Do you feel the pressure to create a new sequence for every class?
When you tromp into your eighth class of the week and teach the same sequence that you did yesterday (heaven forfend!), do you hear any of these voices in your head?
“My students are getting bored.”
“I need to keep them interested.”
“If I don’t create something new, they’ll think I phoned it in.”
“They’ll stop coming to my class.”
In a saturated marketplace, yoga teachers may feel the pressure to innovate continually. We feel like we have to be different, interesting, compelling…and popular. Our classes need to be full. Our students need to leave happy. And sometimes it seems pretty popular to crank up the dance tunes and lead students in a yoga rave.
Now, let me throw a a healthy caveat in here: a healthy inspiration to innovate and share authentically is wonderful. If you love generating wild flows with complex transitions, then go for it with my ample blessings.
But just in case you’re someone who feels the crushing burden of being continual novel weighing upon you, I want to let you you in on a well-kept secret:
Your sequence doesn’t have to be interesting; YOGA is interesting. You don’t have to hold the students’ attention; their PRACTICE will hold their attention. You don’t have to be entertaining; being PRESENT is all-consuming.
In fact, an excess of novelty can get in the way of the bald ass starkness of simply being present. A wildly entertaining playlist and sequence can inadvertently create an environment of distraction rather than a space for mindfulness.
Some of my favorite class sequences have been utterly simple. For several years, I showed up on my mat and practiced the exact same sequence day after day (I was an ashtangi). Was I bored? Never. Every practice was different. Some days I felt like an elephant; some days I felt like a swan. Because I practiced the same poses everyday, I could more clearly see how the variation in my daily experience was completely subjective.
A simple practice can be confrontational. In a world that is cluttered with tasks, chimes, alerts, and to-do lists, clearing the slate and breathing into the present moment can take surprising courage and vulnerability. Holding space for students to simply be with themselves – as they are, with no distractions – can be scary. We can’t hide behind the sequence or the music. It’s just them, and it’s just us. And here we all are. These spaces – free from errands, tasks, and distractions – is rare and nourishing. We feel the life beyond the clutter. The “I” beyond the Iphone.
If wild and varied sequences don’t feel authentic to you, I encourage you to throw them out. And here is a very practical challenge: I dare you to teach the exact same sequence for a month. Not only will you challenge those nasty little fear gremlins in your head, but you’ll be able to focus on other aspects of your teaching (student connection, hands on assists, verbal assists, rhythm, class tone, theming, etc.) that you may not have time for when you’re constantly working a new sequence. And more importantly, you may offer your students a surprising new experience of their own practice.
When
I opened up my yoga studio many years ago, I expected the people to come to my
classes in masses because there was no other yoga studio around. However much
to my surprise, there were only a few people who came. Wow, how disappointing!
It seemed like the others were skeptical about this new thing and had no idea
what yoga was.
In the beginning there were quite a few classes where I only had one or two students show up. I questioned myself and had lots of doubts about my idea of opening up a yoga studio. At that point I was offering all kinds of classes: Yoga for kids, Yoga for seniors, Yoga for pregnancy, Yoga for beginners, Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Power Yoga and so on… and still only few people came.
Starting
a yoga studio required lots of time and I was working hard, doing all I could
to find a way to bring the community yoga classes because I knew that they were
very helpful in many ways. I would prepare for several classes and saw pretty
quickly that it was not worth all the effort, which was disheartening to say
the least! Instead of closing down and abandoning my vision for a yoga studio,
I decided to narrow my classes to just a few different styles, reduced the
amount of classes and stayed patient. After about six months, the classes slowly
started to fill. Two years later all of my classes were packed, and I’m very
thankful to say that those early students stayed and practiced with me for many
years.
I
was so glad that I did not give up early because one never knows when success
is going to come, it might be just around the corner. I felt grateful for this
experience because in this way I could slowly grow as a yoga teacher and had
many important experiences because I was working very closely with the people
who came to my classes.
Once I specialized on one topic, which was Yin Yoga in my case, people came from all over the country to my teacher trainings. Of course, it was helpful that I wrote several books about it and produced DVDs at a time when there was no Yin Yoga in Germany. Eventually I knew without any doubts that I had found my niche.
It takes courage to stick with our dreams and visions when we don’t see an immediate response—and that’s hard—because we do not know if there will be enough people who like what we are doing—but again, how will you know if you don’t give your dreams a try?
What
was most important to me was to be authentic. I realized that I did not feel
authentic with some of the styles of yoga I had been offering, but once I
focused on Yin Yoga—which I felt absolutely comfortable with—the waiting lists
for my trainings got longer and longer.
Therefore I recommend that you ask yourself what feels right to you: what can you really feel in the depth of your heart? And once you find that, stay authentic and bring it out to the world. Surely there will be enough people who were waiting exactly for this!
I took up yoga whilst at university studying economics and management. If you’d told 18-year-old me that six months after graduation I’d have my own yoga studio, I certainly wouldn’t have believed you.
It’s been a tough journey to where we are now. From delays with planning permissions (causing us to nearly lose our space) to problems with the heaters (for hot yoga) being delivered, we had to continually innovate solutions to overcome obstacles. Like fitting our new heaters into the studio at 10 pm the night before our opening day.
As a result of delays, we had to push back our opening to November, which is not the best time to be starting in the fitness industry. When we started, attendance was very quiet. I was filled with doubts and worried that I’d made a big mistake.
After opening, we were still on a steep learning curve. I had to learn a lot of new things, like creating my own website, marketing to get people through the doors, electrical wiring, just to name a few! We also weathered some literal storms as well, like storm Emma (AKA The Beast from the East!).
At first, I took it to heart when students didn’t come back. The financial questions were always running in my head, and self-doubt was creeping in.
If you are a new studio owner, you have to get comfortable being out of your comfort zone (like when no one shows up!). You also have to find ways to spread the word. To get some initial buzz, I took out an ad in the local paper, created flyers, created social profiles on Facebook and Instagram and signed with a digital marketing agency to provide SEO and PPC services on a monthly basis. Social Media and the agency probably had the biggest impact. After we survived our quiet period, we hit the New Year. As the new year’s resolutions kicked in, word of mouth began to spread.
Fast forward to today, and Firefly Yoga has been open for just under two years now and business is growing strong. I wouldn’t change the journey getting here for the world and feel like I have the best job in the world.
One of the things that I credit our success to is that we have focused on building community.
Here’s what helped me get here.
1. Create a warm and welcoming environment
The vibe of your studio is so important. At Firefly Yoga, we have soft lighting and padded flooring, which creates a relaxed and comfortable environment. Because we are a hot studio, I can always keep the studio nice and cosy on a winter’s day. Creating a relaxing, homey environment will allow your students to feel comfortable and welcome.
And you must keep your studio clean and tidy. If you are a smaller studio working on your own, then create tidy up routine that you do every day once the last class has finished. Teaching your students to help pack their own props is also helpful.
2. Separate your yoga and check-in space
Having a check in area separate from your class space provides a general meeting point where students can meet, talk, and connect before classes. It gives your students a place to speak more freely, whether it’s about me, other classes they enjoy, or just general life stuff. I always open up 30-45 minutes before my classes start to allow my students this time to chill and chat with each other.
It’s great seeing them all talking to each other, I always feel guilty when I have to shush them so we can start!
3. Create a relaxed class atmosphere
While I know it won’t be for all teachers, allowing for a relaxed, casual, and non-judgmental class atmosphere feels very authentic to me and helps create a feeling of connection. I don’t require silence while we practice; instead, I encourage students to ask questions throughout the class rather than waiting until the end. We also laugh while we practice.
This laid-back atmosphere allows students to be themselves. (It’s great because I can be myself as well!) Once you have that trust and feeling of community, it allows the group to really connect with one another.
4. Show off your community!
Again, this may not be for everyone, and it will depend if your students would be up for a bit of fun!
We recently held our first Real Yogis photoshoot. This was a great day that strengthened and built new relationships with my students.
Students volunteered to come in for an hour and be part of the photoshoot. (Make sure to get their written approval!) We did some yoga poses, had some photos taken and then finished with tea and cupcakes.
I’ve now got these photos all over my website and will be able to share them on social media. It’s great to have your own images as well rather than stock ones. When the people who come to the studio see themselves on social media, I think it makes them feel even more a part of the studio.
5. Organize Events
A great way to solidify your community is to build relationships outside of the studio. Both yoga and non-yoga events are a great way for students to enjoy spending time with their yoga friends in a different setting.
I recently held our first Firefly Yoga retreat, with the intention of providing a new experience for students and build on our studio relationships. As it was our first ever retreat I offered it at cost price for the students. They were my yoga retreat guinea pigs!
To minimize our risk, I chose a venue with a good sized function room for the yoga and lots of different sized properties for people to stay in. This allowed us to build up numbers of attendees slowly. It also meant we didn’t need to fill a say 30 person property to be able to go.
The retreat helped solidify existing relationships and create new ones between students who went to different classes. It was also quite the talk of my classes for the next week after we got back, and created conversation with about where the next one was going to be!
I also organized a Firefly Yoga Christmas meal last December which was a great success and a really nice opportunity to get to know people better. Other options could be pot luck dinners or post-class gatherings: whatever works for your community.
6. Learn your students’ names
This sounds simple, but it goes a long way! I see around 250 students a week and take pride in the fact that I know all their names. Not to say I don’t occasionally have mind blanks like everyone else! This makes them feel special and appreciated, and who doesn’t want that?!
7. Take an interest in your students as people
Take an interest in what your students tell you about themselves.
If they tell you about an upcoming holiday, ask them how it was when they get back. It can sometimes be hard to keep track of everyone’s movements, but when you have regulars you’ll start to notice when they aren’t around. Even casually asking, “Oh, I didn’t see you last week, have you been away, is everything alright?” will open the door to conversation and show them that you care.
I may not always remember the exact location they have been on holiday for example, but bringing it up will still show that I’m taking an interest in their lives outside the studio and helps them feel valued.
A caveat: you will also have students who seem to prefer not sharing about their lives, in which case I don’t pry.
8. Be relatable
Last but not least, be relatable.
Just as students wil share snippets of their lives with you, share a bit of your life with them. For example, I recently shared some pictures of my wedding on the studio Facebook page. If I have a weekend off, I always share what I’ll be up while the studio is closed. I make sure to show that I a real person too. For example, I’ll share blooper videos of myself practicing poses that didn’t quite go as planned!
By being relatable, I help us all to relate from a human – rather than just transactional – space, which helps to foster connection.
Good Luck!
I hope you find these tips useful and inspiring. If you use any of the ideas, I would love to hear how it went! If you have any other ideas. please share them in the comments below.
Camel pose (ustrasana) is one of the few backbends that encourages a strong engagement of the front line of the body. Because you are moving backwards into the pose (imagine gravity like a heavy blanket trying to push you further into the pose), your abdominals (rectus abdominis) need to work eccentrically (engaged and lengthening) to enter the pose properly. If you attempt the pose without putting your hands behind you, you’ll feel the abdominals work very hard to keep you from collapsing backwards!
