By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP With the right mindset and a bit of preparation, teaching kids’ Yoga classes can be a wonderful, meaningful experience. Not only do you get to share your love of Yoga with eager young pupils, but you’ll also have more fun than you’ve ever had in the classroom. To [...]
A Yoga teacher has several roles to play, as he or she leads a group of students through a comprehensive sequence of Yoga techniques...
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.
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 [...]
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.
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.
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.
Practicing yoga is a well known method for releasing stress. Lowering stress in your life will help you to speed up your metabolism...
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 [...]
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 [...]