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Kate Lombardo in a yin yoga pose

4 Tips for Teaching Yin Yoga

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

I’d been teaching yoga full time for almost four years before I did my yin yoga teacher training and started teaching yin classes. By that point, I was an ERYT 200 (meaning I had over 1,000 hours of teaching experience) and was about to begin my 300HR Advanced Teacher Training. And even though up until that point my classes had been mostly vinyasa style, I still felt pretty confident in my ability to lead students through a solid yoga class.

While there’s no doubt that my experience helped me with teaching in general, I quickly found out there were some key differences between leading active style yoga classes and yin yoga classes.

It took me a bit of time to fully understand the shift I had to make between my approach to teaching yin versus vinyasa, but once I figured out what I needed to do it made teaching yin yoga extremely enjoyable and I found it to be the perfect balance to my vinyasa yoga classes.

These simple tweaks to my teaching made all the difference in the environment I created for my students and helped them to cultivate a love for this practice.

1. Explain what yin yoga is

It’s easy to assume that if a student signed up for your yin yoga class then they know what yin yoga is, but I’ve found that most of the time that’s not the case. Students register for a yoga class for many different reasons– the time works, they like the teacher, their friend said it was great, etc– and if they’re a beginner student they may not even realize there are different styles of yoga. Even seasons practitioners may not really know what a yin yoga class entails if they’ve never taken one.

Starting your class off with a short elevator-pitch explanation of what yin yoga is and how the class will be structured can go a long way in setting you and your students up for success when it comes to creatine a positive experience. Knowledge is power and if you provide the rundown of how class will go, you’ll help your students have appropriate expectations for class.

It can sound something like this…

“Hello and welcome! I’m [your name]. Welcome to yin. This class is a little different than some of the more active forms of yoga you may be familiar with so I want to give you a quick rundown of how this class works.

In yin practice, we’ll passively hold each pose for 3-5 minutes– they’ll be mostly seated poses so not to worry– and we’ll work with gravity to slowly release and open the body. Our goal here is to help get into the connective tissue of your body where you really hold onto tension and tightness, so there’s not necessarily a “right” way to do the pose, but rather it’s more about what feels right for you.”

2. Cue & demonstrate getting into the poses

Yin yoga gives poses different names than their more well-known active yoga pose counterparts. The reason for this is that in taking a passive approach to the practice, the body actually moves into the poses differently than in the active versions, so yin seeks to differentiate the poses by giving them different names.

For example, butterfly pose in yin yoga closely resembles Baddha Konasana. But, in an active class a teacher will usually talk a lot about lengthening the spine to fold forward, which requires muscular engagement. In yin, you simply release the upper body down over the legs, even if that means the spine is very rounded.

As a result of this, if you say to students “we’re going to come into butterfly pose”, they may have no idea what you’re talking about as they likely aren’t familiar with the yin names unless they’re a seasoned yin practitioner.

Instead, just tell and show them what to do with their bodies in order to get into the pose. So for butterfly pose you can do the pose yourself as you say,

“Come to sit with both feet out in front of you and your knees bent. Bring the soles of your feet to touch and open your knees out wide. Breathe in and as you breath out release your head and belly towards your legs any amount, coming into butterfly pose. Stop when it feels like the right amount for you and use your breath to slowly fold deeper over time.”

By cueing the actions and showing them the pose before telling them the name, you give them confidence in their ability to do the pose rather than leaving them feeling confused or silly for not knowing the name and what to do.

3. Rely on yoga props

Even though doing hands-on adjustments in yin yoga is a big “no-no”, that doesn’t mean that you get a full pass in assisting your students.

After getting your students into each pose, look around the room and see what’s happening. Notice if a prop may help a student be more comfortable in holding the shape for a long time or if it could help them avoid misaligning a joint in a way that could be unsafe.

A basic prop set-up of: 2 blocks, 2 blankets, and a bolster can usually carry most students through a yin class. But, sometimes a student may need a third blanket in a specific pose. If they have to get up to grab one, it totally disturbs not only the energy of their practice, but of the students around them. Make sure you’re the one to get up and grab any additional props students may need.

This is a great way to show your students you’re paying attention to them, you’re present with them, and you’re holding space for them to move through their own individual practice. One little prop can go a looong way in helping a student have a more enjoyable experience in your class, so make sure to be on the lookout for how you can help.

4. Offer words of wisdom but also be quiet!

A five minute hold in sphinx pose (or any other pose of choice) can feel like an absolute eternity for some students during class and what you say as the teacher can make all the difference.

Spend the first minute or two in each pose guiding your students with some inspirational thoughts. This is also a great way to incorporate your own personal style or approach.

Maybe you’re super into poetry and have a poem you weave throughout your class. Or perhaps guided meditations are you thing and you can use that time to help lead some simple breathing exercises. You’ll need to find what works for you, but it’s helpful to give students something to listen to for the first few minutes as the settle into a pose.

But then… be quiet.

It’s super important that you balance those words of wisdom with intentional silence. Yin is all about tuning inwards and you want to make sure you give your students space and time to do that. Know that it may be difficult for them and you as the teacher may even pick up on some agitated energy as they secretly curse you for keeping them in the pose for that extra minute or two. That’s ok– it’s part of the practice. Remember that you’re giving them a gift by guiding them through the physical and emotional challenges this practice can bring and you’re helping them build resilience over time.

Want my full run-down on how to get started teaching yin yoga classes? Grab my totally free Yin Yoga Teacher Starter Kit, which will give you everything you need to know to teach your first yin yoga class.

09/12/2022
Love12

Yin Yoga Reset: 30-Minute Yin Sequence for Stress Relief

By Yoga Teachers

It was 2019. And on Sunday afternoons, as the weekend would come to a close, I would head to my yoga studio for the 4:30PM yin yoga class. It was 75-minutes long and I’d make sure to get there extra early so I could savor some additional quiet time on my mat.

I’d walk in and inhale the smell of nag champa incense that would immediately set my mind into relaxation mode. My ears would welcome the soft music playing in the background of the studio, which was often lit by candlelight. When class would begin I would settle into this time on my mat and drop deeply into relaxation, breathing through each pose as I released physical tension in my body and cloudiness in my mind.

My weekend would end and I’d head into the week ahead with a sense of clarity and calm.

And then… 2020 came. 🤪

The pandemic arrived.
The studio closed.
I became a mom.

And gone were the slow Sunday afternoons spent focused on 2-hours of yin yoga.

That little routine is something I look back fondly on and definitely miss. But, as time has moved forward I’ve learned to accept that it’s just not part of my reality in this season of life.

I’ve had to get much more efficient at finding ways to practice and reduce stress when I’m often doing a class in my bedroom while my toddler naps in the room next door.

And for me, that usually looks like a 30-minute yin yoga class focused on stress relief that I can fit in anytime and anywhere during the day (or night… any bedtime warriors out there with me?!).

This full-body yin yoga sequence has become a go-to of mine because it leaves me feeling open, relaxed, and gives me that same feeling of clarity that my Sunday ritual used to leave me with.

Grab some props if you have them– I recommend two blocks, one blanket, and a bolster as a basic setup– turn on some music and light a candle. It may not be 2-hours long, but this practice will still be oh-so-sweet.

30-Minute Yin Yoga Sequence to Release Stress

Starting Meditation in Virasana (3 minutes)

Katie Healy in Virasana

Why it’s great:

Starting practice with a few minutes of focused breathing helps to pull the mind into the present moment and lay the foundation for practice. Virasana (with blocks) is a personal favorite because it allows for the spine to really lengthen so there’s space to focus on the fullness of each breath.

How to do it:

  1. Bring a block (or two) on the short height long ways between your ankles.
  2. Stand up on your shins and then sit back on your blocks.
  3. Gently lift the low belly in to support the lengthening of the spine.

Insider tip: Feel free to light that incense or use some essential oils beforehand so you still get those yoga studio vibes at home.

Heart Bench (4 minutes)

Kate Lombardo in Heart Bench

Why it’s great:

Opening the heart space right at the start of practice helps to melt away the physical tension we often carry in the upper back and shoulders throughout the day. This pose also allows the breath to move freely through the abdomen which allows for increased oxygenation of the blood which refreshes the mind. Plus, the tall block helps to gently tuck the chin ever-so-slightly towards the chest which signals the brain to move towards relaxation.

How to do it:

  1. Place one block on the medium height longways facing the top of your mat and the other block on the tall height about 4 inches behind it.
  2. Lay back on the blocks so the bottom block sits right between your shoulder blades with the bottom edge of the block meeting the bottom edge of the shoulders. The top block comes under your head at the base of the skull so your chin tilts slightly towards your chest.
  3. Extend your legs out long.

