Teaching Students to be Present for Yoga Practice
Yoga posturing is a practice of the body’s core and limbs which work alongside the breath. In a Vinyasa style class, as students move from one position to the next, the yoga instructor will note whether to breathe in or out, for example: “breathe in, upward-facing dog, breathe out, downward-facing dog,” and so on. Breathing in this way with each position allows the body to flow easier and gentler through the positions. This method is especially valuable for beginners who may feel that some of the movements are difficult to master at first. Adding the breath makes each position flow into the next and provides a fluidity that could not be achieved otherwise.