Posts Tagged ‘yoga teacher training courses’

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Yoga Teacher Training for Depression

Wednesday, July 4th, 2012

yoga teacher educationBy Faye Martins

In regard to meeting the needs of students who experience depression, there are specialized yoga teacher training courses to meet the need. There are many options within Yoga for students who are looking for a therapeutic method to purge negative thoughts from within.

Those suffering from depression often feel sad and hopeless. They might lack energy or drive to get through even the most basic kind of day. Depression can be a vicious cycle, where the more you give in to negative thoughts and feelings, the more invasive they become. Many people turn to medication to get out of depressed states of mind, but there are other more simple and inexpensive ways to beat depression. Exercise and a healthy diet can be extremely effective in combating depression. Yoga is a gentle, low-impact way to stretch and strengthen the body while releasing the mind and heart from negativity.

Restorative Routine

The choice of whether to practice gently or vigorously comes down to a student’s current health condition and the effectiveness of each approach. Luckily, the Yogic path has many highways. An easy way to classify physical styles is hard and soft. Ashtanga Vinyasa might be considered hard, while a gentle style like Restorative Yoga holds asanas for minutes, while using every prop imaginable.

Vigorous Routine

A rather vigorous series of asanas, or postures, can help ease depression by getting the heart rate up and allowing the mind to focus on the poses instead of worries and concerns. Physical exercise that gets the body moving also causes feel-good endorphins to flow through the body which can ease the effects of the negativity associated with depression. Some people will respond well to this type of yoga program where there is little time to dwell on anything more than the position of the body or the intensity of the breath. This brings sufferers a sense of relief for a short period of time, allowing them to realize that they might have more control over negative thoughts and emotions than they thought.

Meditation

For some people, meditation is the key that allows them to truly release the depressed thoughts from their bodies. Meditation allows you to sit with the negativity just long enough to acknowledge that it’s there and then release it. The negative energy can then consciously be replaced with positive energy. Meditation promotes a sense of peace and calm throughout the entire body and spirit. Those with depressed states of mind often have an inner sense of disquiet. They can work to release the unsettled emotions through meditation. It also encourages a sense of mindfulness or appreciation for each small moment in the day. Those who sufferer with depressed feelings can begin to see that as each moment passes there are things to be grateful for. It’s important to remind students who are suffering to avoid dwelling on all of the negative emotions that often permeate their being. With practice, it will become easier to let them go and invite more positive thoughts.

Pranayama

The act of yogic breathing is often overlooked as a therapeutic tool for many types of ailments, including depression. Teach students with depressed states of mind to breathe deeply, filling up the abdomen, chest and lungs. Then ask them to release the breath along with all of the negative emotions. As they breathe new air back in, ask them to picture positive energy entering the body.

Side Notes for Yoga Teachers

Any student who is experiencing a depression needs to consult with a professional.  One statistic states that 15% of all suicides are a result of depression.  That figure seems outrageously low, but whatever the number is, we know there is risk involved, when someone is untreated.  Many Psychiatrists and Psychologists recommend Yoga, so we have a harmonious relationship with the mental health field.

Therefore, don’t become a counselor if you aren’t qualified.  You can be a teacher, friend, guide and a sounding board, but for full recovery to take place, we need to let counselors do their job.

© Copyright 2012 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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

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

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If you are a Yoga Teacher, studio owner, 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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Online Yoga Teacher Education

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Kimaya Singh 

The mind and body benefits of yoga are great, often leaving participants feeling as though they want to share it with others. If yoga is one of your passions, perhaps you have considered studying yoga as a profession, to impart knowledge to others, or just to earn extra money on the side. Becoming a yoga teacher today is as easy as ever, with the Internet offering many different online certification courses. The courses are designed for students to be able to work at their own pace, anytime day or night. Upon completion of the program, students receive yoga teacher certification which will allow them to teach yoga anywhere in the world. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone who has a little extra time and desire to study yoga right from the comfort of their home, and then market their skills to the community.

