These New Year's resolutions can sure be hard!

Four months into a concerted effort to the Yamas and the Niyamas have been quite the challenge. Although super easy to think about each one individually, it has been my intention to simply add to the list each month. Keeping three and four in my mind has been challenging. I suppose that as time continues, I will be able to integrate the entire 10 teachings but right now, I’m finding keeping them straight and on the top of mind as something of a small feat!

This month was the perfect month for Aparigraha. We celebrated Easter as well as a birthday in my household. On a superficial level, these two events helped me think about how many physical objects can rush into my home. Aparigraha is all about non-possessiveness (things and thoughts), non-grasping (overdoing aspirations and achievements) and non-greediness (limiting the wants, sharing what you have).

Let’s see how it unfolded in the month of April…

I applied some restraint with the amount of goodies the Easter bunny brought to our house. And quite frankly the boys didn’t even bat an eye at the lack of candies. I probably cut the amount of candy in half from last year. It was refreshing not to have so much candy land in my house and the constant battle to when and how much candy could be had!

Keeping things of value, like decorations hand-made by the kids in the past and their baskets seemed to be more important for us this year. Ben loves to decorate for the season so he was just excited to make his own Easter egg hunt with the plastic eggs we already had and filled them with our Lego pieces or other nick knacks we had around our home.

Keeping things basic seems to fit for Aparigraha.

My son’s fifth birthday was this month as well. I get anxious thinking about the expectation of giving gifts. It’s a large part of birthdays for the kids but an overwhelming part for me. We kept the party at home and rented a bouncy castle (hopefully making memories not stuff) but I did overdo it (maybe) with the invitees! We had close to 40 people present, kids and all. I am excited to celebrate birthdays and want to include everyone. I suppose I’d prefer to give a party than receive a ton of new things. People are so generous with gifts.

Professionally, I also took time this month to think about striving and doing lots. I’ve paired back a lot of my commitments and professional volunteer roles in the past six months. I do consider myself a professional voluntary soul. How often my husband says ’and when will you get paid for this?’ Interestingly though, maybe that is part of Aparigraha too. I give of myself; yet, I need to approach it as just that - giving. And not striving.

I come to see that trying so hard to achieve can run your life. Taking a step back and dropping the ‘trying to grasp’ has been helpful.

I can’t lie, it’s a challenge.

This is how I roll.

But if I can take anything away from this month, it would be LESS IS MORE.

In my life and on the mat.

Raise a water bottle to that! Less is more,
LW

I’ve been fascinated with the history of yoga since watching the documentary, Yoga Unveiled. It was recommended to me by Judy Murphy, the yoga teacher I was taking yoga classes with back in the late 2000’s. The documentary was full of details, dates and names and I recall thinking, ‘wow, there is a lot to learn!’

Fast forward to the present day, I was intrigued about the modern yogi, Yogananda, whom I kept hearing about. How did he fit into the lineages and what was his impact on yoga?

I was happy to purchase myself the copy of Autobiography of a Yogi, recognizing that I’d need a fair amount of time to read the entire book and hoping that it would be a good resource to have on hand. Both reasons were true. The 500 page book spans over 40 years of Yogananda’s life and includes 49 chapters. Each chapter rich in details of Yogananda’s life and the workings of Kriya Yoga.

Being the first yogi to the United States, I was certain the majority of the book would spend time describing his experience in the Western world. But I was wrong. The book starts by describing Yogananda’s desire and drive to reach the Himalayan mountains. Multiple attempts he made without success. Through his words you can feel the urgency and commitment he had to his spiritual quest. I appreciated the willingness to preserve even when I’m not certain he even knew where the drive was coming from.

