teacher training manual

 THE EVOLUTION OF YOGA TEACHER TRAINING MANUAL © 2012 Vikasa Yoga www.evolutionofyoga.com
Table of Contents Introduction to Vikasa Yoga Teacher Training The Koshas Practice Module Preparing for Practice Kriyas: Special Preparatory Practices Archetypes in Practice Styles of Hatha Yoga Principles of Breathing and Bandha Principles of Movement Relaxation Beginning Practice Vinyasa Asana Pranayama Meditation Teaching Module Principles of Teaching Voice Creative Language Student Teacher Relationship Making the Class Common Class Structure Business of Yoga Module Marketing Prices Networking Philosophy Module Anatomy Module 2 Introduction to Vikasa Yoga Teacher Training Today we all have remarkable opportunities. Our species is realizing its power to change itself from the inside out and to lift each other up to better ways of being. For many of us that realization starts with Yoga and it feels like recalling something we’ve known all along... As we practice, realizations keep coming, sometimes even more awakening and show the potential inside of us and in our world. They are new ways of perceiving life and quickly direct us towards actualizing our dreams, knowing the importance of expressing gratitude, and helping others to do the same. Vikasa Yoga Teacher training is a huge manifestation of this. The teachers and students will support each others’ goals and remind one another that today we all have opportunities; to smile, laugh, and to spread happiness and peace, and maybe even Yoga. What is an open minded approach to Yoga? Vikasa is the Sanskrit word for evolution. Just as life has discovered virtually infinite and successful variations, we see Yoga as a process of evolution, discovering new ways to be present, harmonious human beings. The style of our teachers is integrative, never excluding other styles or techniques, but rather incorporating all practices that generate personal development. The process of experimenting with many different techniques results in a practice which is suited to the individual and also the development of many of their own techniques. It also reveals the commonalities of all practices giving you a good a grip on your tools. Seeing these relationships between practices and their results cultivates the awareness that will suffuse the practitioner with their own spiritual light. It is our goal in your teacher training to provide you with insight on many approaches to yoga and encourage you to develop your own path. We want to show you that yoga can and usually does work better non-­‐dogmatically. You will see more clearly how Yoga fits with you, as a practitioner, a teacher, and a living breathing being! If you are eager to see how this one month intensive course will change your life, imagine where it could take you and join our excitement to fuel the evolution! Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment What attracted you to Vikasa Yoga Teacher Training? What are your goals related to this course? This Book The ideas presented to you in this teacher training manual are tools that can be applied in many contexts. Hopefully, you will see these tools as the essence of Yoga practices and by doing so incorporate yoga into your new and purpose driven life. This book is written with the intent to provide a logical approach to practicing and teaching Yoga effectively and as a reference to the ideas presented in our course which you can continue to explore as you go on to teach. The process is the same with Yoga itself. Yoga unveils the implications of your “practices”, the creation of your relationship with your own identity. As you discover more depth to what Yoga has to offer, you can realize how profoundly your inner self is connected to everything you experience. May this book serve as an easy way to access these ideas and the memories of your time here so that you may give them fresh application to your current practice and teaching. What is Yoga? This is the question with endless answers. Maybe one should first ask, "What isn't Yoga?" We likely all know that the simple definition of Yoga is to "yoke", that is to connect. So, isn’t everything connected? We are playfully implying that there is nothing that is separate from Oneness, the universe, God, or divine consciousness. However, we should make a distinction between the nature of Being oneness and the phenomenon of Yoga practice in the Yogi. The Yogi seeks to experience oneness through his own being until he transcends that individualized experience. Traditional Indian Yoga has devised myriad methods towards this purpose, and has had many sages describe what exactly this means. 3 Patanjali, Yoga Sutras I.2, wrote "Yoga Citta vritti nirodaha" “Yoga is to still the movements of the mind” Yoga and Buddhism "Yoga is the end of suffering" And another common idea... "Yoga is the path of awareness" Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment What is Yoga? Why does it interest you? Of what use is it? What is Yoga Practice? The last example, the path of awareness, shows us our practice. Through awareness we discover what causes suffering so we can root it out. Through awareness we learn what agitates the mind so we can remove it. We do this to be able to realize that which exists to support that level of being. Awareness shows us other possible ways to practice Yoga and what Yoga is. Yoga can be considered the practice of healing yourself from the outside in and to become more identified with a spiritual sense of being. Let's look at this practice in context of the koshas, a broad way to understand yoga practice through a kind of map of human experience. The Koshas Traditional Yoga Vedanta describes five main “layers” of the human being which make up our experience. Moving inwards, each successive layer supersedes the previous in terms of intricacy and subtlety but is also connected, encompassing all of the qualities of the layers supported by it. These layers in Yoga are called the Koshas. All Koshas include the word maya in the name, which means illusory. This is because they are impermanent manifestations of the everlasting soul. As they move outwards from the soul level they also become less consciously identified with it. It is the duty and blessing of our practice then to trace the connections back to the soul level and it’s reflection of the divine universal soul. Annamaya Kosha This kosha is the appearance of a seemingly food made body. This kosha is composed of all physical structure. It is worked on primarily by physical exercises, eating, asana, and rest. The refinement of these physical activities leads to an awareness of the underlying movement of energy through the physical body. Pranamaya Kosha The electrical, vibratory, energy apparent body. Developing greater sensitivity to energy by stimulation or containment refines this kosha. Pranamaya Kosha is the life force and happens in the nervous system, the breath, and the electro-­‐magnetic field generated by the nervous system and heavy metals in the blood. Breathing techniques, patterns and cessations, energetic practices such as visualization, concentration, and others work on this kosha. When this refinement results in a high degree of organization, a paradigm shift comes in our understanding of the mind in the… 4 Manomaya Kosha The level of the thinking mind. It uses individualized concepts and feelings through a sense of time, the emotions and the five sensory organs to direct pranamaya and annamaya koshas. It operates on the basis of a deeper knowing-­‐ness which is experienced in meditation and revelations. The mind must be steady and peaceful to access the... Vijnanamaya Kosha This is the wisdom body. It's developed by awareness that has realized the different aspects of mind and can see them and the other superficial koshas as the tools for gaining knowledge. This level of identification is like a still point in the mind which observes all other superficial identifications and modifies them for seeing knowledge and an underlying truth. At this level ego consciousness begins but it is just a powerful sense of "I am". Manomaya Kosha gives ego it’s various qualities. When the Vijnanamaya kosha has aligned all the components of itself and the three other koshas into a configuration that is transparency to truth... Anandamaya Kosha The bliss apparent body. It is like a reflection of divine awareness in the form of the individual. It turns all experience into the bliss of being a part of the continuing birth of the universe in the ever present moment. This is the last layer, a localized phenomenon of the grandeur of the universal consciousness. Samadhi Becoming truth assimilates all superficial experiences and goes beyond rational experience, awakened beyond limitations or seperations, being infinite wholeness. Each of us has a different internal program to unlock our individual evolution to this and all the keys we need are right along the way inside of ourselves. Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment How do you observe and relate to each of the koshas of yourself? Upon completion of the course look again and see how that relationship has changed. Practice Module Practice, practice, practice. We all know Yoga is about practice and we need to practice to get results. Or do we? Is Yoga about getting results? ...Or, is it about surrendering to the divine source of your being? As is often the case, it can be both. They are two perspectives of one reality. For simplicity, let's consider these two perspectives, "attitudes" for Yoga practice. The first, results oriented, is a masculine attitude. It uses tools and knowledge to perfect conditions and obtain enlightenment. It has dangers of becoming overly identified with those tools, the body, mind, ego, and an illusory future. The second, receptive attitude, is a feminine. It releases control so that the only remaining experience is the true grandeur of being, the unfolding of existence in this moment. It has dangers of becoming inert, dull, limited, and unfulfilled. These two "attitudes" are the epitome of duality. From a cursory observation they seem contradictory, impossible to compromise, but, if we can look at our lives from an external perspective momentarily, it becomes easy to blend them into harmony. Thought Experiment: What is Infinity? This is just a little experiment to see if we can have an understanding of divine self and practice that breaks rational logic. It’s impossible to understand logically the divine self because it is what is “looking”, so we can only “see” what it is by tricky mirror like strategies that dissolve duality. Don’t take it to seriously…unless you have some kind of spontaneous awakening…if that happens, go for it. 5 Let's pretend that instead of being the self-­‐contained you that has a will and makes decisions, you are actually a being directed by universal energy which always remains in perfect balance. Typically when considering the wholeness of the universes energy and complexity the concept of infinity comes to mind. In the concept of infinity, even a portion observed within it also retains an infinite nature. This can be demonstrated in simple mathematics and sacred geometry, such as Pi and the Flower of Life respectively. If we take a portion of something, we can extract infinite information by making ever smaller divisions or dimensions within it. All of these divisions will have a logical and traceable relationship back to the original form. Creation is this way. This is why in the entity of yourself, you can look inwards to discover the true infinite nature of Self or consciousness. It's why classical physicist will always find smaller particles if they can utilize enough energy for their particle smashing machines. It’s why we will also never be satisfied if we find the “edge of the universe”. Surely there must be something beyond that, at least in different dimensions. This principle radiates outwards as creation, creating infinite possibilities from duplicating an original movement in new relationships. We can infer that this means there is a kind of blueprint by which existence operates. This includes human beings. Since there is this impulsive blueprint of creation, but also the undeniable feeling of will and choice we have, our choice must be in how much of our individual compartmentalized portion of consciousness, a miniaturized duplicate of the whole if you will, we are allowing divine will to act through us. Now, looking at ourselves again as a manifestation of the balanced yet infinite creation, we can begin to see how we are beings of freewill that also merge with the destiny of creation. We are given this freedom of “separation” to create more intricacies in the web of creation until our soul has become realized and it’s vibration become a new fundamental portion of the infinite blueprint. In fact, it is the drive of this existing-­‐
ness to become ever more complex in it's balance and thus reveal ever more subtle levels through which consciousness can become aware of itself, by it's own process of creation, the destiny I mentioned. How involved we are in this revelation is in part an aspect of trusting that we are always on the right path. Simultaneously we can experience both freewill and destiny, until freewill merges with divine will, the divine exploration of being, the universe creating and experiencing itself, through itself, for the time as we observe it, as the human being. They are one and the same. This is why when practicing with a balance of propulsive and receptive energies in the context of our individual being, we feel the same balance of the Universe, unbounded freedom and peace, oneness, reveling in creation. So how can we find more time to practice and feel our sincere nature, our genuine balance and connection with oneness? Make your life your practice. Observe yourself constantly and be open to act immediately on your most intimate intuitions. Bring loving kindness and awareness to your interactions, both within you and without you, and see how you will experience an increase in the flow of life throughout, and peace within. Take your practice off that mat, be active, and let all actions be the will of the divine in this moment. There is no destination, simply to be ever more aware, ever more present, ever more loving of your creation. Practice. Metaphoric Images: Be as a valve opening in a pipe of water. The more open you become, the less you hold back what is designed to flow through you, the less resistance and stress you experience, the more powerful and life giving you become. Questions for Discussion: What is Yoga practice? What other ways can we integrate Yoga practice into our daily lives? 6 Preparing for Practice This section will outline the conditions which make for an ideal practice. The right conditions make you sensitive, take your energy higher, make you lighter, and create an effortlessly clear mind. If conditions are less than ideal and you want to practice, practice anyway. This is also beneficial. When considering these ideas about practice, know that we are primarily referring to physical exercises of asana and pranayama. Food Food In the Body There are several reasons why practicing with as little food in the body as possible is advised. The primary reason being that the mass and pressure of food in the stomach and intestines will limit the movements of the lungs and diaphragm and decrease our ability to maintain the bandhas. This decreases the potential for deep breathing and pranayama. Secondly, food in digestion requires resources such as blood and nerve force which will diminish energy and focus needed for practice. There are even certain postures and techniques, such as Uddiyana, which would be stressful if done too soon after eating. However, some practices can be done with food in the stomach but these should be mild and done with experienced control. To get the most from your practice time, do it on an empty stomach whenever possible. Hence, many traditional recommendations for morning practices. Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-­‐based diets (fruits, vegetables, etc.), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat What are sattvic foods? Sattva, originally a Sanskrit word, is defined as the quality of purity and goodness. Sattvic foods are therefore pure, clean and wholesome. A sattvic diet consists of food that gives life, strength and energy to the individual. Yoga practitioners make use of the sattvic diet to support the practices of; anushasanam, which means the governing of ones subtle nature and the quieting of the mind, this is not just for the health of the body. The Bhagavad Gita describes the Sattvic foods as promoting life, virtue, strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. It also says that Sattvic foods are savory, smooth, firm and pleasant to the stomach. Organic foods are therefore recommended for both their purity and vitality. Food should be fresh and freshly prepared. Sattvic foods are light in nature, easy to digest, mildly cooling (this is an interesting point since in colder climates a purely sattvic diet may not be recommended... more on this to follow), refreshing and not disturbing to the mind. It is also said that the way Sattvic food is prepared is also important, which means the persons state of mind when making the food should be positive and the food is best prepared with a state of love and awareness. This is important because many believe the emotions or energy of the person preparing the food is passed on to the food. I am sure you remember a time where someone in a bad mood made you dinner and it just was not as good as normal (maybe they did everything right but their emotions colored the food.... something to think about). Growing your own herbs and having a garden is also helpful since you can put a lot of you own love into these plants. Pure, sattvic foods need to be chewed carefully and eaten in modest portions. This is also a key nutritional point if we look at todays science. If you chew your food properly then it is easier to digest, but also takes more time to eat. By taking this time the stomach can accurately tell you the moment it has had enough and when to stop. You may think you know when you are full but you do not, give this a try; for each time you put food in your mouth chew it 20 times before the next, you will find you get full with less food. Another example is eating quickly, have you ever eaten fast until you are full, and then 20 min later really 7 not felt well and the rest of the day felt drained of energy and heavy (because food was going in so quickly by the time the stomach sent the message there was all this extra food already there to deal with). The reason for this is the stomach does not register the amount of food in it to be full (well not completely, if stuffed you will know it) but it registers when it sees the amount of energy (calories) and nutrition it is digesting. You could say it is the difference between feeling satisfied or full. Here is a list of some Sattvic foods to help you plan your own yogic diet: Fresh Organic Fruits: Almost all fruits, including apples, apricots, bananas, berries, dates, grapes, melons, lemons, mangoes, oranges, peaches and plums, are considered exceptional Sattvic foods. Sometimes yogis will go on fruit fasts, where they avoid all foods except fruit and fruit juices, they sometimes do this when participating in a special sadhana (advanced practice). Fruit is also considered symbolic of generosity and spirituality and is often exchanged as an offering or a gift within Hindu and Buddhist traditions ( just in case you may want to know). Fresh Organic Dairy: Dairy is considered controversial by many vegetarians, but the yoga tradition considers all types of dairy as Sattvic foods and insists on the value of a wholesome food freely given by the symbol of motherhood, the cow. We do need to use the highest quality organic fresh dairy to benefit from its sattvic qualities however. Milk, butter, clarified butter (ghee), fresh home-­‐made cheese (I love homemade cheese), whey and fresh yogurt (especially lassi) are all very much recommended. They benefit from careful preparation, and the extra effort to learn the recipes is well worthwhile (as an extra here the simple act of cooking can be a great stress reliever, it is shown that the conscious mind can only focus clearly on one thing at a time, when you really get into the cooking your stress seems to vanish). For example, milk can be diluted and warmed with mild spices (i.e. fresh ginger, cinnamon and cardamom) and served with raw honey to overcome any mucus-­‐forming tendencies (it is very nice, try it before bed). Traditionally, if a yogi is doing advanced practices, the dairy provides needed lubrication, grounding and protein that the body will need. In fact, dairy along with fruit have been described as the epitome of the sattvic or yogic diet. Nuts, Seeds and Oils: Fresh nuts and seeds are good additions to the sattvic diet in small portions, as long as they are not salted or overly cooked. Good choices are almonds (especially when peeled and soaked in water overnight), coconut (fresh coconut water is the most wonderful drink, cut open a coconut drop a straw in and enjoy!), pine nuts, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds are all good as well (making sure about no added salt). Oils should be of highest quality and cold-­‐pressed. Good choices are olive oil, sesame oil and flax oil, extra virgin oil is worth the price by the way. Organic Vegetables: A lot of mild organic vegetables are considered Sattvic foods, including beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green leafy veggies, sweet potatoes and squash. the green leafy one really are the best to focus on though. Whole Grains: Whole grains provide excellent nourishment when well cooked. Consider organic rice, whole wheat, spelt, oatmeal and barley (personally I love my Porridge with raisins in the morning for breakfast). You can also lightly roast the grains before cooking to remove some of their heavy quality. Yeasted breads are not recommended unless they are toasted. Favorite preparations are kicharee (basmati rice cooked with split mung beans, ghee and mild spices), kheer (rice cooked with milk and sweetened, as an alternative you can use sticky rice and coconut milk to make a great dessert, is a Thai recipe and very nice), chapathis (non-­‐
8 leavened whole wheat flat bread), During some advanced training or practices Yogis will sometimes fast from grains during that time. Legumes: Split mung beans, yellow split peas, organic tofu, bean sprouts and perhaps lentils and aduki beans are considered Sattvic foods if well prepared. In general, the smaller the bean, the easier it is to digest. Strategies include splitting, peeling, grinding, soaking, sprouting, cooking and spicing. One note is that Legumes combined with whole grains offer a complete protein combination (as far as vegetable protein goes)... A Word About Meat Meats are not Sattvic foods, however we as humans need to have some within our diet. Remember that vegetable protein is missing several amino acids, for me I still eat meat myself but it only accounts for 10% of my diet, and that includes fish... I have added this due to my training and education in the field of nutrition. When we think of Buddhist and Hindu traditions they also agree with this but Traditionally they will only eat the meat of Non-­‐Mammals... so they get the protein from fish, seafood and poultry. However they do spend 3 days a week where they abstain from meat completely and 2 times a year, where they do so for a week or two for cleansing. Sweeteners: Yogis use raw honey (especially in combination with dairy) and raw sugar (not refined). Spices: Sattvic spices are the mild spices, they include basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, fresh ginger and turmeric... Hot and strong spices are not Sattvic 9 Balanced diet (agreeable food) Main rules of healthy balanced diet 10 Food Combining
11 Nutrition and minerals 12 Fasting and cleansing Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day (24 hours), or several days. Juice fasting involves abstaining from food while deriving nutritional intake through freshly-­‐juiced vegetables and fruits such that the body may detoxify. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive, limiting particular foods or substance. Q: How does food affect the practice? Time Times for practice are best near sunrise and sunset. It is a time of natural transition for the body so it becomes easier to change the habitual patterns of your energy to be more suited for realization. They are also symbolic, meaningful times appropriate for directing your consciousness to different aspects of yourself. How long you practice doesn’t have to be precise. Typical Hatha yoga classes span 90 minutes but it's ok if a self practice is shorter. People may think they don't have enough time to practice but even a 30 minute practice can be excellent and it's way better than no practice. Longer practices can last as long as the energy and mental focus of the practitioner is brilliant. Attire Loose cotton clothes with a basic style, comfortable loose fit and white color is recommended. It's interesting to see how different color clothing can affect the feeling of your attitude and practice. Whatever you wear, keep it simple, and maybe also minimal! Practicing at home in front of the mirror, minimally clothed or naked, is good. You'll be more mindful of breath movements while watching the abdomen and ribcage and the “essential truth” of yourself will be easy to see. Love your body. It is a divine vehicle. When you are wearing clothes good colors are white, black, or an earth tone that is either relaxing or stimulating to the mind, as appropriate. Avoid synthetic materials as some of them block the flow of atmospheric charges around your body which is a detriment to pranayama. Because practice is about simplifying and freeing yourself, it’s also best to remove any accessories such as glasses, contact lenses, rings, and bracelets, etc. Long hair should be neatly put up. I've actually seen long dread locks put up into a loop for the foot to rest in doing back bends. Environment This is a very important part of practice. A beautiful, open place with fresh air will be inviting and invigorating to practice in. The more open and spacious, the more prana you will interact with in your practice and it’s easier to “remember the big picture”. There are some theories that link polarity charge in the atmosphere to prana, the vital life energy. Research has already proven that the exchange of gases in the lungs is more efficient where the air is charged with negative ions. Negative ions also assist the movements of prana within the body. Positive ions are harmful. In cities, and other heavily industrialized areas, pollutants, which produce positive ions, and strong electromagnetic fields reduce or repel negative ions, decreasing this life empowering charge from the air. Most naturally occurring negative ions are produced by evaporating water so the highest levels are found at the ocean and waterfalls! Be glad to be surrounded by the ocean to charge your batteries up! Frequency Progress from practice is related to frequency, in other words, how often you practice over time. Be consistent. You can consider progress in two ways. One, how much your normal physical, energetic, and mental states reflects your practice state, or two, the occurrence of life changing revelations. Create a practice that you can do frequently while exploring new territories of your physical and energetic experience each time. 13 Special Preparatory Techniques: Kriyas As preparation for Hatha Yoga practice, make the body clean. Your body is the tool and your first grounds in experiencing how everything is connected. By “cleaning the tool” you make it more sensitive and thus have clearer observations.You also keep “the lab” up and running without difficulties. These practices are pleasant with experience and develop self-­‐love as you take care of yourself. There are endless variations of Kriyas but we will cover only those that are practical to use in an Asana classes here. It should also be noted that these are not only physical cleansings. Using kriyas reveals how the bodies automatic cleansing responses are triggered by stimuli and, how they relate to emotional states and social behaviors. In some ways these relationships are obvious. In other ways, not so easily put into words, let’s say many of us can understand much more about ourselves. Your own experiential understanding will go the farthest. Best to practice! Kapalabhati – Impulse Breathing Typically best practiced in the seated Asana such as Vajrasana or Sukhasana. It can also be practiced some more dynamic asana and standing with feet apart, hands on bent knees and arms straight as a preparation for Uddiyana Bandha. It is a cleansing technique for the lungs and digestive system. The name translates as ‘head polishing’ as the practice energizes the brain’s frontal lobe and psychic energy centers. It also stimulates digestive fire and abdominal strength, assists movement through the GI tract, and flushes the blood stream with oxygen. The breath is pumped out in rapid, short blasts followed by passive inhales from the release of the abdomen and diaphragm. Work the action in the lower abdomen with as little movement elsewhere as possible. Let your face be calm and comfortable. Not to be done after meals or when there is stomach pain. Bhastrika – Bellows Breath Bhastrika is rapid and intense cycle of inspirations and exhalations. It is controlled hyper ventilation to flush the body with oxygen and to strongly wake up the metabolic rates, and alter the mental state. It is often useful for people that need help breaking addictions. It's effects are so powerful that cravings are surged away in the rush of energy. Uddiyana – Agnisara – Nauli Uddiyana occurs when the lungs are emptied, breath stopped, and the abdomen pulled upwards. It is a physical and also energetic lifting to bring energy to the higher energy centers in the chest, throat, and brain. Before breathing again the abdomen should be pushed down and out to release the vacuum Uddiyana creates. There will be the feeling of a small exhale that makes it comfortable to breath in again. During Uddiyana different techniques can be used to stimulate the organs and develop muscular control and circulation. The first is Agnisara, which is performed by rhythmically lifting and releasing the uddiyana action without breathing. When this is mastered begin practicing contracting and releasing the vertical rectus abdominis muscle. When this is mastered practice rolling it from side to side by turning the hips and eventually stirring it in waves across interior and front of the abdominal cavity. This is the Nauli Kriya technique, said to cure many diseases and disorders. None of these techniques should be performed after eating or with upset stomach. Jala Neti Neti is a practice which cleans the sinuses superficially and also stimulates the body to purge other toxins from the nearby lymph systems. Jala neti is done with a water pot which is poured through one nostril and out the other by tilting the head to the side and slightly up. Breath slowly through the mouth as the water moves through. It’s great to do before pranayama practices. The water should be a lukewarm saline solution. Get the residual water out afterwards by doing kapalabhati and turning the head from side to side as you exhale. You can also do triangle pose to help drain any stuck water. A few times a week is usually enough but it’s perfectly fine to do everyday, especially if you live with heavy pollution or in a dry winter climate. Sutra Neti is performed with a clean waxed string which is inserted through the nose and out through the mouth. Gently pull the string back and forth for 10-­‐20 seconds for each nostril. 