Insider tip: If this bothers your low back bend your knees and take your feet as wide as your mat. Let your knees knock in towards center so the weight of your legs support each other.

Square Pose (right leg on top) (5 minutes)

Why it’s great:

Stress can often lead to built up tightness in the hips and this pose gets right to stretching and releasing the tension that gets stored in this area of the body. While it can be intense, this pose is super effective at creating the connection to breath to create a sense of ease for the body and the mind. Plus, the forward fold element of the pose helps to shift out of the sympathetic nervous system– fight for flight– and towards the parasympathetic nervous system– rest and restore.

How to do it:

  1. Start with both feet out in front of you and your knees bent.
  2. Cross your right ankle over your left knee to create a figure four shape.
  3. Slide your left foot across your mat to the right side so your shins stack and your ankles and knees are lined up. Space between your top knee and bottom ankle is totally fine, but if your bottom knee doesn’t reach the floor, slide a blanket underneath to protect it.

Insider tip: If the stacking of the shins feels like way too much today, you can stay in the figure four shape and breathe here. This will still open up the hip and target the same areas of the body.

Dragonfly Pose (5 minutes)

Kate Lombardo in dragonfly pose

Why it’s great:

While the hamstrings and backs of the legs often get the most attention here, this pose actually opens up the whole back body, which helps to provide relief even in those hard-to-reach areas of the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Forward folds are calming for the nervous system and helps the mind drop into deep relaxation.

How to do it:

  1. Turn to face the long side of your mat.
  2. Open your legs out wide and then relax muscle engagement in the legs.
  3. Fold your upper body forward from the hips and relax your head down.
  4. Allow your body to move with gravity and release further and further into the pose.

Insider tip: I personally love this pose with some type of prop support under my head– usually a block with a blanket on top. The gentle pressure of the prop right at the third-eye point helps to create extra grounding and relieve stress.

Square Pose (left leg on top) (5 minutes)

Why it’s great:

See above! It’s still great on the left side for the same reasons. 🙂

How to do it:

  1. Start with both feet out in front of you and your knees bent.
  2. This time, cross your left ankle over your right knee to create the figure four shape.
  3. Slide your right foot across your mat to the left side so your shins stack and your ankles and knees are lined up. Space between your top knee and bottom ankle is totally fine, but if your bottom knee doesn’t reach the floor, slide a blanket underneath to protect it.

Insider tip: It’s totally ok if this side feels really different from the other side. Sometimes on one side the shins stack and on the other you need to stay in the figure-four shape. Yin yoga is all about honoring your body where is is today– so give yourself permission to do what feels right.

Reclined Butterfly Pose with Heart Opener (3 minutes)

Lindsey in reclined butterfly pose

Why it’s great:

Practicing this yin posture at the end of the sequence is a nice way to squeeze in a few final minutes of openness before moving into savasana. This shape opens the chest, pelvis, inner things, and hips all at once– which feels like a giant exhale for the entire body. Plus, it’s very easy to focus on your breathing in this position.

How to do it:

  1. Lay a bolster long ways on your mat with a blanket towards the top of the bolster as a pillow for your head.
  2. Sit with your feet on the floor in front of you, knees bent, and low back right at the bottom edge of the bolster and lay back so your upper body is fully supported by the bolster.
  3. Bring the soles of your feet to touch and open your knees out wide to the sides. Your hands can rest gently beside you, or you can even place on on your heart and one on your belly and breathe into your hands.

Insider tip: If this feels like too deep of a backbend, you can use blocks in the same heart bench setup from the first pose and place the bolster over the blocks. This will still create all of the chest opening, but with less intensity in the low back.

Savasana (5 minutes)

Kate Lombardo in savasana

Why it’s great:

All great things must come to an end– including your yoga practice for the day. But, the sweet relief of savasana makes it so much easier to bring your practice to a close. This pose is the opportunity for all of your efforts and work to take root into the systems of your body– both physically and energetically. While you rest and breathe in savasana all of the good things from your practice are cemented into place so you can carry them with you from that point forward.

How to do it:

  1. Set all of your props aside and come to lay back down on your mat.
  2. Let your body be fully release into the support beneath you.
  3. Close your eyes and allow yourself to relax into your breath.

Insider tip: While you don’t need any to do this pose, props can make savasana feel extra relaxing. Feel free to grab your bolster and place it under your knees or your blanket under your head. Take whatever setup feels most comfortable for you.

Want my full run-down on how to get started teaching yin yoga classes? Grab my totally free Yin Yoga Teacher Starter Kit, which will give you everything you need to know to teach your first yin yoga class.

09/12/2022
Love11
Kate Lombardo in a yin yoga pose

6 Key Benefits of Yin Yoga

By Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga Teachers

Full disclosure… I thought yin yoga was going to be super easy before I tried it.

At the time I was a daily practitioner of a more active vinyasa yoga style and figured that the slow, steady practice of yin would be a quiet respite from all of the arm balances and inversions I was working in my regular classes.

Talk about an ego check.

About fifteen minutes into my first yin class, while holding dragon pose for five minutes (basically a low lunge crescent lunge) I realized how very wrong I was.

That first class was extremely challenging for me not only physically, but mentally as well. Yet, when I left class, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm and peace beyond what I typically felt after my vinyasa practice.

I made a yin class a regular part of my weekly routine and came to rely on the steadiness the practice would bring to both my body and mind. Slowly but surely I began to unpack layers of things that needed to be released (both physically and emotionally) and embraced a new way of moving through life.

A few months later I went on to complete my yin yoga teacher training and added yin yoga classes to my teaching repertoire.

As the lead teacher of my own Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training now, it’s crazy to think back on that first class, especially because even though I didn’t realize it at that time, I was experiencing many of the benefits of yin yoga right away, despite being so new to the practice. The ability for all students – from beginner to advanced – to enjoy the benefits of yin right from the start is one of my favorite things about leading this practice.

Kate Lombardo in dragon pose for yin yoga

Here I am in dragon pose, unaware of how truly transformative this practice was going to be for me. The benefits of yin yoga are incredible… and it all starts with one pose.

Here are some of the key benefits I’ve taken away from practicing yin yoga.

1. Yin reduces physical tension in the body

Yin yoga can be thought of as the deep tissue massage of yoga. The poses you’ll move through in a yin class help to release physical tension and unblock stagnant energy being held in the body.

While all forms of yoga promote flexibility and help to decrease tension, yin takes it to another level by allowing for more time to be spent in each pose which promotes a deeper stretch. This is different than what is typically experienced in an active yoga class where students may only be in a pose for a few breaths.

Anatomical uniqueness is the belief that every single human’s body is different and the way we approach yoga poses should also be different. This is a foundational component of the yin yoga practice and directly connects to the approach teachers take when leading a yin class.

While still always keeping joint safety in mind, yin yoga is focused much more on how a pose feels than whether or not the “alignment” of the pose is “correct.” For example, when coming to sleeping swan pose, or what an active yoga class would call pigeon pose, the focus is on setting up a student up to feel sensation in their hips so they can experience a release of any tension being held there. For some students that may mean that the front shin moves more towards parallel to the front of the mat and for others it may mean the shin is all the way in towards the pubic bone. In yin, both are correct as long as each student is able to settle into a place where they can let go of physical tension and holding in the body so they can begin to target the deeper connective tissues.

2. Yin is a “workout” for your connective tissue

If you’ve ever experienced any type of sprain or tear in a joint then you know that too much exertion on connective tissues (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) is not a good thing. That’s because these tissues don’t respond to heat building activities, like active yoga classes and traditional forms exercise, in the same way that the major muscle groups do.

Having a way to lubricate and lengthen these areas of the body is key to increasing longevity and keeping joints safe and healthy. That’s exactly what the practice of yin yoga does.

Yin specifically seeks to target the connective tissue of the body through long, slow holds of cooling poses that allow it to expand over time.

Injuries occur when the ligaments, tendons, and fascia expand too quickly so instead, yin uses gravity paired with body weight to gradually expand the connective tissue. This approach not only prevents an injury from occurring in the moment those areas are being targeted, but also has the potential to stimulate collagen and elastin production in our joints to prevent injuries in the future as well.

Which, brings us to the next benefit…

3. Yin Yoga is the perfect complement to traditional exercise

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about yin yoga is that if you start practicing yin then you have to commit to only yin and give up other types of yoga, like hatha or vinyasa.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Yin yoga has deep roots in Taoist philosophy which puts focus on the need to find balance between yin and yang.

