By: Virginia Iversen,
M.Ed.
As I sit down to write
this article, the holiday season is firmly underway. Many local Jewish families
have just completed their celebration of Hanukkah, which marks the power of the
light to penetrate the darkness. Additionally, many Christian families are now
preparing for the annual celebration of Christmas with festive lights, gift
giving and memorable gatherings with family and friends. Of course, during this
time of year, there always seems to be an endless assortment of tasks to
accomplish before the holidays are actually upon us; including buying gifts,
preparing beautiful meals and making travel arrangements if you are going out
of town to spend time with family and friends.
With all of the additional
demands on our time and energy during the holiday season, this festive time of
year can increase stress levels. Many Yoga students and teachers often feel
that there is an almost endless stream of tasks to be completed during the
holiday season. Additionally, as we all move through our lives, there may be
time periods when the holidays elicit great sadness or longing for loved ones,
who are either no longer in our lives or who have passed on. If this is the
case for you personally, or for any of your Yoga students, gentleness, patience
and self compassion will help to assuage the sadness that may accompany
your celebration of the holidays.
Of course, if you are
teaching a regular series of Holiday Yoga Classes, you may also notice that
many of your students may be quite rushed and at times almost frantic to
complete their "to do" list in preparation for the celebrations
ahead. During your professional Yoga teacher training course of study, you will
have learned many ways to tailor your classes in order to address the
fluctuating needs of your students, including supporting your students during
specific times during the year. One way to creatively sequence your Holiday
Yoga Classes in order to relieve stress, is to incorporate soothing and calming
pranayama exercises into your classes.
* Relaxation Breath
One of the most basic and
easily learned calming breathing exercises is the Relaxation Breath. The beauty
of the Relaxation Breath lies in both its simplicity and profound
effectiveness. Essentially, the practice of the Relaxation Breath entails elongating
the exhalation portion of the breath to double the count of the inhalation. For
example, if you are inhaling for a count of 4, you simply exhale at the same
pace for a count of 8.
By doubling the
exhalation, a Yoga practitioner's parasympathetic nervous system is
automatically triggered, which means that cortisol levels will drop, the heart
rate slows down and feelings of jitteriness and anxiety are quelled. If you
dedicate 3 to 5 minutes during a Yoga class for your students to practice the
Relaxation Breath, they will feel much calmer and more grounded at the end of
their practice. This calming breathing exercise can be practiced either at the
beginning of a Yoga class or at the end of a class, just prior to
Shavasana.
When you teach your students
the Relaxation Breath pranayam at the beginning of a Yoga class, they will feel
more centered and grounded for the practice ahead. If you lead your
students through the practice of Relaxation Breath during the final portion of
a Yoga class, your students will feel calm, quiet and peaceful when they
complete their practice. By incorporating the practice of a calming and cooling
pranayama exercises into your Holiday Yoga Classes, you will offer your
students the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate. You will also offer your
students the opportunity to release any anxious, frenetic "holiday"
energy, as they rest in the calm spaciousness of their own being.
Virginia Iversen, M.Ed, has been practicing and studying the art of Yoga for over twenty years. She lives in Woodstock, New York, where she works as a writer and an academic support specialist. She is currently accepting Yoga and health-related writing orders and may be contacted at: enchantress108@gmail.com.
© Copyright 2015 –Virginia Iversen / Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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2 comments:
The practice of a calming and cooling pranayama exercises into the Holiday Yoga Classes give the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate for all yoga students.
One of the most calming breathing exercises is the Relaxation Breath and its very simple and profound effective. Thanks for good posting!
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