Aura Wellness Center, based in Attleboro, Massachusetts, offers many online training courses for yoga teacher certification. The original course, called “Yoga Teacher Training Camp-in-a-Box” was so successful it led to more specialize training courses including courses in Restorative Yoga, Kid’s Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Chair Yoga, Meditation, and more. The programs have taken on a life of their own, with many students having had great success at becoming yoga instructors and opening their own yoga teaching centers or businesses. Visit one of the Aura Wellness Center’s blogs to understand about the positive  experiences from online and distance learning yoga teacher training classes.

One unique aspect of Aura’s yoga teacher training package is that they provide the knowledge and skills to open your own yoga business. Not only will you learn the important yogic philosophies, the poses and how to teach them, but also the valuable skills needed to market yourself and your business. The yoga teacher training courses are well-rounded packages that include all the information needed in order to make a successful living by practicing and teaching yoga. It doesn’t matter if you are an experienced yoga practitioner or a beginner; Aura Wellness Center offers a course to suit many individual needs.

Decide if any of the yoga teacher training courses are right for you by joining Aura’s free community of yoga teachers. You can ask questions and talk to others who have taken the course, and get a feel for what the programs of study are really all about. Signing up for the community is is super easy, just enter your name and email address and you will be connected to a vast network of yoga experts and students.

© 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/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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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Yoga Diet Tips – Part II

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

Vinyasa Yoga Teacher TrainingBy Sangeetha Saran

Yoga teacher training courses cover the three primary qualities existing in the universe, which are: sattva, rajas, and tamas. Often, Yoga teacher interns are advised to consume sattvic foods. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is very important to the Yoga practitioner.

These foods fall under the sattvic category and are best enjoyed raw and free of sweeteners or salt whenever possible. Green vegetables are also carbohydrates, but they generally have so few calories and so much fiber that they can be consumed freely and should make up the bulk of the diet. Carbohydrates fill you up and give your body with the vitamins and fiber it needs.

When choosing carbohydrates to eat, it is very important to stick to complex carbohydrates. These are foods such as potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, rice and oatmeal. These carbohydrates are important for weight loss and maintenance because they are converted to sugar much more slowly by the body. This will prevent slowing the metabolism. The nutrition community currently advises that around 55 to 60 percent of your daily calories come from carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates can have the reverse effect and can actually slow the metabolism and contribute to weight gain. Such foods as sugar, candy, cakes, pies, cookies, fruit juice, soft drinks, or any other high-sugar food (including those that are labeled fat free), cause the body to release a hormone called insulin.

A quick or dramatic increase in insulin in the body can significantly slow or stall the weight loss process. In fact, high levels of insulin over long periods of time can slow your metabolism down so dramatically that it will actually prevent the body from using stored fat for energy. Just one helping of the simple carbohydrates, by itself, can spike the insulin and slow the metabolism to the point that the body essentially stops burning fat; in effect, stopping weight loss.

Yoga teachers should make any reliable dietary information available to their students.

© Copyright 2011 – Sangeetha Saran / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Yoga Diet Tips – Part I

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

yoga teacher trainingBy Sangeetha Saran

Will Hatha Yoga teacher training courses prepare instructors for working with obese populations? Can Hatha Yoga teachers make an impact on a less physically active society? Can the Yoga diet help people avoid obesity?  Among many other things, Yoga teachers should understand the Yogic diet.

At this time, people move around less than our grandparents did. More technology means less movement as we sit at computers for an occupation. Yoga movement alone cannot make up for sitting still all day. Below is part one of a two part series, which takes a closer look at our eating habits.

Each food category plays an integral role in a healthy weight loss program. Aside from these categories, Yoga uses three traditional categories that are aligned with a corresponding state of consciousness. Sattvic foods are pure, good foods and support a spiritual state. Examples are foods which are cooked with minimum amount of spices or seasonings and are fresh.

Rajasic foods are stimulating foods and support only an intermediate state. Examples are fried, sweet, highly seasoned, or baked foods. Alcoholic, artificially flavored, and processed beverages are also Rajasic. Tamasic foods are overripe or impure and support a gross, undeveloped state. Examples are foods that are prepared with excess spices, salts, and hot seasonings.