14 Archetypes in Practice These preclude styles but are often incorporated by them. By breaking down practice into these different components and understanding the uses of each, you can more effectively deliver the right practice at the right time to the students and yourself. Exploration All practices should be taken with the ambition of exploration. Consider your practice as generating conscious awareness of your nervous system, mental states, muscular and skeletal sensations and alignment in 3-­‐dimensional space, etc. Poses provide you sensory feedback in different ways so that you may become more aware of these parts of your body and how they integrate to make a whole. A great deal of body awareness comes from kinesthetic reference. Through the sensations in the structure of your body in relation to the ground or anything touching you, you can feel where each part of your body is, in relation to this touch reference. Even using one part of your body to touch another part is also a kinesthetic reference that reveals a great deal about your structure. Movements in repetition are used to explore your range of mobility in the joints and responsiveness of your muscles and tendons. They also create repetitions of signals through the nervous system to brain, "lighting up" patterns of activity. These explorations can continue indefinitely, both inwards and outwards to more subtle levels of Yoga, the source. Opening More people will benefit from a physically “opening” practice initially. This is learning to release into stretches, opening the hips, the shoulders, and the front side of the body in back bending. Most people beginning a Yoga practice are unbalanced in a sense that their bodies are much more “closed” than they should be. The complex of reasons for this are always interrelated and include, bad posture, attitude, trauma events, and lack of belief or motivation for self-­‐healing and adaptation. An opening practice happens through surrender and exposing oneself. Poses to Consider: Viparita Karani, Supta Baddhakonasana, Cobra, Wheel Concentrated A practice focused on concentrating energy to a single point in space can be very powerful for developing focus. It's also been proven that deep, strong muscle contraction helps develop resolve and will power. If the practitioner has already discovered openness, they can then start to develop a balanced practice using concentrated techniques without stressing themselves. Poses to Consider: Chair Pose, Warrior I & III, Boat Pose, Headstand, Handstand Heating A Heating practice is purifying, stimulating, and energizing. Sweat is excreted along with waste matter flushed. For practices where you plan to perform deep stretching or unfamiliar asana you should always have a good warm up at the beginning of your practice. The muscles will stretch easier and more safely. The intensity or constant movement that generates the heat also acts to wake up the body into a higher metabolic state making more energy available for the practice and having fun. Cooling Cooling practice is restorative and calming. It can also be expansive for the spaciousness of your internal awareness. Yin yoga is the epitome of cooling practice, taking low intensity poses for extended time. Cooling is also the sensible end for any practice to relax the body and mind. During this part of the practice, experiential knowledge is crystalized into new relationships to aspects of yourself and understanding of life. 15 Vinyasa The flowing style of practice that links movements to breath. This is useful for the warm up portions of practice, freeing energy to flow through the body, and by the mindful repetition of sequences to increase awareness of your range of motion and structural tension relationships. Vinyasa is helpful for beginners who need movement to keep their attention presently focused. The mind will not have the time to be distracted as it must concentrate on the movements of the body. Static Asana When the body is warmed up and attention focused, static asana can be practiced. Practicing steady and relaxed postures is a catalyst for spiritual growth. It's similar to how you can see deep into a body of water when it is still and clear. Physically, holding poses allows you to go deeper into stabilizing muscle and connective tissues. Blood pressure and flow is unique in each asana and nourishes certain parts of the organs and tissues. As you relax into it, you can begin to feel the relationships of posture to mind. The word static, to remain unchanging, applies only to the fundamental alignment of the pose, and only when comfortable in the joints and connective tissues. Within the fundamental skeletal alignment of the pose there is still the movement of the breath and muscles intelligently seeking to create greater support and effortless effort. Breath is experienced in waves of pressures up and down the torso and energy is experienced in movement throughout the body. Meditative Eventually in any type of Yoga practice we should move from a gross level of practice to a more subtle one. This process repeats over and over until we are at something so indescribably subtle it is at the very essence and source of all of it! While you may continue to do all the other practices throughout your life for its health benefits and the way it freshens up the mind, in time it becomes more beneficial to work with internal energies, releasing karmic cycles, and observing pure consciousness to reflect the divine. Physical Healing/Target Practices It can be useful to practice with a specific goal in asana practice or pranayama technique. You can consider exploring different movements or muscle systems in a logical way that starts with basic asana and develops into more expressive positions. The more "advanced" a practice the more it portrays a dynamic yin-­‐yang balance through the increasing relaxation and contraction in opposing muscle groups or energies. As a teacher you will also have opportunities to work with and heal people who are looking for specific help from Yoga. From both your experiential knowledge in logically structured self-­‐practices and anatomical knowledge you will be able to help many people recover and heal from specific injuries. Clarity & Focus Here is the whole purpose of Yoga, to organize our consciousness so that it can recognize the connection through the layers of body, prana, mind, intellect and organize them into a configuration that recognizes the soul and it's source in oneness. To be able to do so we must have great understanding of our interest and aversions, our joys and our sufferings. As such, the practice should reflect the level of a practitioners understanding of his or her identity. The layers of our selves are intricately interconnected with no real hard border between them. Because of this, working on one aspect of yourself will influence the others. However we must always seek to work at the layer that is on the frontier of our understanding to make significant growth. Someone who has essentially mastered asana doesn't have to stop doing it, but the frontier of their practice is now in pranayama and working with the mind. As we go in deeper, we learn to release deeper undesired habitual tendencies(samskaras) from their root by discovering some ignorance or misconception in identity, thus experiencing ever greater freedom. Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment What is a beginner's practice? What is an advanced practice? What other archetypes of practice might there be? 16 Extra concept for thought: Laughter as Yoga Genuine laughter is joyful and contagious. When people laugh they are relaxed and happy. If you think about this phenomenon in terms of human attention its rather amazing. The center of the body shakes and a loud noise erupts, catching everyone's attention. Those feeling involved begin to laugh too, shaking and smiling in presence. Styles of Hatha Yoga It’s all Hatha Yoga, whatever brand name it’s given. The goal of Hatha Yoga is to balance your energy and make meditation accessible. It does this through cleansing(kriyas), postures(asana), energy practices(pranayama), seals(bandhas), and symbolic gestures(mudras). It also elicits awareness of energy centers (chakras), energy channels(nadis), divine force(Shakti), and ascension energy (kundalini). Sivananda Created by Swami Sivananda. Uses 12 classic postures and also focuses on pranayama, meditation, and affirmations. Iyengar Created by B.K.S. Iyengar. Utilizes various props and structures to hold poses for long periods with excellent alignment. Bikram Created by Bikram Choudhury. The original hot yoga. This style uses an ordered sequence of 26 poses with frequent rest poses. Ashtanga Vinyasa Created by Patthabi Jois. This style is the original vinyasa flow and utilizes bandhas, ujjaya breathing and sun saluations continuing into 6 series of posture sequences of advancing complexity and requiring extraordinary flexibility. When the practitioner cannot perform the next pose that is the end of the practice and then shavasana is taken. Anusara Created by John Friend. Using creatively worded principles of alignment, life affirming tantric philosophy, and heart oriented teaching, Anusara is also a strongly community oriented Yoga style. Yin This style uses low intensity poses, often seated or laying down, with or without props, and has practitioners relax into the pose for up to 5 minutes. The longer in the pose the deeper the release goes, eventually resulting in stretching deeper connective tissue such as fascia and ligaments. Jivamukti Created by Shannon Garon and David Life. Jivamukti attempts to integrate the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of yoga practices that originated in India into the modern lifestyle-­‐without losing sight of the ancient and universal goal of the practices, which is liberation. 17 Principles of Breathing and Bandha Breathing is an amazing phenomenon that exists in both the realms of automatic instinct and conscious control. Many people go through life without too much attention to it, sometimes to their deficit, until they discover Yoga and how much they actually can control it and be healed. Breath control and observation builds the bridges connecting body, energy, mind, and soul. The entire system of the breathing apparatus can be trained such that even when we are unconscious of our breath it will model it’s training. Everything is simplified when we feel easy and open breathing. So much good comes to us when we put attention to the quality of each breath. Practicing Hatha Yoga with awareness centered on breathing takes the practice to another level not possible otherwise. By cultivating the deeper movements of breathing in and out, savoring the pauses inbetween, these respective fundamental modes of being reveal a more intuitive and present approach to practice and life. Inhalation The action of inhalation is initiated by the diaphragm drawing downwards, creating suction, and pulling the tissue of the lungs into the vacuum between their surface and the inner surface of the ribcage. It can be modified in a variety of ways through the action of bandha, the abdominal sheath, the intercostal muscles, and even the shoulder girdle, back, and chest muscles as they covers a large portion of the ribcage. All of these muscles when trained can give us great control over which portion of the lungs we intentionally breath in, especially when applied in the variety of yoga asana. Inhalation stimulates movement, both in mind and the body, to "rise" upwards and outwards. It has a wakeful energy, curious and aware. Exhalation The action of exhalation occurs when the diaphragm begins its movements back upwards, the intercostals contract, and the abdominals and shoulder girdle can assist as well. Exhalation draws movement inwards and downwards to Mula bandha. It creates a connecting feeling through the body and to the Earth. It comes with the relaxation response, calming the mind, the switch to the parasympathetic nervous system, and the release of tension. Abdominal Breathing This is breathing primarily with expansion in the abdomen. It is the way babies breath and it's very relaxing. It is used more frequently in chinese spiritual and martial arts such as Chi Gong and focuses prana in the lower chakras and sexual drive. Thoracic Breathing This is breathing with movement in the abdomen withheld by maintaining the energetic lock of the bandha to breath primarily with expansion in the ribcage. This cultivates greater lung capacity, massages lower organs, and increases digestive power. It pulls Prana into the upper chakras and develops spiritual energy. Complete Breathing Complete breathing utilizes abdominal and thoracic expansion. It is best experienced laying down on the back as in shavasana. After a few moments of breathing this way it is possible to greatly extend the breath and feel as if you could breath between one pair of ribs at a time. It is excellent for learning the actions of breathing by their physical sensations and highly therapeutic. You may be able to extend one cycle of breath to one whole minute or longer. Ujjaya Breathing Ujjaya means victorious. It is performed by slightly contracting the glottis, the muscle you use to swallow, making the passage way for breathing narrower and straw like. Just as a thin straw works with less suction than a larger one, by using Ujjaya you create deeper flow of the breath with less movement of the diaphragm which lengthens the duration of your breath, also giving the intercostals more time to relax, 18 finally resulting in a fuller inhalation. Ujjaya can also be used with the glottis nearly closed and stronger, drawing out phlegm and mucus from the sinuses and nasal passages. Mula Bandha The root lock is situated between the anus and the genitals, slightly above the perineum. It is activated by engaging the ring shaped pubo-­‐coccygeal(PC) muscle, located under the vertical axis of the spine and forward of the tailbone. Using this bandha keeps prana from dispering out and downwards and redirects it upwards to the chest. It also stimulates Muladhara chakra and gives a foundational point for concentration. The muscle also has the feeling of lift when engaged and it automatically makes a subtle engagement of Uddiyana Bandha. Uddiyana Bandha The word uddiyana means flying upwards. There are two ways this practice is taught by Yoga teachers. One we can consider a light version. By keeping the abdominal muscles withheld during inhalation our breath expansion moves upwards, primarily in the ribcage. During the exhale abdominals can draw farther in, stabilizing the spine. Focus to a point slightly below and behind the navel and imagine it being tied to mula bandha. Imagine the two points moving towards each other is a great way to develop balance with their practice. Essentially Uddiyana is whatever keeps the energy moving up. The second way of practice is what I call the "full" technique, a special cleansing, detailed in the Kriyas section. Jalandhara Bandha This is the upper most energetic lock which is only used during Kumbhaka breath retentions. It is performed by lowering the chin fully towards the chest with the tongue to the soft palate to seal off any flow of breath. When applied with the other three bandha, Prana can be studied within. Breath Sided-­‐ness In almost all human beings the flow of breathing alternates between left and right nostril dominance throughout the course of a given day. The switch between sides is believed to be automatic by the sympathetic nervous system but is also influenced by posture, physical and mental activity, emotional states(a bodily and mental phenomenon), and metabolic cycles. You can trigger this switch intentionally by laying down on one side of your body to open the other side. The body’s intelligence will realize it can’t breath deeply into the side against the floor or mattress and so open you’re other nostril. This can also be achieved by the use of the yoga danda, a stick that looks like and is used the same as a little crutch. It “tricks” the body into the same response, opening breath on the opposite side. Each side corresponds to the brain activity in the opposite side’s hemisphere and other polar dynamics through the body-­‐mind complex which gives breathing on each side distinct qualities. The switch occurs by erectile tissue within each nostril, expanding to diminish flow, and shrinking to increase flow. It is possible for breath to be equally open on both sides and this is ideal for yoga practice. More of this will be discussed in the Pranayama section and Nadi Shodhana technique. Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment How are Bandha used and what is their purpose? How do you already use breath control? How does it feel? What does it help? 19 Principles of Movement Human movement has never had any better metaphor said than "Be like water." The body is mostly water. Moving like water entails flowing into poses, subtle and fluid muscle use, and finding strength through the path of least resistance. Through yoga vinyasa and asana you can learn economy of movement. You know how to use the perfect amount of energy to accomplish your tasks, moving with ease and grace. Movement becomes an artistic expression and creation as we feel alive and joyful to let our inner experience show through the body. When breath is coordinated with correct physical movements, we also synchronize with the movements of prana and all three movements become harmonious. How do muscles move the body? Muscle contraction pulls the body in various ways which moves the skeleton and attached structures. Muscle force can be stimulated in two ways. Summation: At any given time during muscle contraction only a percentage of cells within the muscle contract. Even with extreme effort it typically maxes at about 35%, a neurological limit to prevent avulsion to the tendon. Initially, smaller cells engage first as they are excited by less stimulation than the larger cells. As more muscular force is required, the electrical nerve force will increase, enlisting larger cells which can have up to 50 times the contractile strength of the smallest. Frequency: Muscle force is also increased by the frequency at which cells receive signals from the central nervous system. The higher the frequency the more intense the contraction. The slower, the weaker the contraction into relaxation with few or no signals. How can we utilize our strength and stay relaxed? We can use our awareness and imagination to develop greater control over the way we use our muscles. In Yoga Asana we are often told to "relax into the pose" even as muscles are certainly at work. What is happening is we are learning to incorporate a greater percentage of our muscle mass at a more intelligent impulse frequency, perhaps a slower one, that matches the needs for supporting the body and also re-­‐training our postural muscles to be more balanced and integrated. Three Types of Contraction There are, in practicality, three ways we can experience muscle contraction. Isometric -­‐ This is the way people typically consider muscle force. Contraction generates work and the muscle shortens, working against gravity or external weight. Eccentric -­‐ This is the controlled release of contractile force when the body is letting down an external load or it's own weight into gravity. In Yoga Asana it happens when we do standing back bends, lower our arms, or do standing forward folds. Concentric -­‐ This is when force matches load and there is no movement, muscle length remains the same. What is Stretching? Stretching is the lengthening of muscles opposing to those that contract and shorten. Skill in slowing nerve impulse signals and thus relaxing the stretching muscle will allow it to stretch even farther. In most cases we want to stretch primarily in the belly of muscles, and their nerves and enveloping fascia. Healthy and frequent stretching in yoga asana encourages the muscle to produce more cells in it’s fibers which eventually encourages the fascia to grow giving greater range of motion, control of movement, and reduced risk of injury. 20 What is hyper compensation? Compensation is a global term, upon which many doctrines and universal processes are based. Day and night, activity and passivity, being awake and asleep, yin and yang, and so on… Movement comes out of stillness, and every process contains the birth of the process, opposite to it… • Mother Nature overcompensates and adapts the body to the stress it receives • The same rule applies to muscles and skill How to take into account those principles and implement them into your practice? (Hint: yoga nidra, savasana) The Loading/Unloading Principle •