In the end, Yogananda doesn’t reach the Himalayan mountains and still struggles to find his guru. The escapades that he endures to find his guru are entertaining and intriguing. His recounts of many spectacular yogis is a valuable addition to the understanding of yoga at the beginning of the 20th century. It was reassuring that if this yogi had challenges on his yoga journey, it was certain I would too. Knowing that Yogananda took years to find his teacher, it was okay that I took my time to find my teacher too

Yogananda’s guru was Sri Yukteswar, who was the least exciting, in my opinion, of teachers that Yogananda searched out. He was calm, quiet and introspective. In the end, probably the least flashy yogi but the one with the most insight and learnings. Sri Yukteswar was the student of Lahiri Mahasaya who’s guru was Babaji. Through this lineage, Babaji had predicted that one yogi from his lineage would take yoga to the West. Was Yogananda up for the challenge?

Yogananda although wanting to focus all his energy into yoga, he was highly influenced by his father and teacher to pursue a university degree. After completion of his studies, he focused his energy solely on yoga and took formal vows into the monastic Swami order. His passion for what he did was so great that he established a school for young boys in Dihika, West Bengal. It later was named Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, the Indian branch of Yogananda's American organization, Self-Realization Fellowship.

Soon came the time when Yogananda made the decision to take the Kriya yoga philosophies to the United States. He was invited to the International Congress of Religious Liberals in Boston. With his teacher’s blessings, “All doors are open for you. It is now or never”, Yogananda took a lengthy boat journey overseas to America.

Upon his arrival, Yogananda was greeted with open arms and spoke as much and as often as he could, to whomever would listen. He developed relationships with many Americans who help establish the Self-Realization Fellowship which sole purpose was to teach India's ancient practices and philosophy of yoga and its tradition of meditation.
Yogananda did return to India for a short period before going back to the West where he continued to teach, write and lecture about Kriya yoga. Although not in the book, on further research, I found that Yogananda passed away in 1952, seven years after his autobiography was published for the first time.

Overall, the book was fascinating to read. It provided a context to modern yoga that otherwise would not be available to those who live in the West. Yogananda wrote with seriousness but also with a lot of humour. He was humble and willing to dedicate his life to the understanding and teaching of Kriya Yoga.

After finishing the book, I did have some outstanding questions and thoughts that were not necessarily answered in the book.

1. Multiple references to the Bible and Christian faith

I was shocked at the volume of the book that was referencing the Christian faith. At least once in each chapter had a footnote to a passage from the Bible. Since Yogananda did not practice a Christian religion, I was surprised to read this much about Bible passages. It was refreshing to see that a man of strong spiritual persuasion was welcoming if not promoting Christian values alongside the Hindu faith. My original black and white lens of religion was disrupted showing that multiple religions can and do work together.

My only thoughts as to why the Christian influence was so prominent might stem back to the time in history the book was taking place. At the time, India was under British occupation, whom Christianity was the prominent faith. As well, many Christians live in the West and possibly the book was written for that particularly audience (me too!) so referencing Christianity was another way Yogananda could relate to his audience.

2. The Lineage Debate

I still don’t fully understand where Yogananda and his teachers fall in regards to the most prominent yogi of the time, Krishnamacharya. Can I assume that each were ‘doing their own thing’ around the same time yet in a different location? Krishnamacharya was not mentioned once in this book so I can only assume they didn’t particularly know about each other and each others’ work. I think another viewing of Yoga Unveiled might just help me find the answer!

3.  The Influence in the West

As noted already, I didn’t gather much information about Yogananda’s full influence of Kriya Yoga in the West. I would guess only one-fifth of the chapters actually describe the details. This may be the reflection of Yogananda’s humility. I have watched the documentary, Awake: The Life of Yogananda, which I would also like to watch again. If memory serves, it provides much more detail about the years Yogananda spent in the United States. This is intriguing to me as it shows Yogananda as being much closer to home.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the life of a yogi.

LW

The month of February was dedicated to Satya or truthfulness. As a reminder, my goal over the next 12 months of 2019 is to focus my energy and attention towards one of the ten yamas or niyamas. Thus far it has been an enlightening and interesting journey.

This month was rattling and exposing to when or when not I am truthful. This perspective can be in regards to others but also towards myself.

Let me explain.

As a mom, I am daily in the kitchen prepping, serving and cleaning up food. Satya became very evident in regards to food. But how?

I realized how often I would eat left over foods of my children because I didn’t want it to go to waste. When in true fact, I either was no longer hungry myself or more importantly, I actually didn’t even like the food!

