Yoga For Beginners Guide

By Kathryn Boland There I was, in my typical Tuesday night yoga class. We were warmed up and moving into some vigorous Warrior flows. Having been on my feet all day long, my quads whimpered for mercy as I bent deeper into Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose). Ok, true, maybe my alignment got a little sloppy as I backed off my deep bend slightly. The instructor, whom I looked up to highly (both as a student and a new, quite green instructor myself), came over and gave me a physical cue to deepen me in the posture. "They're watching you!" she whispered in my ear.

By Kathryn Boland Yoga Rx: What does it mean and where is it going? Have you noticed that yoga is coming more into our Western culture's medical "mainstream"? Do you wonder where you might factor in, as a yoga instructor, in this trend? My father practiced for several decades as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hands and shoulders. While in my 200 hour CYT training, I forwarded him an article about keeping the wrists safe in weight-bearing yoga postures.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Teaching Yoga poses that reduce anger will effectively detoxify negative emotions from the body and minds of your students. Angry feelings can be generated by frustration, a sense of powerlessness or the subjective experience of being disrespected, to name only a few possible scenarios. Many Yoga students and teachers alike may experience a low level of chronic anger and frustration, which is often evidenced by having a short fuse and breathing in a shallow manner.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Can you think of effective themes for Yoga sessions that are based on the seasons? Although many of us visualize the carefree days of summer, the summertime can also be filled with long "to-do" lists, as many of us plan assiduously to fit in all of the activities we had planned to do, during these supposed "lazy days." The same is true of many of the seasons during the year. For instance, during the fall many Yogis and Yoginis rush to fit in that final trip to the wilderness or to the ocean. In a similar fashion, the holiday season, as festive as it is, is also often a time of heightened stress, because of all the extra gatherings with family and friends.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed There are many different styles and nuances of Yoga classes that you can offer to your students as a certified instructor. Although you may have trained to become a professionally certified Yoga teacher in a specific style, there are many ways that you can creatively sequence your classes, in order to address the individual needs of your students. One way to creatively design a sequence of Yoga postures, pranayama exercises and relaxation techniques, is to follow the natural rhythm and flow of the seasons.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed How important is it to teach your students about setting an intention? Teaching Yoga to new students can be both enormously satisfying and intimidating. At first, you may feel overwhelmed at trying to introduce the entire system of the physical postures, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to a group of new students, in addition to the philosophical underpinnings of this time honored practice! However, simply guiding your students through a balanced Yoga class will help your new students to become familiar with the flow and pacing of the postures and breathing exercises.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. What is the link between discipline and teaching Yoga? As a professional Yoga teacher, you have a great deal of opportunity to truly influence your students in the way that they move both on and off the mat. Of course, while you are leading a class, your students will practice the asanas according to your guidance. However, what is often overlooked is the impact that you can have on your students, both verbally and nonverbally, through the way that you approach challenges in your classes. Just as a child takes cues from his or her parents about the appropriate steps needed to address problematic situations in their lives, your students will also take cues from you about how to approach obstacles and challenges both on and off the mat, as their practice unfolds and deepens.

By Kathryn Boland Are you curious about balancing your brain? Do you enjoy taking yoga classes, when you're not teaching? Do you find your instructor "brain" talking to you, even when you're in a student role? Many sources that I've encountered affirm that taking class can greatly expand your skills as an instructor. You can learn new ways to enter into postures, helpful accommodations for certain types of students, and more. On the other hand, not allowing yourself to sometimes be a student can limit your abilities to understand your students' experiences in class, and to otherwise develop as a yoga practitioner. Like many aspects of being a yoga instructor, it's a fine balance that we learn to more skillfully walk with time, experience, and engaging with those in our yoga communities.

By Faye Martins What is all the fuss about slow flow yoga? If you want to get in shape by trying a low-impact exercise, then slow-flow vinyasa yoga is the pace for you. Stretch your way to good health with slow movement that gradually warms up muscles, joints and connective tissue. Vinyasa is popular because people want a movement-based form of Yoga, but most vinyasa classes are fast-paced and risky movements may not be in your best interest.

By Kathryn Boland You're Not Me - Avoiding Students Comparisons to Instructors Have you noticed students making comparisons to instructors in yoga practice - in less obvious signs (such as glances and facial expressions) or more directly (such as clear verbal statements)? Do you wonder how best to balance modeling mindful, strong and anatomically informed practice and avoiding the creation of these student comparisons?

