Continuing Education for Yoga Instructors That's Doable - Convenient and Low Cost

By Kathryn Boland

     

Have you reflected on the value - no, necessity - of continuing education for yourself as a yoga instructor? Do you sometimes find it hard to have the time and money for it? Even so, a certain number of continuing education hours are required to uphold yoga instructor certification - no exceptions. And we see how we need to keep studying to keep teaching in fresh and informed ways. Read on for some ways to fulfill those requirements, for formal credits and informally for yourself, that are inexpensive and accessible. Happy learning, good luck, and Shanti!

Invest in a studio membership!

While you can't quite count practicing at a studio regularly for official continuing education hours, it can be an invaluable learning tool. First off because it allows you to consistently take class with a variety of instructors - who all bring unique knowledge and teaching styles to the table. With an unlimited membership, the more you go, the better value you get! Memberships range from $80-$130 per month - not nothing, but much less as a payment at one time than many other continuing education options.  

This frequency and diversity of classes allows you to adopt and adapt what works for your own teaching, and leave behind what doesn’t (as well as lead you to think critically about why). You'll also develop relationships with your teachers, who can then support you through the trials of your own teaching (while you’re also there to support them!). 

Second, you can keep cultivating your practice. Like a garden, it cannot grow and flourish if not nourished. We need healthy, inspired practices in order to authentically guide our students in their own. It also allows us to have common ground with our students. What we learn about them, and how we learn to put that to use in teaching them most fruitfully, is certainly a kind of continuing education - and an important one!

Work it all out in workshops!

Almost without exception, reputable yoga studios offer workshops. Depending upon factors like materials used (e.g. workbooks, special equipment), length (typically anywhere from two hours to entire weekends), and credentials of the teacher, these range in cost from roughly $20-$200. On the lower end, you can gain invaluable new learning for less than restaurant lunch!

Another advantage of workshops is the specificity; you can immerse yourself in a particular area of practice or instruction, with a teacher who is an expert in that area (why he or she chose to offer the workshop in the particular area, most often). This is a plus especially if you find that a particular area of your knowledge is lacking or needs a refresher. Or perhaps you're really interested in a particular area, and would like to incorporate it into your teaching more and/or start building a niche there - but you need more know-how first.

A workshop can be a great kick starter in any of those cases! You might also be able to get continuing education credits for workshops. You can find that out through the event’s promotional literature, or you can also ask the workshop teacher/organizer/hosting studio official. Keep an eye out for workshops that spark your interest (promoted or on studio websites “Workshops and Events” page). Or express your interest in learning more in depth about particular areas - to officials at your studio or your favorite teachers. These can be incredibly beneficial, enlightening, and game-changing opportunities - so try not to just let them pass you by!

Explore all that's online.

There’s a massive amount of free information on yoga instruction and practice out in there the virtual world. All accessible at the click of a mouse or smartphone keypad. Not all of it is informed and well-expressed, but it's there from which to probe and gather nuggets of valuable information. Being discerning about what we read and believe is a professional skillset that, just like any other, takes practice.

While often hazy and undefined amounts of time browsing online yoga resources (checking email and social media at least a few times, anyone?) cannot officially count for continuing education credits, through that browsing you might just find opportunities for that which are accessible and affordable for you. Some of these might count for CE credits!

As a matter of fact, that is how I found out about Aura Wellness Center’s independent study certification programs. Without that, I don't know if I ever could have been able to afford (and afford taking the time away from paid work for) yoga instructor certification. You can just never know how life changing a Google search can turn out to be. Happy internet surfing, and may the learning roll on!

Kathryn Boland is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. 

One Special Thing in Yoga Instruction and Practice – For Ourselves and Our Students

By Kathryn Boland

In a prior article, I discussed ways in which I experienced a time as a yoga student when it might not have all seemed worth it, but one very valuable thing I gained as a practitioner made it all more than worth it. I’ll now discuss similar experiences as a yoga instructor, and how we can facilitate our students gaining these types of experiences – and thus keep them coming back to class for more! 

As one such instance, one time I experienced travel issues getting to a private student. I felt rushed and stressed. When I got there, and we began the lesson, she was unfocused and difficult to guide in practice - due to some significant personal issues she was going through at the time. Combine that with the fact that this student pay me at a discounted "sliding-scale" rate, and part of me couldn't help but question if it was all worth my time and effort.