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This principle states that it is necessary to regularly prescribe a period of reduced load to ensure proper recovery, effective adaptations, and to reduce the risk of overtraining Some common formats for packaging the loading and unloading are: Progressively load for 3-­‐4 weeks then reduce the volume and intensity for 1 week Load with high quality or high volume for 3-­‐4 microcycles then decrease the high load for 1 microcycle What are plyometrics? Plyometrics (also known as "plyos" and "jumping") is a type of training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in sports. Plyometric exercises may also be referred to as explosive exercises. Plyometric movements, in which a muscle is loaded and then contracted in rapid sequence, use the strength and elasticity of muscle and surrounding tissues to jump higher, run faster, throw farther, or hit harder, depending on the desired training goal. Plyometrics is used to increase the speed or force of muscular contractions, providing explosiveness for a variety of sport-­‐specific activities. Benefits range from injury prevention, power development and sprint performance amongst others. Plyometric training involves and uses practicing plyometric movements to enhance tissues abilities and train nerve cells to stimulate a specific pattern of [muscle contraction] so the muscle generates as strong a contraction as possible in the shortest amount of time. A plyometric contraction involves first a rapid muscle lengthening movement (eccentric phase), followed by a short resting phase (amortization phase), then an explosive muscle shortening movement (concentric phase), which enables muscles to work together in doing the particular motion. Plyometric training engages the myotatic reflex, which is the automatic contraction of muscles when their stretch sensory receptors are stimulated. Muscular power and muscular strength are two different things. Muscular strength refers to how much force can be applied (The ability to lift a heavier weight as opposed to a lighter one). Strength alone is good indicative of speed. Although muscle strength is correlated to sprint performance, research has shown that combining both resistance training and plyometric training will have better effects on training. While plyometrics assists in rapid force development (power), weight training assists in maximal force output (strength). Power refers to the combined factors of speed and strength. Visual Image Imagine the skeletal muscles as an adaptable suit. Visualize and be aware of the connection to every muscle cell in your body through the structure of your nervous system and having perfect coordination in movement. 21 The Five Movements of the Spine Axial Extension This is a special movement. It is the lengthening of your spine by reducing it's curvature. It happens when we "tuck" the tailbone and reach the crown of the head upwards. Deeper in the body what is happening is we are balancing the supportive and stabilizing muscles of the front and back sides of the body. Coming into this position makes us alert and focused, ready to move in any direction. Exploratory Practice: Either seated or standing spontaneously lengthen the spine with an inhalation. Retain the lower ribs in while allowing the collar bones to move back slightly with shoulders relaxed. Push down into your feet or sits bones and up through the crown of the head. As you exhale soften the extension and take the lower ribs down and back without effort. “Extend, indivisible, rooting to the earth and reaching to heaven” Back Bends Back bends are also a special movement. Their occurrence in typical "nature" isn't very frequent and usually not very intense considering the range of possible movement with training. The most intense backbends occurring typically are probably from orgasm. They are amazingly healing for the spine because it's difficult to backbend deeply with any deviation laterally, to the left or right as in twisting or side bending, so it's very good for straightening the spine from left and right deviations as with scoliosis. Of course back bending also strengthens the supporting muscles that become weak or over stretched so easily by unhealthy posture. Backbends are incredibly invigorating, lifting energy and opening to the heart. Exploratory Practice: Standing with feet hip distance apart, bring the base of the palms just above the L1 vertebrae gentle pressing forward. Inhale, allowing the chest to lift with the point of the sternum moving forward. As you exhale, let the shoulder blades move back, down, and together while supporting from the palms. As you finish the exhale move the hands up and step, thumbs on either side of the spine, and repeat the process as high as you can go with comfort and stability. "Do backbends like forward bends." “Open your heart to be reborn through the divinity of surrender” Forward Bends Forward bends are calming to the nervous system and a familiar position for most people. Maybe because they energetically draw inwards to escape their stress. A forward bend performed intentionally in the yoga asana is like a retreat and can give deep rest and release. Most postural problems, and thus energetic problems, are from being too often in a state of unextended forward bending, with a possible degree of twisting and side bending. Exploratory Practice: Sitting or standing with legs together, inhale and raise the arms and extend the spine. As you exhale move forward maintaining the extension. Continue the movement until it requires progressively releasing extension from the lower portions of the spine to the upper, the neck last. This is the two yoga asana, Uttanasana and Paschimottanasana. "Do forward folds like back bends." “Be calm, and rest in your nature.” 22 Side bends The anatomy of the body is not symmetrical, most notably in the internal organs. Side bending is a way to give special attention to each unique side of the body, stretching the side body and intercostals, and also connect with more awareness in left-­‐right postural balance. Exploratory Practice: Sit with your legs crossed on the floor. Inhale and lift the left arm as you extend the spine. Keep weight equal on your sits bones. Exhale and arc your spine over your right hand or elbow on the ground, maintaining extension. Let the breath lead the movement of lifting slightly on inhales, and deeper side bending on exhales. Repeat for the other side. “Experience the polarities. Discover their limits and know their balance” Twists Twisting the body is like wringing out a cloth. The action of twisting happens mostly in the lumbar and cervical spine. The thoracic spine does not twist very much for the stability of the ribcage. Twists massage and stretch the organs in a more organic movement like a spiral, flushing their fluids through the tissues and stimulating their functions. It also creates therapeutic alignment for the spine in extension and so creates better posture with practice. Whenever we twist we cross the sagittal plane of the body with each side moving to the other, an alignment that promotes spatial reasoning skills. Exploratory Practice: Sit with your legs crossed on the floor and hands in prayer. Keep the weight in the sits bones consistent and even. Inhale and extend the spine. As you exhale twist the lumbar spine. After two breath cycles, exhale, twist allowing middle spine. After two breath cycles, exhale, twist allowing cervical spine. In each stage feel muscles activating or stretching on either side. Inhale to return to the center. Take two breath cycles then perform twist in the other direction. “Harmonize the dynamic energies, blended in your center” Visual Image Go deeper into the movement and picture what is happening with the spine. In each one of these movements the space and pressure between vertebrae is unique. In extension we are equalizing spaces and pressure. In forwards, backwards, and side bends we open one side of the spine while closing another. In twists, vertebrae rotate relative to one another and the structure of the body as a whole. Extra Concept for Thought: Dancing as Yoga As we discussed earlier in the Practice module the universe is impulsively creative. Spontaneous dancing, ”like no one’s watching” , sometimes called ecstatic dance is an amazing way to access this impulse and feel invigorated with life. Let down your ego to enter into the trance this practice offers and the body will intuitively heal itself. You can shake off your tension, drop your mental baggage, and let all the universe dance through you. Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment How else can we describe the feelings of movement, expression, and creation? What do movements and spine shape suggest about the nature of one’s experience? 23 Relaxation Relaxation is a sweet release of effort, the tranquility of being content in rest, and the activation of our bodies healing and restoration mechanisms. So how do muscles relax? As stated in the principles of movement section, our muscles release when they receive fewer nerve impulses, becoming more and more relaxed. Eventually they can stop entirely and the muscle will “sleep”. This is much easier in a completely passive position such as shavasana when there is no tension from the dynamic interplay of opposing muscle groups contracting such as in many asana. Masters of relaxation, which all good asana practitioners should aspire to be, can bring specific muscles into and out of deep relaxation rapidly at will, possibly even in specific areas within muscles. This is yoga asana and the practice endows a high degree of control over the motor neurons and body awareness. What is the Parasympathetic Nervous System(PNS)? The (PNS) is sometimes called the “rest and digest” branch of the autonomic nervous system and can control functions of the organs, blood vessels, and smooth muscles in a way that initiates healing and conservation, and often said to give a feeling of contentment. The (PNS) promotes a slower heart and respiratory rate, increased perspiration and salivation, smaller pupils, enhanced nutritional absorption and waste disposal, and sexual arousal. Most of this happens involuntary but some of these functions can work with conscious intent as well, like breathing. How to increase the influence of the (PNS) The (PNS) activates through a number of ways, typically when conditions are calm and regular. Just by focusing on some of the things the PNS does helps to trigger it. Many of the benefits of Yoga come from practices that work through the PNS. Through performing deep and rhythmic breathing, conscious relaxation techniques, generating feelings of love and gratitude, and oddly, even by stimulating the upper lip, you’re body and mind will move into more restful states appropriate for meditation. Relaxation Techniques 10 point relaxation technique from hemi-­‐sync. Very useful in the beginning. (Audio) Yoga Nidra. Yoga sleep. Awareness is moved systematically around the physical body in patterns and repetitions. Yoga Nidra and all relaxation techniques go deeper after a strong asana practice from the result hyper-­‐
compensation relationship. During Yoga Nidra: Tube -­‐ Move awareness up through the spine into space on inhalation, and back down on exhale through the feet, in a linear manner – 18 breathing cycles Infinity -­‐ do the same, but loop at top and bottom – 18 breathing cycles Working with intention, intuition Re-­‐patterning Chakra breathing 9 breath cycles at each chakra Full body awareness, increasing size to infinity, and then back to 0 24 Shavasana Savasana’s main physical purpose is to remove any accumulated fatigue from the nervous system. Obviously the effect should be on the parasympathetic level. Fatigue is not just tiredness, it is a weight of heaviness on the nerves, you might not feel like you need to sleep, but you do need to give a break or relaxation to the body. In addition to removal of fatigue, it should bring peace to the mind. “the body does not move” “the mind does not move” In the final relaxation pose the practitioner may move through many levels of awareness that were previously too subtle to notice consciously. The energetic practices of asana and pranayama intensify and regularize these more subtle energies. When the body and mind completely relax in corpse pose they become more easily observed. Understanding and even looking through these patterns leads to even deeper states of previously unidentified levels of consciousness and regeneration. Beginning Practice Intention Start your practice with a purpose and you will have clear outlines for what to practice. Knowing where you want to go gives relativity to where you are and sets the course through the environment. Use visualizations and affirmations that you can intensify through vivid imagination, projection, and mantra like repetition. The more vibrantly you set your intentions the more indomitably you will rise to meet them. Visualize See your intention as a picture in your mind. Place it spatially within your third eye. Begin making the image larger, more vibrant, and brighter. Imagine that the energy of feeling it will feed into your body and mind, generating the guidance to move towards it, even unconsciously, effortlessly. Affirmation Choose a short yet powerful idea to phrase in your mind and feel the qualities of the thought. For affirmations to be successful you must believe in them, that they are possible. Everything is possible. “I have the power to heal myself and change my life” “I am always at the place and time that benefits my evolution” Quote: “Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be” -­‐Henry David Thoreau Or, for Yogic purposes, thought can be the propeller of spiritual awareness… Prayers You can also set your intentions with devotion and gratitude, expressed to masters, personal inspirations, or concepts of divine consciousness. Request divine guidance, energy, and clear path for your evolution. “I surrender all will to the divine impulse and it’s infinite love” “May our practice accelerate together, unhindered and grateful” Warm Up Warm up is low intensity enough you can enter into it with your intentions or prayers still conscious, or imagine them as being reverberations in your body. Typically start warm up with something simple and familiar to check over your physical body and energy level. Warm up should include whole body movements in frequent enough repetitions to "wake up" and warm the whole body, flushing every part of yourself with attention, awareness, prana, and blood. 