There are many different forms of Yoga. Some Yoga styles focus on development of mental and spiritual growth. Some focus on physical development, as a stepping stone toward development of mental and spiritual growth; while other Yoga styles focus on every aspect of growth. A few of the physical styles teach Yoga as little more [...]
Have you thought about how to become a Yoga teacher? Do you envision a brighter future, living your passion, and doing work that you love? Who wants to work at a dead end job for life? How many people can say they truly live their lives with passion? Let’s look at these questions a little [...]
Most Yoga teachers follow the lineage, which was designed before them. This is an excellent path to take, as our colleagues share collective thoughts within the “think tank” of a specific style. We have been told, “If we follow the traditional path of our Guru and colleagues, we cannot go wrong.” For the most part, [...]
When teaching Yoga classes, the modern student is likely to question many aspects of Yoga. Students have to feel results in order to believe in Yogic methods. Until a student feels improvement, he or she may need information to explain why we practice specific techniques. Some Yogic methods leave students thinking, “Why am I doing [...]
Recently, there was a discussion related to the importance of anatomy in a Yoga teacher training course. Some teachers are taking anatomy courses for the sake of continuing education, but they don’t know why. Some spiritual Yoga teachers did not see much importance in anatomy. When considering teaching Hatha Yoga, we should design our classes [...]
At the beginning of each class, Yoga teachers often prompt students to set an intention for their practice. This is usually part of the opening, or greeting, at the beginning of a Yoga session. Bringing a student’s mental focus into the present moment can be accomplished in many ways. Centering, meditation, rooting, pranayama, and warm-ups [...]
Do we have faith in Yoga? If we invest time in daily Yoga practice, we have faith in it. Some of us may have moderate, to deep faith, in the universal concepts of Yoga. Yet, if there is any unethical or fanatic behavior, due to faith, that story will make front page news. What does [...]
Many Yoga teacher interns have different reasons why they seek out an initial 200 hour Level 1 training course. After teaching classes for a while, some experienced teachers are looking to teach students who have much in common with them. For example: The teacher who is very fit is often looking to teach students who [...]
Some Yoga teacher candidates are seeking more than a few dozen physical techniques. They want the whole mind, body, and spirit experience. It is understandable that an intern should desire complete training in a practice that has many spiritual facets and is thousands of years old. However, some spiritual Yoga teachers say the meaning of [...]
So many myths surround Yoga and back pain that Hatha Yoga teachers should inform the public as to what they should realistically expect from a regular practice. Chronic back pain is a very real ailment, while some health professionals hold to the belief that many cases are psychosomatic. There is room for debate here; as [...]
Did you ever question your devotion to teaching? Have you ever internally questioned the devotion of another Yoga teacher? It is only human to question and make comparisons. Making comparisons, and judging, has kept you alive up to this point. Every step in life requires you to make some form of judgment or a decision. [...]
Who fits the profile of a future Hatha Yoga instructor? Do you envision a perennial spiritual seeker, a specific body type, or an athlete for life? Yoga teachers come from all walks of life, with a variety of life experiences and the desire to help others. The three following examples are not the most likely, [...]
Within the nine main styles of Yoga, from India, is one contemplative discipline, which requires us to witness life without personal attachment to outcome. This form of Yoga is known as “Jnana.” How can one really make a commitment to witnessing life without attachment? There are monks and priests, who witness life without attachment, but [...]
When you think about attending a Yoga teacher intensive, what thoughts come to your mind? Do you think about the rewards of learning more about Yoga, and spending time with people who share your passion for a holistic lifestyle? What holds you back from attending a Yoga conference that will benefit you? Nine times out [...]
There comes a day when each of us “takes up the torch” from the preceding generation. For some of us, this event may happen in our family life, at work, with the passing of one’s Guru, or after a Yoga teacher training course has concluded. We learn valuable lessons from the generation ahead of us. [...]
The more we know, the more we realize how much more there is to learn. In Yoga, and in life, each day is a new lesson. Some interns think that, the material they learn in a 200 hour Yoga teacher training will be the “end all” to their education. After a month into teaching, most [...]
Many Yoga practitioners understand, that the foundational guidelines of decision making, rest in the Yamas and Niyamas. If you follow the first two limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga, you cannot go wrong. Yet, sometimes, we still make wrong turns in life. How can people make more rational decisions with a simple referencing system? Below are four [...]
Many Yoga practitioners understand, that the foundational guidelines of decision making, rest in the Yamas and Niyamas. If you follow the first two limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga, you cannot go wrong. Yet, sometimes, we still make wrong turns in life. How can people make more rational decisions with a simple referencing system? Below are four [...]
There are so many forms of back pain, that it seems impossible for Yoga to help them all. Truthfully, Hatha Yoga is great for pain prevention, but it also helps one cope with chronic back pain. If your day is filled with chronic back pain, less or no pain seems like a miracle. On the [...]
When you think about teaching Yoga classes, you always see the positive side of your life experiences. Every Yoga instructor realizes that the act of organizing, and teaching classes, becomes a life mission. Yet, life has “ups and downs” for all of us. There are days when students are seriously ill, you feel ill, or [...]
