Teaching Sun Salutations to Raise Student Energy

By Faye Martins

Although there are a lot of technical terms, which we yoga instructors might use during a class, keeping the language simple does have its advantages. However, there are certain conversations that do require the use of yogic phrases, and generating energy during any yoga series requires first a basic understanding of what energy is and how it can be generated.

What is Prana? 

What yoga teachers mean by energy is prana. Prana is Sanskrit for “vital life,” and though the Western mind might have difficulty understanding this concept, yogis understand prana to be the force vitalizing all life. Prana is related to breathe because in some Eastern meditative philosophies, energy is revered, and so the practice of yoga — deep breathing techniques synchronized with poses — help the body interface with different energy channels within it. Yoga practitioners believe that this energy, this prana, can be accessed, generated and manipulated with a yoga posture series.

Generating Prana 

One way to generate prana is to warm up with sun salutations. Sun salutations create heat and flexibility and usually serve as the basis for vinyasa yoga sessions, including power yoga and Ashtanga yoga. As practitioners practice deep breathing techniques, of which there are a variety, they synchronize their movements with their breath to gain access to channels of energy, or prana, within them.

Practitioners have described occurrences where they begin their yoga sessions tired and not fully aware of their internal energy. As they begin to pay full attention to their breath, however, the mechanical energy that simply places the body into the correct pose begins to transcend itself. In other words, yogis describe an energy channel that pulls the body up on inhale and down on exhales, and this energy can sometimes even begin flowing into the pose itself.

Sun Salutations 

The sun salutation series are exceptional for generating energy because of how each pose flows into the next pose. What this does is allows our students, who are breathing correctly, the opportunity to create energy and then access it by working from, say, mountain pose to forward bends to planks to dog poses and then back up again. As the sun salutations stretch the spine and open the chest, they also challenge leg, arm and core muscles. By working all the areas of the musculature to generate energy and flexibility, sun salutations enable the practitioner to access and explore various energy channels and generate prana.

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Teaching Yoga for Arm Strength and Shape

By Faye Martins

Yoga is an excellent way to strengthen and tone the arms. Unlike weightlifting, which focuses mainly on isotonic strength building, yoga focuses on isometric work but includes isotonic and eccentric exercises. Isotonic exercise is performed when a weight is lifted or a muscle is engaged while it is contracting; isometric work occurs when a position or a weight is held, supported by a muscle, and eccentric strength building is what happens when a weight is lowered while maintaining control and muscle engagement. In other words, supporting weight even while the muscle is lengthening performs eccentric exercise. Obviously, these types of strength all have different real life applications, and they all stress different parts and functions of the muscle. Yoga is unique in its repeated and challenging exercise of all types of strength.

Because of this balanced approach, practitioners of yoga often report that the bulk doesn't pile on, but functional strength and definition greatly increases. The functional strength is granted by the many ways in which the muscles are trained, as most real life activities are going to require more than a single way of moving. The definition in lieu of bulk results from the way the muscles are constantly engaged and challenged without steadily increasing the weight they support. Yoga calls upon the muscles to work in different positions; intensities and ways without ever demanding the load they bear exceed the practitioner's body weight.

There are many different poses and routines a yoga practitioner may employ to build arm strength and shape. For the beginner, whether just starting out in yoga or unsure of her strength, downward dog is the place to start. Bending at the hips and placing the hands perform downward dog position and feet shoulder length apart so the body forms an upside-down "V." The arms in this position support less than half the body weight, but the practitioner's weight can be shifted to engage the arms more. It is the foundation of many yoga routines, particularly sun salutations.

When teaching new yoga students, make them aware that for a beginning position with a greater strength component, look no further than the plank. It is a basic push-up position and an intense workout for all the muscles of the arms. At the advanced end of the scale, there are many positions based on headstands that not only require lots of balance and flexibility but also support most or all of the body's weight on the arms. Many more positions lie waiting to be learned at your local yoga center and in many great yoga books, but almost any regular yoga practice will sculpt your arms into envious shape.