Case in point. I’m not a huge fan of processed cereals. Nuts coated in sugar, raisins doused in palm oil, and white flour based flakes are not what I like to eat. Yet, when cleaning up the breakfast table, I finish those last two or three cereal bites in my son’s bowl.

It hit me early in the month that I don’t like this cereal. I don’t like the taste and texture.

Stop. Honour that truth.

Struggles with others this month has also demonstrated how Satya resonated. Do I tell that little white lie to pacify someone? Do I run the red light at 7:30 am Sunday morning when no other car is in sight? Do I truly expose myself and how I really feel?

February, also known as heart month or the month of love, gave me a chance to show myself truth…truth of the heart. Although an anatomical organ, to me, there is much more to the heart. Lots resides in the heart. This month allowed time for reflection to what is good and not so good in my heart.

Truth.

It can suck but also be well-worth looking into.
LW
 

Satya pratisthayam kriyaphalasrayatvam
(2.36, The Yoga Sutras)

“To one established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient.”
(The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, translation Sri Swami Satchidananda)

Back in 2017 when I was starting my formal yoga teacher training with the Yoga Association of Alberta (YAA), I was presented the book, The Bhagavad Gita. It was at one of my first workshops with people I hardly knew. One teacher in training who was in my small discussion group, was rattled and unsure, if not outright dismissive, about of the Bhagavad Gita. She proceeded to tell me that it was about war and fighting and she just could not understand why it was a required reading for yoga teacher training. Her Christian upbringing (and lens) struggled with comprehending why we would need to study war and violence.

Unfortunately, this set the scene for me. I too stay away from violence and all things war-like sense. Avoiding violent television, terrorizing news stories, and sometimes conflict in general. I have no love for war.

So when I was expected to read a book about war, I was resistant to say the least.

Further into my YAA workshops, I was presented again with the ideas of The Bhagavad Gita. It was through Barbara Stoler Miller’s translation, The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishn’s Counsel in the Time of War, that I slowly began to consider the book in a new light. We were to read an excerpt from the Introduction and I soon realized that my earlier experience was not the lens I needed to look through with this book.

I purchased Stoler Miller’s translation and decided to start from there.

Then, and let’s be honest, the book sat on my shelf for months. Until it showed up again at a workshop. I finally said to myself, it is time to read it.

Having committed to read it, I usually don’t take half measures so I also bought two additional translations to guide me along. Realizing that one version, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-Gita: was close to one thousand pages, I soon decided to stick with only two versions, Stoler Miller’s translation and Stephen Mitchell’s translation, Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation. It boggles my mind how one text is translated by so many; with the translations themselves presenting the contents in differently. I felt that reading more than one version might help me understand what this ‘story of war’ was all about.

My strategy was to read one translation chapter and then the other. I always started with Stoler Miller and followed it with Mitchell. And here is what I found:

First and foremost, the book is set on the battlefield of Kuruksheta where the Dandavas are ready to fight the Kauravas. These two separate groups are cousins and they are fighting to secure power. Arjuna, the main character is plagued with the struggle of whether or not to fight his family. In the eighteen teachings, Arjuna is discussing this struggle with his chariot driver, Krishna. Krishna is the incarnation of the cosmic power and is there to support Arjuna on the battlefield.

As I read through the verses, it becomes apparent that I will not be bombarded with violent passages and terrorizing words. Instead it is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna moments before the war may begin. The struggle is real but it is actually the struggle from within that the book is really about.

Whew!

Over the many chapters, Arjuna is constantly asking questions of Krishna, who is responding from a place of all knowing. He in fact is a true representation of the Source, God, Almighty and Self; how ever is the preferred way to say the Supreme Being. Arjuna starts in the first teaching with a complete and utter disgust with fighting. He states “I see no good in killing my kinsmen in battle” (1.31). His grief is evident.

In the second teaching, Krishna is encouraging Arjuna to fight. Krishna points to reincarnation and it is the first time Krishna presents the idea of detachment from the outcome. He states “be intent on action, not on the fruits of action” (2.47). An interesting perspective, Krishna uses an analogy to withdraw your senses just like a tortoise in its shell (2.58). Arjuna is still not convinced.