Harmony exists only when both yin and yang are in balance.

Yin & Yang activities

It’s the working together of yin and yang that creates peace. We come to appreciate happiness much easier after times of difficulty. Cold becomes much more bearable if you’re walking into an air conditioned room after being outside during a summer heat wave.

Yin yoga, which by nature is a slow, cooling practice, is meant to be a complement to yang activities which focus on building heat and energy through movement. Vinyasa yoga, running, swimming, basketball, football, tennis, etc. are all yang activities. Oftentimes, people spend the majority of their exercise time focused on more yang-style workouts. Adding yin yoga into the mix is a way to ensure that the body maintains a sense of overall health and longevity by focusing on creating mobility in the joints.

Taking the time to move through a yin practice creates space to focus the mind and become more in tune with the depth of our thoughts, feelings, and consciousness, which is another key benefit of the practice.

4. Yin Yoga helps to build emotional awareness

Finding dedicated time to just “be” with our thoughts is a challenge. Modern life is busy – from work, to family, to household responsibilities and everything in-between, we often consider ourselves lucky to just make it through the day. And, let’s be honest, the quiet time that could be spent in contemplation with our thoughts usually gets filled with scrolling through Instagram or checking out a YouTube video.

Distractions are certainly not hard to come by.

As a result, we often spend a lot of our time on autopilot rather than really checking in to see how we’re truly feeling.

Yin yoga puts us back on manual control and forces us to really take a look at the current state of our minds and emotions. The practice of yin requires that students hold each pose for a minimum of three minutes, but usually more like five to seven minutes or more. With no phones, no TV, and no intense physical movement there for distraction, that leaves one option: to tune into the depth of our own thoughts.

Sometimes this can be an overwhelming place to dive into, especially if it’s been a while since you last checked in. But, when we face any emotions we’re experiencing head-on, it allows us to build an awareness of their existence, and then learn how to move through them which is a healthier place to live from and is also another benefit of the practice.

5. Yin Yoga teaches resilience and perseverance

Human beings have a natural instinct to move away from discomfort as quickly as possible. This is part of our evolution and is related to us craving a sense of safety in order to ensure our survival.

This makes sense during times that we’re in actual danger but as time has moved forward, that’s often not the case. Our lives are not literally at stake when we’re thinking about leaving a job we hate or ending a relationship that’s not working, even though sometimes it may feel that way.

Yin yoga gives us practice with leaning into discomfort rather than backing away and helps us learn to breathe through it until we find a sense of ease on the other side. It exemplifies that all moments, no matter how challenging they may be, are temporary and that we have the ability to face whatever it is that comes our way.

This is true in a yin class in both the physical and emotional sense.

When you first enter a hip opening yin pose it may seem impossible to hold it for another second much less the full five minutes you’ll be in the pose. But, by taking a few breaths and learning to just pause, the mind is trained to move beyond its initial instinct to move away from discomfort and instead to create an opportunity to let go of physical tension and find more space.

True happiness is found through being honest about our emotions and giving ourselves permission to feel them, whether they’re “good” or “bad.” When we bring the mind to a place of quiet or stillness in a yin class, we gain practice with acknowledging our emotions, feeling them, and letting go of them to make room for whatever comes next. Over time, this builds mental fortitude along with both physical and emotional resilience and teaches us that we are capable of handling the challenges that come our way. This has a direct influence on our stress response and leads to another benefit of the practice.

6. Yin Yoga reduces stress and anxiety

Another aspect of the survival instinct that influences our modern lives is our innate way of reacting with our fight-or-flight response first.

Our fear response is an important evolutionary response that is responsible for our survival as a species. Quite literally there were times when we heard a loud noise and that meant we had to run for our lives. Our brains are therefore hardwired to first react with fear, which floods our bodies with adrenaline and cortisol (our stress hormones) and enable us to quickly move to safety.

The problem is that, again, our lives are not usually at risk on a daily basis. The sound of a book dropping on the floor may make you jump because it activates that fight-or-flight response, but it doesn’t mean you’re in any kind of real danger.

This is also true during the times you receive an email from your boss or a text message from a friend that says “we need to talk” and then you automatically assume you’re getting fired or your friend is mad at you. These non life-threatening events can send you into your sympathetic nervous system (your fight-or-flight-response) even though your life is not at risk.

Yin yoga works to move us out of our sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is our rest-and-digest response. Spending time in our parasympathetic nervous system response allows for restoration and healing to occur and therefore decreases stress and anxiety.

When the body has more time to operate in this state it can reduce the risk of cardiac disease and stroke, lower your blood pressure, restore metabolism, and aid in the regulation of bodily systems. The steadiness of the Yin Yoga practice combined with its focus on deep breathing allows for the body and mind to drop into the parasympathetic nervous system and create a deep sense of all-around health.

The Magic of Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is all about creating balance in the body, the mind, and the emotions. It’s a practice that is rooted in ancient Eastern philosophies that have been practiced for thousands of years.

Students are able to experience the benefits of yin yoga from their very first class. For yoga teachers, this practice provides another offering to serve their students and communities in a more holistic way.

Whether you’re a student that’s ready to learn more or a yoga teacher that wants to incorporate this style of yoga into your teaching, my free guide “The Yin Yoga Teacher Starter Kit” will help you begin that journey.

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09/06/2022
Love13
Kate Lombardo in Handstand near the wall

Weekly Class Theme: Union

By Yoga Teachers

In the western world, when one describes yoga there is a chance that they will describe a movement practice on a mat. They might say you flow with the breath or that it helps one “feel good.”

In reality, yoga is much larger than that.

The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” which means to bind, join, attach, and yoke, to direct and concentrate one’s attention on, to use and apply. It also means union or communion. It is the true union of our will with the will of God.

— Light on Yoga; BKS Iyengar

Yoga is the practice by which the mind becomes still. When we unite our body, mind, and soul with that of the divine we can find ultimate freedom. This takes time, practice, and patience. But with consistency, it’s possible to surrender our troubles, egos, and false narratives to live a life free from unnecessary pain and sorrow (or so I’m told; I’m still working on it over here).

In a simpler form that I am deriving on my own – if we just let go and accept what is, we’ll live much more peaceful lives.

But how do we do this? Let go? That’s pretty hard in the world in which we live…the one where we are judged on our looks, our failures, and our achievements or lack thereof. While asana (the physical practice of yoga postures) is not all that Yoga is, there is still a strong emphasis on asana for good reason.

Asana allows us to connect via something tangible, aka our physical body. It is something that most of us can relate to and something that allows us to affect change in the present moment. Therefore it easily gives us the ability to really grab onto something and to make us aware of what happens when we’re in alignment or out of alignment.

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)

How to:

  1. Start in a tabletop position with your hands beneath your shoulders, your fingers spread wide with pressure through your fingertips, and your inner elbows spinning forward.
  2. Walk your knees back a few inches, tuck your toes, lift your knees and hips into an inverted V position.
  3. With your feet about hip width distance apart, lift your heels and press your thighs back as you allow your head to hang down.
  4. Press your hands into the floor as you sink the heels any amount – but keep your hips high!
  5. If lowering the heels causes rounding in the lower back, you can keep the heels lifted.

Half Moon with Arm Overhead (Ardha Chandra Pushp Eka Hasta)

How to:

  1. Start in low lunge with your right leg forward.
  2. Take your right hand about 6-12 inches in front of your right foot. It helps to also move your right hand to the right a little bit.
  3. Stand on your right leg as you open your hips and torso towards the left side of the room.
  4. Straighten both legs; spread your left toes as you reach the ball of the foot to the back of the room.
  5. Take your left arm up to the sky and then stretch it over your head to the front of the room so the left side of your torso can stretch.
  6. If you are having trouble straightening the leg on the ground, use a block beneath your hand.

Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana)

How to:

  1. Start in low lunge with the right leg forward.
  2. Use blocks beneath your hands on either side of the front foot.
  3. Straighten both legs and adjust the back foot to come in just enough to spin the heel down at an angle.
  4. Lift your toes and kneecaps as you press your thighs back.
  5. Work your nose towards your right knee.

