Posts Tagged ‘yoga teacher’

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Teaching Yoga: The Power of Observation

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

yoga teacherBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Although a Hatha Yoga teacher must be able to teach a variety of poses (asanas), practice many forms of meditation, and understand the inner workings of Yogic breathing techniques (pranayama), one of the most difficult parts of the job description is observing the class.

It takes a combination of experience, knowledge, and intuition to share concise instructions and ensure each Yoga practitioners’ safety. Good Yoga teachers spend as much, or more, time watching their students as they do demonstrating techniques and postures.

While observation looks simple, it requires a fine balance of attention to individual needs, execution of postures, classroom atmosphere, and safety precautions. In order to have a well-rounded class curriculum, Yoga instructors must simultaneously consider all of these.

Why Observation Is Important in Yoga Classes

• Successful Yoga teachers share information with the entire class while meeting each student on a personal level. Ideally, every person should leave the Yoga studio feeling the lesson targeted his or her specific needs.

• Yoga instructors have a tremendous responsibility to see that every student is safe. This requires knowledge of personal health histories, the risks and cautions related to each activity, and an understanding of the capability of everyone in the class.

• Yoga teachers who are sensitive to students’ learning styles, personalities, and skill levels instinctively know which ones are hesitant to try new techniques and poses or take on new challenges. Some people like risks while others mentally and physically freeze if they feel rushed; some learn best by listening, and others are more adept at listening or observing.

• Yoga incorporates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, which can be a huge amount of information. Often, teachers are stronger in one of these areas than they are in others. A Yoga teacher who recognizes a student’s strengths is better prepared to offer encouragement and praise.

• Observation is the only way for teachers to monitor students’ progress, correct alignment, minimize the chance of injury, and establish a practice of good habits. Learning the proper techniques for Yogic breathing, meditating, and practicing asanas is a basic foundation of student growth and success.

Conclusion

For Yoga instructors, observation is much like mindfulness. When teachers pay attention and let go of the need to control or judge, the studio transforms into a place where students gain confidence, poise, and serenity. As a result, every person leaves thinking he or she was in a class designed just for him or her.

As teachers, we must strive for a balance between the controlling instructor, who has to assist everyone in the class, and the teacher who has a fear of leaving his or her mat. Observation by “walking the room” at times when you cannot see all of your students is the answer.

© 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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Kinesiology Education for Yoga Teachers

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Kinesiology is the study of movement. It includes the study of all of the physiological mechanisms of the body. The study of kinetics is important in educational disciplines such as rehabilitation therapy, sports medicine, exercise, biomechanics, and orthopedics. Since Hatha Yoga is based on movement, it makes perfect sense that someone specializing in teaching a physical form of Yoga would be knowledgeable about the kinetics of the body.

More specifically, kinesiology is the scientific study of the body’s bones, joints, tissues, nerves, and muscles. The practice of Yoga focuses largely on moving the body into positions, which will strengthen and lengthen the joints and muscles. It seems that kinetics and Yoga go hand in hand. When you are teaching Yoga, you are teaching your students how to safely move the body into specific postures for specific results. A Yoga teacher must be knowledgeable about the way the different parts of the body work in conjunction with each other.

Imagine a scenario where you are teaching a class full of beginners how to perform Triangle pose for the first time. You will make sure that students get into a wide stance with proper alignment, and then turn the toes out to the proper degrees. Then students must focus on their hips, keeping them squared forward, and practice moving from the hips as opposed to leading with the shoulders or another body part. Once the hips are in place, students must reach with top arm upward, shoulders down and back. Finally, the Yoga instructor must convey how to reach out and down toward the front foot, while reaching up to the ceiling, opening up the chest, and cast the gaze upward.

That one pose covered nearly the whole body, from toes to head. As students learn to go into the pose, the Yoga instructor needs to be able to understand student limitations and adjust bodies accordingly. This not only requires knowledge of the pose itself, but knowledge of how the body works. If a student experiences pain or discomfort due to a pose, it is the Yoga instructor’s job to tweak the body to alleviate the discomfort. This requires knowledge of body kinetics.

Kinetic knowledge is crucial background information for Yoga instructors. Although you might not always teach your students about specific tissues or joints, it is important in forming a general understanding of how human bodies work. One of the aspects of Hatha Yoga is to become more in touch with our bodies, so it just makes sense that a Yoga teacher should know the scientific ins and outs of the body.