Outside of Yogic thought, food is classified and divided into protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates or “carbs” are essential in order to keep your body functioning well. Carbohydrates are the direct precursors to glucose – a form of sugar. Glucose is what fuels both muscle tissue and the brain. Many foods, such as dairy, contain fats, protein and carbohydrates.

This category is very important because a Yogi diet is mainly a non-animal diet, consisting of fruit, vegetables, nuts and bread made of whole wheat. Carbohydrates foods fall into the sattvic or pure food category. These are a basic staple of the Yogi’s diet and examples are fruit, vegetables and grains. It is most important that these foods be enjoyed closest to their pure state. This means that food should be uncooked if at all possible, as cooking destroys vitamins and enzymes. Salt should be avoided and both fresh and dried herbs should be used to flavor food. In this way, the healthy natural flavor of food can be enjoyed.

An optimum Yoga diet encourages eating whole wheat bread and uncooked whole wheat every day. Uncooked wheat is superior to whole wheat bread in supplying enzymes and vitamin B. This vitamin is known to help combat the symptoms and causes of stress, depression, and cardiovascular disease. Natural carbohydrate sources are potatoes, lentils and nutritional yeast. These foods also supply roughage to aid the movement of food in the intestines and colon. Bread is also rich in B-complex vitamins and in the minerals potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.

© Copyright 2011 – Sangeetha Saran / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Yoga Teacher Training – Secrets of the Yoga Sit Up

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

Beach at Yoga Teacher Training ResortBy Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250

Are your students requesting an exercise that tones muscles around their mid-section? Look no further. Hatha Yoga has many secrets. Among them is the Yoga sit-up. Mix in other postures such as Boat and Bow pose to completely tone the mid-section. Below are instructions on how to teach this practice.

Yoga sit ups should always be done in slow motion. Yoga sit ups should always be done with full awareness of the spine as you roll up into a sitting position “one vertebrae at a time.” Yoga sit ups differ fundamentally from leg lifts in that for sit ups you are rolling up the part of the body (the torso) that controls the movement itself, while in leg lifts you are raising up a part of the body that is merely connected to the lifting unit.

The initial position for sit ups is lying supine, keeping the thighs together, flexing the feet and toes, extending the knees, and pressing the lower back to the floor. Then, with the hands pointed toward the feet and the lower back held against the floor, flex the head toward the chest. Breathing evenly continues to roll up one vertebra at a time until you are in a sitting position. Concentrate on the action of the abdominal muscles, and stretch the hands forward as much as possible. Come down from the posture in reverse order, slowly rolling down, first the sacrum, then the lumbar reigon, chest and finally the head and neck, breathing evenly all the way. If you are unable to lift up significantly, just squeeze up as much as is comfortable, hold the position isometrically for a few seconds, and slowly roll back down. You will benefit from the posture.

Holding your back flat against the floor while initiating a sit up powerfully activates the abdominal muscles, and this enables them to act as prime movers for rolling you up and forward, but if you start with the lower back arched forward, beware. The abdominal muscles will be relaxed and less effective, and the psoas muscles will create excess tension at the lumbar lordosis, exactly as in old style sit ups. Do not let this happen. If you do not have enough control to keep the back against the floor, bend the knees before you do the sit up just as you would in crunches. Even if you are careful to keep the lower back against the floor as you start the sit up, the exercise still compresses the spine and should be done for only a few repetitions.

© Copyright 2011 – Amruta Kulkarni / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Amruta Kulkarni is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

Click here for more information about online yoga teacher training courses by Aura Wellness Center.

If you are a yoga teacher, yoga studio owner, 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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Helping Your Yoga Students Heal with Viparita Karani

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

500 hour hatha yoga teacher training programBy Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250

Some Yoga teacher training courses focus on asana as a physical exercise.  This is a shame because asana is much more than an exercise for the body.  Asana has therapeutic value and it is a means toward Samadhi as described by Patanjali.