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Teaching Mindfulness in Yoga Class

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When teaching a Yoga class, the concept of mindfulness will help all of your students.  Some students have difficulty unplugging from electronics devices.  When we encourage them to be present for practice, they may feel like a fish out of water.  If you have children, or interact with them regularly, you have probably seen mindfulness in action. Watch a child walk down a woodsy road. He or she will stop every step or two to bend down and examine a leaf, a stone, or a bug. It might take 20 minutes to travel 20 feet. Most adults become exasperated by all the “dilly-dallying.” A child does not have a million worries running through his or her brain. A child is focused on the journey, not the destination.

Many adults strive to reach a state of mindfulness, which is much like that of a child. Yoga helps many people escape anxiety, stress, and worry. The asana, pranayama, and meditative aspects, work wonders toward releasing physical and mental stress, which focuses the mind, while stretching and strengthening the entire body. Mindfulness is a powerful concept that helps our students live in the present moment. During Yoga practice, it helps bring awareness to each part of the body. It takes practice to be mindful on a regular basis, but it can be done, and the results are extremely positive.

Yogic mindfulness can be practiced during meditation by breathing deeply and willing yourself to be present for each breath. Instead of focusing on all the thoughts rumbling around in your head, let your mind be still. Acknowledge each passing thought and promptly release it. Stay in the present moment by soaking up your current environment of sounds, smells, and sights. Bring awareness to your body by focusing on each part for a moment. Breathe deeply into any sore or irritated muscles, and then release the tension along with the breath.

Being mindful allows us to appreciate all the seemingly insignificant moments that take place in daily life. When you vow to be mindful, you allow yourself to focus on each moment as it passes, instead of encouraging your brain to wallow in suffering, worry, and stress. Yogic mindfulness allows you to breathe and appreciate each moment for what it is. You can be fully present when your child or significant other speaks about the day. 

You can put everything else aside, while you play with your kids. It allows our students to show gratitude toward the people they interact with. When we practice regularly, a deep sense of peace blankets our shoulders. No matter what happens, good or bad, you are able to acknowledge it for what it is and move on. Mindfulness is a method for applying Yogic principles toward real life situations.

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Teacher Guidelines for Power Yoga

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Teaching Power Yoga can be a difficult task; not only is it fast moving, but it also is meant to physically challenge the practitioners. Keeping an eye on students during a fast-flowing session can be hard, especially if a class is large or if it contains beginners unfamiliar with basic Yoga practices. New students being mixed into a class full of experienced students is the studio management’s call, but it is your challenge, if you teach Yoga classes.

Adaptability

Unless you are an instructor who teaches advanced classes only, you will need to learn how to adapt each session toward the needs of your students. Depending on the size of your gym or studio, your class will likely be filled with a mixture of student levels; even within a session geared toward, say, intermediate practitioners, variations will occur.

Due to the fact that a Power Yoga sequence can be challenging, and flowing; modifying your class too much can seem to slow it down. In cases where only one or two students need more in-depth instruction, it can be helpful to ask one of your experienced students to lead the series while you spend more time with those who need it.

Instruction

Instruction in any physical form of Yoga should focus on alignment issues to help students avoid injury. Beginners must learn how to practice poses correctly in order to both prevent injury and receive the full benefits of their practice. Your role as a Yoga teacher is to encourage, guide, and provide feedback on technique. It is important, especially with the more tentative students, not to over-correct form, but to give each student just enough encouragement and instruction that he or she can continue improving and modifying their poses.

Safety Guidelines for Youths or Beginners

Some instructors believe that a Power Yoga class is no place for beginners or for kids. This is because an unfamiliarity with the poses ultimately means they cannot be practiced in a fast and flowing series. That being said, there are some cases when you may have beginners present in your classes.

When working with beginners, try not to use language that might be unfamiliar or overly anatomical. This can be confusing and discouraging to new students. It is also important to offer support and correction, realizing that beginners are there to learn and to practice correctly. If the beginner’s technique is consistently incorrect and it is slowing down the pose series, incorporate strength postures that are relatively easy to do yet physically challenging. Planks, for example, will keep the heart rate up even through a slower-than-normal vinyasa series.

