By:
Virginia Iversen, M.Ed.
There are
many different ways to structure Yoga class. Of course, the way that you
structure your Yoga classes will largely depend on the composition of the
students in your class. For example, if you are teaching a group of senior
citizens in a retirement home, the type and pacing of your Yoga class will be
far different than if you're teaching a group of college students in the
university gymnasium! With creativity and experience, you will find that there
are a great many variations and nuances to creating an effective, challenging
and safe Yoga class that can be modified to accommodate a wide diversity of
students.
When you are
creating a sequence of Yoga postures, breathing exercises and relaxation
techniques to guide your students through during the course of your class, it
is important to keep in mind the students whom you are teaching and the
underlying focal point of the class itself. Many Yoga instructors use the
guiding principle of performing a pinnacle pose as a foundation upon which to
string a series of asanas during their class. For instance, if you are teaching
a beginning to intermediate Yoga class, and the pinnacle posture you have
chosen is Crow Pose, you may want to guide your students through a series of
beginning balancing postures and hip opening poses, so that they can practice
Crow Pose in a safe and successful manner.
On the
other hand, you can also structure your Yoga classes around the enhancement of
different inner states, or bhavs, such as peacefulness, compassion and courage.
By structuring a class in a such a way that the class itself fosters these
uplifting emotional states of being, you will help your students to truly
embody and integrate the lessons of this ancient practice into all areas of
their lives off the mat. When your Yoga students begin to learn that they can
move through their preconceived limitations and achieve the goals that they have
set for themselves in a safe and successful manner, their self-esteem and sense
of competency will increase naturally, which will positively impact their
day-to-day lives.
*
Bhastrika Pranayama
A very
effective Yogic breathing exercise is Bhastrika Pranayama. Bhastrika Pranayama,
or Bellows Breath, helps to clear away the cobwebs in the mind, invigorate the
entire body and release deeply held mental stress and tension. This vigorous
pranayama exercise also helps to oxygenate all of the tissues in the body and
increase the flow of the lymphatic system, which will boost the functioning of
the immune system and enhance overall health and well being.
Bellows
Breath is one of the best pranayama exercises to practice just before guiding
your students through a series of physical Yoga postures, because it fans the
flames of their inner fire, or agni, which energizes a student's
practice. During the practice of Bhastrika Pranayama, each inhalation and
exhalation should be complete and deep. The ratio of each inhalation and
exhalation should also be equal. When you're ready to teach your students
Bhastrika Pranayama, have them come to a comfortable seated position on their
Yoga mats.
If any of
your students have hips that are tight and are uncomfortable with sitting
directly on their Yoga mats, have them sit on a folded blanket underneath them
for a more comfortable position. This breathing exercise can also be practiced
in a chair, as long as your students sit comfortably erect and place both of
their feet directly on the floor.
When your
students are ready to begin the practice of Bhastrika Pranayama, have them
slightly contract the back of their throats. By contracting the back of the
throat slightly, the intensity of this pranayama exercise will be increased
naturally and gently.
The
contraction of the glottis at the back of the throat is this same pressure that
is created during the practice of Ocean Sounding Breath, or Ujjayi Pranayama.
In this way, the fiery aspect of this pranayama exercise will be naturally
magnified. Guide your students through several rounds of Bhastrika
Pranayama. When they have completed their final round, ask your students to sit
for a moment and feel the energetic clarity and the fullness of heart that has
been generated by this fiery pranayama practice. Both of these inner qualities
are seminal to fostering a courageous state of 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 specializes in writing
customized articles that are 100% unique. She is currently accepting Yoga and
health-related writing orders and may be contacted at: enchantress108@gmail.com.
© Copyright – Virginia Iversen / Aura Wellness Center –
Publications Division
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