Camel is also a gateway pose to other challenging backbends (laghu-vajrasana and kapotasana), if you are you interested in such exotic treats.
Component Parts
A component part: a part of the body that needs to be warmed up or educated in order to do the peak pose effectively.
In order to prepare the body for camel pose, the following activations and lengthenings in the body need to be specifically addressed:
neutral hips: the thighs need to stay neutral at the hip. Because the big ol’ glute max will tend to engage and externally rotate the thighs, you’ll have to use your adductors to squeeze the legs in and internally rotate them slightly.
lengthened hip flexors: the hip is in a position of extension in this pose, so a few deep hip opening poses for the hip flexors is a good idea.
spinal extension: backbend should be targeted to the upper back. Backbends are great poses for counteracting some of daily slouching postures.
core engagement: the core needs to be activated to prevent hyperextension in the lower back.
arms in extension (behind you).
Let’s take a look at these component parts one by one to see some of the preparatory poses that can help you get there. Keep in mind that preparatory poses should be more accessible than the peak pose 🙂
Neutral Hips
Poses that help you to “scissor the legs” and “hug your inner thighs together” are teaching your adductors to engage. These muscles line the inner legs and help to both adduct and internally rotate your inner thighs. Some good poses for teaching this action:
The hip flexors are muscles that cross the front of your hip joint. To stretch them, take your thigh back relative to the pelvis.
lunges (high lunge or low lunge) – awesome hip flexor openers! The best. Do several.
side angle pose – the back leg, if you give your glute a good squeeze
reclined hero’s pose – as long as your careful of your knees: see here
Spinal Extension (Backbends)
The trick with teaching backbends properly is to focus the spinal extension into the upper back while stabilizing the lower back. When you are teaching all your backbends, make sure to set your students up for success by integrating these instructions early on. You can also add backbends to your standing poses.
low lunge, high lunge with backbends
sphinx
locust (all variations)
bridge
cobra (low and high)
upward facing dog
Core Engagement
In backbends, the core needs to be activated to prevent hyperextension in the lower back. In backbends, the muscles of the front of the body are lengthening eccentrically while they are contracting, which is a nice change from doing crunches (when they contract and shorten).
plank
chaturanga
boat (note that this pose can get a little tight in the hip flexors though)
supine leg lifts
Arms In Extension
Though you probably don’t need to warm up the shoulders that much, the shoulder joint is in extension (arms behind you). What needs to be trained here is the extension of the shoulder WITH the widening of the collarbones. In other words, don’t let the shoulder heads drop forward when you take the arms back. You want the shoulder blades to move closer together to help support thoracic extension (backbend). For tighter students, have them hold a strap with hands shoulder distance apart so they can get the action of the shoulder and chest together.
tadasana with hands interlaced and arms in extension
locust
high lunge/low lunge with hands interlaced behind you.
prasarita padottanasana C (wide legged forward fold with hands clasped behind you)
bridge
Putting It Together
Once you’ve put these poses together in a sensible sequence, it’s time for the peak! Here’s my favorite entrance into this pose. You can also place a bolster across your students’ shins to help make the pose more accessible. Check it out!
Twelve tips for self-care during times of transition.
The uncertainty that is involved in a big life change – death, divorce, moving, illness, job loss, marriage, kids, to name a few – doesn’t get settled all at once. And stress, though it may feel like it’s all in your head, can have profound effects on your physical well-being, affecting your sleep, your immune system, digestion, anxiety, and levels of inflammation.
However, there are many small, practical steps that you can take that can make a profound difference in your stress and sense of well-being. Here are twelve of my favorites tools to manage stress, build your resilience, and practice self-care when life gets shaky.
1. Find a yoga studio.
Finding a local yoga studio can be an anchor that can help you feel more connected to people, get you grounded in your body, and create a place to go for self-care and stress reduction. While the at-home apps are helpful, I recommend going to a studio if possible so that you can connect to other people.
2. Find a coffee shop.
This is a pillar for me, at least, because I love love love coffee! For you, it may be a local bar, tea shop, or knitting room. Find your favorite watering hole, and start to make friends with some of the folks there. Before long, you’ll be a regular.
3. Connect with loved ones.
Now is not the time to be a reclusive turtle. Reach out to your friends and loved ones and stay connected to people that support you.
4. Express yourself.
I write in my journal. You may paint, sing, create poetry, or do pottery. Find a creative outlet for your feelings. Don’t worry about the result. While your art might turn into something interesting, the goal of being creative in this context is to help you express and clear out your emotional and mental experience.
5. Exercise. And have a dance party.
Getting in your body gets you out of your head, and remind you that you are present and safe moment to moment. Whether you use yoga, weights, jogging, or biking, do something every day to get physical. In addition to getting you into the present moment, exercise can help you feel strong, resourceful, and capable. And have a daily dance party. It doesn’t matter how you look. Having a private dance party to your favorite music is an immediate mood booster.
Treat yourself like a prince or princess. Eat nourishing, wholesome food that supports your self-care. Both the food – and the care that you are showing yourself – help you to feel valued and grounded.
8. Don’t Be A Hero.
This is not necessarily the time to quit smoking, go off of caffeine, or commit to a big work project. When possible, make self-care your priority. Acknowledge that transitions can be challenging, and give yourself permission to rest, process, and feel.
9. Use TMC’s, but with discretion.
A temporary mood changer (TMC) is a substance or activity (alcohol, Netflix, chocolate, or flirting on dating apps) that provides a quick pick me up…but may come with a physical or emotional hangover. Oh, I’ve been there! While these treats may provide temporary relief, they may leave us feeling worse and can ultimately undermine our health and stability. Use your TMC’s with awareness and discretion.
10. Breathe.
There’s nothing like five good, deep breaths to help you reset your nervous system, get embodied, and give you a reset. Enjoy anytime, anywhere.
11. Meditate.
Don’t have a meditation practice? No problem. Start with two minutes of conscious breathing as a daily practice and voila! You are now a meditator. Meditating is a way to put a wedge in our daily habits and create a little space where you can experience the “you” that is there beneath all the thoughts, feelings, and life fluctuations. Consider it a touchstone. And don’t be surprised if your mind is full of stuff; the point is to watch. If you need help getting started, check out an app like 10% Happier as a resource. I’ve also got a bunch of 5-minute meditations on this site you can try.
12. Drink Water.
Water is the ultimate rinse. When we are in transition, we are digesting and processing our experiences – physically and emotionally. Support your body’s elimination functions by staying well-hydrated.
Bonus: Remember your why
A transition is an opportunity to reconnect with our values. When everything is in the air, we can be mindful about how we want to place the pieces that come back down. Volitional transitions (divorce, separation, moving) become opportunities to reassert our own highest values, and remember our highest “why.”
And finally, a transition can be a spiritual opportunity to reconnect with our internal resources. We can view the transition as a reminder that we are not everything that we think or feel. We are not our jobs, our roles, or our possessions. In the midst of transition, we can find unexpected space to breathe, feel, and be.
In my recent dissection experience, I spent some time handling a human heart. To literally hold someone’s heart in your hands is a humbling and awe-inspiring experience. Even though its owner had passed and the life force had left, the heart retained a poignant and palpable vibration.
Your heart is your lifelong companion. The medical community would say that we can begin to detect a heartbeat around six weeks; some yogis would offer that this fundamental pulsation begins from the moment that conception produces a unique vibration. The feeling of a heartbeat touches us deeply: babies rest their heads against against it to be comforted and lovers place their hands on it to feel a soulful connection.
More than just a physical organ, many cultures honor the heart as the seat of the soul. In Sanskrit, hridaya is the “spiritual heart,” in which atman (the soul) is believed to reside. The word heart has become synonymous with courage (from the French word coeur, or heart), as well as “soul, spirit, will, desire; courage; mind, intellect,” (retrieved from https://www.etymonline.com/word/heart).
The heart is composed of special muscles cells called cardiac cells. Not only will a group of these cells sync up together to pulse rhythmically, but they are also indefatigable. To appreciate your heart’s special capacity for endurance, try opening and closing your first fist 60 times in a minute and see what happens.
During the lab last week, I learned another wonderful fact about this magical organ: the heart feeds itself first.
The Coronary Arteries
Your coronary arteries (named coronary for their “crown” like wreathing shape) wrap your heart like delicate garden vines. Both the left and right coronary (you have two) connect to the aorta. You may know the aorta: it’s the blood vessel that connects from your heart and spirals freshly oxygenated blood up to your brain and out through your body. What you may not truly grasp about the aorta (I certainly didn’t until I saw it) is that it is massive. As in, bigger than either your esophagus or trachea, sometimes as big as both combined (average about 2.7 cm wide).
As the newly oxygenated blood whooshes from heart out into the aorta, the coronary arteries divert some of this formidable gush back to the heart directly to provide it with oxygen.
By Blausen Medical Communications, Inc. – Donated via OTRS, see ticket for details, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26986337
The Heart’s Invitation
The heart feeds itself first.
The human body has many lessons for us. By observing what is true in the body, we can be reminded of natural principles that our intellectual minds may have forgotten or obscured.
For example, many of us have been taught to believe that our own needs must come last; that self-care is an act of selfishness. We compromise our own resources – whether it’s getting enough sleep, taking the time to eat well, or sacrificing our personal time – in a kind but misguided attempt to be a good person.
In the coronary arteries, we can see that Nature offers us a different lesson: nourish yourself first. Ensure that you give yourself the energy and resources that you need to thrive.
The heart shows us that self-care doesn’t adversely affect the rest of the system: the coronary arteries are small vessels that do not impede the abundance of blood from supplying the rest of the body. In other words, a small amount of self-care can be profoundly nourishing. Your hour-long yoga class or twenty minute walk provide benefits that far exceed the time they take.
The heart also teaches us that your act of self-care is essential to the well-being of your entire system (in this case, your system may include your family, your friends, and your community). Ultimately, the rest of the body depends on the heart’s health to live. The “self-serving” aspect of the heart is a loving act that ensures that the rest of system thrives.
As you consider your own self-care, remember the heart’s lesson in compassion: feed yourself first. Then share the fruits of your vibrancy.
When I practice Yin Yoga, I become myself completely and experience a deep feeling of peace within myself— I am fully myself and do not have to please anyone else—either proverbially or in reality. While some types of yoga specify precisely how certain positions should look, and many practitioners do their best to emulate this ideal image, Yin Yoga is oriented towards the person practicing it—you can’t go wrong. Our inner teacher is the most important yoga teacher and only considers this one individual body. I believe there is great healing potential within this as only we ourselves sense what is best for us.
I do not consider
it wise to seek out a doctor just to have a medicine prescribed for current
complaints—and to hope that everything will be fine again—without any further
questioning. Unfortunately, essential conventional medicine increasingly
focuses on combating symptoms and less on looking for the cause. Also, very few
doctors have enough time to concentrate intensively on the history of the
individual patient. Alternative medical practitioners, on the other hand, tend
to look for the origin of the complaints, and they view people more on a
holistic level, taking more things into consideration which might have caused
the issue in the first place.