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Chair Yoga for a Growing Senior Population

By Sangeetha Saran

Thanks to advancements in healthcare and improvements in the quality of nutrition available, more people than ever before are living to see old age. Seniors represent the fastest growing segment of the population, and there is much concern over how to make the most out of those golden years. With rising medical costs, more and more seniors and their families are turning to complementary therapies like chair yoga as a natural way to improve their health and quality of life.

The vast majority of people live a largely sedentary lifestyle, and this doesn't change with age. In fact, sedentary habits are often the hardest to break for seniors, since old age makes it much harder to start living a more active lifestyle. The senior years are already a prime opportunity to pack on the pounds due to slowing metabolisms, so engaging in some form of exercise is essential to reduce weight gain during this time. The risk of falling rules out many of the most popular exercises for weight loss, but chair yoga is a perfect exercise solution for seniors looking for a safe way to get the physical movement they need.

Enhancing Balance

A serious issue facing seniors is lack of balance, which significantly contributes to falls. Falls are the leading cause of death for senior citizens, so anything that can safely improve overall balance is extremely beneficial. Chair yoga naturally improves balance for seniors by strengthening the core muscles of the body. It has been said that the muscles in the hips, trunk, and neck, are the first line of defense in terms of preventing falls.

However, the muscle groups in the legs are also of equal importance.  Therefore, the whole body is important when considering balance.  Chair Yoga teachers can help students safely gain balance with a holistic program of controlled movement.

Back to the Core

When an individual begins to lose their balance, the core muscles immediately contract and attempt to bring the body back into place. Making these muscles as strong and flexible as possible goes a long way in preventing falls before they start. With chair yoga, the core can be strengthened with less risk of injuries from falls. It's a perfect fit.

Additionally, having a stronger core changes the distribution of weight through the back and shoulders, automatically grounding the body and providing more stability and balance. Through the practice of chair yoga, seniors can potentially undo the damage caused by years of being sedentary in addition to warding off age related declines in their existing balance levels.

Consistent chair yoga practice also helps prevent blood clots, eases joint pain associated with arthritis, reduces blood pressure, lowers stress levels and helps seniors sleep better at night. Suffice it to say, chair yoga successfully meets the needs of this growing segment of our population, and all without pills or prescriptions.

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Is Bikram Yoga a Good Idea?

By Faye Martins

Bikram Yoga is a type of yoga in which 26 poses and two breathing exercises are done in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, at 40 percent humidity. Developed in the early 1970s by Bikram Choudhury, Bikram Yoga has gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. Beginner’s classes run for exactly 90 minutes, and each class is performed in exactly the same way, every time. Bikram Yoga is often called “hot yoga.”

There are some definite pros and cons to this type of yoga. Some of the benefits include weight loss due to the large number of calories lost during each session. The profuse sweating that happens with each session helps to cleanse the body of toxins, and the warmth allows for more flexibility and deeper stretching.

Some other pros are that Bikram Yoga offers a great cardiovascular workout that is especially challenging during the first half of the class. Since each session will not vary at all, there can be a certain repetitive comfort to it. Bikram Yoga training is often less expensive than other flavors of yoga as well, because it has many attractive introductory offers.

Since some people don’t enjoy hot temperatures at all there is some controversy that has come out of this style of yoga, which includes the possible safety hazards of doing such strenuous exercise in a hot room. Some practitioners actually have spells of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness, which could be related to a sudden loss of potassium and other electrolytes. If one is taking medication for high blood pressure it would be wise to consult with your doctor prior to practicing yoga in a hot room. Additionally, there is also a component of competition with these classes, which is unheard of in other types of yoga.

Some other cons are that the classes can become quite monotonous as there is never any variation to look forward to, and the 26 poses are done three times through the 90 minutes. The series of poses have been copyrighted by Bikran Choudhury, so deviance from the series is strictly forbidden, and there is also a reputation for Bikram Yoga instructors to be rather draconian. There is little attention given to the upper body with these poses, and there is a lot of standing, especially during the first half of the class.