© 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 Teacher Training and Internet Technology

Monday, January 30th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Bhavan Kumar

Internet technology has made it possible for many more Yoga practitioners to participate in a Yoga teacher training program in their own homes, at their own pace and in an affordable fashion. Traditionally, Yoga teacher training programs required the dedication of a substantial amount of time and money. An aspiring Yoga teacher may even have traveled to India to study with a Yogacharya such as B.K.S. Iyengar or Patti Jois, one of the founders of Ashtanga Yoga, for a substantial length of time.

With the advent of Internet technology, a Yoga practitioner may engage in learning the art of teaching Yoga in their own home. With all of the obligations and commitments we all juggle on a daily basis, it may not be possible for an individual to take time out of his or her life to participate in a residential Yoga teacher training program of thirty days or longer. It may be even less possible to travel outside the country for an extended stay in an ashram or monastery to learn the finer points of Yogic philosophy. Internet technology, including video and audio classes and conferences, makes it possible to engage in the study and practice of Yoga teaching from any location throughout the world with Internet access.

The utilization of Internet technology in venue of online Yoga teacher training programs also makes it possible for a Yoga practitioner to study the art and science of teaching Yoga at his or her own pace. Every individual who is aspiring to become a Yoga instructor has a unique story. This story may be one of great physical training and prowess or profound physical challenge. Regardless of an individual’s level of physical mastery of the asanas, studying to become a Yoga instructor through an online program will allow that individual to perfect the asanas within the context of his or her own life and physical ability.

Residential Yoga teacher training programs can also be quite costly. The tuition alone may be several thousand dollars. When the tuition and the fees for room and board are combined, the cost of a residential program may be beyond the means of many aspiring Yoga teachers. The use of Internet technology to disseminate ancient Yogic teachings to aspiring Yoga teachers allows many more individuals to pursue a Yoga teacher certification. In combination with some weekend workshops at a local Yoga studio and student teaching hours, an online Yoga teacher training program will give you a firm foundation to begin a career as a teacher.

© 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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Teaching Yoga: Benefits of Yoga Props

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

yoga instructor courseBy Narendra Maheshri

There is an attitude that a few Yoga teachers have in regard to the use of props. This attitude is based on intolerance for new students and students with special needs. Maybe the Yoga teacher has not received in-depth training of anatomy, or a compassion chip, but arrogant yoga instructors should label their craft accordingly.

Some suggestions would be sauna stretch, extreme stretch and torture, hardcore boot camp stretching, or no pain no gain stretching. By discarding the word “yoga,” there is no deception. A new student would realize that there is as much risk of injury in a class with these yoga teachers as there is in a boxing ring.

Why Yoga Props Make Sense

Newcomers to yoga will find certain props invaluable, especially in the beginning when muscles are tight and rigid. At first, there may be a significance dependence on props that will decrease as flexibility increases. The greatest benefit to using yoga props, is they improve the quality of the pose which creates a better stretch.

Yoga Mats

A mat is probably the most useful of all yoga props. The purpose of a yoga mat is to provide a non-slip surface to stand on while performing yoga poses. A yoga mat protects feet from unwanted movement or slippage while holding a pose. This is instrumental in avoiding injury from slipping. A yoga mat may be used to cover another prop, like yoga block, to provide a non-slip surface. The importance of a yoga mat is creates a safe foundation when practicing yoga.

Yoga Blocks

Yoga block are extremely useful props, especially for beginners who don’t have much stretch and extension at first. A well-placed yoga block can extend the reach of an arm reaching to touch the floor when performing a wide leg stretch with a forward bend like in a triangle pose. Using a yoga block can create a deeper stretch without fear of injury. A yoga block can help maintain balance while posing, give support in a seated twist, or help maintain balance during a pose.

Yoga Straps

Yoga straps are indispensable when performing a seated forward stretch to the toes. Tight hamstrings may make it too difficult to reach the toes. Feeding a yoga strap around the toes and holding the ends of the strap in each hand will aid and enhance the stretch gently until the hamstrings loosen. Placing the strap around the toes anchors the yoga strap so the ends can be pulled to increase the stretch from the hips bending forward. A yoga strap aids stretching and holding yoga poses without straining. This makes it easy to push limits and improve yoga poses resulting in greatly improved flexibility.

