quiet for a while.

Mindfulness Meditation

This could be mindfulness of breath, an object, or a function like walking.  Mindfulness is similar to breath awareness because your students learn to observe and appreciate.  This is much different than controlling and judging.  Teaching yoga students to let go and relax through mindfulness is a challenge, but it has many rewards.

Many More Techniques

Mantra, Tratak, and Yantra meditation are worth the effort.  For Yoga teacher training interns, these techniques can be challenging.  One point to remember: Practice, study, and practice again.  When we become a certified yoga instructor, this is the first step of a life-long journey.  Every yoga instructor invests time in intensive studies and all aspects of the yogic way of life.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Yoga teacher training and continuing education courses, please visit the following link.

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Posted in Meditation, Yoga Teacher Issues, Yoga Teacher Training | 2 Comments »

Yoga for the Infrequent Practitioner

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Jenny Park

According to US News & World Report, baby boomers with sports injuries, mostly “weekend warriors,” or those who exercise only once a week, are now the number two group coming into doctor’s offices, behind only those with colds. Their injuries, caused by taking any exercise too far when practicing infrequently, can also be problem in Hatha Yoga classes.

Injuries caused by pushing the muscles too hard, such as tears or over extension, are more common with infrequent exercisers. Only familiarity with the muscle range allows yoga students to know how far they should push; the temptation to “take it to its limits” should be avoided. Regular practice also builds muscle memory and allows practitioners to assume the correct posture and position naturally.

Mentally, infrequent practice makes concentration more difficult. Only when the mind is focused does Yoga provide full benefits. “Yoga in the Workplace,” a book by Shameem Akhtar, stresses that regularity is more important than lengthy, infrequent practices. Yoga fights stress and muscle aches accumulated over hundreds of hours during the week- expecting a one-hour class attended irregularly to be up to the task of counteracting these issues is not reasonable.

Yoga Teachers Can Make a Difference

As an instructor, infrequent practitioners should be carefully observed and reminded to make sure appropriate modifications are made when needed. Tight hamstrings are a very common problem and affect poses like Downward-facing Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana, Triangle pose or Trikonasana, Reverse Triangle or Parivritta Trikonasana, and even seated poses like Staff pose or Dandasana. Office workers in particular carry a lot of tension in their neck and shoulders, which may translate into lack of flexibility in those areas.

Moving at one’s own pace should be emphasized, and the misconception that Hatha Yoga is an easy form of exercise should be dispelled. Pre-existing repetitive motion injuries may be more common in our Yoga classes, simply because people without much experience expect anything good to hurt a little. They come to classes thinking it’s easy and push past injuries without thinking. In fact, we know that Yoga should not hurt at all.

Don’t allow classes to become too crowded, as this prevents direct observation and correction of alignment if needed. There have even been cases of students in crowded classes injuring other nearby practitioners by falling over in a pose.

Encourage infrequent practitioners to spend time on restorative poses, as well as those that challenge their bodies. Yoga is not a competition, and he who forces himself into a pose or finishes first is not the winner.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

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Yoga for Arthritis

Monday, August 29th, 2011

become a yoga teacherBy Faye Martins

For those suffering with arthritis, every movement is a painful event. The irony is that individuals with arthritis need physical movement more than the average person in order to keep their disease under control. Yoga training is a practice that provides opportunities for careful, mindful movement.

Individuals with arthritis benefit greatly from daily physical activity, because it counters the muscle weakness, lack of energy and lethargy that those with arthritis often experience. When people with arthritis move, it often feels like they are making their condition worse, but this is usually not the case. Studies show that arthritis is greatly improved by physical exercise. The key is finding an exercise that is at once gentle and effective.

Yoga for arthritis is a great alternative to walking, jogging and swimming because the movements and poses are carefully and mindfully done. This gives an individual the confidence necessary to feel good about making yogic techniques a lasting part of their lifestyle.

In order to add yogic exercise safely, a few precautions should be taken. First and foremost, the yoga teacher must be aware of the underlying medical condition. If the instructor is aware, the individual will be allowed to move at their own pace during the class.

In addition, it is important to select a style that avoids repetitive flowing movements and focuses more on performing the poses with correct form. Observing a class before participating is a great way to get a feel for how the classes will be. Most Hatha yoga classes will be paced appropriately for those with arthritis, but it’s always good to be certain beforehand.

Once the right school and yoga instructor have been selected, the individual should ease themselves into the practice. It’s fine to take time to become accustomed to the poses, because part of the appeal of practice for those with arthritis is the fact that each movement is mindfully and carefully done. Above all, the body must be listened to during the session. An individual with arthritis knows what pain is normal for them and what pain is not. The body should be honored and heeded during the practice.

During the yoga class, special focus should be placed on breath awareness as well. Remaining connected with the breath throughout the yoga practice helps reduce the anxiety and nervousness that many with arthritis suffer from. This relaxation helps to lower levels of pain experienced throughout the day, reducing the need for pain medications.

Those with arthritis may experience significant improvements in their quality of life by adding yoga to their daily routine. More and more professionals in the medical community are recognizing the benefits that yogic exercise has to offer patients with arthritis. As long as care is taken and necessary modifications are made, yoga is completely safe for countering the aches and pains of arthritis on a daily basis.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Teaching Hatha Yoga Classes for Relaxation and Stress Management

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

By Bhavan Kumar

There are so many reasons why public awareness of Yoga has reached this current pinnacle of popularity. Relaxation of mind, body and spirit are often named, but emotional health is very hard to control when people are under constant pressure to work harder and faster than ever before.