Bikram Yoga is one of the most controversial styles of yoga in practice. There are those who believe that it is simply unsafe and those who believe that it is more of a brand than something that will bring the body, mind and spirit together as one. Some believe it is a physical style that makes one pay for the sins of bad health. It is certainly not a style of yoga that’s for everyone, but it has a very devoted following. Many loyal practitioners mention how much it has personally done for them. Others mention how a hot asana practice removes toxins from the body.

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Yoga Techniques for Spinal Stenosis

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord, or narrowing of the openings where spinal nerves leave the spinal column. The condition typically occurs with age, as a person’s spinal discs become drier and begin to shrink. Symptoms include numbness, cramping, or pain in the back, thighs, buttocks or calves, neck, shoulders, or arms.

Unfortunately, arm or leg weakness, and difficulty walking, are common with spinal stenosis. If left untreated, the condition can result in bone spurs and severe debilitation, including complete loss of mobility.

The best possible action for spinal stenosis is, of course, prevention: regular Yoga practice insures continued flexibility and strengthens core muscles, which help reduce pressure on the spine. However, if the condition has already occurred, there are several poses, which are very effective for addressing spinal stenosis.

Hatha Yoga postures (asanas) that lengthen the spine and relieve pressure on the nerves are recommended for pain relief. On the other hand, those asanas that compact the nerves, like backbends, are contraindicated. Some excellent Yoga poses for sufferers of back pain include:

• Mountain pose or Tadasana

• Staff pose or Dandasana

• Downward Dog or Adho Mukha Svanasana

• Happy Baby pose or Ananda Balasana

• Bound Angle pose or Baddha Konasana

• Half Spinal Twist or Ardha Matsyendrasana

Additionally, any Yoga posture that is a form of an active back extension should reduce or eliminate pain. One example is: the Forward Bend (Uttanasana), which can be modified by a competent Yoga teacher.

Warming up the muscles properly is important for people with spinal stenosis. It must be remembered that rushing into exercise can aggravate the condition. Poses should be held for 60-90 seconds, and then the body should gently relax. Spending time in Shavasana, at the conclusion of each practice, is very important, to relax the muscles and allow the spinal column to settle into its increased length. For those following an Ayurvedic diet, pitta-stimulating foods should be avoided, with a condition such as spinal stenosis. These include spicy, pungent, sour, salty, hot, light, or oily foods, and some fruits and vegetables.

Yoga, as an intervention for spinal stenosis, is so effective that in February 2011, Dr. Anand Gandhi, a physician at the Laser Spine Institute in Scottsdale, AZ, published an article on “Yoga and the Aging Spine,” detailing the benefits of Yoga therapy for an aging spine as it “promotes a full range of motion, restores flexibility, and improves circulation.”

Given that surgery for spinal deterioration is the most common treatment for advanced cases, advocacy from a physician in a surgery clinic is praise, indeed. It must be understood that there are times when surgery is the only option. Yet, even in these cases, Yoga can be a good adjunct therapy, before or after, surgery.

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Research About Breast Cancer and Yoga

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Any claim regarding Yoga and specific ailments is subject to medical and scientific scrutiny. It is not enough to know that therapeutic Yoga works. Most of the motivation behind scientific research concerns why therapeutic Yoga works. Once again, the benefits of Yoga regarding cancer recovery are being carefully researched; but this time, two research groups from east and west are working together.

According to University of Texas MD Anderson Center’s new study about breast cancer and Yoga, the practice of this ancient healing art not only increases the quality of life for breast cancer survivors, but it also helps to balance hormones and fight fatigue in women undergoing radiation treatments. In findings to be presented to the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in June 2011, researchers will attempt to establish the validity of claims that alternative and complementary medicine can benefit the health of cancer patients.

The clinical studies at MD Anderson – in conjunction with the help of Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (VYASA), a therapeutic Yoga research foundation and university in Bangalore, India, and a well-known organization in India – used a combination of asanas, breathing techniques, meditation, and other methods of relaxation, to create a therapy regimen.