Asanas or postures in Hatha yoga help realign the body by stretching and lengthening every part of the body in a relaxed manner. By doing so, the body is brought back to alignment, healed and stimulated as needed. The philosophy behind Asanas are also holistic for it looks at the body as an interconnected part of a whole process and aims to purify and strengthen the organ, tissues, fibers, muscles, bones and the cells of the body.

Asanas are mind and body postures, through which we build strength inside our body. Blood and energy open gradually, and allow the organs to absorb fresh healing blood and energy. When a part of the body is affected by disease, it loses its sensitivity. During the practice of specifically therapeutic Asanas, energy from within the body flows directly to the troubled area and causes the healing process to begin.

Yoga is a psycho-physical-spiritual therapy that aims to perfect the mind and body as one unit to develop Realization of our True Self.  Viparita Karani (inverted lake posture) has many healing benefits and is an extremely mild inverted asana.  Below are instructions for using props while practicing this wonderful posture.

1.Place the blocks on its long side against and parallel to the wall. Place the bolster, one behind the other, parallel to the block. Drape the blanket over all 3 props. Then sit sideways in the middle of the bolsters, and place your fingers flat on the floor behind you.

2.Turn your torso toward the wall, simultaneously lifting your lets, one by one, onto the wall. Keep your knees slightly bent. Support your body on both palms, fingers pointing toward the bolsters. Push both palms down on the floor, and move your buttocks closer to the wall.

3.Bend your elbows and lower your torso until your shoulders rest on the floor. Fully straighten your legs, but please don’t lock them. If your buttocks have moved away from the wall, bend your knees and place both feet against the wall. Then press your palms down onto the floor, lift your hips, and move the buttocks closer to the wall. Straighten your legs.

4.Rest your head and neck on the floor. Loft your chest. Spread your arms out to he sides, palms facing the ceiling. Allow your chest, abdomen, and pelvis to expand and relax. Straighten and stretch your legs. Close your eyes and experience the serenity of the posture. Stay in the posture for 1-2 minutes.  Gradually increase the duration to 3-6 minutes depending on the amount of tingling you feel in your feet.

Just by practicing Viparita Karani, pranayama and meditation the Yoga practitioner heals mind, body, and spirit.

© Copyright 2011 – Amruta Kulkarni / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Amruta Kulkarni is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

To see more about hatha yoga teacher certification courses, please feel free to visit our community.

 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, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

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Secrets of Yoga Teachings

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

500 hour yoga certification programBy Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500

Many people and some fitness Yoga instructors believe that the Yogic teachings are similar to other exercise systems. Yoga is not just another fitness fad. This narrow view of Yoga was a mistake fitness experts made in the 1990s. Some Yoga teacher training courses had graduates who learned about 24 postures (asanas). This spawned  a generation of teachers who were eager to learn the inner truth of Yoga’s teachings.

The fitness experts saw the postures and figured Yoga would rise and fall like the many other diets and exercise systems of the past. They were not aware Yoga has been around for thousands of years. This sacred practice changes people for the best. The following two aspects of Hatha Yoga are only the tip of the Yogic iceberg and barely scratch the surface in regard to the secrets of Yoga teachings.

I. Pranayama: Ayama means stretch, extension, expansion, length, breadth, regulation, prolongation, restraint and control and describes the action of pranayama. Prana is energy, when the self-energizing force embraces the body. When this self-energizing force embraces the body with extension, expansion and control, it is pranayama. Pranayama also denotes cosmic power, or the power of the entire universe, which manifests itself as conscious living being in us through the phenomenon of breathing.

II. Meditation: Before yoga poses had been established the practice of yoga was to meditate. Ancients highly valued the esteemed practice of meditation for its ability to heighten intuition, and access a new level of knowing/being. By consciously relaxing into ourselves we too can experience the depths of the mind to gain insights and clarity. Listening inward and focusing our attention on the now allows us to experience the truth of who we are (Self).