25 Vinyasa What is Vinyasa? Vinyasa is the synchronizing of movements, breath, and even prana when this enters into your awareness. We usually consider the gross bodily movement to be the indicator of the flow but it is actually the breath. Even once the gross alignment has come to it’s end, the movement of the breath and it’s influence on the action of the muscles continues subtly. Once the breath has reached it’s conclusion, then the flow moves to the next movement and breath. Why Vinyasa? Vinyasa has a wide range of beneficial effects for the body and the practice. Sequences of Vinyasa movements will help you understand your range of motion, structural tensions, and overall body awareness. It improves coordination, stimulates the flow of blood and lymph through the body, accelerating your metabolism, immune responses, and removal of toxicity. Vinyasa done with the whole body, and more specifically, sequences in which the spine must change shape, will most powerfully achieve these effects. Simple movements for one portion of the body at a time, such as arms, or even just one leg, can be used for working with specific issues in joints or muscles and increasing awareness in those areas. Vinyasa is a good way to warm up the body for deeper stretches in static asana and helps focus the mind on physical sensations and breath awareness. All parts of the body should have a mindfully kept feeling of connection to the energetic center while moving. Vinyasa is often done in repetitions. Vinyasa is also the way we explore from one static asana to the next to experience different states of consciousness by activity of the nervous system. Vinyasa and Warm Up Sequences Most practical vinyasa sequences work in only one plane of movement, ie., forwards and backwards, side to side, or twisting. The repetitions in one plane keep it simple enough that we can feel changes and become more sensitive each round. Basic Warm Up Vinyasas Repeat the movements between these positions for really affective warm ups! In Table Pose: Inhale to Cow – Exhale to Cat Inhale lift right leg – Exhale bring knee and forehead together In Forward Bend: Inhale to Flat Back – Exhale to Forward Bend Inhale step back to Low Lunge – Exhale step forward, knees bent – Switch In Low Lunge: Inhale lifting right arm, twist right – Exhale place the hand down – Switch In Mountain Pose: Inhale raise the arms – Exhale lower the arms Inhale the Chair Pose – Exhale to Moutain Pose You can build onto these basics to make longer sequences. Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutations A & B (VIKASA WARM UP SEQUENCE) Sun salutations are an affective full body warm up that can be performed ritualistically with the rising and setting of the sun, putting the practitioner in tune with the rhythm of the earth and the energies of our diurnal nature. 26 Static Asana What is Asana? The word Asana traditionally indicated a steady seated posture used for observing the mind and soul. Now today any posture practiced in this manner is called asana. You can use asana in many ways; for healing, exploration, creative expression and to prepare for meditation. Asana requires simultaneous effort of the body and concentration of the mind that produces present living. Presence stimulates your body to heal and clears your mind of stagnant and uncultured thoughts. Eventually any asana can be mastered and you feel composed and peaceful in the seat of your own soul. Alignment & Stability The key to stability in asana is knowing and performing correct alignment. If this alignment cannot yet be achieved you can use a variation of the pose or work on the stretching that will yield the needed mobility. In certain individuals bone shape may impede the ideal alignment but this is rare and not critical.(more on this anatomy pg#) There are always other ways to achieve the similar results. Balance The most basic principle of alignment is to stay connected to your center of balance. Mountain pose is easiest example for observing this. Imagine drawing a straight line from the center of your head down to the center of the earth. Bring more of your spine into this axis and feel how the weight of your body will be supported more by the structure of your alignment rather than by tension or excessive muscular force. Notice how some of your weight seems to drop down through your body as if you have given the earth that weight through the firm connection of your feet and the head seems almost weightless. This feeling can be experienced in all classical asana. Visual Image Visualize balance as the equal inwards and outwards movements of energy from each cell to the body as a whole. Radiate in all directions, gravitate to your center, and connect it to the earth. Breathing in Asana Prana and breath can experienced moving through the body as we practice the breath techniques in yoga asana. Bandha are used for containing and streamlining these movements. The longer the breath, the more obvious this becomes. Because the structure of the body is built around the process of respiration, these movements educate the skeletal muscles to provide greater support and a sense of freedom. This is the perfecting of the asana. The support allows the mind to be paradoxically clear, yet aware of body, prana, and it’s own mental space, generating spiritual awareness, the experience of unity. What is the edge? An edge is an imaginary border or limit. When you look very, very closely at an edge it becomes less defined. The closer you look the more complex and expanded it becomes. Infinity again. This is the same in yoga asana. The more time you observe your edge, even in the course of a single practice, your awareness, mobility, and energy can expand significantly. So how do you practice at the edge? Go deep enough in the posture that it elicits your concentration and you feel the muscles close to their maximum length or effort but never feel stressed to maintain the posture. Your breath should continue to be smooth and rhythmic and you should still feel connected to your center. 27 Pranayama What is Pranayama? The word pranayama comes from joining two words; Prana, meaning life force and all its autonomic reflexes, especially respiration and, Ayama, meaning to extend, expand, or pause. Pranayama • a pause in breath, i.e. various retentions performed • an extension or expansion of the dimension of prana • although very therapeutic, its real purpose is spiritual development The techniques of pranayama provide the method whereby the life force can be activated, and regulated, in order to go beyond your normal boundaries or limitations and attain a higher state of vibratory energy. It requires an establishment in structure of body through asana. Patanjali Yoga Sutras II.49 Tasmin-­‐sati svasa-­‐prasvasa-­‐yor-­‐gati vicchedah pranayamah After that (Asana) is accomplished, regulation of the flow of inhalation and exhalation is Pranayama (breath control) Hatha Pradipika II.1 After becoming well-­‐versed in (some) Asanas the Yogi, with (his senses under) control and eating moderate agreeable food, should practice Pranayama as advised by the guru. Pranayama is not merely breathing exercises but more. It should never be confused with or considered to be deep breathing, but rather it is the gradual slowing down of the breathing cycle with a view to reach ultimate state of complete silencing of the breathing activity. It involves a control over the breath which ultimately is the control over the life force activity within. So when the breath is controlled the activity in all the nadis, or all the nervous functioning, is in effect controlled. The stages of breath in Pranyama have names. Puraka is the controlled inhale. Rechaka the controlled exhale. Kumbhaka is controlled retention. These movements compose the basics of pranayama which simultaneously controls the mode of the entire nervous system. It directly works with the patterns of Prana, life energy, and Apana, grounding energy. It uses both nostrils, sometimes together, sometimes separately, and scientific studies have shown that the discharges from the mucous membrane of each nostril have different electric potentials. Further, Pranayama is not followed for oxygen value, as that is not its benefit, but rather for its effect over nerve culture. Nadis: Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna Nadis are energy channels that do not have physical components. For practicality we can think of the nadis as the electrical currents of the nervous system but not it’s structure. This is still not entirely accurate as they function at a still more subtle level than this. There are quoted to be a staggering 72,000 nadis in the human body though if we consider the intricacies of our body-­‐mind complexes this is not too surprising. An awareness of three is satisfactory for a basic understanding of what we want to accomplish in this Pranamaya Kosha layer of experience. 28 Ida and Pingala correspond to the breath sided-­‐ness we mentioned earlier in the principles of breath. Ida is the left channel, denoted by left side breathing and right hemisphere brain activity. It’s qualities are said to be introspective, abstract, cooling, and feminine, symbolized by the moon. Pingala is the right channel, denoted by right side breathing and left hemisphere brain activity. It’s qualities are said to be decisive and extroverted, logical, heating, and masculine, symbolized by the sun. Sushumna Nadi than is the balance of these two nadis, or, a unique one which can be accessed only by their balance. Sushumna is the central channel for Kundalini to rise through the chakras and generate awakening. Pranayama Techniques With almost all these pranayama, movements of breath should reach their natural conclusion. If you develop physical strain in the chest, feel too much pressure around the heart, head, or eyes, discontinue. Sit calmly for several minutes and continue practicing with techniques you can do comfortably. Completely exhale before starting the patterns of breath control. 29 Kumbhaka -­‐ Breath Retention Kumbahka is practiced for studying the different states of energy within the human body, stilling them, and extending life span. The speed of our breath cycle directly correlates to the speed of our metabolic rates and thus influences how fast we age. It's documented in the relative rates of breathing to life span in animals and long lived Yogis. Practicing Kumbhaka makes our bodies more efficient in metabolic activities our response to external stimulation. By stilling the life force, when we allow it to move again, it is moving from stillness. This gives us a profound perspective on what that life force is. Anthar Kumbhaka This is the cessation of the breath cycle after inhalation. It is suggested to take the inhalation slightly forcefully to increase total volume during the hold. During the retention the bandha can be engaged to effectively infuse the torso with prana as the internal pressure of the lungs is increased by their engagement. Bahya Kumbhaka This is the cessation of the breath cycle after exhalation. It should also be slightly forceful for the most complete exhalation. Bandha are also locked and emptiness is observed. During Bahya Kumbhaka metabolism will slow down and become more efficient and the mind will be extremely quiet. Bhastrika -­‐ Bellows Breath Bhastrika is rapid and intense cycle of inspirations and exhalations. It is controlled hyper ventilation to flush the body with oxygen and to strongly wake up the metabolic rates and mental faculties. It is often useful for people that need help breaking addictions. It's effects are so powerful that when used during a time of craving it can be surged away in the rush of energy. Chandra Bheda – Lunar Breath Move through the feminine energies of Ida nadi. Inhalations are taken through the left side and exhalations out the right. Surya Bheda – Solar Breath Move through the masculine energies of Pingala nadi. Inhalations are taken through the right side and exhales through the left. Nadi Shodhana – Alternate Nostril Breathing One of the goals of alternate nostril breathing is to develop balance between the two essential energies of ida and pingala nadis to open sushumna nadi and stoke kundalini. The two previous practices, surya and chandra bheda, are good for working with your “weak” side energy before coming to nadi shodhana. The pattern of nadi shodhana is exhale right, inhale right, exhale left, inhale left then repeat. Rhythms in Pranayama Maintain rhythm in all these techniques. The best way to find your rhythm is to count to your own heart beat. You can do this first by checking your pulse as a nurse might do with the middle and ring fingers pressing on the inner wrist. If you are relaxed and sensitive to it you can also feel your own heart beat throughout your body if the breath is slow enough. The easiest rhythm is to simply match duration of puraka and rechaka, ie. Inhale and exhale 8:8 Next would be to add kumbhaka. Novices should get familiar with short anthar kumbhaka first. Then add bahya kumbhaka. The new ratio with both holds half the duration of breathing, inhale, hold, exhale, hold is 8:4:8:4 More advanced rhythms should be suggested by the teacher on an individual basis for those that are masterful of these firsthand. 30 Energy work -­‐ working with awareness, moving sensations through the body, different exercises: Meditative breath (focus on following points and imagine feeling of coolness, fresh stream on the inhalation, and filling yourself up with fresh new energy, color blue or silver, and warmth on exhalation, expelling all toxins and negative emotions, orange or yellow color and feeling of sunshine) • Nose • Throat • Heart • Belly button • Pubic bone • Palms • Knees • Feet • Come up through the spine • Third eye Star breath (focus on your center/core, below belly button, breathe through this point.) • Inhale to belly button, exhale to right palm • inhale right palm to belly button, exhale right foot • inhale right foot to belly button, exhale left foot • inhale left foot to belly button, exhale left palm • inhale left palm to belly button, exhale crown of your head • inhale crown of your head back to belly button. Chakra breathing (with silent mantra recitation) Muladhara -­‐ lam Swadhisthana -­‐ vam Manipura -­‐ ram Anahata -­‐ yam Visuddha -­‐ ham Ajna -­‐ Om Sahasrara -­‐ Silent Meditation Meditation is not a technique, but is something that happens as a result of using concentration techniques. Meditation is the listening to the subtle process of creation and then the realization that the space in which creation occurs is self. It is the merging of subject and observer. These however, are just words that point towards something which cannot be described. This is why we must use inner intuition and experiential knowledge to understand, rather than an intellectually sounded affirmation. Techniques of concentration all bring focus to a pattern or single point. It can be movements in space, internally created images, the spoken or silent repetition of a mantra, or an observation of a still point in space. It can be felt in asana that energy has different sensations of being grounded, lifted, floating, sinking, expanded, concentrated and so on. The pose we choose for meditation should be conducive for feeling centered. Question for Creative Response: What is your experience of Yoga? How do you describe it? What significance does it have, if any? 31 Meditation Asana Meditation Asana share two main features. An upright spine and stability. The spine, up right in extension, provides the mental poise needed for sustained concentration. In classic meditation poses the legs cross and the thighs form a wide base of support. The hands rest on the knees further helping to stabilize the spine. The individual parts are supporting to the total body alignment with minimum effort. The flexibility of your body is the main determining factor for which of the following positions you should choose. Remember that you should be comfortable in the pose so as to focus easily on your technique. Do not sit in a body that irritates or nags you to release the pose. In order of most effort and least stable to least effort and most stable, generally… Throne Pose This pose is appropriate for those who cannot sit comfortable on the floor or who have injury. Sit in a chair with both feet flat on the ground hip distance apart, hands on the thighs, and spine upright. It has a very attentive feeling but requires the most total body engagement to maintain. Sukhasana Sukhasana is a simple cross legged position. Compared to other positions it is not very stable and easy to slouch in. It is better suited for short meditation periods like at the beginning and end of Hatha Yoga classes, for those that cannot yet perform the three classical meditation poses, and for casual sitting. For balance, in this, and each cross legged position, you should change the cross of the legs everyday, practice, or time performing the pose. Vajrasana This is the seated warrior pose. Same as Sukhasana it can be useful for short periods. Long holds can be straining to the knees and ankles and in extreme conditions can result in temporary paralysis of the muscles that flex the foot. If this pose is used with a thick cushion between the calves and thighs, or small angled bench, it can be one of the most comfortable seated poses as the knees are only partially flexed, pressures in the body are evenly spread out, and it’s easy to maintain an upright spine. The downside is that it’s still not as stable as the three classical seated poses, described next. Swastikasana – Auspicious Pose This poses approaches lotus but is easier to accomplish. Pull one foot towards the genitals with the sole against the opposite thigh. Pull in the second food similarly and tucking the toes between the calf and thigh muscles. Siddhasana – Accomplished Pose This pose is claimed as the best for pranayama, meditation, and realization. It is also said to bring powers or siddhis to the yogi. Draw one heel inwards and close to the perenium. Draw the second inwards and over the genitals, stacking the ankles