As I read the subsequent teachings, I decided the key message of the book, “relinquishing the fruits of action” (5.12) is presented numerous times in different ways, during the initial teachings. A true demonstration that Arjuna was not ready to hear the message the first time nor likely the fifth time, Krishna continues to state his message in various ways.

Krishna continues to answer Arjuna’s queries and begins to thread in to their discussion who he really is. “I am the source of everything and everything proceeds from me” (10.8). By introducing himself to Arjuna, Krishna begins to emphasize that all actions are the instrument of him. So much so that Krishna states “they are already killed by me” (11.33) and putting Arjuna’s mind at rest that in fact it is his duty to fight his family as it is the act of the Supreme Being.

Ancient teachings on Nature’s Qualities begin to show up in the latter part of the book when Krishna share the three Gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas). Throughout the second half of the book, each quality is explored in great detail, particularly related to knowledge, action and agent. “When one is free of individuality and his understanding is untainted, even if he kills these people, he does not kill and is not bound.” (18.17). In the final teaching, after much discussion and contemplation, Arjuna says “my doubt dispelled, ready to act on your words” (18.73) and he decides to proceed with a war.

I hadn’t expected to read about the Gunas. It wasn’t until I read some of Mitchell’s translation that I realized in fact that was what I was reading. Stoler Miller uses completely different terms for the three qualities. I even had to write out the words and link them to the Gunas to solidify my understanding!

While reading The Bhagavad Gita, I was washed over with peace of mind and calm. As Krishna speaks, he represents the being that I believe we are all looking for. The one thing we can’t understand as humans has been speaking through the The Bhagavad Gita for centuries! When in fact I was initially apprehensive about the book, I gained so much insight and resolve by reading it. As one senior yoga teacher said, The Bhagavad Gita is a love poem.

I get it now.

I look forward to reading my two (and maybe three) books again and again. The translations bring to life the real internal struggle. And the words give the reader solace in the fact that we are not alone in this journey of life.

More study. More reading to come,
LW

I thought it would be helpful for me to take a month to dive deeper into each of the five Yamas and Niyamas.

So, I started with Ahimsa |a-him-sa

Ahimsa represents compassion for all living things and reverence for life. And in doing so, acting with non-violence. This can be with actions, words and thoughts about yourself and others.

This Yama hits straight to my heart. Peace, respect, love, non-violence align with me and my values and morals. Yet, I’ve had some challenges, personally and professionally this month in which my thoughts have not been supporting the goal of ahimsa. It is challenging to have kind thoughts about those who upset and annoy you and piss you off but also showing yourself kindness when you can quickly get ‘blamey’ and hurtful to oneself.

“Come on Lisa, what’s wrong with you?”

It takes a lot of discipline to speak nicely, without violence, in your own head. Be it about others or yourself.

This month has already taught me a lot about where himsa (the opposite of ahimsa, meaning harm) can show up in day to day life. Being conscious to the principle of ahimsa will keep me a student of yoga and LIFE for years to come.

To the continuation of learning and dedication to the yoga journey,
LW

The sixtieth and final Yoga Association of Alberta workshop is complete. I am amazed I made it to all of them in the two year period without any real hitches. Thank goodness I did. If I didn’t, I would have to wait an additional two years to complete the workshop.

*Whew*

This last session dove into principles of teaching and the role of the yoga teacher. We also touched on the types, lineages and styles of yoga, which helped clarify some outstanding questions I had about how everything fits together. We wrapped up the session talking briefly about pranayama.

It has been a full circle for me. My first workshop in January 2017 was taught by Karen and it was very fitting that Karen taught the last one this weekend. I can’t believe how much I have learned over the two years. I am so very grateful for each and every one of the senior yoga teachers who shared their knowledge and expertise with me. Truly blessed!

Now – I’m going to be a teacher?!