In order to better
understand our particular ailments and issues, we need rest periods, and some kind of regular practice, for example
something like a regular Yin Yoga practice, which directs the senses inwards
and can bring us into deep contact with ourselves. The mind speaks very softly,
and these periods of withdrawal are absolutely vital to understand it and to find out what the body
can express with symptoms. It is said that when the mind is not being listened
to, the body sounds the alarm through illness, thereby making the person slow
down.
Ideally our energies are in balance when we both integrate Yin and Yang
energies into our life. Yin corresponds to a female, more receptive, and yang
to a male, more outgoing energy. In our current age we oftentimes have a
surplus of Yang in our environment, which can trouble us at a physical level.
Never before have there been so many hyperactive children as there are today—I
tend to find the term “hyperactive” unsuitable, and I am only using it here for
the ease of understanding—and “burnout” is just named as a fashionable
complaint, without due respect for its incredibly harmful effect on our lives.
In my experience, I find an important cause is anxiety, which can be worsened
due to an excess of intense Yang-energies.
Think for a moment how everything has changed over the years: Barely
anybody takes time out to rest in the early afternoon nowadays; due to mobile
accessibility we receive calls or text messages late in the evening when we
should actually be resting; the TV is on all day in some households, even when
nobody is consciously following it; there are fewer family meals; the
performance mentality at school and at work is ever-present; attentive
conversations without glancing at your mobile phone have also become rare. All
these things exhaust our Yin. Yin and Yang are then no longer in balance, which
has adverse consequences. If these energies fall out of their dynamic balance,
energy can no longer flow harmoniously and this creates the circumstances for
illnesses to occur.
Yin Yoga practice gives us the peace that we so urgently need in this
noisy world. We can use it to get in touch with our inner selves once again, as
well as find release in our stuck places. Our body awareness is trained and
intensified through long and deep stretches, but these also provide us with
calm so that memories or emotions can emerge again. If we become our own quiet
observer and look and listen carefully to what it is showing us, it is quite
possible that we will even be able to trace the causes of certain complaints in
time.
Our body communicates with us constantly, but many of us have forgotten how to listen to it and interpret its signs. For example, if we experienced emotional damage in childhood, we often carry this into our adult lives. Symptoms often appear—such as nervousness, anxiety, depressive malaise, or sleep disturbances—which can be treated quickly with medicines, but the actual causes of the complaints remain unrecognized and untreated. It is therefore important to become aware of what is going on inside us, no matter whether it is pleasant or painful. If we identify what is causing us stress, then we can accept it, process it, and ultimately let it go. This progression can be very liberating and is a complete contrast to the repression of unpleasant experiences or memories. A repression mechanism never works in the long term. Whatever is behind it will keep occurring until it is accepted, understood, and released.
Yin Yoga practice, with its passive stretches that last for 3-5 minutes,
we can learn, in a wonderful way about
the process of letting go. If we have learned to let go physically, we can then
also let go better emotionally and mentally. The peaceful and introverted Yin
Yoga practice gives us sufficient space to question pain or illnesses and find
out what the body is trying to tell us.
We know today that our self-healing capacities are most powerful in the
parasympathetic state which you can reach during a yin yoga practice. But
always remember that YOUR path might be very different from that of your
partner, your friends, or your family. Please be mindful with yourself, so you
can experience the power of self-healing in early states if your body is out of
balance and trying to tell you something. Then you have a good chance of
getting back on track again soon.
Here is a yin yoga sequence which focuses on stretching all meridians and ends with a tapping massage so that you can start refreshed into the day!
Enjoy your practice!
***
Adapted from Be Healthy with Yin Yoga: The Gentle Way to Free Your Body of Everyday Ailments and Emotional Stresses by Stefanie Arend (She Writes Press, August 2019).
Last week, I went into the lab with Gil Hedley. I experienced my previous 6-day human dissection course with Gil back in 2012, so it’s been awhile since I shared space with the dead.
The dead are magical teachers.
Back in 2012, my steely-eyed intent was to “get” anatomy. I wanted to see the insertions of muscles, touch a hip joint, and palpate the knee ligaments. This time, I entered the space with less agenda. I spent time marvelling over tattoo ink on the reverse side of the skin, staring at chunks of fibrin that had condensed out of blood (a reminder that blood is actually a connective tissue), and turning over a human heart in my hand to admire the extraordinary size and swirl of its vessels.
Here are my top five wows from the week.
1. The body is fractal, not mechanical.
You know the movie Aliens? The alien ships are always looking strangely fractal, swirly, and everything gets coated in goo? Well…that’s actually more like real life! For some reason (“Euclidean geometry,” says Gil), we build our human environment in boxes and squares. We make walls and floors at perfect right angles. We apply this mechanistic metaphor to the body, thinking of it as a machine with parts that work, or don’t work. Our model skeletons look boxy and clean. But the reality is that the human body is full of swirls, whorls, and spirals. I don’t think there’s a right angle anywhere in the human form. Bones twist, arteries meander, nerves snake.
No wonder we get cranky in cubicles.
2. Stability is more than muscles.
As a yoga teacher, I’m a huge fan of muscles. (Oooo, and fascia! We LOVE fascia.) Give me tendons, bones, and ligaments and I’d think, “There, that’s stability!” This week, I became acutely aware of how much of our stability is provided by the tree like branching structures of our blood vessels and nerves. These vessels penetrate and snake through all of our tissue layers, anchoring us in some places and gliding easily in others. When muscle tissue disintegrates with barely a swipe of the finger, and you can lift a whole body by tugging on the celiac plexus, you start to get the idea that these structures are integral to holding us together.
3. Skeletal variation is just the beginning.
In recent years, we’ve all been very excited about skeletal variation. But this is only part of the story. What about when two livers look radically different from each other? When lungs can have different number of lobes? When the digestive system can be completely rotated around relative to where it “should” be? Human variation is the norm. So next time you’re in a twist, perhaps contemplate that the sensations in your posture could be about your spleen.
4. Your heart is a conch shell.
I didn’t say that. Gil said that. And it’s such a good reframe that I have to share it here. Your heart spirals on itself. I spent a couple hours with a heart, tracing its curves and figuring out how the blood flows through it. It’s not point A to point B, my friends. The best distance between two points is not the shortest, thank goodness (insert metaphor for life here!). Your heart is like the curving interior of an alien vessel, spinning blood into sinuous meander. Curves. Not lines.
5. You are one thing.
We think we’re many things. We pull stuff apart, name the pieces, and decide that that is reality.
The biggest lesson came from the physical labor that it required (six days with five people on each table) to take apart a human form. Why did it take so long? Because the human body is one thing. We are connected; no part is separate. Everything that is pulled apart, swept away and set aside is an artificial imposition. Sure, it’s useful to “dissect,” as long as we don’t lose sight of the fact that we are the ones creating the pieces.
My brain didn’t learn this lesson intellectually; my body absorbed this truth from the ass in chair/scalpel in hand labor it took to create parts from something unified.
Final thoughts
The greatest gift from spending a week in the lab is that the mystery is not solved. We may be able to locate and name these wondrous structures (pineal gland, aorta, vagus nerve, mammary bodies), but the mystery of our “aliveness” remains as awe-inspiring as ever. Peering our complexity and the crazy intelligence of the body only serves to highlight how jaw droppingly weird it is that we are alive. Right now, as I type these words, my brain is coordinating some kind of wild chemical thunderstorm to make my hands move (how? I have no idea!?).
Some answers can only be felt. And some mysteries can only be admired. And that includes looking in the mirror.
*After my first lab, I was inspired to write a rather sexy poem that you’re welcome to read. There’s something about spending time with mystery that inspires some juiciness.
I have uprooted my life in Vancouver, BC to follow my heart on a grand adventure. YAY! Fun, excitement and grand romance!
And….terrifying.
In taking this wild ride, I kicked out the support struts from under my own foundation. I’ve uprooted my job, access to friends, familiar surroundings, material possessions, and my happy routines.
Despite the romance of adventure, I feel like a cat in a strange house: ears back, tail down, looking for corner in which to hide.
We all know this space: let’s call it free fall.
Free fall happens when we change jobs, fall in love, break up, move across the country, get a divorce, get married, have kids, or undergo any manner of “major change.” Free fall also happens in little ways in our daily lives. We feel it when we screw up at work, fight with a loved one, fall short as a parent, or lose our sense of self-worth.
“Fear of death carries its own essence and predominates [the consciousness of] even the wise.”
Yoga philosophy tells us that fear of death (abhinivesa) is natural, even in the wise. (We can understand this “death” as both literal and metaphorical.) However, to live the soulful lives that we deeply want, we must be willing to face death again and again. We must risk dying to our ego, our attachments, our perceptions, and our habits.
“Chaos should be regarded as very good news.”
Pema Chodron
When we enter free fall – whether it’s a major upheaval or a minor tremor – we can regard it as good news. Free fall exposes our dependence on the external world – possessions, job titles, other people’s opinions, or even relationships – for our sense of wholeness. When the “bottom falls out,” we have the opportunity to recognize that there is in fact, another bottom. Beyond our ego, there is something that lies within us that is stable, consistent, loving, and whole. But usually we are so busy fortifying our sense of safety with the immediate stuff (jobs, possessions, praise) that we don’t recognize and our deeper Reserves.
“Only to the extent that we expose ourselves over and over to annihilation can that which is indestructible in us be found.”
Pema Chodron
When we practice yoga, we are – in a sense – practicing free fall. We come to our mats to create a space where we can exist – for a time – beyond the habitual identifications with our jobs, habits, and even family dynamics. We look across the room at other travellers practicing on the mat; we don’t need to know what they do or even their names: we are simply fellow travellers in Presence. When we give ourselves this breathing room – in a sense, creating our own “little death” – we create a space to arrive freshly in our lives as if for the first time.
It takes enormous courage to willingly come into Free Fall, to brush against death in order to dismantle the comfortable structures that can obfuscate our deeper selves. The next time that you find yourself in a Free Fall, can you – with sweetness and self-care – breathe into that wide open space of uncertainty?
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
We all experience difficult periods in life that leave us feeling sad, lonely, or scared. However, some of us deal with these emotions almost daily.
Depression is a
psychiatric condition that usually manifests in listlessness,
sadness, anxiety, and guilt. It often has internal or endogenous causes,
but can also be related to conflicts, stressful circumstances, or trauma.
We carry our
healing powers within us at all times, but sometimes they are hidden
by a lack of contact or familiarity with our inner self. Meditation,
self-reflection and the simple act of taking time for oneself, in addition to
the psychological benefits to be gained from any exercise, make yoga a powerful
component of the healing journey. Yin Yoga helps us get in touch with our emotions
and balance the energies that run haywire throughout the day.