on top of one another and placing the toes between calf and thigh. The backs of both heels should be on the midsagittal plane. Padmasana – Lotus Pose This is the most stable of the meditation asana. Place the feet on the upper thigh of the opposite leg with the knees close to or touching the floor. The legs are essentially locked into place and this is what makes it possible to use this arrangement in many other poses as well as providing the unparalleled steadiness of this pose. 32 Mula Bandha in Meditation Mula bandha is used to govern the energy in the body during meditation. It is essentially the fail safe for concentration techniques and can be used as the technique itself. In each of these poses for meditation it will have a slightly different dynamic. The more spread the space of the perineum the more consciously you will have to focus to maintain it. It is almost naturally occurring in the propped version of Vajrasana and Siddhasana with the pressure of the heel stimulating the PC muscles. It is advised for most practitioners to come to meditation after a full practice of asana and pranayama that gives the energy, alertness, and physical comfort needed to stay focused. Those who can be fresh and focused enough to meditate without preparatory practices may do so but will most likely still benefit from preparing with at least kriya and pranayama. Concentration Techniques Spatially Aware This technique is helpful to remember the immensity of life. In your chosen pose begin by being aware of your own breath and the structure of your body with as much detail as you can imagine. Now, maintaining that awareness, expand to include the immediate space around you. Then expand again to include the building or larger space you are in. Expand again to include the land mass you are on. Expand to the Earth. Expand to the solar system. Expand to the galaxy. Expand to the Universe. Still have your now infinitely tiny anchor of awareness at yourself. Chakra Bells Chant, vocally or internally, the bija, or seed mantras, for the different chakras and imagine they are being struck as a bell. As they reverberate from your vocalization see their color intensify, brighten, and expand. Feel the qualities that each represents. Move up the chakras and repeat 11, 22, 77, or 88 times etc. “LAM” -­‐ Muladhara (Root) Red “VAM”-­‐ Svadishtana (Sacral/navel) Orange “RAM”-­‐ Manipura (Solar plexus) Yellow “YAM”-­‐ Anahata (Heart) Green “HAM”-­‐ Vissudha (Throat) Blue “OM” -­‐ Ajna (Third eye/Pineal Gland) Purple “silent” -­‐ Sahasrara (Crown) Lavender or Multi colored 33 Yoga Teacher Module Teaching Yoga is one of the most amazing and generous things human beings can do. As a Yoga teacher you will create an environment in which people can experience a transformation to their lives. You in turn will also experience transformation as you witness and facilitate the process and become skilled. Teaching is another level of practice on the intra-­‐personal level. Growth is accelerated for both student and teacher as they cooperate consciously in the Universe's momentum towards complexity, beauty, and awareness. Teaching lets you experience knowledge in new contexts as you create more connections between the topics and explore the full spectrum of your expression. As a Yoga teacher, you are given an incredible opportunity, working at the forefront of the evolution of human consciousness, spiritual awareness, holistic health, and compassion. This is ultimately what teaching Yoga is all about. We all know how popular Yoga is now, and we can rest well assured it will continue to grow as a spiritual beacon, physical culture, and profitable business. As more and more Yoga teacher trainings commence and the number of teachers increases it will become ever more important to distinguish yourself as a teacher with depth and character if you are planning for this to be your career. This means you should delve into and present all the facets of yoga practice, lifestyle, and philosophy. When you teach be passionate, honest, peaceful, and generous. Especially generous. The generosity you give to your students by paying attention to them and investing yourself in their development is what makes you a sought after teacher. You want people leaving your class to feel good about themselves, more in tune with what they want to do with life, and more easy going in all situations. The more you study and know the philosophy and strive to be a better teacher, the more profoundly you can provide personal direction to each student. Principles of Teaching Leading Leading is setting an example that others find interesting and desirable to copy. Human success is greatly attributed to recognizing empowering and pleasurable behaviors and copying them. By practicing yoga continuously people will notice your development and be drawn towards you and Yoga because we are all interested in being at peace with ourselves and feeling connected and this is Yoga. Nurture your health, pursue your interests passionately, and be socially approachable and friendly. A Yoga teacher can be a leader in many ways. It might be sheer enthusiasm, honesty, abundant energy, peacefulness, ability in Asana, communication skills, community involvement, or alternative life style that led you to want to be a Yoga teacher too. Leading Exercises Sharing Enthusiasm: Passionately tell the class about one of your interest how it makes you feel, and why. It can be about yoga. That would be good practice! Demonstrator: Show everyone your favorite asana or vinyasa with joy or calmness. Open Window: Throughout the course practice being open. Share your thoughts and feelings with the other students and teachers to re-­‐contextualize your experience. By doing so you will also be “leading” self-­‐development by which everyone learns and profits. 34 Rapport Rapport is when two or more people feel an open connection thru their actions or communication. Rapport can be established by mirroring posture, using similarly excited tone of voice, common expressions, and expressing shared interests. While teaching asana you should keep this idea in mind. The whole asana class is an establishment of rapport. Students that have rapport with you and each other will generate a strong energy in the classroom. When everyone is focused on the same thing, that too, is Yoga. Choose Asana that everyone can do or at least approximate for most of the class. You’ll keep rapport and develop faster connections with your students. Rapport Exercises Partner Practice: Switch turns leading and modeling asana, no verbal communication. (2 minutes) Conversational Mirroring: Have short conversations while discreetly modeling your subject. 5 mins each Breathing Exercise: Sitting back to back, develop breath awareness and rhythm. Do synchronized and complimentary breathing, moving awareness up and down the spine. Congruency During the process of teaching yoga practices you want to be a living example of what you are talking about. This doesn't mean you have to be a perfect Yogi or Yogini. You will be teaching Yoga through the filters of your own mental, energetic, and physical sheaths. It is a good practice to tell honest stories to your students about your own life experiences that may have challenged you and how yoga helped. Doing this gives students a reference for understanding where you’ve come from and who you are as a result. Yamas and Niyamas are often inherent in these kinds of stories. Have the students consider these ideas sets the right attitude for practice. It also reminds them of your common humanity, a universal rapport. Students who are in strong rapport are placed into a state of receptivity to learn by your example. Demonstrate as much congruency as possible so students will have confidence and be farther open to accelerated exploration. Suggestion A suggestion is in essence a command that is either directly given or as an invitation to a possible experience. The yoga teacher’s class is indeed nothing but suggestion and you can tell your students this, that the only exercise they are required to do is to respect their own present being. A suggestion is denoted by a verb, something to do, or, to feel. Suggestions operate in many levels. At the first level it’s the actual exercises to be done. Then if there is time within the exercise, suggest sensations, “feel”, this or that physicality of the exercise. Finally you can suggest transformations, realizations, and new possibilities as results. “With your next inhale step back your right foot into the high lunge position, raising the arms. As you exhale drive back through the right heel and feel the weight behind your toes, the plane of your hips, and the lift of your heart as the shoulders relax down. You’re whole body is alive, awake, energized, yet calm.” Help your students discover and create new and better relationships with themselves and their external world through your suggestions. What often seems only a lesson on physical poses and breathing can be an amazing transformation to life. A room full of people performing the same exercises, possibly even breathing in sync as a group, becomes very open to suggestion through their rapport with each other and the teacher. These can be light suggestions in the beginning of the class such as... "...each time we're here at practice we can discover something new about our bodies..." 35 Vague suggestions are more easily accepted. In this example, everyone "can" discover "something” new about their bodies. By including everyone, there is a invitation to rapport which is met by a “pack mentality” to live up to the group. It's pretty hard to feel otherwise. This suggestion doesn't imply what, or even that they will discover something, but, it sets the stage for awareness and curiosity. More powerful suggestions later... "As you feel more aware synchronizing movements to breath, you are becoming lighter and stronger and realizing everything is in the breath” Suggestions should also make sense in the context of the practice. For example, if the class is moving through vinyasa, this last suggestion makes sense. When you move to seated practice you could suggest calmness. Useful Structures for Suggestion Pace, Pace, Lead: The lead is your suggestion. The pace is an accepted description of what's going on. Often you will be more persuasive if you state some conditions of your students' experience, and then offer a suggestion. "Sitting with your spine upright, and your eyes closed, you can easily focus within and prepare for practice" If/When, Then: Another simple structure for suggestion. This is a good one to use when offering variations and advanced options for asana. "If you can place your feet over the hands, toes all the way to the wrists, while the legs are straight, then move into the next version of Uttanasana." The More, the more: Very simple suggestion pattern that can be applied easily in many contexts. “The more relaxed you feel, the more your breath slows down, and the more your breath slows down, the more relaxed you become.” Suggestion Exercises Brainstorm: Partner up. Choose and detail three exercises. Let your partner make suggestions for physical feelings to be aware of and transformational feelings that are possible. Humorous Edge: Use what you've learned about suggestion to give humorous suggestions to your fellow t.t-­‐ees. For example "We’re very lucky to be here…we’re going to be such great yoga teachers from this training!" Questioning Questioning is a very useful tool for inward observation, which is usually the way we describe approaching self. The kinds of questions to use are typical of Satsang, or knowledge sharing forums, where people gather, usually with a guru to talk or sing about the experience of coming to peace and self-­‐awareness. The Guru usually asks questions such as...Who is experiencing this? When boredom/anger/etc. came how did awareness change? What is the feeling of embracing this moment? What is the result of this belief? 36 Voice The tone and quality in a human voice carries a remarkable amount of information. If you could take all of the meaning from words, listeners would still know something about the speakers health, their emotional state, and even how they feel about their audience. A strong voice that is clear and confident inspires trust and belief. People also enjoy it and find it easier to follow a voice which is dynamic, having a range of tones and paces, and one that conveys emotion and excitement. Your main focus in developing a magnetic, interesting teachers voice should be deep, full breaths. Since it's Yoga you're teaching you should already be doing this for encouragement and congruency. What an advantage! Bandha and Ujjaya breath help control breath flow and of course they also work while speaking to control volume and sustain. Volume comes from keeping pressure behind the voice. Projection Projection is the adequate volume and clarity of a speaker’s voice that allows an entire audience listen easily. It often merits respect to the speaker as it conveys their power and enthusiasm. Speaking volume comes from the pressure made by deep movements of the diaphragm which is also modified by relaxation of the neck and chest, contraction of the vocal chords, openness of the mouth, and bandha. Your volume will determined by the size of your class. Your range should be that everyone can still hear your "relaxing" volume and your "exciting" volume doesn't make you sound strained. When you are speaking quietly, or to a very large class, open your mouth fully for the best projection. Use clear articulation by speaking at a moderate pace and having mindfulness in the movements of your mouth and tongue. This puts more distinction to your voice and makes your speaking more interesting to listen to. Projection Exercises: Distance Dependent: Practice speaking with or greeting your fellow t.t's with perfect projection appropriate to distance. Practice side by side, across the room, across the yard, and long distance at the beach or in the ocean. Aum: Chant Aum and observe the feeling in your vocal chords, tongue, and mouth playing with volume and projection. Throat Relaxer: Hum deeply in the base of your throat moving the vibration Pace and Rhythm The pace at which you speak will usually be relaxed and gives you the time you need for breathing deeply to have good projection. Be humble. You don't need to speak constantly to be a good teacher. Stay in control of your voice because it is very influential. You can build rhythms into your pace and induce trance like focus in your students. This rhythm may be very simple or very complex. A simple rhythm would have equal pauses between words and sentences in a consistent tone. A complex rhythm might draw one word longer in each sentence, change pitch several times, and have irregular pauses between words Simple rhythm is easy to understand so let's look at complex rhythm. A vinyasa is a good time to practice this technique. The vinyasa already gives you a basic tempo to work from and the dynamic changes of breath energy and movement for modeling your voice. 37 For example... "Inhaaaaaale, raise up the arms, look to your thumbs, and, Exhaaaaaaale, fluidly bowing down, forwad bending, lower back releasing, releeaassiing...." This is a fun and expressive way of speaking. Extending the vocalization of "inhale" and "exhale" can encourage longer breaths. Let the feeling of what you want your students to be aware of come into the words and you'll be using complex rhythms naturally. Rhythm Throughout Class Typically, with each exercise, or a class in its entirety, you will speak more in the beginning, giving lots of details, and less towards the end, observing silence. The idea is to give the utmost important information to your students first, how to perform the exercise correctly. Then you can begin to describe how it might feel. Then give some quiet time to for them to "be" in the pose without any further directions, a feeling of "self practice". This also matches how Yoga practices starts with the gross physical body and move inwards to deeper levels of awareness, which will be easier for your students to discover as you allow silence concluding each exercise, idea, and class. Rhythm Exercise Pace of Exercise: While you practice teaching or even in casual conversation be aware of your pace and rhythm and experiment with it to intensify the mood and keep your listener’s attention. Emphasis and Inflection We've already been hinting at this idea and it's an important part of making your voice and rhythms interesting for your audience. It also puts more information into what you want your students to do and feel. Simply by saying some words with emphasis, either softer or louder, or raising or lowering your pitch, offers a more immersive practice and deeper connection between you and your students. Here is a rather simple example of how emphasis changes meaning. Read the following sentences emphasizing the underlined word. I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (Someone else said it.) I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (Strong denial of having said it.) I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (I implied or suspected that she did) I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (Someone else stole it.) I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (She did something else with it.) I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (She stole someone else's pen. I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (She stole one of another color.) I didn't say Minni stole my blue pen. (She stole something else blue.) Of course this idea operates much more subtly in a yoga class. When teaching emphasize the words that convey the feeling you want the students to experience. 