By Kathryn Boland Challenges, Success, and Fun How can you create classes that are a fruitful yoga experience for your students? In Dance Studio Life Magazine's November 2014 issue, master modern dance teacher Bill Evans states that he seeks to offer his students three elements in every dance class - challenges, success, and fun. Challenges offer growth; without pushing the boundaries of our comfort zones, people can't expand their skills and achievements. Success, in some measure, keeps us coming back for more. Without feeling some sense of accomplishment, after a certain amount of time and trial-and-error, we (some might argue, wisely) often move on to other pursuits. Success also brings the confidence we need to be at our bests. Fun engages students, and also puts them in a positive, confident frame of mind.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. How can you start teaching Yoga by example? One of the most transformational aspects of Yoga "on the mat," is how this practice transforms our lives "off the mat." As a professional teacher, you are probably well aware of how your own practice of asanas, pranayama exercises and breathing techniques has transformed your own life. This may have been one of your main reasons for pursuing a teacher certification, so that you are able to share the profound physical and psychological benefits of this practice with others in your community.

By Kathryn Boland Language in yoga instruction is extremely important. Being invited to something - to a party, to a meaningful life passage event, even to do something that just plain feels good - carries its own special joy. It's even difficult; at least for me personally, to put into just the right words that special feeling of allowance and/or inclusion. Invitation can also be part of when one seeks to direct another in more formalized, structured activity (that which we might not commonly associate with such simple joy). As yoga instructors, we can both direct and ease our students through using "invitatory" language.

By Kathryn Boland Are you in challenging yoga teaching environments? It's clear that yoga instructors have a lot to offer with their skills and knowledge in guiding various individuals to greater holistic wellness - Opportunities for doing so range from nursing homes to health clubs to schools. Many resourceful and creative yoga instructors have taken advantage of such diverse opportunities, often apart from the specialized yoga studio atmosphere. It's also clear that yogic philosophy often differs from Western's cultures perspectives on wellness, including the best ways to both work towards and maintain it.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Is music generating enthusiasm in your classes? There is nothing quite as unsettling in a Yoga class as showing up for a Power Yoga class and having melodic new age music playing in the background, or attending a Yin Yoga class with hip hop music playing at a high enough volume that you can feel the reverberations through the floor boards. As a Yoga instructor, a very simple and straightforward way to generate enthusiasm in your classes is to choose appropriate musical selections that match and enhance the postures and breathing exercises through which you are guiding your students.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. How can Yin Yoga help cancer patients? It is quite unfortunate that the cancer rates have jumped so dramatically over the last few decades. Many experts believe that this exponential increase is due to the high levels of toxic chemicals in our food, water and air, in addition to the depleted soil that much of our food is grown in. According to some of the experts, the cancer rates have risen from 1 in 20 people confronting a cancer diagnosis during the 1920s, to 1 in 2 men or 1 in 3 women experiencing cancer at some point in their lives today.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Spring is a quintessential time to detoxify. This means detoxifying the extra items in your car, your closet and, of course, your body! Engaging in a systematic process of detoxification on a seasonal basis will help you to release toxic chemicals, emotions, and experiences from your body and mind. You may even find that you are confronted with a toxic work environment or a relationship that no longer serves your highest good. If this is the case, you may also wish to find a compassionate way to move on from those situations and/or relationships.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. As the warming rays of the sun gently saturate the earth, many of the early spring flowers of the Northeastern United States are beginning to unfurl and grace us with their beauty. With the coming of the springtime, many of us feel the natural urge to do some deep spring-cleaning, both of our external living spaces and our own bodies. Within the context of the rhythms of the year, the springtime naturally lends itself to detoxification and cleansing regimes, including detoxifying Yoga classes.

By Kathryn Boland In a prior article I described how my father took me to a great little shop/art gallery down a windy and dusty road, and how that led me to reflect on the advantages of going "off the beaten bath" - exploring the unconventional for new knowledge, skill development, and enjoyable experiences. My father said something else while we were in that "arty" little store that led me to reflect on another general theme. He said something to the effect of (I paraphrase) "There's so much to see, it's almost overwhelming - but if you take a second time around the whole store, you'll see totally new and cool stuff."

By Sangeetha Saran During your yoga class you may realize that some of the poses are reminiscent of some stretching and cool down exercises that you did in aerobics class during the '80s or '90s. It is true that some of the physical movements of yoga postures are similar to basic fitness stretches. What you won't remember in these other types of fitness classes is the practice of Pranayama.