By Faye Martins
When taking your yoga certification course, you might not expect so many people to be stressed out. If you’ve been practicing yoga techniques for years, you might not feel the level of anxiety that you see in others. Regardless of how you handle daily problems, some people walk an emotional tightrope while barely maintaining their sanity. Outside your practice of asana, meditation, and pranayama is one severely stressed-out world. This is another reason private sessions offer our students a refuge.
Why Do Students Want Private Yoga Training Sessions?
People choose private yoga training sessions for various reasons. Some students are unfamiliar with yoga and pranayama and feel more comfortable in a one-on-one setting. Some students might have a specific injury or ailment they are working on, and others prefer a quiet, home setting to practice yoga.
Clients can let the yoga instructor know their particular desires, and he or she can then develop a program to suit their individual needs. Some students want to work on pranayama or breathing techniques. A yoga teacher should carefully develop a program based on the client’s knowledge, experience, and goals.
Know the Student
It’s essential to inquire about the source of the stress the client wants to work on. Is it a daily occurrence? Is it the result of a specific person, even an experience that might be avoided altogether? Find the source of the stress so you can give specific advice on how pranayama can benefit. Encourage your client to release tension with each breath during your meditation sessions. This attitude will eventually transfer to daily life.
Find a Quiet Spot
If you go into the client’s home to teach private sessions, ensure they know ahead of time to secure a quiet, comfortable place for the pranayama. Turn off phones to minimize interruptions during the session. Play soft music to provide a buffer for other minor distractions.
Educate the Student
Explain the importance of breathing and how many of us regularly take it for granted. Encourage the student to take a few deliberate, deep belly breaths to see the immediate effects of such a breath. Then, let your yoga student know the benefits of pranayama, like reduced stress and anxiety, conflict management skills, increased blood flow, and better overall health and well-being. We often take for granted that yoga training brings about states of happiness.
Teach the Techniques
Once there is an initial understanding, teach your yoga student a few easy breathing techniques that he or she can begin to employ regularly. They might start and end the day with a few minutes of breathing or stop breathing during stressful situations. Provide a written handout for the student to refer to at any time, anywhere.
Follow-up with the Student
After a session or two, check in with the student to ensure the pranayama techniques have the desired effects. Ask the client to be honest about what they are feeling and how the meditation is working or not working for them. Then, adjust accordingly to provide clients with a routine that will genuinely work for them.
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