By Faye Martins and Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP
When we think of courage, images of soldiers or firefighters rushing into danger come to mind. Yet, courage does not always look like this. Often, courage is simply getting out of bed in the morning when we’d rather stay in bed and hide under the covers. Another option is putting on a brave face for our kids or loved ones when we’re falling apart inside. No matter what form it takes, courage is always a choice. While we may not always feel courageous, there are certain things we can do to foster courage in ourselves and others.
Initial Steps
To foster courage in our students through yoga postures, we must first empower them. This means teaching them to trust their strength, ability, and judgment. We can do this by breaking down the poses and providing clear instructions on performing them correctly. We should encourage students to listen to their bodies and go at their own pace. By empowering our students, they will feel more confident and capable in their practice. This will enable them to try new things and push themselves out of their comfort zones.
Warrior’s Spirit
As students become more confident in their abilities, they will be better able to handle whatever life throws. Yoga postures are often used as a means to develop a warrior’s spirit. This is because they help to build strength, flexibility, and focus. When performed with proper breath control, yoga postures can also help to calm the nervous system and bring about a sense of inner peace. In order to teach yoga classes that foster courage, it is important to focus on developing a warrior’s spirit through yoga postures. One way to do this is by incorporating sun salutations into the class. Sun salutations are a series of yoga poses that are traditionally done at sunrise. They are a great way to build heat in the body and get the energy flowing.
Yoga Poses for Empowerment
One of the benefits of practicing yoga poses is finding techniques that promote courage. Here are five yoga poses that can help you cultivate empowerment in your life:
1. Camel Pose (Ustrasana) This pose opens up the chest and heart, promoting confidence and courage. It can be challenging for some people to get into this pose, but that’s part of what makes it so powerful. Overcoming the challenges of posture itself can help us overcome challenges in our lives outside of yoga class.
2. Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I) This powerful pose helps us tap into our inner strength and warrior spirit. It requires us to focus and be present in the moment, which can be helpful when facing difficult situations. The physical challenge of the pose also helps us build mental and emotional strength.
3. Warrior II Pose: This pose helps to build courage by teaching you how to be powerful and assertive like a warrior. It also helps to increase stamina and vitality.
4. Lion Pose: This pose is known as a “King of the Jungle” pose and helps you tap into your inner power, strength, and courage. It also helps to improve your breathing capacity.
5. Cobra Pose: This pose helps to open up your heart center and allows you to access your inner strength and courage. It also helps to improve your flexibility.
Facing Fear
When we face our fears, we build courage. This is true in life, and it’s true in yoga class, too. Regular yoga practice can help us become more aware of the fears that hold us back so that we can begin to work through them. Working through worries on the mat, we can bring that same courage off the mat and into our everyday lives. There are a few ways that yoga poses can help to foster courage. First, they can help us to get in touch with our breath. Our breath is a powerful tool that can help us stay present and grounded when we’re afraid. Second, yoga poses can help us to develop a stronger mind-body connection.
Cultivating a Sense of Community
When we’re more aware of our bodies, we’re better able to listen to what they’re telling us. This can be helpful when we’re feeling triggered by something and need to check in with ourselves to see if we’re truly in danger or if it’s just our fear trying to take over. Last, practicing yoga poses can help cultivate community and support. When we show up for ourselves on our mats, we send the message that we’re worth taking care of. This can inspire us to reach out for support from others when we need it and to offer support to others when they need it.
© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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Related Resources
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Are you interested in how to become a certified hatha yoga teacher? See our selection of affordable yoga instructor training intensive courses.
About Teaching Yoga Classes that Foster Courage
By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed.
Throughout the ages, there have been innumerable stories of individuals who faced their fears and surmounted unbelievable odds to achieve their ultimate goals. These goals are far-ranging. Some examples of courageous individuals who achieved their goals with courage and persistence are the first blind man to climb Mt. Everest and a veteran who is a certified Bikram Yoga instructor, even though he is a double amputee. Iyengar, credited with being one of the very first teachers to bring the practice to the west, healed himself of a disabling physical condition through the rigorous and dedicated practice of Yoga postures.