Here are some tidbits of shared advice about how to be a good teacher, even before the class starts:

Check in with yourself before you check in with your students
Write a lesson plan…especially useful with your mind goes blank (and it will!)
Come to the class with authenticity, love, kindness, quiet confidence, humility and being present
Inspire trust and safety
As yoga teachers we are passing on the information from our teachers
Practice together, honour the energy of the room and build a community

We also reviewed ways to teach during class:

Bring people into their bodies by providing an opportunity for body awareness
Come to the mat with a beginner’s mindset (students AND teacher)
Show asana first, then have the class try it
Give the option to try a class as “this class might not be the right class for you”
Enter centering with a statement like “simply reflect on where you’d been and where you are”, “focus on one thing, not everything”
Your class will present with different learners and how do you teach all different types (see, feel, hear)
Always have your eyes open to pay attention to your students
Be the mirror to your students
Provide a space for Sukha and Sthira (comfortable and stable)
“Are you doing your asana in your body or in your imaginative body?”
Provide suggestions and giving permission to do what you can today
Ensure time for equalizing and integration
Prepare your practice space for self-acceptance, no judgement and no expectations

We dove into a handful of other ‘hot topics’ or more challenging scenarios that occur in the class such as:

Story telling after class (end your class in silence as to not be bombarded with students sharing or over-sharing after class)
Relationships (clearing not engaging in romantic relationships with students but being cognizant of your boundaries)
Chatting students in class (ask students to close their eyes; eyes closed = mouth closed)
Adjustments and touching (asking for permission)
Partner work (what is the intention? May need to avoid due to students comfort level)

These points are only a snapshot of things to consider. The discussion was very helpful to think about being a yoga teacher, out in public and what I might encounter.

Now for the breakdown of the types of yoga, lineages and styles!

As a linear thinker, I almost need an infographic to take me through this all. For ease of writing, bullets seem to be the easy way to represent each.

Types:
Jnana – knowledge, wisdom
Bhakti – devotion (mantra, chanting, prayer ritual named Puja)
Karma – selfless service, action in service
Raja – royal, meditation (this is the type of yoga that branches into Hatha yoga)

Lineages (only a brief snapshot):
Himalayan
Kriya
Sivananda
Kaivayama

Styles (not a complete list):
Yin
Bikram
Iyengar
Kundalini
Moksha
Ashtanga
Desikachar

Although I don’t completely have it all figured out, I think there is a better understanding in my mind and obvious difference between types, lineages and styles.

The final piece of the workshop was the breath work. We discussed it in general and how to bring pranayama into a class setting. The essential message I took was that breathing is very challenging for people. As yoga teachers we must encourage but not force a breath practice. If our students are experiencing anxiety or tension, simply suggest they go back to their normal breath. I know for myself, pranayama has been a long journey. It wasn’t something I took from yoga until I started to practice regularly and with a teacher I was comfortable with.

Although this is the end to my sixteen formal workshop, the journey continues. There is so much more to learn.
LW

Light bulb burst - Well, that just makes sense! The neck is the extension of the spine! Releasing the back can only help the neck.

We worked on coordinating neck rotation with standing arm movements up and down, bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) and single knee to the chest (Supta Ardha Apanasana). The movement of the neck was initiated after the upper/lower body movement AND moving to the opposite side or direction.

Shoulders: limited weight bearing asanas with the emphasis on all ranges of motion and asymmetry.

A lot of the attention in our practice was to minimize the compression in the shoulders with keeping the arms wide from the body. Further, highlighting the importance of multiple repetitions, going in and out of poses, rather than static holds. Movements, not necessarily asanas, included wall chest stretch with both arms (think of a cop saying ‘put your hands up’) at the walk and rotating the upper body side to side with one arm leaving the wall and side lying external rotation (‘moving the forearm through mud’).

Back: limit twists with a focus on side lateral bends instead and asymmetry.

Of course, knees bent is essential for protecting the back but also noticing how much the hamstrings want to work. Keeping them at bay can be helpful. For me personally, I have to watch that my glutes, mostly my right, doesn’t fire up.

Asanas we explored as side lateral bends options included cresent moon pose (Ashta Chandrasana) and wide leg forward fold (Prasarita Padottanasana) with alternating movements of hands to feet.

