Dr. Paul Jerard E-RYT 500 speaks to you about the value of the Sun Salutations and common adjustments which are sometimes needed. Demonstrations by Yong Yang. Lecture 1 | Lecture 2 | Lecture 3 Standing Postures 1 | Standing Postures 2 | Sun Salutations
The cost of becoming a yoga instructor varies by the school and the qualifications required of instructors. To become a yoga teacher in specialized schools like Bikram or Iyengar can cost much more than training for certifications at other schools.
Kirtan and swadhaya are both Bhakti Yoga practices. Bhakti Yoga originated thousands of years ago in ancient India. It is one of the…
One of the best ways to address the particular challenge of teaching Yoga to kids is to incorporate stories into the class. Not only does weaving stories into the series engage the attention of children, but it also encourages them to focus their minds on something external, which can naturally help to settle the excess energy of children. Yoga stories are also particularly well-adapted for pose changes within a series and can aid a Yoga instructor in shortening posture holds for children.
A keenly developed sense of viveka allows a Yoga practitioner to discern between the preyas and shreyas. In Yogic philosophy, the preyas refer to actions and thoughts that are enticing and pleasurable in the short term, but are harmful in the long run. Shreyas, on the other hand, are actions and thoughts that are filled with nobility and divinity. Some of the virtues of the shreyas are compassion, love, sacrifice, and dharmic livelihood. Shreyas enhance spiritual growth.
Spring is the time for changes and nothing freshens up a Yoga practice like changes and challenges. If your classes or your own practice…
Be flexible with the yoga class format while teaching kids. Let the kids have as much fun as they are willing to have. Yoga teachers should keep the class loosely structured, allowing it to flow in any direction the kids take it. For example, if they are super engaged in a silly story, tell another one, even if it doesn’t quite follow your plan.
According to William Broad, author of The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards, Headstand is one of the most risky poses yoga offers. He notes that any pose like Headstand, which can torque the neck, can tear arterial linings, causing blood clots and, ultimately, strokes.
When you find a spiritual path and teacher that resonates deeply within you, and you experience beneficial fruits from following the Guru’s teachings and spiritual practices, you may want to consider engaging in the Bhakti Yoga practice of Atma-Nivedana. This practice can be internal and/or external.
In Bhakti Yoga, you have to recondition the existing human nature and channel all the forces that flow out to converge at a single point of focus. That point can be called God, the force of creation; it can be called Guru, the energy which removes ignorance and darkness; it can be called love, Prem.