If the feelings you
are experiencing are not just a temporarily more depressive mood, but are
indeed symptoms of depression, then treatment from a psychotherapist or other
mental health professional is recommended. Yoga teachers should never presume
to see themselves in this position. However, we can give valuable
support on the path to mental health and happiness.
Depression is
oftentimes kept secret due to embarrassment or anxiety. A diagnosis, or even an
awareness that one feels differently from the people around them, can lead to
insecurity and compound stress. Therefore, it
is particularly important to feel comfortable and confident in your yoga
practice rather than striving for a specific ideal in your poses. Because Yin
Yoga is adaptable to specific needs and capabilities, and because there is no
‘right’ or ‘wrong’ posture, the Yin method is easily accessible to
everybody. When I practice Yin Yoga, I become myself completely and
experience a deep feeling of peace and freedom with the realization that I do
not have to please anyone else.
Depression is often
related to suppressed emotions—for example aggression, grief, or anger. It
is therefore important to work through possible trauma or face your own
anxieties. Meditation can be very helpful here, but the inexperienced should
practice with a teacher who can help and support them if necessary. A doctor, therapist, or teacher can support you and open the door,
but remember that you must pass through it yourself.
Possible questions for
reflection are: Why am I anxious? Which of my emotions and
experiences wish to be seen? What issues from my childhood still need to
be healed? What is my calling, and how do I get back on my path?
Below is a series of
Yin Yoga poses to ground and comfort you in this difficult period:
Ujjayi Breathing
Ujjayi Breathing can
create heat in the body, but it can also be very relaxing. It is therefore
ideal for the start of
practicing exercises, if you feel unsettled, or your mind is very full. Ujjayi
translates as “victorious breathing,” as it triumphs over shallow
breathing. Breathe in Ujjayi as long as you like. In some styles of Yang
Yoga, Ujjayi Breathing is also practiced while doing the poses.
Sit in Easy Pose on
the mat, and straighten your spine while placing your hands loosely on your
legs. Now let the epiglottis narrow, with a deep flow of breath out into
the throat area, as though you were making a whispering sound with your mouth
closed or were breathing onto a mirror to clean it. The sound of Ujjayi
Breathing is reminiscent of a distant sound of the sea. With this sound in the
throat, you can inhale and exhale calmly and deeply. Come back into a
natural flow of breath and feel the effect.
Dragonfly (Upavistha Konasana)
1. Sit on the mat with
outstretched legs, and open your legs wide until you feel a comfortable
stretch in the sides of the legs. Take a yoga bolster or a rolled-up
blanket and lay it centrally lengthways in front of you so that your
stomach is touching the bolster when you bend forward. If you want to massage
the lower stomach organs, then lay the bolster flat on the floor. You can reach
the upper stomach organs better if you place one or two blocks under the
lower end of the bolster. If you are not very mobile, you can also place
additional blankets or blocks on the bolster to raise it. Then relax your
back and legs, and bend forward as far as your body will allow. Rest your head
on your hands or props. Direct your breath gently to the stomach and
pelvic area.
2. Alternatively, you
can also go into Half Dragonfly by stretching your leg out to the side and
bending the other one inwards, pulling your foot to
your pelvis. You can then also change the position of the leg.
3. Another variation
is Dragonfly with a side bend. Sit up straight again and tilt your upper body
to the left. Place the bolster on the left leg so that your arm is
supported comfortably. You can either take your right arm behind your
back, or lift it at an angle over the head to increase the stretch.
Remain in Dragonfly
for three to five minutes, including Dragonfly in the supine position or Half
Dragonfly, and changing sides. You can stay in the side bend for one to
two minutes per side, and in the rotation for around five to eight
breaths. Then come back to the center and relax into Supine
Position. Alternatively, you can just do the forward bend.
Dragon (Anjaneyasana)
Come onto all fours,
and place a blanket under the knees if you are sensitive to pressure
here. Then take your
right leg from between your hands and place your left knee on the floor. If
you want the position to be gentler, then pull the left knee forward
slightly; for more intensity, take it further back. The right knee can be
placed in front of, above, or behind the ankle, but this should not cause
any pain in the knee. Let the pelvis sink towards the floor very passively. Now
place the hands either left or right next to the foot, or both on the
inside. The position becomes more intense if you support yourself on your
forearms, and it is slightly easier if you use props—for example, blocks
or a yoga bolster.
Embracing Wings
Lie on your stomach
and cross your outstretched arms at shoulder height under your body. Your
right arm is in front of the left one, and your palms are facing upwards.
Place a block or folded blanket under your forehead, or a yoga bolster
under your chest if you wish. Give your weight up to the floor. If the
tips of your fingers go numb in this position, then you should change it—for
example, with the head up higher or moving your arms a few centimeters up
or down.
Remain in the position
for two to three minutes and then change sides. Release your arms again
and then relax into Supine Position.
Cleansing
Meditation
Practice this
meditation daily as you wish, as long as you feel completely freed by this.
Recall something that
made you feel uncomfortable: something that annoyed you, for example,
or an injustice that was done to you or something that sucks your energy.
Now think of an energizing place in nature, a place where you really feel
good. Sense this place precisely. Imagine gentle drops of rain
falling on you, which are colored violet. These drops are running over your
whole body, first outside and then inside too—like an external and
internal shower. The violet water flows over your hands and feet and out
of you again, and takes everything with it that should no longer be part
of you. If you feel externally and internally cleansed, then imagine your
crown chakra opening up and radiant white light flowing into you. The rays
are flowing through your whole body, and they replace everything that you
have just given up with new positive energy and strength.
* * *
This article includes
poses from Be Healthy with Yin Yoga: The Gentle Way to Free Your Body of
Everyday Ailments and Emotional Stresses by Stefanie Arend (She
Writes Press, August 2019).
Anxiety is the most common mental illness
in the United States. There are many kinds of anxieties, ranging from social
anxiety to obsessive compulsive disorder to specific phobias. Most of these are
associated with a loss of confidence, and particularly with a lack of basic trust,
which is marked in childhood. However, anxiety is also correlated with a
complex and variable set of risk factors such as brain chemistry, genetics,
life events, and personality.
Easily recognizable physical symptoms of
anxiety include quick, shallow breathing, muscle tension, high blood pressure,
and feelings of narrowness or rigidity.
Anxiety is treatable, but unfortunately the large majority of people affected never seek professional help. It is important to face your fear in order to discover its cause. Depending on the severity and depth of your anxieties, this does not have to be something you face alone—almost anyone can benefit from the support of family or friends, and for traumatized or depressed people, working with a therapist can be very helpful.
In China there is a
lovely expression which goes: “Anxiety knocked on the door, trust opened it,
and nobody was there.”In the spirit of
that wise proverb, some possible questions for reflection are: What exactly do I fear? What is the trigger for my anxiety?
Where and how can I feel this anxiety? What happens when I face the anxiety?
What happens if I feed my anxiety with trust and love? Oftentimes, though it may seem counterintuitive, the
simple act of accepting our feelings of anxiety for what they are, rather than
feeling stressed about being anxious, can go a long way toward
alleviating mental and emotional discomfort.
Yin Yoga teaches us a
simple but powerful method for soothing the worries that have become so
prevalent in our daily lives. Please join me below in a series of accessible
poses and a guided meditation to help leave our anxieties behind
and find physical, emotional, and mental equilibrium.
Full Breathing
Sit on the mat in Easy
Pose and straighten your spine. Be aware of your natural flow of breath.
Let it deepen with every breath. Place your hands on your abdomen, left
and right of your navel, and consciously direct your breath there. Then
take the hands onto the lower ribcage and breathe into your chest area. Place
your hands below your collarbone and breathe into the upper apex
of the lungs. As you inhale, lift the hands upwards or forwards, and
lower them again as you exhale. Put one hand on the lower abdomen and one
hand on the upper abdomen. Now link up the breath across all three levels.
Become aware of the small pauses between breathing in and out, and extend them
a bit further. Now either breathe with an extended inhalation, very
evenly, or with an extended exhalation—depending on what feels harmonious to
you. However, always breathe in such a way that the breath can still flow
easily. Come back into the natural flow of breath and notice whether
anything has changed. Alternatively, you can also do Full
Breathing while lying down. Place your feet on the floor and leave
your hands resting on the abdomen. This version is ideal before going
to sleep, for example, or if you are lying awake and unable to sleep
at night.
Easy Pose with arm
and shoulder stretch (Sukhasana)
This position opens up
the hips and stretches the whole back as well as the arms and shoulders.
1. Come into Easy
Pose, your right arm crossed in front of the left. Bend forward in a relaxed
way with a rounded back, and cross your arms so that your right arm is in front
of your left arm and the palms are facing upwards. Alternatively, you can grip
the opposite shoulder.
2. Then change the arm
position by placing the palms downwards on the opposite knees. Remain in Easy
Pose for three to five minutes, including both arm positions. Then straighten
up again, release the arms and legs, and move to and fro loosely a few
times. Then change sides—crossing the left leg in front of the right one, and
the left arm in from of the right—and repeat the process.
Butterfly
Sit on the mat, place the soles of your feet together, and pull the feet towards the pelvis. Let the knees drop gently outwards, or support the outsides of the legs with two blocks if this stretch is too intense for you. You can also sit on a blanket or a cushion. Relax the back, let your upper body sink forward passively, and place your arms where it is comfortable for you.
Rainbow Bridge (Modified Urdhva Dhanurasana)
This position
mobilizes the thoracic spine, opens the heart chamber, and stretches the
shoulders and insides of the
arms.
Place a yoga bolster
and a rolled-up blanket straight across the mat. Then lie down with your back
on the bolster, which supports your pelvis and lumbar spine. Your shoulder
blades are on the blanket, and your arms are placed alongside your head. If you
would like to intensify the stretch, you can extend out your legs, or for a
gentler variant, leave your feet placed on the floor.
Stay in Rainbow Bridge
for three to five minutes. Then either sit up again with activated pelvic floor
muscles, or roll to one side out of the position. Relax into a supine position.
Protective
Meditation
You can carry out this
meditation any time you need protection on an energetic level.
Concentrate on a color
that gives you strength. Now imagine a column of light appearing in
front of you in this color. Take a step forward in your mind and place
yourself into the light. You are completely protected in this column of light.
It connects you with the energy of the earth on the one hand, and with the
energy of the sky on the other hand. You can help the effect further and use
the following affirmation if it feels right to you: “May only light and loving
energies come through to me, and may all negative energies remain outside,
starting now.” Then give thanks to the universe for this energetic protection.
* * *
This article includes
poses from Be Healthy with Yin Yoga: The Gentle Way to Free Your Body of Everyday
Ailments and Emotional Stresses by Stefanie Arend (She Writes
Press, August 2019).
Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches us that Yin and Yang are inextricably linked; there is no Yang without Yin, and vice versa. Yang represents energy and activity, while Yin is calm and steady strength. We are only physically and mentally healthy when the dynamism of Yang and the nourishment of Yin work in harmony. If the body and mind don’t rest, our Yin becomes exhausted, often resulting in anxiety, burnout, difficulty concentrating, and a host of other symptoms.