Peak Pose: Handstand (Adho mukha vrksasana)

How to:

  1. Start in downward facing dog.
  2. Walk your feet in and keep your hips high.
  3. Press your hands down with pressure in your fingertips and inner elbows spinning forward.
  4. Take the right leg to the sky while keeping it firm.
  5. Slightly bend the left knee to push off the floor and take the hips and legs to the sky.
  6. Once you’re able to balance with your hips over the shoulders, take your legs together, spread your toes, and reach the balls of the feet to the sky.
  7. Use a wall as a prop! If you are teaching this peak pose, don’t be afraid to move your students over to the wall.
09/06/2022
Love5
Hero's Pose with Cow Face Arms

Weekly Class Theme: Satya

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

Satya, or truthfulness, is one of the yamas, which is the first limb of Pantanjali’s 8-Limbed yoga path.

These yamas, which also include Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfullness), Asteya (non-stealing), Bramacharya (moderation), and Aparigraha (non-greed), represent principles for the way in which we should interact with the world around us.

They are the foundation from which our yoga practice should sprout from. In fact, I once had a yoga teacher tell me that in every asana class one can experience all of the 8 limbs of yoga.

The root word of Satya is “sat” which translates to mean “essence.” In a way, practicing asana, pranayama, and meditation helps cleanse the lens of soul so that our true nature or true essence can be revealed. These physical practices remove the extra junk that builds up from every day life that prevents of from reaching our potential or our “truest self.”

Check out this sequence below keeping in mind the idea of Satya. As you move through the practice, imagine creating space in your internal body so your best self can come to the forefront.

Hero Pose with Cow Face Arms (Virasana with Gomukhasana Arms)

Hero's Pose with Cow Face Arms

How to:

  1. Start on your hands and knees, toes pointing back.
  2. Bring your knees together and take your feet hip distance apart.
  3. Sit between your feet. If your hips don’t reach the floor, place a wide block between your ankles (this is virasana).
  4. Now, take the left arm out to the left, turn your thumb down and bend your elbow, bringing your forearm across your low back. Once the forearm is across the back, slide the hand and wrist upwards between the shoulder blades.
  5. Reach your right arm overhead alongside your right ear. Bend your right elbow and clasp your hands between your shoulder blades. If your hands do not connect you can use a strap to bridge the distance between them (this is gomukhasana arms).
  6. Repeat gomukhasana arms on the other side.
  7. Stay for 5 breaths on each side

Downward Facing Dog with Head Support

Downward Facing Dog with Head Support

How to:

  1. Start on your hands and knees.
  2. Place a tri-folded blanket long ways under your chest.
  3. Step your legs back into plank pose. Hands under your shoulders and feet hip distance wide.
  4. Press your palms firmly into your mat and lift your hips, keeping your arms and legs straight.
  5. Let your head completely relax, resting the top of your head on your tri-folded blanket (using head support helps quiet the mind).
  6. Stay for 10 breaths.

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Supported wide leg forward fold

How to:

  1. Start in tadasana. Bring your hands to your hips and step or jump your feet about four feet apart.
  2. Make sure your feet are parallel to the edges of your yoga mat.
  3. Inhale, press the feet down, straightening the legs and lifting the chest.
  4. Exhale, bring your chest parallel to the floor and bring your fingertips under your shoulders.
  5. Inhale, straighten your legs and lengthen the front of your chest through the crown of your head.
  6. Exhale, bend your elbows and move your palms back, so your fingers align with your toes. Your hands should be shoulder width apart.
  7. Bring the crown of your head to the floor and lift your shoulders away from your ears so your neck elongates. If your head doesn’t reach the floor you can fill the space between the floor and the crown of your head with a blanket or bolster (using head support helps quiet the mind).
  8. Stay for 10 breaths.

Finally, Our Peak Pose: Headstand (Sirsasana A)

Headstand at the wall

How to:

  1. Bring your yoga mat perpendicular to a wall.
  2. Start on your hands and knees.
  3. Interlace your palms, knuckles touching the wall and forearms on the mat. Make sure your elbows are shoulder width apart.
  4. Place the crown of the head on the yoga mat cupping the back of the head with the interlaced palms.
  5. Curl your toes, straighten your legs, and lift your hips.
  6. Walk your feet in towards your head.
  7. Inhale, Lift one leg and bend the other.
  8. Exhale, lightly hop up bringing your heels to the wall, inner feet touching.
  9. Press your forearms into the mat, lift your shoulders away from your ears, extend your legs upwards, and spread your toes.
  10. You can keep your heels at the wall or take them off one at a time. Keep the back of your pelvis off the wall.
  11. To come down, take one leg down at a time and rest in child’s pose.
  12. Stay for 10 breaths or when you feel the urge to come down.
08/29/2022
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Patrick in king dancer pose

Weekly Class Theme: New Beginnings

By Yoga Teachers

When I think of “new beginnings,” I often think of the start of a season, the start of a school year, or the start of some large undertaking like starting a new job or moving to a new location.

Of course, new beginnings happen much more often than that. We can look at the astrological calendar and mark our new beginnings according to the new moons. Or we can look at the Gregorian calendar and mark it according to the years, months, weeks, or days.

But really, new beginnings are constantly happening. Literally every single second is a new beginning. Every single moment we have the opportunity to become the person we so long to be.

But how do we really take advantage of that?

Naturally because this is a blog found on YogaRenew, I am of course going to talk about how our yoga practice helps us achieve this. Now, this isn’t just for the sake of it …but it’s true! Yoga is all about stilling the body, mind, and soul in order to be fully present. And it is only in the present moment in which we can make a conscious choice to become a new person.

It’s only in the present moment that we can…

Choose love over shame.
Choose joy over anger.
Choose contentment over regret.
Choose new habits over old habits.

In terms of asana, I am going to focus on the “hardest” asana in Light on Yoga…King Dancer. If you weren’t aware, Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar organizes the asanas in order from easiest to hardest. As we progress through practice and as our bodies become more acquainted with the physical practice of Yogasana, it wouldn’t be wild to say that you’ve probably zoned out in child’s pose at least once.

Hero’s Pose with Cow Face Arms (Virasana with Gomukhasana Arms)

Patrick in hero's pose with cow face arms

  1. Sit on 1-2 blocks with the sit bones on the blocks and the shins on the ground alongside the blocks.
  2. Firm your outer ankle bones in and press the tops of the feet down into the ground.
  3. Take a strap and place it over your right shoulder (no loops or anything are necessary).
  4. Inhale to take your right arm straight to the sky and exhale to bend the right elbow and grab the strap lying across your upper back. You can use your left hand on the right elbow to encourage the hand to walk down the strap towards your bum.
  5. Take your left arm out to the left side of your space, flip the palm to the back of the room, and swim your arm behind your back to grab hold of the strap.
  6. Firm your shoulder blades into the back and towards one another to try and walk your hands together.
  7. Refine alignment of the rest of your body by firming your front ribs in and lengthening the back of your neck.
  8. Hold for about five breaths.
  9. Gently release the strap and repeat on the other side.

Lizard with Quad Stretch (Utthan Pristhasana)

Patrick doing lizard with quad stretch

  1. From downward facing dog, step the right foot outside your right hand.
  2. Lower your left knee onto the floor. Let your hips drop naturally as your knee lowers so you can begin to lengthen the front of your left hip.
  3. Reach your right arm to the back of the room while simultaneously turning the torso to the right. If you’re having trouble here, you can elevate your left hand to a block. If you want to increase the stretch, you can take your left forearm down to the ground.
  4. Bend your left knee so you can catch your left food with your right hand.
  5. Inhale to expand your ribs and exhale to deepen the posture by firming the left bum towards the floor, drawing the shoulder blades together, and twisting to the right.
  6. Hold for about five breaths.
  7. Gently release and repeat on the other side.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Patrick in tree pose

  1. Stand in mountain pose. Ensure all four corners of each foot are pressing into the ground and that the legs have integrity, i.e. lift the kneecaps & tone the quads. The standing leg in King Dancer is just as important as all other elements and this helps to establish that importance.
  2. While keeping the right foot grounded, externally rotate and bend your left knee so that your toes are on the floor and the heel of your foot is resting against your inner shin. Press the left knee to the back of the room while pressing your sacrum forward.
  3. Slowly move your left foot up the right leg. Traditionally, the foot is in the inner groin but if going that high forces you out of alignment, go to the level where you can maintain good alignment.
  4. Take your arms overhead and alongside your ears and bring your palms together.
  5. Press your palms together and up to the sky as you lengthen the sides of your torso. If you find that your arms are traveling in front of your face, focus on drawing the shoulder blades towards each other to pull the heads of the shoulders and biceps back.
  6. Hold for about five breaths.
  7. Slowly release to mountain pose.
  8. Repeat on the other side.

