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By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What should teacher know beyond how to run a class? At the very least, a Yoga teacher should have knowledge of the latest trends in classes, and the latest continuing education options for teachers. If something does appeal to you, there are many different continuing education options available for experienced teachers. There are a number of workshops, seminars, and camps around the world for interns and established teachers.

By Azahar Aguilar Life breath, life energy, life force. Pranayama is the vital energy behind a yoga asana practice, and instructors have the opportunity in every class to make time for the basics, if not more advanced techniques as well. Wonderful moments exist at the beginning, middle or end of a practice, no matter the style of class, which offer space for the instructor to speak on the importance of pranayama, and the tools that guide prana energy.

By Faye Martins The human back is a miraculous assembly of bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves. Backs should be both incredibly strong and supremely flexible at the same time. The back supports the whole body from the neck, through the upper back into the lower and then to the bottom of the spine. We use it for every single movement we make. If your back is hurting nothing seems to go right. Your back is the entire support system for your body and keeping it strong and supple is important for your overall wellbeing.

By Seema Deshpande Have you ever felt like your stomach has been set on fire? Have you ever experienced a super burning sensation in your chest, which gradually moves up to your throat? If you answered yes, you are most likely witnessing the symptoms of acidity or acid reflux, more commonly known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). GERD is a condition where stomach acid moves up to the esophagus and irritates its sensitive lining. The symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD are as complicated as its name! The symptoms range from burning sensation in stomach, chest, and throat to coughing, hoarseness, sensation of heat in your ears, palms and feet. Some of the common causes of GERD are obesity, taking meals at irregular intervals, consuming junk, spicy, and fatty food, alcohol and cigarettes, excessive tea and coffee, among other things. Stress and an unhealthy lifestyle are also key contributing factors. GERD, if left untreated, can lead to more serious health disorders such as ulcer and cancer.

By Michael Gleason Life is getting faster and faster - both physically and virtually. And while getting a lot accomplished in the course of a work day is good, as is completing many overdue chores on the weekend that does not mean we as human beings experience anxiety and burnout. Thankfully there is yoga for anxiety.[1] Sally Susinno, RYT-200 of Wellesley, Massachusetts, pointed out that more and more people are waking up and drinking larger and larger flagons of sweetened coffee drinks and diet colas which make their bodies more and more wound up. Caffeine is also a diuretic which can lead to dehydration, or just not enough water consumption over the course of the day. At the end of the day, the sweeteners and the stimulants have people reaching for sleeping pills - both over the counter and prescription strength.

By Ishrattasleem Tasleem Research and clinical studies about Yogic therapy seem to indicate that the mind and body are connected with each other in a holistic way. In turn, yoga works to reduce suffering from mental distress, depression and anxiety, with daily practice. Everyone experiences feelings of stress and anxiety at times in his or her life. When the level of stress reaches the highest degree of tolerance, it pushes us into a state we call: "panic attacks."

By Kathryn Boland Have you wondered how often you should change up your sequences? How much? Does that seem to vary at different places where you teach? Some styles of yoga, such as Bikram and Ashtanga, have a set sequence that students practice every class. With Hatha and Vinyasa, however, teachers have the freedom to vary sequences class to class. In a way, that becomes an obligation, because students start to expect it. Offering new poses, transitions and flows also gives students places into which they can grow. It helps them to drink a few more d

By Kimaya Singh If you're looking for a way to move beyond your sense of self while sharing your passion for yoga with others, you should consider becoming a yoga teacher. During yoga instructor training, you'll learn a variety of important skills that will help you be the most effective teacher possible. One thing that's absolutely crucial is to learn how to check your ego at the door. Without having the ability to do that, your skill as an instructor will be overshadowed by your personal needs.

By Kimaya Singh Our modern world is a hotbed of stress inducers - from traffic jams to long lines at the grocery store, it seems as though triggers of anxiety and frustration constantly surround us. The hectic life we live is one of the reasons that the regular practice of yoga is essential for our well-being. Using pranayama, we can learn to breathe in rhythmically and breathe out all of the stress that's present in both our body and our mind.