Results included better physical health, improved functioning, and a greater acceptance of the experiences with breast cancer. The program also helped patients gradually transition from close medical supervision to more independent lives. While practicing Yoga, obviously makes breast cancer patients feels better, another study showed that results can last as long as 12 weeks after the exercise program ends.

There are several ways that Yoga benefits breast cancer patients:

• Allows the body to relax (different from sleep)
• Calms parasympathetic nervous system
• Drains stagnant lymphatic fluid
• Regulates glands and releases “good” hormones
• Decreases depression by as much as 50%, based on clinical studies
• Massages organs so that they work more effectively
• Aids in reduction of hot flashes
• Teaches control of the breath, reducing pain, and oxygenating blood
• Reduces fatigue and joint pain
• Improves quality of sleep
• Promotes meditation and visualization techniques

Although Restorative Yoga – a gentle Yoga that relaxes the entire body – is frequently chosen, many Hatha styles can be therapeutically modified to help women during or after treatment. In 2010, researchers at Rochester University Medical Center, tested the results of specific types of Yoga techniques for breast cancer.

These included gentle poses in sitting, standing, reclining, and transitional positions, as well as meditation and visualization. While these are effective, doctors advise against rigorous exercises, or Yoga, done in heated rooms.

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How Can I Improve My Confidence with Yoga?

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Confidence is defined as the state of feeling certain about the truth of something. When a person is self-confident, he or she appears calm and at peace, and trusts his or her own decision-making ability, allowing one to deal with stressful situations and difficult interactions. Confidence is a self-fulfilling prophecy: The more confidence one has, the more confident one feels.

Self-confidence and self-esteem are closely linked; and according to the “Harvard Mental Health Letter,” from Harvard Medical School, there is “convincing evidence that people with high self-esteem are happier, as well as more likely to undertake difficult tasks and persevere in the face of failure.” Dr. Michael Miller, Editor in Chief of the publication, has stated that “…self-esteem will come as a result of accurate self-understanding, appreciation of one’s genuine skills, and the satisfaction of helping others.”

Yoga provides an excellent outlet for gaining self-understanding and life skills. Regular Yoga practice gives students many increased physical capabilities and a calmer mental state. The benefits of Yoga are available to anyone who allows time to enjoy them. For Yoga teachers: Sharing some confidence-building asanas with one’s students will inspire them and help them to feel better immediately.

Here are three Yoga asanas to improve self-confidence:

1) Vrksasana, or Tree pose. Balance poses provide a challenge that can be adjusted to every skill level. Students build skill by bringing the foot higher and higher up the leg, or by closing the eyes, or bringing the arms overhead. The totality of balancing should banish negative thoughts and allow the practitioner to experience clarity of attention.

2) Ardha Chandrasana, or Half-moon pose. This side stretch and balancing pose literally opens up the body to the room, and gives students practice with feeling self-confident, while holding an open posture. The pose can be done against a wall or with a block if the student feels unstable.

3) Virabhadrasana I, or Warrior 1. Standing poses also inspire self-confidence, and this pose is named after an incarnation of Shiva. Standing tall, and feeling muscles at the ready, should help practitioners feel assured in the physical self.

After practice, reviewing the bodily sensations experienced during the different movements can be productive. For those of us who struggle with self-image, we may feel uncomfortable during poses that draw attention to our midsections or areas we might regard as less attractive.

Unlike many forms of exercise, Yoga is not focused on improving appearance. Practitioners enjoy a healthier body and appearance, of course, but the major benefits of Yoga practice relate to internal, rather than external changes. This can be a new and constructive change for practitioners.

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Dedication to the Art of Yoga

By Faye Martins

Dedication to the art of Yoga is one of the most important keys to realizing the fruits of your practice. Traditionally, a Yoga student or aspirant was required to do selfless service for a decade or longer, before being offered Yogic teachings and techniques from a Guru. In today’s world, these teachings and techniques are readily available to any interested student.