Our Peak Pose: King Dancer (Nataranjasana)

Patrick in king dancer pose

  1. Stand in mountain pose. Using the strap that was used in Warrior I, step into the small loop with your left food.
  2. Extend your left leg at the hip (aka bring it behind you) and place the long tail end of the strap over your left shoulder.
  3. Bend your left knee to bring the heel of your foot towards your left sitting bone while simultaneously walking the hands along the strap to create tension in the strap.
  4. With both hands, lengthen the arms and extend the strap up to the sky.
  5. Bend your elbows and walk your hands down the strap towards the upper back and in the direction of your foot.
  6. Hinge your torso forward while continuing to walk your hands along the strap towards your foot. At the same time, lift your left thigh up towards the sky coming into a backbend.
  7. If you can, walk your hands along the strap enough to connect your hands to your foot.
  8. Bring your head to meet your foot as you gaze towards the sky.
  9. Hold for about five breaths.
  10. Gently release out of the pose with control, and repeat on the other side.
08/24/2022
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A chart of the Doshas

A Complete Guide to the Doshas

By Lifestyle & Wellness

Ayurveda teaches us that when we live in sync with nature, we are able to find and maintain balance within ourselves. Nature is always changing and all of the plants and animals here on planet earth make shifts and adjustments to be in harmony with her. We need to do the same. It’s important to remember this as we move through through this beautiful life and experience shifts around us.

If you’re a bit familiar with Ayurveda, you may already be familiar with the Doshas. The Doshas are made up of the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and ether. They are the forces that make up all of nature and govern all emotional, mental, and physical processes in our lives. There are three Maha (great) Doshas, known as: Kapha, Pitta, and Vata. The Doshas also govern the seasons and the times of the day and night!

A summary of the Doshas:

  • Kapha Dosha is made up of earth and water and can sometimes be recognized as the part of us that’s caring and nurturing.
  • Pitta Dosha is made up of fire and water and can sometimes be recognized as the part of us that’s passionate and driven.
  • Vata Dosha is made up of air and ether and represents the creative, imaginative and social sides of us.

It’s important to remember that we actually are made up of all three Doshas, but the qualities of one or more may dominate the way we digest our food or even the way we learn. Let’s explore them more in depth below!

Kapha Dosha (Earth & Water)

Kapha dosha is made up of the elements earth and water and the qualities are heavy, cold, moist, static, smooth, and soft. When we think about what happens when earth and water combine, we may think about mud or even heaviness. However, earth and water actually provide us with feelings of being nurtured and being taken care of.

Kapha dosha is responsible for stability and structure within the body and also shows up as our ability to be supportive and caring to ourselves and others.

The main sites of kapha dosha are the stomach and the lungs.

The Kapha Dosha Archetype:

  1. They usually have strong bones, are very muscular, have lots of physical and mental strength, sometimes slow digestion, a slower walk, a booming voice, and a strong constitution.
  2. They love routine and rarely get bored of it.  Since kapha’s really dislike changing their routine, they make some of the most loyal friends and partners!
  3. They don’t get sick too often, but when they do they’re probably more upset about being out of their daily routine. (They can eat the same thing every day for lunch and go on the same vacation ever year.)
  4. They are naturally loving and nurturing, but they also naturally hate change. The last thing they want to do is leave a steady relationship to explore something else.
  5. They work well with others and make great partners for projects or any kind of group activity.
  6. Their home is usually filled with lots of blankets, pillows, and anything that creates a cozy environment that welcomes naps and relaxation.

Kapha Season: Springtime

Kapha dosha’s season is springtime. During the spring, mother earth is moving through a phase where she’s melting the snow and ice while also creating an environment for new life and rebirth. Our bodies mirror what happens in nature, so we are naturally warming up and preparing for the new season and for change.

One of the main principles of Ayurveda is that like increases like and opposites balance.

If during the winter, we were drinking tons of cold smoothies and eating raw foods, we are increasing the cold quality that was already present in nature around us. By doing that, our incredibly intelligent bodies began to find ways to keep us warm and lubricated — so when spring comes, this additional lubrication may manifest as excess mucus or springtime allergies.

However, if a person ate warm soups and well-cooked foods during the winter, it would counter the cold qualities present in nature and the body wouldn’t need to find ways to come back to balance.

Kapha Time of Day: 6am-10am

The kapha times of day are 6am-10am and 6pm-10pm. If you’ve ever woken up at 8am and felt like you just wanted to go back to sleep or felt like it was impossible to get out of bed, it may be because you were waking up right in the middle of the kapha time of day. Remember, some of the qualities of kapha are heavy, slow, and dull. If you try to move and motivate when these qualities are dominant in nature, it’s naturally going to be more difficult.

I often have clients who come to me asking how they can break out of the morning fog they sometimes feel and how to get out of bed with more energy. The suggestion I always give is:

Try to wake up before kapha time begins. It might sound like waking up earlier would just mean that they’d be more tired, but waking up before those kapha qualities can be transformative. Waking up around 6am may also feel like a chore at first, but as soon as they get out of bed they say they actually have a lot of energy and motivation to start the day.

Another interesting thing about the kapha time of day is how it can work with us or against us when we are trying to go to sleep. If we can wind our day down between 6-10pm, which is kapha time, it’s much easier to get to sleep. Kapha’s slow and stable qualities work in our favor when we want to go to bed.

If you’ve ever been up past 10pm, you’ve probably experienced that “second wind” feeling where you get a burst of energy and are tempted to get some work done or even go out or begin a new project. If I ever find myself up at this time, I catch myself cleaning my home or doing the dishes or folding laundry and try to wind down. This may sound productive, but because I’m past that kapha time of night, it becomes much harder to get to sleep and stay asleep!

When Kapha is in balance:

  • Maintaining nurturing relationships
  • Lots of self love
  • Love towards the people around us
  • Stability at work
  • Stability with a profession

When Kapha is out of balance:

  • Swelling
  • Excess mucus
  • Weight gain
  • Depression
  • A sense of stagnation
  • Inability to fully digest food
  • Inability to process emotions

Pitta Dosha (Fire & Water)

Pitta dosha is made of the elements fire and water and some of the qualities are oily, hot, sharp, light, and spreading. When fire and water come together, it can create steam. When we think of steam, we probably imagine there being some sort of flame or heat to cause transformation. We need pitta to digest and transform our food and to also digest and transform our thoughts and emotions. We can see pitta within us whenever we are passionate about something and whenever we’re motivated. Those times when we feel unstoppable and incredibly driven are how we can recognize pitta within us.

One of the main sites of pitta dosha is the small intestine, which is where our food gets “cooked” and transformed into nutrients that move through our body.

The Pitta Dosha Archetype:

  1. They usually have a medium-sized frame, warm skin, light and intense eyes, an intense gaze, very strong digestion, and the ability to walk with intention and talk in an assertive way.
  2. They may gain and lose weight quite easily and also tend to be very athletic and active.
  3. They probably have their closet organized by color, season, or clothing type.
  4. Their bookshelves are most likely arranged by author or the books are set up in some kind of color-coded system.
  5. They probably know where everything in their home is located and it’s rare that something gets lost.
  6. They can take you on a wild adventure, jumpstart a new business, plan a huge event, and be the life of the party. However, remember that fire can be something that warms us as well as something that burns us.

Pitta Season: Summer

Pitta dosha’s season is summer and during the summertime we can see the qualities of pitta in mother nature. It can get incredibly hot and there’s also a sharp and spreading mood to the summer that can make us feel quite intense if we don’t encourage balance.

If it’s the afternoon on a hot summer day, when the sun is strongest and you’re already sweaty and warm, you will feel even more hot if you eat spicy salsa and take a high-intensity boot camp class outside. All of that heated activity would increase your pitta and bring you out of balance. You may act from a fiery place and respond with a fierce outburst in this case. We can avoid these fiery outbursts by keeping our pitta in balance. Perhaps instead of the salsa and bootcamp class, I could have drank coconut water and gone for a walk. Your mindset would have been much more cool and calm and you can react to situations in a more mindful way.

Pitta Time of Day: 10am-2pm & 10pm-2am

The pitta times of day are 10am-2pm and 10pm-2am. These times of day have qualities of pitta, so they’re the times of motivation and transformation. That 10am-2pm time of the day is the perfect time to tackle projects, make moves towards goals, schedule phone calls, and do anything that requires motivation and drive. It’s the best time to open up your planner or to-do-list and check things off. It’s also an ideal time to have the biggest meal of the day because our digestion is strongest.