Yoga Blankets

A yoga blanket may be used to comfort and support the body with a variety of yoga poses. The blanket can be folded and used to sit on to ease the strain of several seated poses, allowing the pose to be held longer with a deeper stretch. A yoga blanket can be folded or rolled to support the back or neck with poses that stress those areas. This is a versatile prop because it can be folded and shaped to suit almost any pose.

What are the Benefits?

Practicing asana, meditation, and pranayama without an injury is what we want for our students.  Some people cannot sit with their legs crossed on the floor.  In that case, we have to find a solution.  As Paulji often stresses, “Hatha Yoga is adapted to the needs of the individual student.”  Our students take yoga classes to have better health and props insure the experience is a good one.  Our objective is no yoga injuries at all.

© 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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Teaching Yoga and Finding a Mentor

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

One of the ways that Yoga teachers grow, and learn, in their profession is by finding a mentor. A mentor teacher is usually someone with a few more years of experience; someone who excels at what they do; and someone wishing to enrich the teaching skills of a younger Yoga instructor.

Teaching Yoga requires a complex set of skills, knowledge, and methods that are best learned through practice. The best Yoga teachers improve, and progress, as they gain experience in the studio or ashram. A mentor teacher can provide valuable advice and knowledge to less experienced instructors, and a place for the new Yoga teacher to voice frustrations and concerns.

Find a mentor that you admire. Usually, you can spot mentor-worthy Yoga teachers by the way they run their class, the way their students feel about them, or by the way they make you feel when interacting with them. Approach a potential mentor by letting them know how you admire their teaching methods, and how you aspire to be able to teach in a manner that is similar to theirs. Ask if they would be interested in mentoring you, as you begin your journey as a Yoga instructor.

You might begin by asking to observe their class. Focus your observation on one thing at a time. One class you might hone-in on is how your mentor interacts with students, and during another, you might consider the cues given for each pose. Take notes as you observe, noting methods or comments you liked, and any questions you have for your mentor. Spend time after class discussing ideas. Have an open mind, and try to absorb all the advice you can. Although you won’t use all the ideas your mentor gives you, eventually, you will assimilate all of these skills with your own Yoga practice.

You can also ask your mentor to watch you, in action, while teaching. Ask him or her to note anything that didn’t quite work, or any concerns they see in your practice. Be willing to take criticism and advice – knowing that it will help you become a better teacher in the long run.

If you approach a skilled Yoga instructor about being a mentor, and they are not interested, just find another. It is important for the mentor-student relationship to be a willing relationship on both parts. The mentor must be willing to spend extra time with you – to nurture your growing skills as a Yoga teacher.

© 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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Interpersonal Skills of a Yoga Teacher

Saturday, January 21st, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 

Students attending a Yoga class expect to find a calm, comfortable environment; a warm, inviting space, soft music, and quiet voices. They expect to be greeted with a smile by the Yoga instructor, as well as the other students. Yoga students often form relationships, based upon the mutual interest in Yoga and wellness. This entire atmosphere is created and nurtured by the instructor. The Yoga teacher sets the tone for the entire class through his or her own methods of interpersonal communication.

Therefore, it is important that the Yoga teacher has a set of interpersonal skills that are role model worthy. Although Yoga teachers spend much of the class talking by giving cues, information, and reminders, it is also important for them to be active listeners. Teachers need to tune-in to the needs and personalities of their students in order to serve them well during class. Students want to feel like valued members of the group, and Yoga teachers can support this need by listening.

Yoga instructors also need to work on their tone of voice. They should deliver material in a voice that is calm and even. It must be loud enough for everyone to hear, but not so loud that it changes the calming atmosphere of the room. Many Yoga instructors deliver cues in a lilting voice that can encourage students to go deeper into a state of relaxation. It is fine to laugh and have fun during Yoga class, while keeping the structure of class intact.

Body language is an integral part of non-verbal communication. Instructors need to convey a welcoming spirit through body language. They should avoid crossing their arms, instead placing them loosely at their sides when talking with students before and after class. It is also important to maintain eye contact when speaking individually with students, and always scan the room making eye contact with students while teaching class.

The actions and words of a Yoga teacher should convey respect toward the students. Instructors should never boast, or demean students in any way. A modest approach is best, where the instructor imparts his or her knowledge of Yoga while remaining humble.

