Five Objections to Yoga Class
We all know a friend who would love Yoga, if she just gave it a chance. Here are five of the most common complaints that people have…
About Becoming a Yoga Instructor
Many Hatha Yoga styles provide a basic framework for yoga teacher training, which suggests that a teacher complete a minimum of 200…
Teaching Sitting Postures of Hatha Yoga
The sitting postures of Hatha Yoga are important as ideal postures for a correct practice of Pranayama and meditation, apart from limbering legs and hips, strengthening the back and improving the posture. They are the most efficient postures of the body to allow psychophysical energy to flow freely with maximum relief of tension.
Common Yoga Student Misalignments
Yoga has been known to improve flexibility, strengthen muscles, and enhance balance. However, if practiced incorrectly yoga can do more damage to the body than good. Misaligned poses can lead to injuries ranging from aching joints to pulled muscles. “Yoga injuries are often a result of not knowing or realizing your body’s limitations.”
Creativity in Yoga Sequencing
Generally speaking, most people are not used to sitting cross-legged. If you have problems with your knees, stiff hips, lower back pain you will find it easier to sit on a cushion with your legs stretched out in front of you. Alternatively, you can always practice yoga seated on a chair. If you are nervous about sitting on the floor, have a quiet word with your Yoga teacher before the class and she can advise you on different easy seated yoga postures.
Designing a Hatha Yoga Class or Session
Let us look at some ways to group techniques, within a Yoga class, and keep them interesting for each session. Please keep in mind that there are thousands of ways to design lesson plans. The only time a lesson plan is wrong is if it can potentially hurt a student.
Understanding a Good Yoga Class
Patanjali Yoga Sutra explains Raja Yoga. The Gheranda Samhita and Hatha Yoga Prathipika advocate Hatha Yoga before Raja Yoga. The reason for this as explained in the Gheranda Samhita, is that a person should attain control of the body, before he or she can begin exercises in control of the mind.
Many Paths of Teaching Yoga
I used to think that in order to teach yoga I had to know everything there is to know about yoga. How limiting is that? That assumption overwhelmed me so much that I almost gave up on the whole idea of teaching in the first place. The big huge world of yoga knowledge was just too vast, and sometimes confusing that I wondered how many teacher trainings I would have to take before I “felt” ready. Yet this is not something that can be taught in teacher training.
Confessions of a Yoga Teacher
The benefits of Yoga training have always existed, through steady and safe practice. Seek out a safe teacher and go from there. Never push…