The start of the evening, 10pm-2am time, might be when we experience a feeling of a “second wind,” which is basically just pitta time coming back around. Ideally, we want to be in bed, or at least trying to wind down, before evening pitta time kicks in. It’s a great time to be in bed because our bodies can experience more of a cleansing state when we’re relaxed and when we’re not digesting food. This is often a rough one for a lot of us with social lives that kick off later, but it can be such a transformational experience to honor this natural cycle in nature.

The beauty in understanding pitta dosha is that we can begin to notice where pitta shows up in our bodies, minds, hearts, lifestyle, and also in nature. When we are in sync with nature, we begin to feel more balanced as we move through our days and nights.

Understanding the doshas is meant to be empowering and a way for us to understand why we act a certain way or feed a certain way during specific times in our lives.

You may begin to notice that you aren’t really an angry or judgmental person, but rather that you were making certain lifestyle choices that increased your pitta and caused an imbalance. You may even start to see how certain people in your life are acting incredibly controlling because they haven’t taken a break in months and haven’t given themselves time to cool down and reset. Hopefully this knowledge helps us become more understanding, kind, and supportive towards ourselves and towards the people in our lives.

When Pitta is in balance:

  • Ambition
  • Leadership
  • Passion
  • Motivation
  • Organization

When Pitta is out of balance:

  • Digestion issues
  • Anger
  • Judgmental tendencies
  • Irritability
  • Overbearing
  • Quick to make decisions without fully thinking things through

Vata Dosha (Air & Ether)

Vata dosha is made up of air and ether and can sometimes be recognized as the part of us that’s creative, imaginative, and social. Some of the qualities of vata are cold, light, dry, mobile, subtle. Air is literally all around us and is always moving. Even when we’re in total sillness, we can almost feel the air around our skin, eyes, nose, and ears. Ether is sometimes understood as space or stillness. It’s what can contain or hold. When air and ether come together to create vata dosha, there is potential for creation and also a container to just be.

The main sites of vata dosha are the large intestine, the pelvic area, the knees, skin, ears and hips.

The Vata Dosha Archetype:

  1. They usually have a long, straight frame, light bones and muscles, cool skin, cold hands and feet, and a slower walk.
  2. They tend to eat and talk fast and want to multitask all the time.
  3. It can be difficult for them to gain weight and it’s usually easy for them to lose weight.
  4. They may have a very dominant feature like large eyes, big teeth, or a more pronounced nose.
  5. They are social, creative, and also love to learn and travel.
  6. They need reminders and to-do-lists; Your vata friend is the one who you may not hear from for some time, and you’ll probably get a call from them at a very random time on a Tuesday because they want to tell you they were thinking of you and that they miss you.

Vata Season: Fall & Winter

Late fall and winter are considered vata season because it’s when we see many of vata’s qualities as mentioned above. When the weather begins to get cooler, we see nature naturally begin to dry up and get lighter. It becomes much windier and there is a crispness to the air that can only be felt during vata season.

During this time when our environment is naturally drying out, we need to maintain balance by favoring well-cooked, moist, and warm foods. It’s common to find that our appetite might increase as well and it’s okay to lean into that change. If you think about the lunch you have on a hot summer day vs the lunch you have on a cold winter day, the two are probably very different. Ayurveda teaches us that they should be different because the world around us is different during these times.

Vata season is a time to embrace routine. It’s important to try to wake up and go to sleep around the same time, eat meals around the same time, and do our best to have a predictable schedule. The mobile quality that comes with this season can cause imbalances within us if we aren’t finding ways to ground ourselves.

Vata Time of Day: 2pm-6pm & 2am-6am

The vata times of day are 2pm-6pm and 2am-6am. The daytime hours of vata from 2pm-6pm are when we may feel that afternoon crash or the need for a coffee or something sweet. This is a great opportunity to practice something nourishing like pranayama, meditation, or more mellow yoga classes. It’s a nice time to take a walk in nature and to also have a cup of tea. The late night and early morning hours of vata are a time to use the air and ether elements for receiving. It’s said that if we can wake up around 5-6am, it’s a very powerful time to meditate or to take part in whatever ritual or practice we have. It’s naturally a time with little distraction because most people are still asleep and all things in nature are just beginning to wake up.

The more we understand vata dosha and the qualities of vata, the more we can connect to nature around us and to the qualities within us. We can become more aware of how certain times of day, certain seasons, foods, situations, people, and places either help us come to balance, or cause us to fall out of balance. This awareness can hopefully help us become more understanding, supportive, and helpful to the people in our lives and to ourselves as we navigate this time on planet earth. When we begin to recognize how the doshas manifest for us, we can move through our day in a much more loving and understanding way. We can cultivate more compassion and become teachers who teach by example. The ability to teach people to find balance begins with us finding out how we can stay in balance.

When Vata is in balance:

  • The ability to think on your toes
  • Formulating new and helpful ideas
  • Thinking outside the box
  • Creative expression.
  • Able to share ideas, plans and creations

When Vata is out of balance:

  • Feelings of emptiness or lack
08/17/2022
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Patrick from YogaRenew teaching a student in a yoga class

The Best 5 Tips for Crafting the Perfect Yoga Playlist

By Yoga Teachers

I once asked a good yoga teacher friend of mine why they didn’t play music in their classes. Her answer to me was “I never liked making new playlists and a student of mine called me out on it.” From that moment on she stopped playing music in her class because it was obvious that it didn’t enhance her classes in any way.

My general rule on this is: if you are going to play music in your classes you need to take the time and effort to craft and curate the right music for the mood you are trying to elicit. If you treat your music like an afterthought it will sound like an afterthought and your students will pick up on that. When that happens, the music doesn’t add value to your class it just detracts from it.

Below are 5 great tips to help you craft your next killer yoga playlist!

Tip 1: Take the time to work on your playlist

Making a yoga playlist takes time! It might sound silly but sometimes I’ve spent as much time curating my yoga playlist as I did working out my class sequence. The fact of the matter is, just by playing music doesn’t automatically make your class better. In fact, a bad playlist can ruin the mood or vibe of a yoga class. Being a yoga teacher is a job and we should take time each week prepping not only our class sequences but our class playlist.

Tip 2: Do not set your playlist on shuffle

I’ve been in yoga classes before and the vibe seems perfect and all of a sudden a random song “shuffles” in that is completely inappropriate for the mood or the type of movement that the class is working on. When this happens you know the teacher put a bunch of random songs in a playlist and hit shuffle. To me that suggests a lack of effort

Tip 3: Your playlist should follow the flow of your class

Most yoga classes follow a pattern with a clear beginning, middle, and end building towards a peak in a given session. Your yoga playlist should follow this same pattern so it syncs up with your class. The beginning or warm up section of class should feel spacious and ambient which allows students to arrive on their mat with their body and breath. The middle section of class is where you will spend the most time and this section should have upbeat and rhythmic music. The last section is the end or cool down. At this point, your music should taper down again, moving students towards final relaxation. The music should reflect this mood and should be meditative and relaxing.

Tip 4: Play music without words

Music, especially pop music often correlates with strong emotions or memories for people. Just because you love a popular song on the radio it could bring a student to a memory of loss or breakup. I also find that music with words can be distracting and take away from the student focusing on their practice.

For this reason, I typically prefer using music that doesn’t have words. Basically, I want the music to help elicit the mood I am trying to create within each section of class.

Tip 5: Listen to your songs all the way through

I’ve made this mistake before! I have found songs that I absolutely love for 3 minutes and 30 seconds and put them on my playlist without listening to them all the way through. Then in the middle of class when that song hits the 3 minute and 40 second mark the songs changes direction completely and weird instrumentation or jarring vocals is introduced. The point is that many songs take twists and turns and you should really listen to your song selections all the way through to ensure they are appropriate for your specific class.

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08/16/2022
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A girl doing a shoulder stand

Weekly Class Theme: Om (Aum)

By Yoga Asana

Have you ever noticed that a collective Om at the end of class seems to resonate more compared to one taken at the beginning of class? If you haven’t, it may be something you notice now!

The Om chanted at the end of class (assuming you also chanted at the beginning of class) tends to sound better for a multitude of reasons. This includes: being in sync with yourself and the others in the room, overall increased energy, the opening of everyone’s airways, which results from consistent and focused breath and lastly, the relaxing of the neck, throat, and all structures within and around these bodily points.

Access your throat chakra

The chakra associated with the body part utilized in chanting, “Om” is known as the throat chakra, or vissudha chakra. When we think of the location of this chakra, we must consider its range from the roof of the mouth to the diaphragm. This area includes many important structures, which directly affect the respiratory system, the digestive system, and the neurological system. Vissudha chakra is where integration of thought and feeling takes place and is the locus for vocalization and self-expression. Constriction in this region of the body can cause emotional upheaval which can result in worry, anxiety, and fear.