Yoga practices will bear the most fruit if a student receives Shakipat or spiritual initiation from his or her Guru prior to beginning Yogic practices. There are a few living Yoga masters who are available to students today. Spending time with an enlightened master will ignite and nourish your Yoga practice.

The art and practice of Yoga is a life-long journey of awakening, exploration, discovery, healing, and divine joy. The art of Yoga consists of a variety of different practices such as selfless service, study of the scriptures, asanas, meditation, pranayama, self-inquiry, and mantra. As a student engages with the practices on a regular basis, the inner energy of meditation will become stronger and will begin to permeate his or her life.

As the energy awakens and ascends up through the chakras, many different thoughts, emotions, and experiences will rise to the surface. This will give the student an opportunity to process and integrate these different experiences and thoughts from a place of compassion and love.

In order to complete the path of Yoga and become united with the divine energy residing within one’s own heart, the student must be dedicated and steadfast in his or her practices. The Yogic path is not always easy or fun. It can be very difficult and painful as all sorts of memories, thoughts, and emotions are stirred up by the increasing inner fire (tapas). We also may be challenged to let go of unhealthy behaviors and attachments as our vibration level is raised higher. This inner fire or tapas can be daunting and requires true dedication on the part of the student.

After some time dedicated to the art of Yoga, a student will experience the fruits of his or her ardent study. These “fruits” can range from a stronger body to a clearer mind, all the way to experience the feeling of, or vision of, the essence of God within each of us. It is said that when we are able to behold Divine love within our own being and focus on it, great knowledge and bliss will arise. This is the greatest fruit of a steady dedication to the art of Yoga.

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The Origin of Hot Yoga

By Amruta Kulkarni, CYT 250

The original creator of Hot Yoga is a great Yogi by the name of Bikram Choudhary. Bikram Choudhary is an Olympic champion in weight-lifting. In the 1960′s, he won Olympic Gold in his class. For personal health reasons, Bikram sequenced traditional Yoga poses in a very specific way, in order to promote the health and healing of the physical body and mind.

One of the main aspects of Hot Yoga is that the Yoga asana sequence is performed in a very hot and humid room. Ideally, the temperature is to be set at 105 degrees and the humidity level between 40-50 percent. Performing Yoga asanas in a heated room helps the elasticity of the muscles and ligaments and also enhances the detoxification process.

Bikram Choudhury was born in Kolkata, India in 1946. He began to learn and practice Yoga asanas at the age of three. When Bikram was five years old, he began studying Yoga techniques with his teacher, Bishnu Ghosh. Bishnu Ghosh is the brother of Paramahansa Yogananda, a beloved Yoga instructor and meditation teacher. This lineage focuses on bringing ancient Indian scriptural wisdom to the Western world, while maintaining the integrity of the original manuscripts.

By the age of 14, Bikram was known as an exemplary practitioner. Within his lineage, he was declared to be a Yoga Raj, or King of Yoga. Unfortunately, or fortunately as the case may be, at age 20, Bikram suffered a severe weightlifting accident that crippled him. Bikram was told that he would never walk again.

With the expert guidance and support of his guru, Bikram created a series of 26 yoga asanas that ultimately restored his health. To the doctors’ amazement, he made a full recovery in six months through the ardent practice of this 26 asana posture series. Several years later, Bikram opened up Yoga schools in Japan and India. In 1972, he traveled to the United States and opened up the Bikram Yoga College of India that is flourishing today.

The practice of Hot Yoga has grown out of Bikram Yoga. Bikram Yoga outlines a set practice of asanas, in a specific order. Hot Yogic styles utilize Bikram Yoga as a framework from which to build a powerful and effective Yoga practice. The use of a heated and humid room is also a core element of any Hot Yoga practice. Truly, Hot Yoga practitioners and teachers owe a debt of gratitude to Bikram Choudhury and his teacher, Bishnu Ghosh, in the creation of such a powerful and healing Yoga practice.