Even if these skills do not come naturally, they can be developed and honed by Yoga instructors who are eager to succeed. It can help to watch more experienced instructors during their classes to observe how they interact with students. Allow your own personality to shine as well, but make sure you are always communicating in a way that is open, comfortable, and friendly.

© 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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Advice for New Yoga Teachers

Friday, January 20th, 2012

yoga teacher trainingBy Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500

When all the training and preparation is complete, the final step to becoming a full fledged yoga teacher is to successfully teach that first class. Even with all the groundwork laid out, the first classes can be daunting. Paulji once told me, “Embrace this moment, soon you will be so busy teaching your students that you will forget to be nervous.”

The first thing is to keep the focus on the students, not you. At the end of the day it’s not about you; it’s all about them. By keeping the right attitude and paying the utmost attention to being of service to others, a lot of pressure to perform perfectly is eliminated. This leads to classes that are satisfying and fulfilling for the students that will hopefully make up your long term clientele.

In addition to always keeping your focus on being of service to others, also strive to be genuine. There are lots of yoga classes out there and the thing that’s going to set yourself and your class apart is the unique perspective and style that you as an individual yoga teacher have. No one sees your students in quite the same way as you do, and for some people your insight and perspective is going to fit their physical, spiritual and emotional needs perfectly. Not everyone is going to find your own personal brand of yoga to be a good fit for them, and that’s okay. You want to attract a clientele of students who are like minded and share the same goals and style as you do. You can’t make a class fit everybody, and if you tried, your teaching style would be generic and uninspired. Be yourself, and let your students do the same. This builds up a clientele that’s like a supportive community!

As a new yoga teacher, you may feel like you need to always have all the answers all of the time. Instead, view teaching as a learning opportunity for yourself as well. Looking at your time with each student as an opportunity for learning keeps teachers from becoming rigid and makes them more open minded. It also makes the teacher seem more confident and capable as well, because only those who are confident and self-possessed will be open to learning from their own students. You might be all nerves inside, but your students will see you as a confident and capable instructor who is self-assured and secure in their knowledge. Talk about getting off on the right foot!

Completing your yoga teacher training is not the end of your educational experience by any means, and as a new yoga teacher your first classes will be rich opportunities for learning and growth as an instructor. This part of your career only happens once, so be sure to live in the moment and enjoy it! If you’re having a good time, you can bet your students are too.

© 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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Teaching Yoga: Communication Skills

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

yoga teacherBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Communication skills are an integral part of teaching Yoga. A Yoga teacher needs to be able to convey a body of knowledge and skills to his or her students in an effective manner. It is not enough to simply know the material inside and out, a teacher must be able to give the knowledge to the students in a useful way. When teaching Yoga, the instructor must be able to model the poses, describe them, and help the students execute them effectively. Communication lies at the heart of being able to teach others about Yoga.

Direct cues and comments are best while teaching in a Yoga session. Students are generally focused on the Yoga instructor only briefly, and then the focus changes to their own bodies. When we analyze a flowing asana practice, students must learn how to flow in and out of postures easily, while getting the benefits each pose offers. If a pose is new for the student, they will focus on the teacher to get proper form, but when students are comfortable with each pose, Yoga class becomes more personal and reflective for the individual.

Yoga teachers also need to approach students in a friendly, non-intimidating manner. Students should feel comfortable enough to ask questions, or ask for assistance throughout class. If the Yoga instructor presents him or herself as unapproachable, this may work for some students, but in the long run this tactic will most likely lose the respect of students who want to learn the deeper aspects of Yoga.

Body language plays an important role in communication. It includes eye contact, posture, gestures, and facial expressions. Yoga instructors should work to make eye contact with students when talking to them individually, as well as while addressing the entire class. Body gestures should remain open and inviting. Avoid crossing your arms, looking away, appearing agitated or distracted. Make your students feel welcome and valued during each Yoga class by smiling and keeping the atmosphere relaxed.

Voice tone and volume are important for establishing a pleasant environment for practicing Yoga. Students generally expect the room to be quiet and calm, which lends itself to quiet voices. The instructor needs to make her or himself heard, of course, but do so in a voice that is not too loud or brash. Vary the tone of your voice when giving cues to provide a relaxing environment. Certain Yoga poses need more explanation than others, including postures you are introducing for the first time. Use a slightly louder voice when teaching students something new. Remember that silence is okay, too, and many people crave that about Yoga class. Do not feel as if you need to fill every second with advice, knowledge, or cues.