Releasing the throat and allowing energy, fluid, vibration, and sound to pass allows us to live in a place where our heart and our head can integrate so we can live in a harmonized state of compassion and wisdom.

Softening constriction in and around the throat can be done through asana (the focus of this class), breathing, and sound. Mantra yoga, which predates Hatha yoga, emphasizes the use of mantras and syllabic vocalizations to transmit vibrations and air through the nadis and vocal cords, which create sound. This is why your usage of Sanskrit matters and why the way in which you pronounce things is just as important as what you are saying.

The meaning of Om

Om (or Aum) is a simple and common, yet very powerful mantra to use during your yoga practice to incorporate sound. Om is said to be the primordial sound of all sounds that is vibrating within absolutely everything. There are three syllables which represent a cycle from birth to death, but there are four elements in total that make up this powerful mantra.

“Aa” — signifies beginnings or creation
“Uu” — (pronounced “ooooh”) signifies maintenance
“Mm” — signifies the end or destruction

Silence is the fourth and final element that always follows the chant. Om allows our vibrations to merge with that of the universal energy, which is always present.

Moving to our peak pose

Let’s turn our attention now to shoulder stand or sarvangasana, which is known as the “Mother of All Poses.” This pose is essential for the health and vitality of the throat chakra and supports drainage of blood and lymph* out of the legs, gut, and chest. An asana class focused on building towards sarvangasana in combination with using sound and/or mantra is like an elixir for any conditions or misalignments that are present energetically and/or physically in the throat chakra.

Sarvangasana is translated to shoulder stand, not neck stand. I emphasize this because it is of extreme importance that while in this pose one balances on the top of their shoulder blades (those winglike bones in the upper back). The natural curve of the cervical spine should remain. Undue and excessive stress on the neck can compress the muscles and tissues in a way that causes further constriction as opposed to energetic and physical flow. The warmup poses leading to sarvargasana will be focused on freeing any muscular tension in the shoulders and upper trunk in addition to creating integrity in the legs.

*Lymph — a fluid that flows through the lymphatic system; the lymphatic system is a major player in our immune system and helps to remove and fight off bacteria and other foreign materials from the tissues of the body.

Supported Fish (Matsyasana)

A girl in supported fish pose

How to:

  1. You’ll need two blocks for this pose. Set up the first block on the low or medium height underneath your shoulderblades. You can choose whether you want the black to go parallel to your spine or horizontal to your spine, but the goal is to use the block as an assist to firm the shoulderblades into the back body. It should feel like your shoulderblades are pressing into your body and up towards the sky when you lie down.
  2. Set up the second block on the medium or high height (depending on the height of the first block) beneath your head. The edge of the block should sort of “catch” the occipital ridge (that bony shelf-like feature) on the back of your skull. Position your head so there is length to the back of your neck and a slight tuck to your chin.
  3. If you feel excessive tension that you cannot soften, decrease the heights of your blocks. If that is still too much, roll up a blanket and place it underneath your upper back and head.
  4. Allow your arms to rest out to the sides so the chest and front ribs can spread.
  5. Your legs can either bend with the soles of the feet flat on the floor, they can extend straight out, or you can try supta baddha konasana.
  6. Soften the muscles and tissues in the jaw and throat as you breathe deeply.

Wide Leg Forward Fold with Hands Clasped (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Forward fold with hands clasped overhead

How to:

  1. Face a long edge of your mat and widen your legs about 3 feet from one another.
  2. Ensure your feet are parallel to one another by looking at your second toes to see if they are parallel to one another (the 2nd toe represents the center of the ankle).
  3. Bring your hands behind your lower back and interlace the fingers (using a strap is an option if you cannot interlace your hands).
  4. With your hands bound, externally rotate your arms at the shoulders by turning the inner elbows and biceps out towards the sides of the room.
  5. Firm the shoulder blades into your back body as you lift the sides of your chest and draw your hands away from your bum any amount. Notice if tension in the upper trapezius (muscles around the base of your neck) forms and if so, try to soften and re-firm the shoulder blades into the back-body.
  6. Now, lift and fan your toes, lift the kneecaps, and spin the inner thighs back as you fold in between your legs and take your hands over the head. Keep integrity through the legs, particularly through the inner lines of your legs as you fold. If you have trouble internally rotating the legs during this posture, you can turn your toes slightly inward.
  7. Continue to work the arms over the head as you firm the shoulder blades into the back body and maintain a diaphragmatic breath.

Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana III)

A girl in warrior three pose

How to:

  1. Start in mountain pose with the back of your skull slightly lifted (and chin slightly tucked) resulting in a neutral head position.
  2. Relax your shoulders blades down your back while lifting the sides of your chest.
  3. Flex and spread your toes to assist in lifting the inner arch of your feet and create integrity in your legs.
  4. Keep the right foot grounded as you start to hinge forward with your torso while simultaneously lifting the left leg.
  5. As your torso gets parallel to the floor (and gravity starts to become more of a factor), retract your shoulder blades (aka pull them in towards each other) just enough to keep a lift in your chest like a baby cobra.
  6. Keep the integrity through your standing leg, while reaching back through the inner line of your left leg.
  7. Your arms can remain by your side, or you can take them overhead (and palms together for the traditional variation). Either one, the shoulderblades should firm into the backbody.
  8. Keep lifting through the sides of your chest as you breathe with a diaphragmatic breath.

Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

A girl in locust pose

How to:

  1. Lie in a prone position (on your belly) with your forehead on the floor. This position of the head assists in lengthening the back of your neck and contributes to a slight chin tuck putting the head into a neutral position. Do your best to keep this position when you come into locust.
  2. Bring your arms alongside your torso with your palms facing the floor. Apply gentle pressure through your palms to externally rotate the shoulders and firm the shoulderblades into the back body.
  3. Bring your legs together (or hip width apart).
  4. Flex and spread your toes and extend through the inner lines of your legs towards the back of the room.
  5. On your inhale lift your head, chest, arms, hands, legs, and feet.
  6. On your exhale try and firm the tailbone towards the floor and lengthen the entire body from head to toe.
  7. Breathe deeply as you lift and spread the chest and extend through the inner lines of the legs.

Bridge (Setu Bandhasana)

A girl in bridge pose

How to:

  1. Lie on your back with your legs bent and heels beneath your knees. Your feet should be parallel to one another and pointing directly forward.
  2. With your arms alongside your torso, press your shoulder blades into the mat to expand the collarbones and chest.
  3. On your inhale press your heels down to lift your pelvis off the floor by firming the tailbone up towards the sky.
  4. On your exhale press your shoulders down into the mat and try to roll towards the top edge of your shoulder blades.
  5. One by one, walk the shoulder blades further underneath the body while digging them into the back body. If you can, interlace your fingers on the mat to further retract the scapulae (anatomical term for shoulder blades) to lift the chest.
  6. Ensure the cervical spine maintains its natural curve. The points on the mat should be the skull, the shoulder blades, the arms + hands, and feet.
  7. Breathe with a diaphragmatic breath.

Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana)

A girl doing a shoulder stand

How to:

  1. You’ll need 2-4 folded blankets for this. Set your folded blankets up halfway down your mat with the fringes facing the front of the room and the neat folded edge facing the back of the room (this side will be closest to your head).
  2. Fold the bottom of your mat over your blankets. This will create a nice foundation for your shoulders and upper arms.
  3. Place a bolster horizontally right along the folded edge of your mat.
  4. Lie down on your blanket/bolster set-up so that your pelvis is on the bolster, your back is on the folded mat + blankets, and your head is on the flat mat.
  5. Place your hands onto the bolster to help push your legs over your head for plow pose.
  6. Take your hands towards your upper back, firm your elbows in, and firm the shoulder blades into your back body.
  7. Take your legs one-by-one up to the sky; flex and spread your toes and reach through the inner lines of your feet and legs.
  8. Continue to dig the shoulder blades into the back body to expand the chest and ribcage as you breathe deeply with a diaphragmatic breath. If you feel like the chest has collapsed, walk the elbows towards one another and re-firm the shoulder blades into the back body (a strap around the upper arms can be of assistance here).
  9. If you feel like you cannot breathe, or if you have any pain/pressure in your head, neck, or eyes, slowly lower your pelvis to the bolster and remain in supported shoulder stand.
  10. To exit, slowly come back to plow pose and use your hands as breaks to lower your pelvis and then your legs.
  11. Slide your way off of the props and come into savasana.
08/15/2022
Love4
Leading your first yoga workshop doesn't have to be scary!