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Questions about Yoga Teacher Training Online

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are many Yoga certification courses available for those who seek to teach. Among the programs, for someone who seeks to become a Yoga instructor, are online, home study, and correspondence programs. We could easily classify all of the above-mentioned programs as Yoga teacher distance learning courses. Below are some of the most common questions about correspondence courses, for students who wish to become a Yoga teacher.

Q: I found a Yoga course that will make me a teacher over a weekend. How many training hours do I need for it to be acceptable for potential employers?

A: The most common International standard for Yoga instructors is the 200 hour minimum. Almost every potential employer will want to know how many hours were devoted to your training.

There are many different courses, with training from 200 to 750 hours, of study. When you look at the variety of training available, to those who aspire to teach, two hundred hours is the absolute minimum. Anything less is not enough to establish a foundation of knowledge.

Q: Why are practical exams necessary? Can't I just send a stack of photos of me doing poses?

A: Think about it. Your practical exam is designed to demonstrate your teaching skills. Still pictures cannot demonstrate your cueing, observation, or assisting skills. How you teach your own self-created lesson plan tells volumes about your ability to teach Yoga classes.

With technology as it is today, a video of you teaching a 60 to 90 minute Yoga class is not a tough requirement. Many people have video cameras in their laptops and have access to a separate camera. An examiner cannot determine your level of teaching skills from a still photo. In addition to this - Hatha Yoga is not just asana practice.

Q: Why should Yoga teachers have to be concerned with continuing education?

A: Yoga liability insurance companies like the idea of continuing education and the re-certification process. The reputable Yoga organizations, which determine the licensing of Yoga instructors, believe in continuing education courses and the re-certification process to enhance teacher competence and experience.

Therapeutic Yoga, Medical, Physical Therapy, and Sports Medical knowledge is moving forward at a rapid pace. All of these fields pertain to you as a Yoga teacher, if you want to design safe classes and prevent potential student injuries.

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Practice Yoga for a Clear and Happy Mind

By Kimaya Singh

Stress is sapping the happiness out of people. Chronic stress in linked to heart disease, assorted pains, cancer and premature death. If the ever was a time for people to find happiness and ditch stress, it's right now.

Today's World

You find yourself, or a student of yours, unhappy, stressed, discontented, and even depressed. Like many in our culture, you may seek fulfillment through material things, status or money. In fact, contentment or happiness is better found from within. Yoga offers a route to joy through regular practice of asanas (postures) and pranayama (the breath). Yogis have been teaching these methods for centuries and the time-honored practices offer not just a path to happiness but also to peace and contentment.

A Sure Path to Happiness

It can be difficult for others to see the cultivation of prana as a path to happiness until they first try it intentionally. Pranayama is the Sanskrit word which means, simply, the breath of life. There are many exercises you can practice to improve the way this breath of life travels in and out of and enhances you body, but let's use one simple cleansing yogic breath here. Breathe in for eight counts, hold for four, breathe out for eight counts, hold for four, and breathe in again for eight counts. What are you noticing? This breath of life can cleanse your body and release tension, abolish negative thoughts and wash away the stress of the day to return you to a state of contentment.

This is the beginning. Think of pranayama as carrying spirit or life energy and reaching to all areas of your body. As you practice yogic breathing you have the capability to reach and carry that energy through your system, relieving distress, healing and energizing. Following the yogic tradition, you will continue to learn how to unleash the potential of mind, body and spirit through the breath. Adding yogic techniques like alternate nostril breathing will further enhance your state of being.

Now turn to the asanas. You can utilize yogic positions to enhance the manner your body finds its way to happiness: the child's pose, the plough, the warrior, the bridge and the lion. Science believes now what yogis have known for centuries (Harvard Mental Health Letter, April 2009): that the asana practices cure depression (by raising dopamine and serotonin levels in the body), lift the energy levels of the body, enhance thinking, change eating and digestion patterns, give a brighter outlook on life and make one feel happier. As you regularly move through these asanas, you massage the organs of your body and enhance your lymphatic and cardiovascular systems. Doesn't it follow that yogic methodologies will help you feel happier?

© Copyright 2013 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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