I really appreciated the emphasis on asymmetry especially for the back. It really put into perspective the alignment of the pelvis and how to continually work on finding good anatomical position. As with any of these joints, it is almost certain that one side is “worse” that the other. Asymmetry helps find the difference and almost acts like a reset button.

Knee: limit weight bearing poses with an emphasis on avoiding hyper extension but also hyper flexion of the joint.

Having to avoid weight bearing is truly challenging as it removes all kneeling asanas. That is a lot! Yet, flipping the pose around or using a chair can be the most useful way to help those with knee issues. And it goes without saying, adding padding to the mat for the knees to land is an act of self-care!

Walking away from this weekend’s training was one thing but the next best thing was practicing in a beginners class the next day. Not only doing my practice but watching the class in front of me. Every type of body, injury, age and sex....and all doing yoga! I challenged myself to watch because these will be the people I will teach. What a lesson indeed!

On a final note, I loved how Edie talked about breath. For all the joints listed, the breath is essential to allow for movement. She alluded to the breath as a distraction of fear; fear is what keeps the body rigid, trying to protect itself.

Here are some of her gem of quotes about the breath...

“Breath is...

Power.

The essence of our practice.

Sweetness of yoga.

Is your guide, will lead you further than you think.”

The combination of learning and observing this weekend has given me a new found confidence in giving options and teaching on the fly when the people are presented in front of me on their mats.

LW

Well, what does that mean?

100+ hours YAA
+
200 hour teacher training with Yoga Within

= 300 hour YAA certification

Then,

Continue with more hours to...

500 hour teacher training

Then, as I see how it is going to work...
Yoga Therapist destination and more hours.

I’m all in.

I’m taking the time AND focus to rock this yoga teacher training.

For me.

For my future students.

The long journey is the best part!
LW

My assignment this week was to write one of each. It was somewhat tricky to write out. At first, I asked my dear Siri to help me. I spoke to her and asked her to scribe the words out for me. That worked okay. But the real work was sitting in front of my words and tweaking them to sound like the best version of what I want to say.

Here is a look at what I wrote:

Centering

Come to a seated position. Relax your shoulders take a deep breath in and a deep breath out. Let the body relax and forget the rest of your day. Leave it at the door. There's no need to think about the past or the future. Think about the present moment. Settle to yourself on your mat.

Slowly lower yourself down on your back and allow the mat to support your bodyweight. Take a deep breath in and let it slowly trickle out of your mouth. Take another deep breath in and slowly let it come out of your nose. Feel the difference in your breath when coming out of your mouth and when coming out of your nose.

Slowly take another deep breath in and exhale what feels the most comfortable to you.

As you relax into the mat, feel the weight of your body and all the contact points on the mat. Feel where your heels meet the mat. Feel for the back of the knees and where they meet the mat. Feel where your hips and low back meet the mat. Feel where the shoulders and back meet the mat. And as you reach the top of your body, feel where your head meets the mat.

Slowly take another deep breath in and exhale your body deep into the mat.

As you become increasingly still lying on your mat, start to think about a mantra or a purpose to your practice today. It might be simply “relax” or “calm” or “present”. You may make it more specific to you as “I am relaxed”, “I am calm”, or “I am present”. Create a mantra for yourself to remind yourself throughout your entire practice why you came to the mat today. This mantra will guide your practice and take you through a practice that is needed not only for the physical body but for the heart and the soul.

Slowly take another deep breath in and exhale as you say your mantra to yourself.

***few moments of silence***

Begin to connect back to the physical space and your place in the room. Begin with slow movements and when you are ready slowly lift your feet to plant them on your mat. Knees bent, facing towards the ceiling. As you feel you can bring more movement to your body, slowly lift your knees to your chest and place your hands gently on the legs for a gentle hug.

Savasana

Take yourself to the mat in our final pose, corpse pose or savasana.

Lie flat on your back. Position your arms comfortably away from your body. Allow the palms of your hands to face up towards the ceiling. The legs are also comfortably apart, with the feet falling off the edges of the mat. The hips are externally rotating or opening up from the midline of the body.