8 Tips for Creating Your First Yoga Workshop!

By Yoga Teachers

Maybe you’ve been a teaching for quite some time now and you feel like you may have found some sweet spots in your teaching. You’re accustomed to seeing repeat students and you can see that there is a topic that both you and your students are wanting to dive a little bit deeper into. Sounds like you are ready to create and teach your first workshop!

I remember when I was asked to teach my first workshop, I was so scared. I wasn’t afraid to incorporate arm balances into my regular classes and I had a decent grasp of how to successfully teach some of them. I also knew there was interest amongst the students… so why I was so nervous?! These were some thoughts that were crowding my brain:

“Would anyone show up? “How can I make a workshop special? What if I get through all the information with too much time left over? What if I fail miserably?”

Despite all these questions I had going on in my head, I knew that if I wanted to further my teaching, I would have to push through these barriers and all the doubts.

I wanted to continue to grow as a teacher and I saw myself as someone who would one day lead workshops, retreats, teacher trainings, etc. and I knew for certain the only way I could feel confident in doing any of these things was to take the first step and just do it, whether I felt ready or not.

Taking the leap…

Fast-forward to the present moment (of this article being published), I have led multiple successful workshops in topics like arm balancing, inversions, prenatal and more. Every single workshop is different and as I have evolved as a teacher, the way I approach workshops has evolved as well. The first workshop I led was based on information I found online and from other instructors. As I’ve gotten more acquainted with my own teaching methods, I’ve gotten far more confident with putting my own spin on things or just creating something entirely new and on my own.

Now, since this is your first workshop (or maybe it’s not and you are just looking for guidance in this area), I am going to give you a quick, easy and digestible launch pad. These tips can help you to get the ball rolling and give you somewhere to start because sometimes it can feel overwhelming not knowing where to begin. Here we go…

Tip #1: Decide what you want to teach

This may seem obvious, but we’re starting at the beginning here! If you already know the topic of what you’ll be teaching, feel free to skip to Tip #2. If not, try to take an honest look at your teaching. Look back on each class and notice where you felt most in flow. Is it standing poses? Is it backbends? Is it yin, restorative, or meditation? Also be sure to take note of your students and try to pick up on where their interest lies. Notice the moments that ignite conversations or spark questions or where they seem to be progressing and where they seem intrigued. You can do this through conversation with your students and through your present moment awareness of the energy during class. Journal after your classes or make a note in your phone. Keep track of where you’re noticing there might be potential for a quality workshop. This may even result in multiple ideas!

Tip #2: Decide where you want to teach

If you teach at multiple studios, then this tip may be the most crucial. You might have a great idea for a workshop, but a great idea will only be successful if you have students who are interested in the topic being presented and the space that can energetically match that concept. This is one of the reasons I suggest holding off on doing any workshops until you have a decent grasp of the groups you are working with.

One studio may have a more fitness demographic while another studio may have a more quiet and meditative demographic. Based on the topic you’re teaching, especially if it’s your first workshop, think about where it could be most successful. That’s not to say that you can never teach a handstand workshop at a studio that’s considered more chill or meditative, but start off by giving yourself the best chance at success. Once you feel more confident creating and leading workshops, taking any topic and tailoring it to different demographics will become much easier.

In addition, once you have your topic and the location of where you will teach, try to come up with some goals for yourself. What do you think you’d like to achieve? It is reasonable for who you’ll be teaching?

Tip #3: Let all of your students know

Just because you have decided where you’d like to teach your workshop does not mean you can only invite those students to it. For workshops: The more the merrier! Let all your students know what you are teaching and when you are teaching it. You could have a student at one studio very interested in what you’re teaching somewhere else. Remember, this is a specialty event. You’re not asking your students to abandon their home studio nor are you dismantling your loyalty towards the studio owner you’re not doing the workshop at. Does this promote the studio you are teaching it at? Yes. But personally I see it as a disservice to you and your students to not let them know of the workshop you’re leading because a workshop is a great chance for anyone to deepen their practice. If you feel uncomfortable announcing your event in class, you can tell people in conversation or post it on social media but don’t keep it a secret!

Tip #4: Select your main focus areas

Let’s say you are teaching an arm balance workshop — What poses will you focus on? What specific points about those poses will you focus on? How will you repeatedly bring those points into practice to give your students multiple opportunities to grasp what you are teaching? The answer: Do not feel the need to teach a million things.

I actually approach workshops similar to how I approach my normal asana classes. In a normal asana class I choose 2-3 specific points to essentially drill into my students bodies and minds through practice. In a workshop, I typically do the same thing but now I have more time and space to do so. This allows me to be creative and take risks I normally wouldn’t take in class due to time, space, or level-of-students restraints; it creates room to explain how and why I’m asking students to do something; it also lends space for actual conversations to take place between myself and those who are in the class. Therefor, I can almost ensure that I can lead all of my students towards embodiment of the points of focus at hand.

Another thing to remember, if you’re teaching multiple “peak poses,” choose ones that have common alignment points. This way you can focus more on the alignment points themselves, as opposed to teaching each pose separately during your workshop.

Tip #5: Incorporate familiarity

It’s likely that people will be attending your workshop because you are teaching something that is new for students, or at the very least you are giving students the opportunity to learn something new so that they can refine what they already know. There’s an aspect of your workshop that will be “unknown” for your students which is great in my opinion, but why not combine those unknowns with something that is known.

Incorporating periods of a known practice or familiarity can allow your students to feel successful and grounded before embarking on the new thing(s) that you’ll be presenting. As we know, learning new things is great and necessary for growth! It can also be little bit scary and frustrating at times if we feel we can’t grasp the task at hand (think about putting together that piece of Ikea furniture), so incorporating things student already know can greatly help. Based on my own experience when people feel successful and grounded it’s like they have a solid launch pad supporting their willingness to listen and try new things. At the end of this article I give a formatting guide so you’ll be able to see where I sprinkle in these familiar periods.

Tip #6: You are allowed to interrupt the flow of class

This is a very important reminder! If you are used to teaching regular classes, planning moments where you will completely stop to break things down and talk more in-depth may feel unnatural. However, in a workshop situation, depending on what you are teaching, it’s important to plan time to put a break (or multiple breaks) in the flow of class to dive deeper. Your explanations can be more in-depth, you might have materials you’d like to hand out and go over, your demos can be more detailed, you might even want to incorporate partner/group work and/or need to change the formation of your students in the room (for example, if you’re using the wall). I usually put these moments before and after the moments of flow so that it doesn’t feel like a 2 hour lecture, but more of a “lecture and apply” experience.

Another tip for these types of moments: don’t just plan where they will be but also plan what the content will be and what you will say. These moments, while they are a little more free-form because questions may come up or you’ll think of another relevant point, should still be planned out. These “interrupted” moments are vital teaching moments to contribute to the overall goal of the workshop. Think about what you’ll say and how you’ll deliver it so you can be concise and to the point.

Tip #7: Get your students talking

I start off every single workshop with a little introduction of myself and the workshop, why I am teaching the workshop, and student introductions. I always go around the room and have people share their name and why they decided to sign up. For lack of a better term, I make people do an ice breaker. Personally, I love ice breakers because it gets people talking, contributing to the space, and allows for people to find commonalities, and genuinely connect with one another. It is very typical for people to sign up for the same event for similar reasons. Especially when you will be asking people to do new things and potentially face some fears, it’s nice to know that others are in the same boat. It creates a sense of “we’re in this together” mentality.

There are other great reasons for doing introductions. It gives you a better sense of what your students are looking for so you don’t have to guess! Your goals may not always align with your students goals and that’s okay. Being aware of my students’ goals gives me the ability to let go of my expectations and focus more on who the workshop is actually for: the students. This doesn’t mean that I forget about what I am trying to achieve, but it allows me to find where my goals and my students’ goals overlap. There’s also a high probability that someone will crack a joke or say something that will lighten the mood and it’s always a good thing to get people laughing.

Tip #8: Stay in alignment with yourself

It’s important to remember that you can create your workshops in any way that feels authentic for you. This opportunity has been presented to you for a reason either due to your teaching style, the way you instruct a certain topic, your background in a specific area, and/or your relationship to your students who will most likely attend. So don’t go changing yourself or doing something that doesn’t feel aligned, because it’s likely that will show. And if your workshop doesn’t go as planned, or you feel you fumbled a little bit, or ran out of time or didn’t take enough time…it is OKAY. You learn from your experiences, make adjustments, and apply what you’ve learned to the next one!

08/09/2022
Love3
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