38 Voice Modalities Here are some other ways you can speak to give your class a different feel. These are just general ideas for how to use these modes. You may think of others or disagree with some of the ideas here but just be aware of the many ways you can deliver your voice and teaching. Informative -­‐ Speak at a slighter quicker pace, delivering information about things like anatomy, benefits of practices, philosophy etc., accenting on your points. Hypnotic -­‐ Speak progressively slower, and slightly lower pitched, with longer pauses between key ideas. Consider speaking around the pace of your students' heart beat. Average healthy individuals resting heart rate beats at about 60 beats per minute. You can practice speaking with a metronome or even use one while you lead class for this and giving the students more awareness of breath duration. This is best for relaxation and ambiguous transformational suggestion. Conversational Talk in your normal speaking voice like with close friends. Tell stories about yourself or yoga experiences. Talk about the next pose like you’re just going out to the market to get some mangosteens. Encouraging -­‐ Sometimes people just need encouragement. Speak in a slightly higher pitch, repeating key words with consistency or raising intensity. Humorous -­‐ Let your voice go a little. Don't control it so much. Sometimes a funny mood hits you and you can share it with your class. It might be stories, humorous observation, or playful commands. Your pitch might go very high or very low or change unexpectedly. Questions for Discussion Are there other possible modes of inflection you can use for teaching Yoga? Creative Language You can create a powerful Yoga practice with concise asana directions, sensible pranayama cues, and gently spoken guided relaxation, but there are also many creative and clever ways with words to better direct and motivate students and keep the good feelings flowing. Temporal References The correct use of these “time” words well gives your class a sense of continuity that keeps the analytical mind placated with a sense of time. “Now, And then, Begin, Next, First, Finally, Lastly, While, During, Start, Simultaneously, Before, After, etc.” “Before we begin…” Setting up conditions for the practice “Next position…” Inform the students that they are moving to a new asana so they feel ready for new commands and change “Finishing…” Completion of a cycle and awaiting the next phase You can also set yourself up for easy congruency and anchoring by telling people things that they will experience or even things you will say in advance. “You will hear me say the word “relax” many times during this class and each time you can relax faster” 39 Presence Cues The first verse of the Yoga Sutras I.I “Atha Yoganusasanam” says, “now begins the exposition of Yoga”. It is the formal opening of the Sutras on the practice but also a reminder that Yoga is this moment. It is extremely powerful when you can remind your class of this moment. You could adlib about your perception of the present moment. “This present moment accepts everything. Observe it and see how it all fits in perfectly. Feel how included you are, being with this moment.” Many spiritual teachers attest that observing the present moment and whatever content fills it dissolves the ego and this is the most simple and affective spiritual practice. The ego is something that divides and creates a separate sense of self. This is a mechanism of nature for the preservation of life. Recognize the purpose of ego and also that mankind is evolving to a stage where it may no longer be needed as such. You might also use unexpected events such as cell phones ringing(teachers, you know you’ve been there), other loud noises, some event in the class like everyone watching one person, or unexpected intrusions to make a comical observation that anchors everyone in that moment. One of my favorites ever was in a workshop during which a guitar could be heard to start from a nearby concert…The teacher had talked about Samadhi during the class and remarked… “Sometimes, as you are coming close to Samadhi, you can hear the mystic sounds, which… peculiarly enough! …sound like rock and roll guitar…” This kind of cue also makes class wide rapport by the recognition of the shared experience. Yoga Conversations You may also have conversations with people about Yoga that provide good topics or phrases for your classes. It is a good idea to keep a pen and notepad to help remember these ideas. It's also a good idea to keep those people around that you have these conversations with too! Some topics: “What are the most important qualities of practice? “What are the most important qualities of a teacher? “How has Yoga changed your life?” Some quotes: “Yoga makes it easy to be happy, and hard to be upset” “You cannot do yoga. Yoga is your natural state. What you can do are yoga exercises, which may reveal to you where you are resisting your natural state. “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built” Unconscious/Subconscious Applications While we are usually high up in the mind tree, the deeper unconscious mind is taking in all sensory experience, including mental activity, and adapting our beliefs and understandings of reality. Simply bringing this to attention is a way to remind people that the way they think and where they take themselves in space and time has a great power over their experience of reality. 40 “Your body and mind are constantly learning unconsciously and adapting to the experience presented to them. Make your experience good for them.” The subconscious mind is like the mediator to the subconscious and processor of recent experiences. You can infer ambiguous subconscious powers to your students. ”Focus on the chakras, the representations of all aspects of yourself. Give your subconscious mind the command to balance their energies. Visualize it as a process and then allow your subconscious to do this throughout your practice” Imagery Visual information can be considered to carry the most information. We can even infer other sensory information from what we get from an image. By using imagery and visual metaphors to describe the practices and sensations you make a tremendous shortcut for telling people how to do what you want them to do, especially, at subtle levels where it is hard to describe with simple commands. For standing Asana “A tree will always move towards the light and grow it’s roots to support the branches. Perform your standing asana like a healthy tree, never extending past your support.” For Standing Back Bend “Now, knees bent, holding two heavy shopping bags, stir your feet into the ground and magnetize the feet, raise up and flick your shopping bags back up over your head like you don’t care about shopping anymore… release back and stay stuck on the feet and free the upper body.” For Healing “Your arms are pulling down a beautiful golden light beam through the top of your head, healing you all the way down to the base of your body, and as you repeat the golden light is beginning to spread throughout you and shine through your skin, and you feel Imagery Exercise: Come up with imagery for ideas on how to practice certain poses movements, or sensations. Student Teacher Relationship Have a relationship with your students that goes beyond the instructions you give in the yoga class. Extend your friendship and knowledge to each person. Be mindful to their responses and gauge your actions accordingly. Some people are not looking for an intimate connection with their yoga teacher but they should feel that it is available from you. Some students will benefit greatly to confide in a trusted and friendly teacher. They will feel more comfortable to approach you about the experiences of their practice and to ask questions about them. These developments are where the really interesting work of teaching Yoga lays, in uniting and exploring new experiences. Assessment Be attentive to assessing the students practice physically and emotionally. Then you can easily offer the best practice for the students' needs. This kind of work is the essence of private session with students who are looking to refine their practice or heal themselves. Most teachers start off just focusing on keeping the flow of a practice together but there is no reason you can’t quickly take off to do some real work and interact with your students. Assessment will give you the knowledge for how to act in various other ways to help your students. 41 Feedback The simplest way to begin to interact more with your students is to just give feedback about their practice! Tell them what they are doing wrong and how to do it right. Tell them when they are doing something especially right so they remember it from your encouraging response, “Just like this, remember this feeling, good!” Personal feedback is best when you are close by, perhaps while assisting. If you are farther away but notice something that needs to be verbalized to them, prompt them by saying their name first, projected quietly but directly to them. This brings us to a discussion question. Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment If we want students to relax should we opt not to call their name across the room with a sudden personal command? How do you conduct a class that is calm, focused, and enjoyable? You can also give encouraging generalized feedback to the whole class just by saying “good” or “beautiful” enthusiastically, showing you care and our observing. Adapting to Needs and Getting the Basics Ingrained Studio Yoga classes are often separated into levels but you will always have a variety within a class. And of course! There is no separation in yoga! So…You must also use assessment to give your students the right asana, or modified variations to suit individuals. This is really pivotal for powerful practices for individual student sessions. Here are some basic things you can see to judge appropriateness of other postures and get your students set with the basics. This will be covered more thoroughly in the Anatomy module. Forward Bends If your student can’t touch the ground without bending their knees in forward bend, have them use block/s for any position requiring this flexibility, i.e. Half moon, Standing split, Parsvatonasana etc. If you want them to attempt warrior III have them bend the knee significantly rather than attempting to straighten the leg that’s already tense from bearing all the weight. Plank If the students plank pose is “droopy” fix it, or if they can’t hold for longer than 20 seconds keep coming back to it to develop the core stability they will need for stronger poses. Back Bends You can assess back bending from how someone does cobra, locust, and bow poses. They are relatively safe and good for developing back strength. Teach them how to properly come into cobra rolling the shoulders back, and lifting up sequentially through the vertebrae from the lower back like doing the flat back movement. Shoulder and Hip Tightness If you have a student with really tight hips and shoulders keep working on it. Gomukhasana is a great asana for working on both. Use long holds applying pressure to the thights in bound angle pose. Poor Mobility and Very Stiff Modify things. Use props. Try not to move from significantly different positions quickly. For example Sun Salutation A is too intense for people with extreme stiffness. The vinyasa of flat back, lowering to the ground on knees or to low pushup, then updog, and down dog...is just too much. Just go from flat back to down dog. 42 Adjustments and Assisting This kind of feedback is much more powerful and can really show you are invested in the students’ developing practice. Adjustments are the physical application of force to deepen stretches or correct alignments. Assists are more subtle ways to provide insights or aid stability. There are many ways to provide adjustments and assists. You will learn specific techniques in the course but use these general ideas and you’ll discover more possibilities on your own. Whenever you come to adjust or assist be clear in your own mind, relaxed in your own body, and have good intentions for your students. If you are working with large classes be impartial and objective, giving your help to the students most in need or evenly throughout the student body. Kinesthetic Reference This assist just comes with a light touch to a place that will give the student a good reference to their balance and spatial awareness. Often when coming to give adjustments in certain asana the initial touch will have the student spontaneously correct their own alignment. Is it from the teachers magic touch or just that little bit of extra reference? Practice this assist to develop confidence with the other kinds of adjustments and assisting. Security This assist is used mostly in balancing poses, inversions, and advanced movements. You are there to make your student feel safe to perform the asana without fear of injury. This may mean standing behind the hips of a person in Ardha Chandrasana or holding a student’s lower back as they drop back to Wheel. Alignment Adjust If kinesthetic reference doesn’t correct alignment begin to use your hands to direct their body further. You might only need to lightly trace a direction or you may actually pull or push them into the better alignment. Whatever you do make sure they are safe and grounded and comfortable with your touch. Once you’ve made the adjustment stay with them for a few seconds of kinesthetic reference and to make sure they can maintain the alignment you’ve suggested. Stretch Adjust For good stretch adjustments you will have to know your students breath cycle. Sometimes you may feel it with your hands, hear it, or see it with your eyes. Be focused and tune in to it. You may also encourage your connection and their rhythm by saying “inhale” when they begin inhaling, counting, and saying “exhale” when they begin exhaling. In certain poses you will want to use one part of your body to steady their own and another to apply the push. For example… In prasarita padotanasana, place one hand squarely on to their sacrum and pressing down to keep them “in their feet” while the other hand deepens the forward fold on their back or arms if they are extended with fingers together. Shavasana Adjustment This is a method for helping to induce deep relaxation in Shavasana. You can use it in parts or in whole and discover other techniques to the purpose. Give the students a minute or so before giving this adjustment. Start with a very light touch of your fingers just below the knees, then lightly, trace lines down to their ankles. Firmly grasp their feet and pick up their legs. As you do so widen them if appropriate and then kinesthetically follow their 43 body’s physical preference to place their feet back down. As you do, turn their feet outwards and press into the center of the sole of each foot. After several breath cycles slowly release the pressure and then the hold. Come to the right arm. Pick up the wrist and pull out the shoulder, one hand to each, and move the arm outwards, again following their own physicality. Place it down gently. As they exhale, press down inside their palm close to the base of the thumb and gentle depress the shoulder down as well. After several breath cycles slowly release the pressure. Repeat for the left arm. Come to the head. Sliding the hands under the back of their neck gently massage the muscles with the index and middle finger moving from the C7 towards the base of the skull. Grasp the skull with all 10 fingers and lightly pull straight backwards finishing with a slight tilt up to bring the chin down as you release the head. Massage across the eyebrows, the temples, the hair line, and top of the head. Finish by lightly pressing both thumbs forward into the very crown of their head and then lightly flicking your fingers besides the ears. Deeper Relationships It’s not uncommon for students to have a favorite teacher. If you become someone’s favorite, feel honored! This person is directing a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for what you do for them and possibly the community at large. It’s a good thing and helps keep you enthusiastic about being an ever better teacher. Be mindful that your adoring students don’t take you too seriously, or yourself for that matter. They can like you as much as they want