Paulji has taught me that no matter what your spiritual or religious beliefs are, the ultimate objectives of Yogic teaching are spiritual beauty, improved health, emotional well-being, and mental clarity. The path of spiritual growth is found when we learn to forgive and increase our spiritual awareness. This will result in the cultivation of compassion and insight. A good person has spiritual beauty, regardless of his or her religion.

If I have religion, but I am trained to hate others who think differently than I do, what do I have? Spiritual beauty is not intolerance, hate, and prejudice. If my religion teaches me to hate, I need a different religion that practices what it preaches. Some extremists say that Yoga is only for the Hindus. Yoga has spread too far and it is growing exponentially. Nobody can stop the worldwide proliferation of Yoga practice.

The average Hindu sees the ultimate objective of Yoga as the attainment of liberation (Moksha) from worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara). Yoga entails mastery over the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. It is said to lead gradually to knowledge of the true nature of reality. The Yogi reaches an enlightened state where there is a cessation of thought and an experience of blissful union. This union may be of the individual soul (Atman) with the supreme Reality (Brahman).

All people, from all walks of life, benefit from the many parts and forms of Yoga. A person who practices Yoga postures only will learn to become calm. Of course, physical mastery will be attained, but he or she will begin to think clearly and develop a beautiful heart of compassion. This heart of compassion is a spiritual awakening that changes the world for the best, one person at a time.

Hari Om Tat Sat

© Copyright 2010 – Sanjeev Patel / Aura Publications

Sanjeev Patel is a certified Yoga teacher and an exclusive author for Aura Wellness Center.

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. Namaste!

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Become a Better Hatha Yoga Teacher

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

How can we develop a system to improve the quality of our Yoga classes? Why should we care about becoming the best Yoga teacher possible? Is a Yoga session to be structured for the student or for the style? Let’s review these questions, to look below the surface layer of the underlying issues, and search for deeper answers.

Developing a system, for improving the quality of Yoga classes, is more than quality control. This requires Yoga teachers to continually learn and improve the art of teaching. The issue here is more than continuing education. To improve classes, we must implement what we learn and listen to student feedback.

Implementing what we learn is applying what we absorb from Yoga teacher training courses to our classes. Attending the best intensives, or reading the best Yoga resources, mean nothing until we perform the practical applications in class.

At the same time, courses we take should benefit our students. There are so many directions to go in, but some are obvious. Some communities are older or younger. It makes no sense to take a Chair Yoga certification course, if we cannot apply it to any of our classes.

If you are receiving requests for a specific type of class – that is the direction that would make the most sense to go in. If we have no interest in becoming a Yoga teacher specialist, we might consider bringing in an instructor who can meet the needs of this group. Another option is to refer your students to another teacher who can match their needs.

The point being: We cannot be all things to all people, but our knowledge should at least point them in the right direction. Relationships, with our students, may be short-term or last for life. Either way, we should care enough about them to give them the best possible options to meet their needs.

Regardless of which style of Yoga we teach, we are obligated to make our classes safe. If a student has pre-existing health problems, some, or all, of their practice may have to be modified. If we understand nothing about modifications, it would be best to point students to a Yoga teacher who does.

At that point, we have an option to learn about modifications or teach students in our specific niche. If we choose to exclusively teach Yoga to young athletes – that is fine. However, we have to be honest about the athletic requirements of our classes with each new student that comes through our doors.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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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Mastering the Craft of Teaching Yoga

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Did you ever question your devotion to teaching? Have you ever internally questioned the devotion of another Yoga teacher? It is only human to question and make comparisons. Making comparisons, and judging, has kept you alive up to this point. Every step in life requires you to make some form of judgment or a decision.

You can freely decide to become a Yoga teacher. You decide whether to get out of bed, or not, each day. You choose to eat breakfast, take a shower, meditate, watch television, or anything else, after you wake up. To choose, or decide, is a form of judgment. So, how did we get the idea that judgment should be restrained?

Our judgments, and pre-conceived notions, concerning ourselves and others, can be self-destructive. Prejudice and intolerance have led humankind toward the path of hate, and narrow-minded thinking, throughout history. We have also learned that harsh judgments of others hold us back as a species.