The age we live in is saturated with Yang. Wedance to a draining, dizzying tempo: we creep through traffic in the mornings, toil diligently at work, then rush to tend to our daily lives and those of our families before it’s time to hit “repeat.” When we squeeze in some precious self-care time around our careers and personal obligations, it is always with an eye on the clock. There never seems to be enough time to rest, to center ourselves and to nurture our Yin energy.
For this reason, it is crucial to tune into the mind and body. This is where Yin Yoga comes in. Although many other yoga practices (ashtanga, power, aerial, etc.) can strengthen and stretch our muscles, Yin Yoga cultivates and sustains our basic energy. It therefore has a positive impact on overall health as well as many specific ailments, from back pain and high blood pressure to anxiety and women’s issues like infertility, menstrual cramping, and menopause.
The reality is that every body is different, and everybody is seeking something unique in their yoga practice. Yin Yoga is adapted to the individual; our inner teacher is most important, and I believe there is great healing potential when we listen to our bodies and trust ourselves as we practice, allowing the pose to develop as our bodies direct.
The Yin practice is intensive but also very passive. Our breathing remains effortless and our muscles relaxed as we hold each position for several minutes. These deep stretches make our tissue supple and have a positive effect on the fascia and deep layers of the body. Aside from reducing pain and encouraging mobility, Yin Yoga harmonizes the flow of energy, directs us to look inwards, and can activate our capacity for self-healing. Eventually, energetic connections become perceptible, and practitioners become aware of the links between our thoughts, our emotions, and our Chi.
In my book Be Healthy with Yin Yoga, I include a section that offers insights into both common and unusual symptoms. I explore much more than yoga poses because, as a holistic practitioner, I believe it is important to understand the deeper roots of our ailments and take a comprehensive approach to healing them. Along with breathing suggestions and questions for reflection to better understand what is going on inside, I include information on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and recommend a series of poses to alleviate symptoms and strengthen our bodies.
I do not feel comfortable claiming that individual poses can cure a certain illness. However, I am convinced that we have extremely good opportunities for healing with regard to many symptoms if different therapeutic approaches are used to complement one another. If Western conventional medicine and alternative healing techniques—such as TCM or Ayurvedic medicine—are used together, this gives individuals more personal responsibility; a great deal can be achieved overall.
When I practice Yin Yoga, I become myself completely and experience a deep feeling of peace. In Yin Yoga I am fully myself and do not have to please anyone else—either proverbially or in reality. I hope you will discover this joy as well. Today and every day, take some time to step away from the whirlwind of our Yang world. Yin Yoga puts us back in touch with our mental, emotional, and physical selves, nourishing our energies and bringing us peace of mind and spirit.
This meditation is one of my favorites. I often use it before going to bed to bring my energies into harmony. I hope you enjoy the practice!
Yoga Alliance has been on track to create new certification standards and has released their update. Here is what you need to know to stay on track.
Your Timeline
New Yoga Alliance applicants:
New 200 Applicants: You will have to apply using new standards starting in February 2020.
New 300/500 Applicants: You will have to apply using the new standards by February 2021. (As you will have to resubmit your application with the new standards by Feb 2020 anyway, I suggest that all new 300 and 500 applicants simply go ahead and use the new standards.)
Current Yoga Alliance members:
You will have to resubmit your application. Yep. (I know. I’m feel ya.)
Everyone must be upgraded to the new standards by February 2022. This means that when you hit your first renewal date after Feb 2021, you will have to resubmit your curriculum to meet the new standards. If you are an eager beaver, you can apply on your next renewal date and get ahead of the crowd.
Everyone:
February 2020: “Yoga Alliance will ask all credential holders to sign onto a strengthened, contemporary ethical commitment upon registration or renewal beginning February 2020.” This new agreement includes three parts: Scope of Practice, a Code of Conduct, and a responsibility to equity in yoga. Yoga Alliance is also creating an online course to help people understand this commitment, which you will be able to take for free.
Major Changes
The major changes fall into three categories:
New requirements for trainers
More room for online learning
Slight changes in curriculum categories
Enhanced (more rigorous) application process
We’ll look at each change individually.
New Trainer Requirements
This is the doozy. Until the new requirements, 200 hour trainers could be E-RYT 200. But under the new standards, all lead trainers must be E-RYT 500.
Beginning in February 2022, all Lead Trainers of any RYS 200 must hold the E-RYT 500 credential and teach at least 150 of the minimally-required 200 hours of the foundational teacher training program.
If you are currently an E-RYT 200, then you need to become E-RYT 500. You must:
Earn your 500 HR cert by February 2021,
Teach an additional 500 hours of classes as a RYT-500 (for a total of 2,000 hours of logged teaching hours),
Apply and get your E-RYT 500 by February 2022.
Also, the lead trainer(s) needs to teach 150 hours of the 200 hour curriculum, which means no more parsing out your training hours to non-lead trainers and specialists. It’s all you, baby.
Online Learning
Under the new standards, 40 hours of curriculum may be delivered online by non-lead trainers.
For online learning, you may have:
Anatomy: up to 20 hours online (out of 30 total hours; you must still have 10 hours in person)
Philosophy: up to 20 hours (out of 30 total hours; you must still have 10 hours in person)
Non-Contact Hours
Remember how we used to have 20 non-contact hours in there for homework and outside work? No longer. There are no more “non-contact hours.” You may have 40 hours online learning, and 160 in person in the classroom. (And remember, your lead trainers will need to teach 150 of those in person hours). So kiss goodbye to those non-contact hours.
Curriculum Changes
This adjustment doesn’t seem like too much of a big deal. You’re basically reshuffling what you’ve already done into slightly more streamlined categories. Rather than having Five Educational Categories, YA will now have four:
Techniques, Training and Practice – requires 75 classroom hours
Anatomy and Physiology – requires 30 hours (20 can be online)
Yoga Humanities (philosophy, ethics) – requires 30 hours (20 can be online)
Professional Essentials (formerly teaching methodology, practicum, business, and electives) – requires 65 classroom hours
Enhanced (Harder) Application Process
As everyone probably knows, applying for YA has been a bit of a joke. You could apply, and then create your training afterwards. However, now schools have their training together before they apply. In other words, you have to submit your completed manual and all materials (quizzes, tests, etc) in advance.
So, no more flying by the seat of your pants, yogis.
I’ll be submitting my new application as soon as possible to run this gauntlet for you, and will report back on any challenges.
As always, I’m here to help. So if you’re freaking out about your submission, then before you grab that glass of wine, grab your phone and give me a shout for a chat.
Yoga has been around for many centuries, but its official festivity, the International Day of Yoga (IDY), is only entering its 5thannual celebration.
And what exactly is it all about? In a nutshell, this day serves to raise awareness about our beloved practice and all the benefits anyone can attain through it. From stress relief and a more flexible body to a healthier lifestyle, most of us could use a little bit of yoga.
We still have a long way to go to spread the word about all that yoga can give us. With the participation of all yogis, we can inspire others to hop on the mat and feel the benefits by themselves.
Also referred to as International Yoga Day or World Yoga Day, it is what this day is essentially all about – to further raise the awareness of yoga across the globe.
In this guide to International Day of Yoga, you’ll find:
History of IDY – how it started and its purpose
Previous years’ celebrations and themes
Upcoming events and activities happening in India and across the world
What you can do to partake in the celebration to make Yoga Day 2019 the best one yet.
How did it start?
Yoga might have waited quite a bit to have its ‘own’ day, but thanks to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, since 2014 this special occasion is observed all over the world.
Being such an ingrained part of India’s history, the Prime Minister went to the United Nations in 2014 with a proposal to create a special day for yoga. In the assembly, he gave an inspiring speech that convinced more than 170 countries to approve the International Day of Yoga, which would take place annually on June 21st.
“Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition.Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action… a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it’s a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.” — Prime Minister Modi at the UN General Assembly.
In its first year (2015), around 36,000 yogis gathered in New Delhi for a record-breaking event, where people of over 80 nationalities performed the largest yoga session in history (although the number has increased every year since then). It marked the biggest celebration of the first ever Day of Yoga with the theme of yoga for harmony and peace.
The reason why PM Modi and the UN assembly had selected June 21st is because of the significant relevance of this date. This is when the summer solstice occurs, which is the day with the most sunlight of the year and an ideal time for transformation. No better excuse for a couple of sun salutations to recharge one’s body and mind!
What’s the purpose of International Yoga Day?
IDY was created to recognize its universal appeal. It reminds us that yoga is for everyone regardless of our beliefs, nationality, religion, race, gender, etc. Its intention is to keep spreading the word about the benefits of yoga all throughout the world, a hectic world that could use that peace of mind gained through the practice.
However, every year has had a different specific purpose. 2015’s celebration was aimed at yoga for harmony and peace. The reason? Well, that’s probably what humanity needs the most – to live peacefully and harmoniously.
2016 focused on the youth and the necessity to connect with the younger population. Connect the youth was the theme to remind us of the importance of new generations. Promoting yoga among children and stimulating mindfulness from early ages is the way to go to create a better world.
In 2017, the focus of IDY turned to the wellness of body and mind. Yoga for health was the slogan, encouraging yogis and non-yogis alike to live a healthier lifestyle. The asana practice (poses) on the mat is a good starting point, but there are many more factors we can incorporate to our routine like a balanced diet, a couple of meditation sessions, good relationships and a positive mindset.
Last year, it was decided to go back to yoga for peace. With so many conflicts and polarization around the world, it seemed like a good time to push for a peaceful planet, for it to become a better and safer home for all.
Yoga Day 2019: Taking care of nature
Everybody knows that we need to take care of our planet if we want to keep calling it home for years to come. Well, this may not entirely be true. Unfortunately, there are those who are still in denial of climate change and ignore the irreparable damage that humankind has inflicted.
In an effort to stress the importance of taking good care of Mother Earth while we still can, it’s been decided that this year’s theme for IDY will be climate action. And while a yoga session won’t reduce global warming on its own, the practice does teach us to connect with nature and respect all forms of life on a daily basis.
How has the world celebrated?
What started in New Delhi has expanded to other cities in India. The original record for the largest yoga class didn’t last for long. Not only has the number increased year after year, but in 2018, an estimated 200,000 people gathered in Kota to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
This year, there’ll be plenty of more events to celebrate, public yoga sessions, festivals and yoga retreats in India. But the festivities aren’t exclusive to India, many countries all across the globe have joined as well. From China to the USA, there have been spectacular events to commemorate IDY, and these are some of the most representative:
France
The Eiffel Tower had one of the most emblematic celebrations of IDY 2018. On June 17th, thousands of people gathered in front of the iconic structure for an incredible yoga session. Paris had a high commitment with the event and also had yoga session at the Grand Halle de la Villette and another one on-board the Bateaux-Mouches on the Seine river.
