Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, Author at Yoga Teacher Training Blog

What is the Purpose of Japa?

In order to maintain a strong connection with the divine energy in one’s own heart, many spiritual teachers or Gurus have recommended the practice of japa. This practice entails the silent or barely audible repetition of a sacred mantra. The practice of japa is well known in Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism. Japa is similar to praying the Rosary in Catholicism, although it is slightly different. During the practice of japa, the repetition of a sacred mantra or phrase clears the subtle pathways in a Yogi or Yogini’s energy body, known in Sanskrit as nadis.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-05-13T07:14:51-04:00Categories: Mantras and Japa|Tags: Aum Namah Shivaya, increase in vital life force energy, Japa creates background noise, label your classes accordingly in your descriptions, mantra initiation from the master, primary goals of yoga practice, repetition of a sacred mantra, sense of despondency, some students will reject mantra|0 Comments

Teaching Outdoor Yoga Cultivates Gratitude

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Teaching outdoor Yoga classes can be a special treat depending on your climate. During the balmy days of summer, teaching classes outside can easily facilitate a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds us. If you live in a temperate climate zone in the United States, you [...]

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-05-05T20:02:32-04:00Categories: Yoga Class|Tags: beautiful and good things, beautiful natural environment, give back to their community, keep a gratitude journal, move with their breath, outdoor Yoga classes, simple affirmation, teach classes outside|4 Comments

Teaching Yoga: Sharing your Story

Regardless of the goal, desire or dream, the belief in a better future is a common theme that runs through all of these aspirations. If you are teaching Yoga classes, the aspiration of your students to be able to flow seamlessly through a series of challenging postures, or to hold Upward Facing Bow comfortably for five full breaths, is grounded in the basic desire to increase his or her overall level of strength and flexibility.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-05-04T12:42:40-04:00Categories: How to Teach Yoga|Tags: beloved Yoga teachers of our time, experiences in class, goals off the Yoga mat, overall level of strength and flexibility, share with your students, sustaining overall health and well-being, the aspiration of your students, you will be supporting them|3 Comments

The Cube of Yoga Instruction

There is much more to yoga instruction than we can fit into four neat categories. On the other hand, breaking the work down into four parts can be a digestible model for teachers to more insightfully reflect upon, and from that grow in, what we offer. Perhaps we realize that our students would benefit from more of our own demonstration, or that we’re keen observers – but could use work on how we craft our verbal instruction. Feedback from students and fellow instructors can aid in that growth process.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-05-03T12:13:05-04:00Categories: How to Teach Yoga|Tags: break down yoga instruction actions, cube of yoga instruction, digestible model for teachers, exercises might be contraindicated, join their students, make our instruction successful, make the best of it, offer verbal guidance, open up conversation, sense of personal accomplishment, thorough preparation|3 Comments

What is the Best Yoga School?

The atmosphere in a yoga school contributes a lot toward the overall effectiveness of the class. If the studio environment is too cold, cluttered, smelly or generally unkempt, it will take away from the students' experience with yoga training. The school should address a number of concerns to keep the students comfortable and allow the yoga teacher to do his or her best teaching.

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-02-26T09:01:26-05:00Categories: Yoga Schools, YOGA TEACHING|Tags: atmosphere in a yoga school, decor should be simple and gender-neutral, lights can be dimmed as the class comes to an end, students are scrunched together, warm enough during meditation sessions, yoga instructor's voice|2 Comments

Practice Yoga to Raise Metabolism by Lowering Stress Levels

Practicing yoga is a well known method for releasing stress. Lowering stress in your life will help you to speed up your metabolism...

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-02-18T13:23:15-05:00Categories: Stress Management|Tags: leptin receptors in the hypothalamus, lowering your stress levels through exercise, metabolic syndrome, predisposition towards heart disease|2 Comments

About Yoga With Goats

https://youtu.be/C9A0AxoleGA By Michael Gleason Many yoga poses are named after animals – pigeon, down-dog, and cobra – but only recently have live animals been incorporated into the practice itself. Enter yoga with goats. What started in Oregon and Arizona is moving across the United States. First, this is the chance to become more connected [...]

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002021-01-10T11:48:38-05:00Categories: Announcements|Tags: connected with your animal spirit, goats and kids, spirit animals, stay connected, watching them frolic|0 Comments

Yoga Students and Comparisons to Instructors

By Kathryn Boland You're Not Me - Avoiding Students Comparisons to Instructors Have you noticed students making comparisons to instructors in yoga practice - in less obvious signs (such as glances and facial expressions) or more directly (such as clear verbal statements)? Do you wonder how best to balance modeling mindful, strong and anatomically informed [...]

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002017-04-26T15:29:55-04:00Categories: Announcements|Tags: attitudes and perseverance, demonstrating as instructors, demonstrating postures, devalue their own abilities, paragons of yoga knowledge, positive examples, student comparisons, variations of certain postures|1 Comment

What Doctors Should Know about Yoga

Yoga is being studied more and more, following an explosion of interest in it over the last ten years. As a result, experienced yoga...

Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 5002019-08-18T12:26:55-04:00Categories: YOGA BY CONDITION|Tags: about yoga, doctors shoulld know about yoga, know about yoga, what doctors should know, yogic practices|5 Comments

Celebrating Life with Yoga: A Metaphorical Journey

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. What can Yoga Teach us about celebrating life? For the past twenty-five years, I have been diligently practicing Yoga several times a week. I began to practice Yoga when I developed severe lower back problems in my mid-twenties. One day, as I was walking across a city park in Denver, the [...]