Let the floor carry your weight and allow the body to sink into the mat. Find the support of the mat.

The corpse pose is also a pose that we need to work on. It’s not simply laying on our mat…and potentially falling asleep. Being present. Finding the best position to lay your body so that you relax. It may take some additional movements to find the best position for you today. You may need the support of a bolster under your bent knees, you may like a sand bag placed across your pelvis or you may simply find lying on your side in the fetal position most comfortable.

Once you have settle, take this time to let your practice integrate into your body.

Consider slowing your breath and on each inhale, recite the mantra or the saying of purpose you set for yourself at the beginning of practice.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

On the next set of breath, inhale a sense of gratitude to your practice today. Be glad that you arrived at your mat to honour yourself and give yourself time to take care of you.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

Continue to find the support of the mat. Let the floor carry your weight and allow the body to sink into the mat.

Relax.

***few moments of silence***

Slowly bring yourself back into this room. Bringing gentle movement to the body will help take you back into your day. I encourage you to tuck away your mantra from class and your gratitude to be with you for the rest of your day.

Slowly start to move the fingers and toes.

You may find gentle rolling of the head side to side helpful.

And as you find the movements become easier, slowly bent one knee at a time and bring the feet flat onto the mat. Slowly bring the knees to the chest and gently hold with your hands. Feel free to rock the body side to side and/or provide a gentle circular motion to all corners of your pelvis.

As you feel ready, allow the body to come to a side lying position on the right hand side. Take two to three breaths in this position.

When you are ready, slowly support the body up into a seated position of your choice.

There is no rush. Continue to breathe.

As a closing, I’d like to thank you for practicing with me today. My hope is that you found what nourishes you in today’s practice.

Namaste.

What is really tricky with writing it out is that there is no sense of timing. A large part of saying the words is the tone and speed of how the words are said. So reading it rather than hearing it can make it lose its intended effect.

Regardless, it was a crucial step to practice when becoming a yoga teacher. It keeps me very well aware of the words I choose and how I string them together. With the ultimate goal in providing the best classes possible.
LW

I inquired with my patients if anyone was interested in trying some yoga with me. A 29-year old female (who will remain nameless due to confidentiality) was open to trying what I had to teach her. She has never set foot in a yoga studio as she doesn't feel comfortable with her beginner ability. Attending the regular program, Open Gym, we offer at the Southside PCN, she was having difficulty moving today as she had hurt her back over the weekend. Chronic back pain is ongoing for her and she treated it with an adjustment at the chiropractor earlier in the day.

I was able to provide a centering that seemed okay with her. She was comfortable to lie on the mat and close her eyes while I did a toe to head scan. We continued into the teaching of Surya Namaskara A where I first demonstrated the sequence with modifications that I thought would work for her (hands on thighs in Uttanasana, no half Uttanasana, onto hands and knees to plank, cobra instead of upward facing dog, back to hands and knees before downward facing dog). She tried four cycles through the sequence with recognizing right away that Uttansana was not an option for her today. Instead we lowered arms towards the ground into a squatting position then into hands and knees rather than bending forward. I offered to bring the floor to her (via a chair) but she preferred to not do any forward folding.

After four rounds, we moved into Savasana where we practice a balanced breath for 4-, 5-, and 6-counts and then I was silent. I allowed her to rest for about 2-3 more minutes before I led her out of her practice and back on with her evening.

In discussion with her afterwards, she appreciated how "I changed" from my regular self (i.e., quieter, calmer voice). She felt successful with the movements she could do and if time permitted I would have preferred to block out the individual poses themselves in a prolonged fashion. She noted that the centering was somewhat anxiety inducing (she had trouble settling her breath) but found she was much more comfortable in the final Savasana.

Overall, I felt comfortable with the teaching. Time went very fast and it was very clear that trying to teach a beginner student Surya Namaskara A in its entirety is very challenging. As noted, it would have been better to teach each asana first (probably over many weeks) and then piece it all together as the full sequence after many weeks of practice.

LW