At a certain point though, something clicked within her, at least for a bit. She found a certain integration and alignment, leading to a smoothness and command of her breath and body. It allowed her to achieve a level of stability and depth in a few postures that she never before had. I unabashedly commended her on that. I was genuinely fulfilled and proud, yet also hoping the positive reinforcement might encourage her to more consistently be mindful towards her practice, like she was able to at that point.  She does manage to come back to that focused, integrated state at certain times.

It wasn't necessarily easy, but I could keep my mind honed on what she achieved then - rather than let that part of me asking "Is this worth it?" take over. If it did, I might discontinue working with her. That would certainly be a loss for us both (for her in that she can't otherwise easily access or afford yoga practice instruction).

This idea also applies to our continuing education as yoga instructors. We might come away from workshops, classes, and trainings gaining one, two, or a few significant pieces of new knowledge. If we undervalue those things – small in number, yet potentially vital to our professional growth - we might think the time and money we invested wasn’t worth it. We might stop seeking such learning opportunities - and thus, for the most part, stop learning. We at least won't learn nearly as much as we could. Or if we focus on things we might feel we did "wrong" while teaching certain classes or lessons, we might get significantly discouraged. If we instead focus on something that’s improving with our teaching, even if only one thing, then we'll keep at it - continuing to seek learning and growing as teachers. If it was possible once, why not again?

We can apply this concept to our teaching itself in certain ways. Aiming towards one particular achievement makes a strong case for "theming" classes around a specific concept, idea from yoga philosophy, "peak" pose, or group of postures. It’s true that "balanced" sequencing, adding a little bit of everything, can lead to an overall feeling of wellness and contribute to whole-person health. On the other hand, being more specific with our themes can guide students towards one very notable achievement, something that they can solidly come back to and feel successful about.

In another way, students often feel down on themselves for not achieving certain postures, or even for remaining unfocused. We can boost their confidence by guiding them to re-frame their thinking. If we can encourage them to instead focus on one, or two or three things that they achieved, they’ll more likely keep coming back to their practices. And who knows, maybe that one thing will change how they practice, for the better, forever. As Patanjali clarifies for us, that type of perspective shift is powerful, because it can lead us to contentment; "from contentment, incomparable happiness is attained" (Yoga Sutras II.42).

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Calming Children with Yoga Sessions

By Gopi Rao

As anyone who spends much time around children can tell you, sometimes it is difficult to keep them calm. Sometimes it even seems impossible. This is due to a number of reasons. Kids have a boundless energy, and sometimes they simply don’t know how to channel this energy in a positive direction. Also, kids don’t get the exercise they should, which leaves them worked up. Finally, they are living in a fast-paced world where they are constantly being herded from one activity to another without time to breathe and relax. This can leave them feeling on edge all the time, which also causes them to act up.

Yoga Is the Solution

Fortunately, yoga can be a wonderful solution for adults who need help calming children down. Yoga is a tailor-made activity for calming people of all ages, and kids are no exception. The exercise, meditation and relaxing breathing that make up yoga combine to create a powerful tool that will help to calm even the unruliest kids.

Adding Exercise to Their Days

One of the biggest reasons that kids are acting up more these days is that they don’t get enough exercise and far too many of them are playing video games or watching TV for hours each day instead of playing outside. For these kids, an immediate solution to reduce their acting out is upping their exercise levels. Having kids engage in a daily yoga practice is a wonderful way to up their activity levels and calm them down.

Helping Them Manage Their Emotions

Another common reason kids get worked up is because they do not know how to manage their emotions. When they get upset, angry or afraid, they act out because these big emotions overwhelm them. However, when kids start to do yoga, they learn how to relax and calm themselves down with the power of breathing techniques and focusing the mind. They will take these calming tools off the mat with them, using them to relax and let their emotions pass over them without upsetting them to the point where they act out.

Relaxing Before Bedtime

Nearly all parents know the seemingly eternal struggle to get kids to calm down before bedtime. Many kids seem to all of a sudden swallow a 50-horsepower motor as soon as bedtime is brought up. For parents who are sick to death of dealing with this, adding a nighttime yoga routine can be the perfect tool to calm their children and get them to go to bed gracefully.

Yoga is a wonderful tool for calming kids down in every scenario and parents can utilize it, childcare providers and schools to help reduce the amount of acting out kids do. Try adding a regular yoga practice to your kid’s daily routine to witness the calming wonders for yourself.