Emotional health must be mastered to live a quality life. Listed below are five Yoga asanas, which should be learned from a competent Guru or Yoga teacher. As you learn to master the following asanas, you should work to calm yourself in every phase of your life.

Paschimottanasana- forward bend: it gives a intense massage to the internal organs, regulating the intestines and the digestive system. It also reinvigorates the nervous system while at the same time calming the mind and releasing the legs and back.

Sarvangasana – shoulder stand: allows the heart and the circulation to rest. The brain and nervous system are replenished with a fresh flow of blood. This is not a beginner’s asana. The mind is also calmed and on an esoteric level, this pose grounds us. Viparita Karani, which is also known as inverted lake, or legs up the wall pose, is also an option.

Halasana – plough: releases the back bringing flexibility to the spine and neck. It also releases tension from the cervical region and the internal organs are also massaged.

Matsyasana – Fish: is a self massage for the neck and shoulders, an area which often holds much tension. The heart is also opened allowing a release of any energetic blockages and it activates the thyroids which regulate digestion, our growth & development amongst other regulating capacities.

Savasana – corpse pose: the final relaxation postures where we allow the nervous system to recalibrate with the renewed energy. Also worth noting that although we tend to ‘rest’ without doing anything, this may be while watching the television, reading a book and so forth and therefore still expand energy. In Savasana, we allow the body, mind and soul to rest fully and to reconnect.

In addition to these poses, Ustrasana (Camel Pose) or Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), would also make good complimentary backbends for those concerned with balancing the spinal structure, while aligning the energy centres. If you are a Yoga teacher concerned with structural alignment, please be sure to follow your Guru’s instructions for balancing the asana sequence to avoid too many forward bending postures.

Halasana and Pashmitonasana would both work on massaging the digestive system and releasing the thyroids where Sarvangasana and Halasana would rejuvenate the upper body with a fresh supply of energy.

Yoga postures alone will help reduce stress, but a complete Hatha Yoga class needs pranayama, relaxation techniques, and meditation for optimum results.

© Copyright 2010 – Bhavan Kumar / Aura Publications

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Teaching Hatha Yoga with a Lesson Plan in Mind

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Teaching Hatha YogaBy Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Do you always design a lesson plan before teaching Yoga classes, or do you mentally group segments, of your next class, before teaching them? Regardless of which method you choose, it seems that every Yoga teacher wishes that he or she could have inserted five more techniques in the class.

The challenge is to design a class that is well-rounded and fits into a finite amount of time. For example – if you teach classes in a fitness center, the management may require that your class last only one hour before the next class uses the same studio space. This puts you on a strict schedule and may require more planning than if you had to teach a 90 minute class.

Yoga teachers are like everyone else; we need to prepare for the upcoming day and it requires a bit of scheduling. One of the easiest ways to get the most accomplished in a day is to have a “to do” list. Within those daily tasks, we have sub-tasks, such as designing the lesson plan for our next Yoga class.

An easy way to design a lesson plan is to take a more broad view of the class, rather than writing down each technique. Hatha Yoga classes tend to be made up of centering, warm-ups, pranayama, asanas, meditation, and/or relaxation. We change the dynamic of our classes in order to maintain the interest of our students. By keeping classes fresh, we do not feel stale and our students look forward to coming to sessions.

To read more about this subject, please click here.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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Hatha Yoga Classes for Arthritis Pain Relief

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Bridge PoseBy Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Gentle forms of Hatha Yoga can help anyone who suffers from arthritis. Depending on the type, stage, and where arthritis is located in the body, a Yoga session will have to be modified to match the needs of the student. This can make the search for the right Yoga class, and a compassionate teacher difficult, at best.

In some advanced stages, the amount of movement must be reduced, while you hold postures; and areas of the body, where there is chronic pain, may have to be worked gently. At the same time, someone who has the beginning stages of arthritis, may feel relief from classes with flowing movements.

Some flowing styles are quite gentle, while many of them are physically demanding. One way to sort them out is to research the particular styles you are interested in. If you are in search of a style for healing purposes, there is no need to push the body with powerful, flowing movements.

Some of the more dynamic movements may have to be avoided for the sake of preventative health. One good example of taking precautions with movement is – if you have discovered arthritis in your lower back. In this case, movements, such as the “jump back” from forward bend, to plank, may cause excess shock in the lumbar spine.

Yoga sessions, where students hold postures for 20 seconds, to two minutes, usually do not teach jumping movements, which have impact on the joints. Nevertheless, it would be wise to consult with your family doctor or a physical therapist prior to taking a Yoga class. Make sure you inquire about how much warm-up time is recommended.

In this way, you will be advised about which movements will be beneficial and which movements should be avoided. If possible, get a referral to visit a competent Yoga teacher from your family doctor or physical therapist.

If you are a Yoga teacher, and you teach a therapeutic style, you should make an effort to network with local health professionals and make them aware of the services you provide. The difference between a Yoga school that is vibrant with activity, and one that is empty, is educating the community through public outreach.

One method for “testing the potential for student demand,” is to have an open house and invite local health professionals as guests or as guest speakers. Do not forget to reach out to chiropractors and massage therapists. Even if attendance is light, an open house may create a professional network.  Your efforts will enhance community awareness about the programs you have to offer.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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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, Paul

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