but keep encouraging them to use all the resources that they feel resonant with or drawn towards. Help them as much as you can and also remind them that you are just as human as they are. While eventually we are to move beyond emotions, they are also what keep us engaged and evolving in the world of form. It’s also not uncommon for people to become closer with either students or teachers, either as close friends or even lovers. Generally this is fine as long as the individuals feel comfortable within the context of their own cultures and their behavior is respectful of other students during practice or class time. If you’re friend or lover is taking your class it’s ok to still feel your normal relationship with them but keep sight of your purpose to serve the entire class, don’t give them special treatment. There are also what people usually call “yoga couples”, two teachers in a romantic relationship or perhaps married that may offer trainings or operate a studio together. If this happens to you again, be respectful of practice times but know that you don’t have to hide your relationship either. In fact, these kinds of couples are often beautiful examples of how compassionate, pure, and innocent romantic relationships can be. As a rule, be genuine to yourself and courteous to those around you. Extra Concept for Thought: Love as Yoga While love can occur in many layers of our experience and pick up different connotations as a result, love comes from the source. Universal love is the unabashed attention, and inclusiveness of oneness. It is what keeps creation together in divine balance and gives us our freedom to create just as the entire cosmos does. Our commonplace expressions of love are driven by this same love. Your relationship with your own identity reflects how you love yourself and the way you love others. Love is most profound at the level of the soul, to love each experience and form as the manifestation of Creation, perfection. Love yourself exactly the way you are and encourage yourself to grow. These results do not matter, only the attention and love. Love all experience, as it is, un-­‐judged, immersed in pure potential by your attention and love. Love your family, friends, and lovers just this same way. Nurture them, shower them with affection, see their potential with your love. If they are absent and your heart reaches for them be aware of that source of love, your own heart. Love yourself. There is always awareness and love there. Love is the creation. You create love. 44 Extra Concept for Thought: Who is the real teacher? The Shared Experience Since there can be no teacher without students the real “teacher” is actually the phenomenon of an experience that leads to a change in the flow of creation. Quantum physics has proven that observing a phenomenon changes it’s behavior. In this way all of creation can be our teacher or are student. This concept opens up the possibility that we can learn at any time, from anything. You can still be grateful for your teachers too though! They are working to be the epitome of this truth, directing attention to the things that most powerfully stimulate the evolution of consciousness. . Questions for Discussion and Written Assignment How can you evaluate your students practice physically, energetically, and in focus? What indications can you use for choosing which Asana to teach? Making the Class In a typical class you want to provide a well-­‐rounded practice. Workshops focus more on single elements, methods, or styles. Before the Class Just like practice, there are some things you can do to prepare yourself for making a powerful class. Besides the ideas below you should of course also be well rested, hydrated, and prepared to let go of negative emotional issues. If this is not possible yet you still have to teach a class, consider looking at your issue with yogic philosophy in mind and weave this experience into your class. Be true to yourself always. Self Practice When it's possible and practical, practicing right before your class is a great way to be in the state for bringing your students into a good practice. You will already be warmed up and you will be "open" to demonstrate with ease and feel ready to assist your students since you’ve already had your practice. Stimulate Visshuddha Chakra Open the throat chakra, your communication and expression awareness. Singing is a great way to do this. And it's a lot of fun to sing some of your favorite songs on the way to teach to get pumped up. Consider using something uplifting, that you can sing with emotion and an open throat. You can also just hum or talk. Meet the Students Be at the studio or practice space a little early so there is time to talk with people and get to know them. Develop relationships and serve the needs of your students and nurture the community of your work place. In the Class Just like in your own practice you should take care of yourself. Bring some water. Sometimes all the talking and ujjaya breathing demands a little sip to wet the whistle. It will help keep your voice clear and pleasant. Teach at a pace and level you are comfortable with. Teach what you know in your heart. Teach what you feel in the moment. Demonstration Describe the movement, then then demonstrate, then give the command. Have students watch new or unfamiliar things practiced by you first. You can also use your dedicated students as example to point out alignment in a way that you can’t do with your own body while in the pose. If you teach a sequence that involves turning to face a different direction you should go demonstrate on that side of the room. You can also consider getting “in rank” amongst the students and performing asana right along with them so they can get a close look at the form. They may also even be able to hear your breathing. 45 Sequencing Many beginning teachers focus a lot on sequencing and may think they need to fit in a lot of poses to make a successful class. Clever sequencing can provide insightful ways to experience yoga, especially when combined with even more clever teaching that elicits some essence from the poses and yokes it with an intended purpose. You can still do amazing classes with rudimentary and familiar sequences as well. However, if you want creative sequencing keep self-­‐practicing and follow your intuition and consider the following guidelines for creating your own. Understand Prana – Prana moves with breath in certain directions within each asana and most poses will have at least a few movements that “flow” naturally from them with the prana movement. Typically these movements are… Inhaling to; lift the torso from forward bending, extend the spine, raise the arms, open the arms, separate the legs, straighten a leg, untwist, raise from childs pose, flat back, lift into backbends, come out of a stetch, feel uddiyana bandha Exhaling to; lower the torso, twist the body, cross the arms or legs, place the hands down, lift the legs bent or straight, lower the arms, deepen a stretch, feel mula bandha Sequencing Structures Clever sequencing is not only in the relation of the “this pose to that pose” but also in the overall structure of your class considering rhythms, pace changes, intensities, and shifts in fundamentally different types of Asana. Slow Rev Using a standing vinyasa sequence on both sides. Then do it again twice as slow. Then do it again as slow as possible. Then again holding each position for 5 breaths cycles. Mirror This is how Ashtanga vinyasa works. Do the pose on one side then, in as few breaths and movements as possible switch to the other side, mirroring the posture. All one Side Create an extremely long series of poses all on one side of the body. Come back to a symmetrical resting position such as downdog or mountain pose and hold for at least 5 breaths cycles and up to 20. Standing to Floor to Standing Again These are some fun sequences. Here’s an example Ardha Badha Padmatonasana – Galavasana – Pigeon Pose – Downdog Split – Low Lunge – High Lunge -­‐ Mountain Same Plane Do a sequence in one plane of movement. For example.. Low Lunge – Drop Knee – Hanuman – Standing Split Or Warrior II – Triangle – Half Moon – Side Angle 46 The Four Cardinal Directions Use sequences that spin to face each direction. Prasarita Padotasana and its variations are good for the “sides” of the mat. Do Sun salutes into standing asana to begin. When you are creating your own sequences, especially as a new teacher, practice them at least a few times first and make sure you are confident in sound techniques and desired results. Movement Oftentimes the teacher will be at the front of the room before the class, demonstrating and projecting their voice. This is natural but you should also take every advantage you can to move around the room to spread your energy and focus amongst the students. You will be more apt to assist and give adjustments, make relationships, incite humorous interactions and the movement of your voice around the room also makes it a more immersive experience and keeps students “on their toes” with focus when they feel teacher may be nearby and observing. While doing vinyasa and long asana sequences you can also position yourself in the same or mirror position within the room for every repetition, putting the students into a trance from the consistency in the pattern of their experience. Themes If you’ve ever attended a yoga workshop you will know there are themes. Themes could be the types of practice detailed earlier in the book, focus on certain types of asana such as back bends, practices such as pranayama, or be about certain aspects of yoga philosophy like chakras, yamas and niyamas. Consider using two main themes in a class such as moving energetic awareness from one chakra to another, or using two complementary kinds of practice to keep a dynamic energy. Music Music in yoga class is a debated topic. It could bolster the mood and intensity or completely distract genuine focus. It matters what music is being played. Playing chants, nature sounds like rain or waves, or chill “world” music is a good idea to set mood before the class. It seems to work best in just small doses. For a “fitness” style yoga, or if you teach new practitioners Vinyasa because they don’t focus well yet, you could use considerably more. Concentrated practice requires silence so don’t play music the entire class with intermediate and advanced students unless its part of your trance induction strategy such as an Aum chanting track. You can also consider looking into many musical “props” such as diurnal beats, playing single tones, or other meditation and chanting “music”. Yoga "Accessories" With various items you can put some extra magic into your classes. Many studios have bells or singing bowls that you can use for starting classes, or waking people up from shavasana. The metronome we mentioned earlier is a great way for keeping people in time or at least aware of breath duration and patterns. You can also keep a mental metronome if you want and snap your fingers or speak at a steady pace. Other less common accessories but certainly powerful none the less require a kind of specialized interest. Crystals can be utilized for cleansing or aligning energies of the practice space and yourself. You might also keep other tokens for this purpose like mantra beads or similar trinkets and artifacts. Using herbal fragrances adds a distinctive new element to the practice space that students will remember. As scent is one of the most primal senses it can invoke a very strong anchor in your classes. Consider having one scent to use as your signature. Finally, if you have your own practice space or studio consider decorating with images of sacred geometry… Sacred Geometry To those who feel stimulated by the beauty of archetypal forms you should consider looking into sacred geometry for your own inspiration and for decorating your studio. Sacred geometry are forms that are embedded in the blueprint of creation. I mentioned the flower of life much earlier in the book. 47 Looks look at one more amazing connection, the fractal nature of Aum. A fractal is a self-­‐repeating and infinitely complex pattern generated by a mathematical formula. Aum is the infinitely complex vibration of existence. One of the many symbols for Aum, when generated by the vertices on another sacred symbol, the Sri Yantra, will look like this. The proportions of this Aum symbol curiously match some other significant forms. This next picture depicts the proportions of our nearest stellar neighbor, the stars Sirius A and B, that from earth’s perspective “conjoin” every 50 years. Here is a famous fractal, one of the first discovered that many people have called “God’s Thumbprint”. Curiously again, it’s most signature and frequently repeating element matches the proportions of this Aum symbol. And hey, does this form of Aum and these proportions also seem to match a person sitting in meditation? 48 Questions for Discussion What is a successful class? Common Class Structure How do Yoga teachers decide what they are going to teach? Ask some during the course! Classes can be taught spontaneously, or from precise sequencing and scripts. Our school encourages you to teach something in between. You should have at least a general plan for how your class will go and what you want to accomplish. You will also eventually know “chunks” of sequences and practices that fit into the logical structure of a practice. If you teach many classes per day you can work on refining your sequences towards more natural flow with better results in each class. A good class will have a similar structure to good music. There is an intro, a recurring theme or relatable parts that have dynamic build ups leading to the climax. Then the wind down and an outro movement. This is a yoga practice. You explore the physical body and bring it to a peak performance. You explore the energetic body and bring it to it’s highest frequency. You explore the space of the mind and cleanse it by meditation, the end of the song. Now, the effects of the practice, that song that continues to play inside of you even after it’s gone, take place and transform you. Take yourself from body to bliss. This is just a basic structure. There are infinite possibilities but this is one that’s simple, easy to remember and apply, and extremely affective. Opening the Class Make some small talk, ask people if they have things they want to work on, or give them a brief introduction to today’s themes and practices. Centering Create a short and powerful ritual for intentions and prayers followed by silence for everyone to focus and prepare for practice. Warm Up Make them sweat or at least get flushed and awake. Use simple vinyasa, sun salutatons, and low intensity static poses. Increasing Intensity Keep building up heat and start to give them some challenges. Use classic standing poses, and other more challenging asana depending on your students. 49 High Intensity Peak This portion of the class may repeat several times, hitting a peak, decreasing, increasing, and peaking again. It depends on how much time you have, and the endurance of your students. Use the most challenging standing Asana, no resting or time for thinking, arm balances, deep back bends, headstand and variations if appropriate, etc. Decreasing Intensity Once you’ve hit your last peak start to wind down, eventually coming to hold in mountain pose or down dog for a little while. Enter the seated and laying practice. Low Intensity Use longer holds in forward folds, supine twists, happy baby, or cooling poses like shoulder stand series. Relaxation The last few poses should naturally lead into shavasana. A passive supine twist on both sides is good last stretch. In shavasana, talk gently bringing attention to releasing effort, stillness, and peacefulness. Closing the Class Once everyone is seated up and has become still you can close the class. Use this time to talk about spiritual awareness, love, peacefulness, gratitude, power of intention etc. Or just allow a moment of silence for the students to integrate their new perception and power within. Chanting Aum, followed by an affirmation, or the simple "namaste" is a powerful way to conclude the practice. If you use an affirmation, let it come from your heart. Here are some models to consider... "Recognize and honor the divine within yourself, and see it as the reflection of all." "love is yourself and all beings" "Embrace the light and be light" You can usually tell if it was a good practice if no one is in a hurry to get up and that when they do they are smiling. Once they are moving about ask if there are any questions or thoughts to be shared. Express your gratitude for the presence of the students. Remain seated and calm until all the students are up and leaving. This will give anyone who has a more personal question to approach you in comfort. These small conversations after class can be extremely helpful to you and your student. If you are working with in an individual in a private session provide any other insights or suggestions that might aid their practice. 50