Indonesia
In 2018, the Embassy of India in Jakarta organized a series of events throughout 10 cities in the Indonesian archipelago. Malang, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Bali were some of the places where IDY events where held. But the Prambanan Temple Complex in Yogyakarta was the highlight, where over 10,000 yogis simultaneously performed their asanas.
Nepal
Being one of the most traditional countries for yoga, Nepal couldn’t fall behind. They took the practice to ‘new heights’ at the Muktinath Temple, situated 12,500 feet above sea level in Kathmandu. Monks, locals and visitors performed a yoga sequence, transforming the sacred temple into the most mystical studio on Earth.
USA
If Nepal brought the Zen-mystique, New York has its frenzy counterpart in Times Square. Each year, people from all over the world gather in front of the red steps for a massive demonstration of yoga. The event, Solstice in Times Square, has been organized for about 15 years. With over 12,000 participants in 2018, it’s now considered one of the most popular events to celebrate International Day of Yoga.
China
Yoga was brought to China around the late 1980s by the famous yoga teacher, Wai Lana. Since then, the popularity of yoga in this country has been rapidly increasing. Last year, it was the second country with most people celebrating IDY after India. The official event took place at the Indian Embassy in Beijing where over 500 practitioners joined for an open-door yoga session.
Events for the 2019 International Day of Yoga Worldwide
The official event is going to be a yoga session with recognized masters at the United Nations to celebrate the fifth IDY on Thursday, June 20th. It will be followed by a panel on the 21st where topics about the environment and yoga will be discussed.
However, the Ministry of Ayush, the Nodal Ministry of Yoga, has commanded to start with the preparations 50 days before the official day. The University Grants Commission of India (UGC) has issued a letter to universities and affiliated colleges to organize run-up events for IYD since May 2nd.
In addition, the Ministry organized a National Seminar on Art & Science of Common Yoga Protocol. It was held on May 2nd at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi, where various aspects of the common protocol of yoga were discussed.
Here’s a video that outlines last year’s protocol:
As it’s become a tradition, many places all across the globe will join. Here are a few events you could attend:
Bali, Indonesia
Starting at 3 pm on the 21st, the Anand Yoga Foundation will collaborate with the 11th international Bali Meditators’ Festival to put together a 6-hour event in Ubud.
Bangkok, Thailand
There’ll be a free yoga session at Chulalongkorn University. On June 16th at 5:30 am in the lawn in front of the Royal Statues of King Chulalongkorn and King Vajiravudh.
New York, USA
Solstice in Times Square is perhaps the most famous celebration in the world. It starts at 7:30 am; if you can’t register, walk-ups are accepted but you need to arrive well in advance.
California, USA
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in San Francisco is hosting a full-day event to celebrate yoga. It starts at 6 am. There’ll also be a big event at the Veterans Sports Complex in Carson, starting at 6:30 pm.
Houston, USA
The Consulate General of India has organized a public yoga session at Midtown Park on June 21st at 6:00 pm.
Florida, USA
There’ll be a sunset yoga class in Jacksonville at 7 pm by the river.
Washington, DC, USA
The Embassy of India is organizing a public yoga session at the Washington Monument. The event will be held on June 16th at 8:30 am.
Boston, USA
On June 21st, there’ll be a giveaway at Newbury Street at 6:00 pm. Afterward, you can head over to the Public Garden for a public yoga session.
Chicago, USA
The Consulate General of India will have its official celebration on June 15th. Starting at 9:30 there’ll be a yoga session at the Naperville Yard Indoor Sports Complex.
Australia
One of the most iconic celebrations of IDY, the annual Yoga Day Festival, occurs in many places around Australia. Brisbane, Gold Coast, Darwin, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne will all be holding events for the annual Yoga Day Festival. There are many things to do throughout the month of June, from yoga sessions to workshops.
London, UK
There’ll be a big yoga event as the sun sets on the Parliament and the Thames river. The event starts at 4 pm and it consists of 4 hours of yoga sessions, workshops and lectures by yoga gurus.
Manchester, UK
An open day will be held from 10:00 to 16:00 at the Trinity Methodist Hall in Stockwell.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
There’ll be an open yoga session in Dam Square, on June 16th from 12:00 to 7:00 pm.
Berlin, Germany
Run for Yoga will take place in Volkspark Jungfernheide on June 23rd, starting at 11:00 am, with a race starting in Strandbad Jungfernheide. After it, there’ll be an open yoga session.
Madeira, Portugal
The Yoga Festival Madeira will take place from June 20th to June 23rd. This comprehensive event will have yoga classes, workshops, surfing, hiking, concerts, paragliding and activities for kids.
Torino, Italy
Starting on June 21st until the evening of June 22nd, there’ll be dozens of yoga classes all over the city.
Stockholm, Sweden
The Indian Embassy and Art of Living, will celebrate the 5th IDY on June 18th, at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Center. It’s open and free to everyone.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Over 5,000 people will gather in Johannesburg on June 22nd. Starting at 8:30 pm, there’ll be several events at the UJ Soweto Campus Stadium.
Cape Town, South Africa
In Cape Town, at the 14 Hope Street Gardens, there’ll be an event to celebrate yoga and raise funds for the EarthChild Project.
Do your own celebration
Can’t find an event to celebrate nearby? Travel to the destination you want and go on a yoga retreat for International Yoga Day. You’ll get to practice intensively, make new yogi friends and give yourself some time to reflect on all the good things that yoga brings to this world.
Or maybe you can find your own original way to celebrate yoga on its day. Organize a yoga session in a public park, plan your mini yoga retreat in a secluded area around your city or at least go to a yoga studio to learn a new style.
Another idea, in honor of this year’s IDY theme, you could get more creative and help the environment hand in hand with yoga. Gather with a group of friends and find a good place to plant trees; afterward, you could do some sun salutations and tree poses as a symbol to help them grow tall and strong.
Whatever you do, just remember that the intention of International Yoga Day is to be united with all living beings around us.
Sequencing is the hidden art of the yoga class. Peak pose sequencing is a sequencing style in which you select a challenging apex pose and then creates a sequence that will sensibly prepare the body to get there.
Peak Pose Sequencing: a yoga sequencing style that builds the class progressively towards a challenging apex pose.
There are other styles of sequencing. Some yoga styles (like hot and ashtanga) use a set sequence where the same poses are practiced each time, while other styles of yoga (like wave vinyasa) build upon repetitive iterations of postures. Teachers may sequence a class around an energetic focus or sequence to create a well-rounded and balanced class.
I prefer peak pose sequencing because
the body is prepared pragmatically and logically for more challenging postures,
the students feel empowered because they have the openings and the education to give the peak pose their personal best shot,
the students gain confidence because – even if they can’t fully do the peak pose – they can see the pathway towards increasing their own skill levels,
peak pose sequencing is style blind and can be adapted for multiple styles of yoga (hatha, vinyasa, hot, etc),
peak pose sequencing encourages teachers to be very specific, clear, and mindful in our use of asana.
Peak pose sequencing has five steps.
Choose your peak pose
Determine the component parts of your peak pose
Brainstorm the poses for your sequence
Organize your poses from easiest to hardest
Plan your transitions based on your yoga style and class level
Step One: Choose Your Pose
In peak pose sequencing, we first must define the peak pose for the yoga class. For our purposes, let’s choose a peak pose of warrior 3.
When you select your peak pose, you will generally want to choose a pose that is complex and challenging for the average practitioner.
Step Two: Determine The Component Parts
Component parts are the parts of the body that must be educated or warmed up appropriately in order to do the peak pose.
Component parts: parts of the body that must be educated or warmed up appropriately in order to do the peak pose.
For example, let’s consider warrior 3. What makes this pose challenging? What parts of the body need to be warmed up our educated in order to do this pose safely and effectively?
Well, we
know that it’s very hard to keep the hips square in this posture. So one of our
component parts may be “neutral/square hips.” We also know that the hamstrings
need to be open, so another component part may be “open hamstrings.”
Note: it is important to be specific with any component part that is referencing the hips or shoulders. It’s not enough to list a component part as “hips,” since the hip is a ball and socket joint and “hips” could mean anything! Be specific about what is happening at the hip and shoulder joint.
Your ability to balance is challenged, so another component part may be “balance,” or “foot/ankle stability.” You may also recognize that the back body has to work against gravity to find stability and lift, so you may add in “back extensors.”
While you can dive down a component part rabbit hole, it’s better to restrict the number of component parts to about six or so in order to focus on what is most important to teach or address in order to achieve the final posture.
Our final list of component parts for warrior three may be:
Hips square
Hamstrings open
Foot and ankle stability (balance)
Back extensors
Core
Final position: arms reaching forward (flexion/external rotation of upper arm at the shoulder)
Step Three: Brainstorm Your Poses
Now that we have a list of our component parts, let’s examine how we would choose our poses. For each component part on your list, brainstorm a list of less complex poses that also teach to this component part or action.
For
example, can you think of other poses in which the hips must work to be square?
What can you come up with?
There are lots of options, but our list may include:
High lunge
Chair
Pyramid
Low lunge
Half hanumanasana
Etc.
For each component part, brainstorm about five poses that you feel really help your student to understand its action. Note: you may have the same poses in multiple lists; for example, pyramid pose helps train both “square hips” as well as “open hamstrings” so it’s a double whammy!
Step Four: Organize Your Poses From Easiest To Hardest
Once you’ve created your list of poses, put them in order from most accessible (easiest on the body) to hardest (most difficult for the average practitioner). Your peak pose should be the most challenging, so warrior three will be the last pose on your list. If you have a pose on your list that’s harder than your peak, save it for a different sequence!
By
organizing your poses in this way, you will create a class plan the builds
logically in the body and helps each pose prepare for the next.
Step Five: Plan Your Transitions
Remember that peak pose sequencing is style blind; this means that this logic will work for many hatha, hot or vinyasa styles. Although the order of the poses may not change, the way in which you transition the poses will create your style. For example, in a flow practice, you may link multiple poses together, repeat poses several times, and link poses via a vinyasa or sun salutation. In a hatha style class, you may practice one static pose simply after the other.
By planning your transitions skillfully, you will create an intentional experience for your students.
Bonus: The Cool Down
One final
thought.
The class doesn’t end at the peak pose. Students often need to wind down and counter balance the body.
Consider: what poses would counterpose or balance the action of the peak pose? For example, if you have practiced warrior three as your peak, then you really don’t need to do more hamstring opening. You probably spent the whole class preparing to open the hamstrings! Instead, it may feel really nice to stretch the outer hips and inner thighs, which were active and engaged to support balancing and squaring the hips.
For your “cool down,” consider what needs to be stretched and what needs to be “contained” in order to counterbalance your peak posture. Then choose 3-5 poses that help to unwind the body from its efforts.
Pro Tip: understanding component parts can also guide your cueing. Now that you understand which component parts that are being targeted in each pose, use your cues to reinforce and instruct to those actions as you move through your sequence. By the time you reach your peak pose destination, your students will have a deeper and more embodied understanding of what they need to do.