This is why non-judgment is praised as a higher quality. Tolerance and mutual respect, over our differences, gives us the power of collective thinking. When we communicate with others, who have different thoughts; we collectively learn from the experience. This ability, to accept differences in others, is the path to progress for humankind.

Due to Internet communication, television, and radio, we have access to new ideas every day. This does not mean all outside ideas will be easily accepted, but we have come a long way since our cave dwelling ancestors. New ideas are subject to practical application and time. This is why any fresh ideas are worthy of “air time.”

In judging ourselves too harshly, we waste time wishing we could change the past. This is a mistake that can lead to feelings of regret, depression, and self-contempt. The experience from mistakes, helps us learn more about what we are made of. We are better off to learn from our past mistakes, try to correct them, and move forwar – enriched by the experience.

Many interns join Yoga teacher training courses as a quest for self-discovery. The journey of understanding your true purpose in life is a noble path, but it is not the end of the path. If you are lucky enough to understand yourself, and you know your unique purpose in this life, you should help others who are seeking answers.

Each Yoga student has unique abilities, skills, and talents that contribute to the better good of your community. Yet, some students feel they are not worthy of praise. The best Yoga teachers help students reach their optimum potential in life.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

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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Yoga for Cramps, Safety, Chakras, and Other Yoga Teacher Questions

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Bow PoseBy Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 

Have you ever wondered about the causes of cramps or why there are differences in the colors of the same chakras? Below is a question and answer session from a lecture for Yoga teachers at Aura Wellness Center.

Q: If a student (normally very fit) gets a cramp during the class, what can I do as a Yoga teacher, in terms of safety and health?

A: With cramps, the muscles involved are like a pulley system. For example: If someone is getting cramps in the calf, the toes should be spread apart and point upward, but not straight forward, which would intensify the muscle cramp.

This movement lengthens the calf muscle and relieves the cramp. This principle works with most other muscle groups. The problem of cramping can get worse if a student decides to push through a cramp. Also, massage can be of good benefit.

 Q: What poses would you suggest for a student, who has weak ankles and sore feet, to promote a better and easier feeling?

A: About weak ankles – this depends on the student, but it is usually a skeletal problem. There is limited muscle tissue around the ankles. However, if you want to help a student develop stronger ankles, then a balancing program, with balancing postures, such as Tree and Eagle, would work.

 Concerning sore feet – the best thing to do is massage them. You can do this by using the thumbs, with massage oil, and massage the bottom of the feet from the heels toward the balls of the feet. Make sure you massage all the way to the toes.

 Q: In one of my Yoga books, the color of the chakras are completely different than in the other books I came across so far. For instance: The root chakra is stated as yellow where all the other books I have are describing it with red color.

A: We will never have standardized colors for Chakras. People have a difficult enough time agreeing on matters that they can clearly see; let alone something they cannot see. In the case of Chakras, most of us have never visibly seen them. Thus, a disagreement will continue until there is a way to physically view them.

Q: Now going back to the cramps how can my student release a cramp from a front part of the thigh? Does it have to do also something with inappropriate breathing? Would deeper breathing prevent a student from getting cramps?

A: To release a cramp from the front part of the thigh, you need to draw the heel back toward the sit bone. This movement and posture instantly stretches out the thigh.

Postures such as: Lord of the Dance pose (Natarajasana), Bow pose (Dhanurasana), and Half Bow pose (Ardha Dhanurasana), will help. These are not the only asanas to choose from; any posture that draws the heel back toward the sit bone will be beneficial.

 Massage can also help, but the pain is usually deep into the muscle, so it would have to be a deep tissue massage, which can also be very painful. Therefore, asana is the fastest and most effective solution.

About breathing: Improper breathing could cause cramps around the vital organs. Pranayama is most effective for deep cramps located around the vital organs (heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, digestive system, and so on). However, to use pranayama for cramps, in the legs or arms, will not usually give you quick results.

© 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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