© 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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Teaching Yoga: When to Assist

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

yoga certificationBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are several aspects to teaching Yoga. Instructors must first know all the postures and how to perform them; they must know the correct verbal cues; understand the benefits and risks associated with each pose; be able to convey the philosophies and techniques of Yoga concisely, and be a positive role model to students. As a Yoga teacher, you have a responsibility to your students to provide them with a positive, informative, and uplifting experience with Yoga. Sometimes, this involves correcting students’ postures when they are performing them incorrectly.

Knowing when to help out your students, during class, comes with experience. After careful observation, you will begin to realize that not all Yoga students need immediate correction of postures. If given time and verbal cues by the instructor, many students will be able to fix minor errors in positioning without assistance. Some students need some extra instruction, modeling, or physical guidance. Knowing who these students are, and when to help them, is a finely-tuned skill.

It is not always necessary to point out all mistakes. People will often catch their own mistakes, once they gain experience with the poses, and begin to learn how each pose should feel. Beginners often flail around a bit, simply because of their lack of experience with Yoga asana practice.  An instructor, who is constantly correcting everything students do, might turn them off from Yoga completely, or give the impression that it is too hard for them to succeed.

On the other hand, someone who struggles with a pose, receiving no assistance, might feel unimportant or let down by the Yoga teacher. Yoga instructors must really tune in to their students to understand who to help and when. If a student is obviously struggling with a pose, go over to their mat and offer advice, or guide them into the pose with gentle hands. If you are introducing a new pose, walk around to get a look at everyone, giving guidance as necessary. Always speak calmly and quietly, and adjust poses to the best of the student’s ability.

Always, immediately, assist someone who is experiencing extreme discomfort or pain.  Without using words, many people will ask for help as needed. Pick up on the cues the student is giving. If they seem to welcome your advice, keep giving it. If they tend to pull back or become embarrassed by your help, give them the necessary space. Always remind your students to do what feels right and good for their bodies, and not to worry so much about getting the Yoga poses “right.”

© 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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The Importance of Verbal Guidance in Yoga

Sunday, January 15th, 2012

yoga distance learningBy Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga is such a calming, rejuvenating experience; it is often nice to practice in silence. You can focus on breathing, hearing the air enter and leave your body. You can quiet your mind, allowing your thoughts to come in, then go out with the breath. When you are practicing Yoga by yourself, it is feasible to do it in silence. When you are teaching a group, however, the verbal cues you give are an integral part of a Yoga class. Experienced students may not need any prompting or advice on flowing through a series of poses, but others need those cues in order to practice the postures correctly and safely.  To some Yoga students, your words create a picture within their minds.

To demonstrate the importance of verbal guidance in Yoga, picture Mountain pose. To most novices, it looks as though you are standing there, arms at your sides, looking straight ahead.  Yet, any Yoga instructor knows there is so much more going on within the body than simply standing there. The shoulders are pressed down, with the shoulder blades pressing back, the feet are planted firmly, weight is distributed evenly, the spine is as straight as possible, and your gaze rests in one spot. In order to correctly perform Mountain pose, there is a lot that needs to be said. The same is true for the other postures.

Yoga instructors should try to be concise when giving verbal cues. This comes with practice, and by imitating what more experienced instructors say. Try not to falter with your words; give short, clear explanations that lead your students into each pose. When you demonstrate a pose, students can learn a lot by looking at your body. However, some things are hard to see, such as the act of straightening your spine, lowering your shoulders, and expanding or contracting your abdomen.

Remember to speak in terms that the entire group of students will understand. It’s fine to use the Sanskrit names, but teach the students as you go, by giving reminders. There is no need to speak elaborately. Students, who are taking Yoga sessions, in order to relax and unwind at the end of a long day, will appreciate few words that are spoken concisely.

The words you speak, as well as the way you say them, will set the tone for the class. Speak softly, and use “soft” phrases when reminding students to breathe, or go deeper into an asana. For example, “Take a deep breath.” or “Reach a little farther.” sound a bit like commands.  However, “Breathing deeply,” or “Reaching farther,” have a softer delivery.  Like so many other aspects of becoming a great Yoga teacher, your verbal guidance will improve as you do.

© 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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