Happiness is one of the great mysteries of life. Although we continually wonder what will make us happy and try to work for more of it, we often get frustrated and discouraged. Even with the best of intentions, we often unknowingly get in our own way. The first step to happiness is becoming aware of where you are blocking your own path so that you can “own your happy.”
Here are eight myths about happiness that may be holding you back. Change them you and notice an immediate difference in how you feel!
Myth #1
You have to be perfect (or at least try) to be happy.
There’s a difference between striving for excellence and pursuing perfection. We often believe that being perfect can keep us safe from hurt, rejection, judgment, and failure. However, this actually works against us! Because the end goal of perfectionism is to get someone else’s approval, you end up doing things and being someone that does not actually make you happy.
Antidote: When you find yourself striving for perfection, embrace the 80% rule and focus on doing the best that you can at that moment! Remember, “done is better than perfect.” Consider: is it fear that is driving you? Or a desire to be of value? Whose approval are you seeking? Practice making it your own.
Myth #2
Engaging in habits that help you “check out” will make you happier.
There are a variety of things we do to ”unwind,” but in reality, we are checking out and avoiding uncomfortable feelings. The obvious villains are food, alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes. But there are so many other more subtle “tools” that we use to numb our feelings: overextending ourselves, hanging out in overwhelm, worrying, internet surfing and overspending. These behaviors may be immediately gratifying but over time, leave you disappointed in yourself and prevent you from dealing with what is actually making you unhappy.
Antidote: Next time you’re reaching for a cookie or glass of wine, take a moment to check in with your thoughts. Are you feeling stressed or worried about something? Perhaps you’re feeling lonely or disconnected? Once you identify what you are feeling, try taking an action that would actually help you to feel better. This may be connecting with a friend, finishing a project you’ve been putting off or getting some exercise!
Myth #3
Hiding out from the world makes you feel better.
When we feel unhappy, we may hide from the world and isolate. A little alone time is helpful, but being an island on your own is overrated. We feel happiest when we are connected to others. Going it alone may look impressive from the outside, but sharing yourself with those you can trust will help you feel understood, accepted, loved and happier – especially when you are feeling down.
Antidote: Although you don’t feel like it, often connecting with others is exactly what will make you feel better. Next time you feel like isolating, take a deep breath and call a friend, go for a walk, or put yourself in a situation where you have the opportunity for positive interaction with others.
Myth #4
I’ll be happy once I __________.
Happiness and a mindset of scarcity or lack cannot coexist. If you believe some part of yourself is not enough, you will live as if it’s true. There is always an opportunity to find ourselves insufficient; then the trashy self-talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! The truth is, you are enough when you are doing your best and are feeling proud of who you are.
Antidote: Next time you experience self-doubt, notice if it is tied to something you’re avoiding. For example, if you’re feeling “not good enough,” are you using it as a justification to not take a particular action, be vulnerable or stretch outside of your comfort zone? Experiment with taking a small step despite the self-doubt. This is exactly what will build your self-confidence!
Myth #5
If I feel too happy, I’m just setting myself up for disappointment.
Experiencing happiness can be uncomfortable, scary and even anxiety-producing. We sometimes feel as if our happiness is just setting us up to fail. You may even think that negating your happiness will help the bad stuff be less painful. Don’t waste your joy! When hard times and challenges do come along, embracing your happy times will make you stronger.
Antidote: Next time you feel resistance to allowing happiness in, bring your focus back to the present moment. Recognize that you are happy and everything is okay. The future is always uncertain; living in the present moment will help you relish your joy and actually give you more resources for the inevitable challenges.
Myth #6
Your happiness depends on someone else.
Often, we make our happiness contingent upon another person or their actions. Outsourcing your happiness leaves you powerless and often feeling like a victim. While other people can – and will – bring you joy, placing your happiness in the hands of someone else is a dangerous game and puts a tremendous amount of pressure on another person. Taking responsibility for your own happiness can be initially uncomfortable, but it ultimately gives you greater power, autonomy, and control over your life.
Antidote: Next time you notice you are waiting for someone else’s approval or actions to make you happy, take a breath and check in with yourself. What can you do at that moment to take responsibility for your own happiness? Reclaim your power and do something for yourself!
Myth #7
When life slows down I’ll be happier.
We often believe that life will get better “someday!” But time is your life going by. If you postpone feeling and engaging in activities that make you happy now, you are wasting your precious time. Live as if every day is a gift. By embracing what brings you happiness today, you’ll create the life that you want in the here and now.
Antidote: Next time you catch yourself procrastinating taking an action that will bring you more happiness, stop and decide to do it anyway. Focus on propelling yourself forward in the moment versus waiting for the “right” time.
Myth #8
It’s too late, and too much has happened to be happy.
Our minds, bodies and spirits are incredibly resilient! Living in the mindset of “it’s too late” is a cop out that gives us permission to wimp out and not try. This kind of attitude allows you to stay stuck, unhappy and justified. It’s never too late to recommit to yourself and find happiness. Often we’re afraid to try because we are afraid of being vulnerable and failing. Take a deep breath and muster your courage! Even a tiny effort will go a long way to restoring your sense of potential and hope.
Antidote: Next time you catch yourself feeling life may be passing you by, deliberately take even a small action in the direction of your goals and notice the immediate change in how you feel. It is usually the small and consistent actions that lead to accomplishment and happiness.
When you’re just beginning to teach, trying to figure out what to cue in a yoga pose can be overwhelming! Sure, you obviously have to get people into the “shape” of the pose, but then what?
Here are three things to think about when you are cueing a yoga pose to keep you on skillfully on track.
1. Common misalignments and risk factors
Once you get your students into the “stick figure” version of the pose (I call it the “general form”), it’s time to think about the important intrinsic muscular actions that will help bring the pose to life.
The most obvious actions to cue are the ones that will keep the pose safe for your students. Before you teach, think about how the pose feels in your own body. Make a list of common misalignments and risk factors that you can address.
Consider:
What are the common defaults that tend to happen?
What will you cue to proactively protect against them?
For example, in warrior 2 (virabhadrasana 2), the front knee usually falls inwardly. In this case, you could cue students to “wrap the front sitting bone down to the floor” or “steer the knee toward the pinkie toe side of the foot” to keep students in proper alignment.
2. The purpose of the pose
Each pose has a unique purpose. You can think of this as the pose’s flavor. For example, warrior two (virabhadrasana 2) is all about the external rotation of the front thigh, high crescent lunge is about opening your hip flexors, and crow pose (bakasana) is about the connection of your inner thighs and lift of your core.
Consider each pose’s unique purpose and flavor within your sequence. What are the unique qualities of this pose that you wish to share? Why is the pose part of your sequence, and what does its shape offer your students that other poses do not?
3. Where You’re Going
Finally, consider your entire sequence. I sequence my classes according to a peak pose sequencing style, where we are mindfully building and opening towards a particular peak pose. If you are building towards a peak pose, consider:
What are the essential elements of my peak pose?
How can I teach the essential actions of the peak pose in this pose?
For example, if your peak pose is handstand (adho mukha vrksasana) and you are teaching chair (utkatasana), you may wish to focus squeezing the thighs together, which will be essential for effectively practicing the inversion. If you are teaching warrior 2 (virabhadrasana 2), then you may wish to focus on the stabilizing actions of the shoulder girdle (ie: drawing the ribs in as you anchor your shoulder blades onto your back). After all, core connection and scapular awareness will both be very important when you are having students weight bear on the hands and going upside down.
Final Thoughts
Finally, look around! One of the easiest ways to determine what to cue is to look at your students and speak directly to what is needed. Start at the foundation (what is touching the earth) and work your way up. You will almost always find something that you can immediately cue that will help them to thrive in their posture.
According to yogic texts, humans have a system of over 72,000 nadis, or energy channels, that flow throughout the body. These channels are not visible to the human eye, and encompass a bustling network of moving information through our system.
When the nadis, which translate into “channels” or “flow,” are open, energy flows freely — and our systems are healthy.
When the nadis are blocked, energy becomes stagnant and we experience physical and mental discomfort.
This dynamic energetic process, which is currently taking place in our bodies, is exactly like the process of marketing your business. Like the energy in your body, your marketing is most effective when it has several clear, open channels for energy, or information, to flow through consistently.
Marketing is simply sending a message through a channel.
Marketing, like the nadis, is a system of channels, or freeways, that carry information from a source to a destination.
Effective marketing is like cars moving freely on a freeway with no traffic.
Ineffective marketing is like a traffic jam where cars are stuck in place.
In other words, rather than thinking of marketing as a practice that is “good or bad,” instead think of marketing as a system of channels carrying information at varying speeds.
Using this framework, the first question to ask yourself as a business owner looking to expand your business is, “which channels are currently open, and flowing easily?”
Your channels are the ways people find you.
The number of channels you have opened will determine the ways that your customer can receive your message and decide whether to buy something from you.
Marketing channels are information gateways like Instagram, email marketing, and events. They are opportunities for you (the source) to send a message (the solution your business offers) to a destination (your customer).
Business owners may feel discouraged about their sales, but if they only have two or three marketing channels open and those channels have “bad energy flow,” then they must evaluate what’s obstructing the flow of those channels, and decide if it’s worth opening new ones.
Assuming your message is clear and that you’ve targeted the right customer, marketing channels can deliver your business’ solution quickly and directly to solve your customers’ problem.
Choosing the right channels.
Let’s say you are a nutritionist, and you host an in-person workshop about gluten-free meal planning.
In the workshop, you reference recipes from your gluten-free cookbook that help people with the problem of preparing gluten-free meals ahead of time.
Let’s say that after the workshop, you sell a cookbook to all 15 attendees.
In this instance, the marketing channel of a workshop demonstrates fast energy flow for your business because it easily allows the solution that you offer to flow to the problem that the customers have, through the nadi, or channel, of the workshop.
Let’s say that you are meditation teacher, and you create a single post on Facebook about a digital meditation course that you are selling.
Forty-eight hours after you posted about your meditation course, you’ve gotten ten likes, two comments, and zero sales.
In this instance, the marketing channel of a Facebook post demonstrates slow energy flow for your business, likely because the millions of other posts and ads about meditation on Facebook are like a traffic jam slowing down the ability for your solution (a meditation course) to reach its destination (a stressed person looking for ways to relieve anxiety.)
While this example is not to suggest that you should prioritize workshops over Facebook posts, it is an invitation for you to evaluate the speed through which energy flows from you to your prospective customers.
Practice yoga for your marketing channels.
Energy flow in our bodies is improved by the practice of yoga. When you practice yoga, you breathe deeper and infuse the nadi system with more prana, also known as life force energy.
I think of life force energy as life momentum. It’s a universal momentum that makes the seasons change, the flowers grow, and the planets orbit. It’s the same momentum that propels you out of bed each day and catapults you into your desk chair, eager to build your business.