Development of Courage
So practicing Yoga postures that foster courage has a long and illustrious background! The noble quality of courage is highly regarded in Indian culture and in many myths and stories that have been told in various cultures throughout the ages. Another example of the high regard for the development of courage is the Native American practice of sending a young adolescent on a vision quest. During this traditional four-day time period, the young person fasts and spends four entire days and nights alone in a specified sacred circle of only fifteen feet or so, usually on a mountaintop.
Development of Courage
The Vision Quest tradition allows enough time and solitude for the young person on a quest to become aware of his or her fears, strengths, and weaknesses. In the same way, by spending a dedicated amount of time on a Yoga mat several times a week, a practitioner can become intimately aware of his or her strengths, weaknesses, and individual ways of perceiving experiences as they arise. As different sensations, emotions, and methods of perceiving the world become apparent; a Yogin can learn how to approach various situations by tapping into a range of noble qualities, such as gratitude and courage.
Emotional States
As a certified Yoga teacher, you can structure your classes so that the asanas, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques you offer your students generate different emotional states. Many vinyasas are particularly suited to leading your students into a courageous and optimistic state of being. Simply completing a Yoga class may be enough for many of your students to feel expansive, courageous, and confident in their increasing abilities on the mat.
Beyond Limitations
For other Yoga students, offering challenging asanas during your class that is “on their edge” will help to facilitate further awareness of their preconceived limitations and how to overcome them. At times, the most optimal and safest way for these students to overcome their physical limitations on the mat may be to back off and practice a more moderate version of a challenging Yoga posture. At other times, pushing past their fears and attempting to do a challenging asana in a safe and monitored fashion will facilitate both courage and confidence in their expanding abilities on the Yoga mat.
Handstand as a Benchmark
Handstand is one of the most challenging arm balancing postures, which often elicits fear in the hearts of many beginning and intermediate Yoga students. This challenging arm balance can be practiced initially on the wall so that a student develops the requisite upper body strength, balance, and coordination to practice the posture in the middle of the room without the support of the wall. When you teach handstands to your students, you may find that many students can practice the posture safely and successfully with your support.
Dolphin for Foundational Work
Other Yoga students may benefit from the preliminary practice of Dolphin Pose until they develop the strength and flexibility to hold Handstand without duress. Over time, many of your students will develop the confidence and physical strength to practice Handstand on or off the wall comfortably. As their physical abilities increase on the mat, cultivating a courageous “can do” attitude is instilled. During their Yoga practice accomplishments will positively impact how they relate to the obstacles and challenges they face daily.
© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
Do you want to become a mindfulness meditation teacher?
Please visit the following link to see our selection of Yoga instructor courses and continuing education courses.
https://aurawellnesscenter.com/store/
Click here to see our online Yoga Nidra teacher training course.
Are you an experienced teacher looking for YACEP credits or continuing education?
Subscribe to Our Newsletter for Special Discounts and New Products
Related Resources
52 Essential Principles of Yoga Philosophy to Deepen your Practice
by Rina Jakubowicz
A Relaxing Way to De-stress, Re-energize, and Find Balance
by: Gail Boorstein Grossman
YOGA: THE PATH TO HOLISTIC HEALTH
by B.K.S. Iyengar
TEACHING YOGA: Essential Foundations and Techniques
By Mark Stephens
Are you interested in how to become a certified hatha yoga teacher? See our selection of affordable yoga instructor training intensive courses.
By spending a dedicated amount of time on a Yoga mat several times a week, a practitioner has the opportunity to become intimately aware of his or her strengths, weaknesses and individual ways of perceiving experiences as they arise. Thanks for sharing this valuable article.
Offering challenging asanas during the course of yoga class that are “on students edge” will help to further facilitate an awareness of students preconceived limitations and how to overcome those limitations.
A beautiful article, Paul, and particularly timely since a few of my students are dealing with fear due to some issues in their lives. I am always mindful of compassion…your words are such an encouragement and I will use them on their behalf. As always, thank you!
I enjoyed your tutorial as always!! Thank you!!