Healthy Habits

Children can benefit from engaging in a regular yoga practice much the same way that adults do. Through yoga, kids can develop physical and mental habits that have positive effects on their long-term health. 

Movement

It is so easy to go through life moving from one screen to the next. The Siren song of phones, tablets, and video game consoles lures children into inactivity. Studies are linking a stationary lifestyle to a host of health problems. Yoga gets kids into the habit of moving. Since yoga encourages non-judgment, it is a great way for children of all athletic abilities to incorporate movement into their days.

Body Awareness

Getting into the habit of scanning the body for what it needs can keep kids safe and healthy. Yoga encourages children to develop proprioceptive senses. Body awareness extends to understanding what the body needs in order to be well. Children with body awareness have a better understanding of their body's cues to rest, eat, or drink.

Stress Relief

The education system and social pressure are major stressors. Children are expected to learn more content at a quicker pace than ever. Growing up can be tough work. Besides burning off physical energy through movement, yoga teaches kids how to relax. Developing stress relief habits at an early age enables a child to circumvent the stress cycle that leads to health problems later in life. Breathing techniques can be transferred off the mat and into a variety of stressful situations that a child may encounter.

Self-study

Self-study is a necessary but often overlooked practice. As one learns to navigate interpersonal relationships, it is easy to lose sight of one’s own values. Giving kids the time to focus inward allows them to hear their authentic voice. By engaging in the physical practice of yoga or through meditation and pranayama, children can access a greater understanding of themselves. Through self-study, a child can learn to be kinder to him or herself and others.

Intention Setting

In many yoga classes, we can focus our movement and breath on our intention. Our intention could be in the form of a positive affirmation or a short list of things we need to accomplish with our practice. This laser-like focus allows us to discern meaning from what we are doing. Children who learn this skill of intention setting can easily transfer it from the mat and into their everyday lives.

Yoga is physically and emotionally beneficial for children. Through breath and movement, kids can strengthen their bodies and minds, and they can become better citizens of the world.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Yoga Community Outreach for Prevention of Violence

By Kimaya Singh, CYT 500

Yoga community outreach is a reality around the world. Teachers often give time for the benefit of the less fortunate. There are many lessons from the Yoga Sutras that can be applied to humankind today. Ahimsa, the concept of non-violence, is one of the chief moral restraints (yamas) in yogic philosophy. Non-harming is the basis for almost all of a true yogi's decision-making. Choices about how others should be treated, which food is best, and how one should think of oneself can be boiled down to how closely the options adhere to ahimsa. Yogic philosophy is universally applicable - even in locations in which yoga is not easily accessible. Yoga community outreach programs can prevent violence regardless of the circumstances.

Asana and pranayama practices can teach people to be present and mindful. In West Englewood, Illinois, I-Grow Chicago has set up a safe haven for members of a community riddled with gang violence. Children in West Englewood may go to the I-Grow house to receive breakfast and practice yoga. Members of the community, including some ex-gang members, participate in these public practices. I-Grow helps to stem violence by teaching children mindfulness techniques at a young age, but it also breaks the cycle of violence that results from years of trauma.

Segments of communities that tend to be reactive can benefit from yogic methodologies. Outbursts of violence and emotion are some of the most destructive symptoms of PTSD. Programs such as the Veterans Yoga Project provide trauma-sensitive approaches to asana and pranayama in order to disrupt these outbursts. Veterans are not the only individuals that can benefit from trauma-sensitive yogic methodologies: programs such as Exhale to Inhale aid victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through work on the mat.

The Prison Yoga Project addresses incarcerated individuals, who undergo tremendous stress while navigating the prison system. Providing access to yoga for prisoners can help to decrease violence within prisons, but the techniques can also aid inmates when they must reintegrate with the outside world.

Some community outreach programs are aimed at working with children in schools. Calming Kids is a curriculum designed to end bullying in school through mindfulness techniques. Preventing the trauma of bullying can decrease the likelihood of violent responses to other stressors later in life.

Violence is complicated, and ending it requires a multi-faceted solution. Community outreach programs which include yogic practices are able to tackle the issue at several stages. Whether the practitioner is a child, a former service member, a victim of trauma, or a prisoner, yogic practices can meet people where they are and transform their responses to others.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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