By Michael Gleason What can yoga postures do for tailbone pain? The objective to yoga is taking the time to realize you are in your body. While sweating and caloric output have their places, yoga is the opportunity to learn what your body is non-verbally conveying to you. In this modern age of working at desks, or being hunched over on squishy coffeehouse sofas, your yoga practice is your chance to address issues brought on by sedentary life. One of the culprits being tailbone pain. Any aches or muscle spasm just south of the lumbar region, therefore, is your body's message that you need a change of pace. Even an hour of yoga every other day or every few days will affect these changes.

By Rachel Holmes Yoga is a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and ascetic discipline that is commonly practiced worldwide. It involves breath control, hearty meditation, and subjection of the body to a number of specific postures for the purpose of balancing and aligning the body and mind. Yoga is usually practiced for its health and relaxation purposes. Attendance in yoga classes helps a tennis player prevent injuries. This is because it makes the player's body flexible in a number of ways and thereby improves performance and effectiveness at the court.

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 500 Like any other workplace, it is important for yoga teachers to stay up-to-date on harassment prevention, whether it is physical, sexual, verbal, or another form of harassment. With recent headlines seeming to indicate that harassment in the studio is on the rise, it's especially imperative that instructors take steps to protect themselves and their students. One of the best ways to prevent harassment issues in the studio is to regularly engage in continuing education courses involving harassment recognition and prevention. Learning about the different types of harassment is key to preventing messy harassment scenarios in your own classes. Taking classes and educating yourself will ensure that all your students feel at ease in the studio, whether they are completely new to the practice or have been visiting your studio for years.

By Rachel Holmes Yoga is a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and ascetic discipline that is commonly practiced worldwide. It involves breath control, hearty meditation, and subjection of the body to a number of specific postures for the purpose of balancing and aligning the body and mind. Yoga is usually practiced for its health and relaxation purposes. Attendance in yoga classes helps a tennis player prevent injuries. This is because it makes the player's body flexible in a number of ways and thereby improves performance and effectiveness at the court.

By Faye Martins I know, we have plenty of guys out there teaching, taking Yoga teacher training courses, and practicing in the studio or at home. I'm happy to see an increase among men who teach Yoga or attend classes regularly. However, I see a few young mothers during the week that really need some downtime. For some, they have a supportive family unit. For others, it sounds like their unit has fragmented. I'm thankful that my parents always worked together for the sake of the family, but times are certainly different one generation later.

By Gopi Rao If you are considering a yoga certification course, you may want to understand diabetes and many other ailments. For those of us who already teach classes, all of the progress we have seen against diseases and suffering do not count in the eyes of scientific research. Science only recognizes its testing, studies and research as factual. At first, we might resent science for throwing out thousands of years of yogic research and claiming it is all biased information. For us to prove yogic methods work, yoga schools have to open the doors to medical and scientific scrutiny. We also have to be prepared to deliver proof and name sources of studies.

By Faye Martins Many Hatha Yoga teacher training courses don't have an oath for graduates, but maybe we should all have one. In this way, instructors would be constantly mindful of ethics, compassion, safety, and loving kindness, at all times. Here is the oath of a Kundalini Yoga teacher: "I am not a woman. I am not a man. I am not a person. I am not myself. I am a teacher."

By Brooke Olive Yoga has long been believed to be the most comprehensive whole body fitness regime around. But it is the beneficial side effects that are of real value to the individual. Practicing yoga tones the body, stimulates the nervous system to work more effectively, aids digestion and increases flexibility. However it also works on a deeper level by creating a new mindfulness that leaves the individual feeling calm, relaxed and more at ease.

By Kimaya Singh There are many variables in the type of Yoga training each of us might choose to practice and there are many ways to injure one's knee. Let's look at the safest way for a person to enter a class, without slowing down the recovery process or causing self-injury. Therefore, medical clearance in the form of your doctor's approval is imperative before considering asana (posture) practice. A conference explaining your surgery, with a certified Yoga instructor before you take a class, insures that you will get proper attention.

By Jenny Park There doesn't seem to be a Yoga teacher training course that is specifically designed for reaching out to teens. It may be based on the perception that teens aren't interested. Maybe some instructors get so much positive feedback from working with younger children that working with teens looks difficult at best.

By Sangeetha Saran and Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, YACEP Yoga poses for medical professionals are needed now more than ever. Hospitals, clinics, and doctor's offices are busy and pressure packed. Unlike many jobs, there is no room for error. At this time, we have a worldwide epidemic that is filling medical facilities with record numbers.