Just as you can build prana in your own body through the practice of yoga, you can also infuse more prana into your marketing channels focused mindfulness. This doesn’t mean doing poses on your mat while making a Facebook post; it means being present and conscious as if you were doing yoga while you do your marketing.
With a yogic level of awareness and presence in your content creation, you will likely consistently craft posts that speak directly to your ideal customer, convey your message clearly, and fit in to your overall strategy.
This level of presence is what infuses your marketing channels with the energy that helps you to find your clients easily.
As a best practice, only open marketing channels that you feel consciously excited to work on. Whether it be email marketing, workshops, or YouTube videos, choose channels where you will be inspired to inject the necessary prana to lovingly reach your target audience.
Create time to nourish your marketing.
Being conscious in marketing means treating marketing with the same care as you would your yoga practice.
Just as you carve out time for your yoga practice, you can carve out time to work on marketing.
In yoga, you can only do one pose at time, and in marketing, you can only do one task at a time.
On your mat, you practice observing distractions and not engaging with them, just as you can at your desk.
Most of all, being compassionate, non-judgmental, and joyful during the process of marketing like you are in yoga is the key to creating energetically charged content.
Marketing is a practice.
There are plenty of other variables to consider when it comes to a successful conscious marketing strategy.
Looking at marketing through the lens of the nadi system is simply a reminder to be aware of the channels that you’re working with, and to remember that the remedy for any slow-moving marketing channel is more energy.
Ultimately, remember that marketing is a way of strategically using a channel to share a solution with people who have a problem, and that doing this process effectively is simply a faster way of helping people.
With over 10 years experience as a yoga practitioner, I have learned that being a male yogi can be a completely different experience from being a female yogi. Knowing what to expect can make all the difference in taking the bold step to attend your first class, but more importantly, in committing to a regular yoga practice.
Here are five things for a man to consider when starting to practice yoga.
Embrace being the odd one out
Although it is becoming increasingly popular for men to practice yoga (at least in the western world), yoga is predominantly a female environment. From the way that classes are marketed to the vivid Lycra yoga pants, it can feel as though we are entering an exclusive club. This can be an uncomfortable experience – and that’s even before setting foot on a mat!
It’s easy to feel like the odd one out when you are surrounded by a room full of super supple women, breathing in sync while we are breathlessly struggling to touch our toes. With experience, I have learned to be proud of my individuality. Let go of focusing on those external factors (such as being the only man in a yoga class or being less flexible than other practitioners!), and instead focus on the benefits of being present on the mat and prioritizing your health and wellbeing.
Do not be afraid to be your true self
As men, we have a tendency to learn from an early age that revealing our vulnerabilities is a weakness if we are to succeed in a (downward) dog-eat-dog world where often only the strongest survive. The way we act can give an impression of a hard shell that does not necessarily reflect our true self beneath. Learning to let go of this image when we arrive on the mat can be such a powerful tool in transforming our lives. Being present in the class provides us with a platform to be truly who we are – and not who society perceives us to be. Embracing this opportunity to be authentic can be a liberating experience. A yoga practice provides the means for us to delve deep within ourselves, become consciously self-aware, and proud of who we truly are.
Play with your edge – and use props
When we consider male role models (particularly sportsmen), it’s often those who succeed at competitive sports that are most widely recognized. We learn that being competitive is the pathway to success. But this can be to our detriment. Pushing ourselves beyond our own limitations can put us at risk of injury – and this applies to a yoga practice, too. We can end up trying to do yoga poses that we believe we ought to be able to do, when our body is telling us differently.
Using a yoga practice to ‘tune-in’ with our own body and mind enables us to play with our ‘edge’. Framing our yoga practice to take account of our aches, tensions, medical conditions or injuries means that we are more likely to practice safely. A yoga studio will typically have yoga props such as blocks, straps and eye pillows for use. Do not be afraid to ask how to use them to deepen into and support your practice.
Find a class that works for you
You may have any number of reasons for practicing yoga. The multi-faceted benefits of a yoga practice mean that it can touch upon and complement many aspects of your everyday life. Perhaps as a father, it is important for you to have some personal reflection and meditation time when so much of your energy must be focused on your children. If you work in a super stressful job, a more restorative yoga practice may work best for bringing calm and clarity to your life. Or, if you are a keen sportsmen, your yoga practice may be about improving your flexibility and developing balanced strength to prevent injuries. There are many different styles of yoga and the options can be bewildering. Go ahead and try different classes and teachers to find a class that works for you.
Commit to a regular yoga practice and reap the rewards
A yoga practice can be a transformative and life changing experience, and that transformation can often be felt after only a few classes. Committing to a regular practice may mean adapting a routine so that yoga can be part of everyday life. So, think about when the best time is for you to practice yoga, and slowly incorporate that practice into your daily routine.
It’s easy for us to be hard on ourselves when we miss a class, and we can discourage ourselves from returning. Being a father of twins and in a high pressure job for the UK government, I’m well aware how everyday life can get in the way of a regular yoga routine. I know that as a teacher, I am just as happy seeing students attend regularly as seeing those that have missed a few weeks before returning to the mat. Their return demonstrates how much yoga matters to them.
Investing in a yoga mat can also be a great way of deepening your commitment to your practice, as it means that you can practice yoga anytime at home. With so many competing pressures for our time, it’s so important to still find those pockets of “me time.” Even if your practice is only taking a few slower, deeper breaths, this can make the world of difference. I have found online resources such as Do Yoga With Me to be particularly beneficial for my regular yoga fix at home when I’ve not able to get to a studio. Take advantage of all that’s on offer and reap the rewards.
Do you ever leave the office feeling utterly exhausted? After sitting for 8+ hours and staring at your computer screen, you know that you should get some movement and head to the gym or catch a yoga class. But instead you instead find yourself at home – and completely spent.
According to Healthyway, some of the ways ways in which your office job can leave you feeling tired include lack of light, lack of fresh air, and lack of movement. Take this a step further, and think about the effect that a desk job has on your overall posture. Many office jobs will encourage sore wrists, tight forearms, neck strain, shoulder issues, and aching hips. We need to offset these habitual strains with movements that help to counteract these effects. (Sorry gym buffs, it’s not more squats for your already over-taxed hips!)
While adding a structured, lengthy, or intense workout after a long workday might not feel attainable (let alone possible with scheduling demands), carving out just 15 minutes for this yoga sequence that will help combat your desk fatigue from your work day.
It’s important to make time to help re-energize and refresh your body and mind after a long day at the office. This 15-minute yoga sequence for desk fatigue will help stretch your hips, open up your front body, bring length to your spine, and give you the opportunity to slow your thinking brain down. Pro tip: like any new routine, set yourself up for success; set a reminder or an alarm and leave your mat out where you can see it to help you make it happen.
Heart Opener On Blocks
Take two yoga blocks, place one in the middle of your mat, so that your spine can rest along the block. Place the other block on it’s tallest height and rest the back of your head on it. You can keep your knees bent or take your legs long (as long as your low back doesn’t feel strained).
Let your arms stretch out and relax your fingers. It can take a few breaths to get settled into this posture.
Stay here for 10 breaths.
When you are done, slowly roll off the blocks onto one side and take a few breaths.
Cat/Cow
Move to your hands and knees, and come to a table-top position. Stack your hips over your knees and your shoulders over your wrists.
Move through 3 rounds of cow / cat. Notice the movement through your spine, as well as how it feels to open through your chest and stretch through your back body.
Easy Seat With Forward Fold
Come to a seat with your legs crossed. Sit up tall, and then fold over your legs. Walk your arms out in front of you while you send your sitting bones and hips towards the space behind you.
When your left shin is in front, walk your hands over to the right to stretch through your left side body. When your right shin is in front, walk your hands over to the left to stretch through your right side body.
Repeat the seated froward fold and side stretch on the other side.
Come back to centre, sit up tall and shrug your shoulders up to your ears. Roll your shoulders back and down. Repeat 5 times.
Neck Stretch
Bring your chin to your chest to find a gentle stretch through the back of your neck.
Nod your head over to the left to find a stretch through the right side of your neck.
Come through centre and then nod your head over to the right to find a stretch through the left side of your neck.
Do this 3 times on each side.
Come back to centre and lift your head so you are looking straight ahead.
Downward Facing Dog
Move to your hands and knees and come into Downward Facing Dog. Feel free to “walk your dog”, move through your hips, whatever movements feel good. Stay here for 5 full breaths.
Forward Fold
Walk your feet to your hands and come into a forward fold. Take your feet slightly wider than hip distance as you take your hands to opposite elbows. You can stay still or give a gentle sway from side to side.
Bring your feet to inner hip-distance and release your hands towards the earth. With slightly bent knees, press through your feet, take your arms out wide, and rise to stand. Bring your hands together and through heart centre.
Tree Pose
With your hands on your hips, externally rotate your right thigh and place your right foot anywhere on your inner left leg. Press your right foot against your left leg (as long as it is above or below your knee), and lengthen your tailbone towards the ground. Keep your hips level, and you can use your hands to help you balance or challenge your balance and bring your hands to heart centre or reach your arms towards the sky.
Hold here for 5 breaths.
Move your right knee to centre, bend your left knee, and lower your hands to the earth as you step your right foot back.
Low Lunge With Your Hands Clasped
Lower your right knee to the ground, and place your hands on your hips. Level out through your pelvis again, from left to right, as well as front to back. Find a stretch through the front of your right hip and / or thigh.
Root your tailbone towards the floor and then reach your arms behind you and interlace your fingers. This will help open up through your chest.
Hold here for 5 breaths.
Place your hands on either side of your left foot and step your right foot forward. Slide your hands up your shins to lift half-way, and then forward fold.
With slightly bent knees, press through your feet, take your arms out wide, and rise to stand. Bring your hands together and through heart centre.
Repeat tree and low lunge on the other side.
Plank
From Mountain Pose (Tadasana), reach your arms up, and fold over your legs. Lift half-way, and as your hands plant on the ground, step each leg back until you are in plank pose.
Hold for 5 breaths.
Lower onto your belly.
Locust (Salabasana)
Interlace your hands behind your back and press the tops of your feet into the earth. With your leg muscles engaged (you’ll know as your knee caps will lift slightly), lengthen your spine and reach your heart forward.
Lift your chest and forehead away from the ground as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.
You can stay here and breathe or lift your legs away from the ground.
Your arms can stay where they are or you can lift them away from your back body (be sure to pay attention to how this feels in your shoulders).
Hold for 5 breaths, and then lower onto your belly.
Make your way onto your back with your feet on the floor, and underneath your knees.
Figure 4 / Eye of the Needle
Lift your right leg and take your right ankle to your left thigh (closer to your knee than your hip).
Flex your right ankle.
If you need more of a stretch for your right hip / glutes, lift your left foot so your left shin is parallel to the ground.
Flex your left ankle.
Be sure your chest is open and your shoulder blades are on the ground. Your workday has brought enough rounding through your front body, so keep space across your chest.
Hold for 5 breaths and lower both feet to the ground.
Repeat on the left side.
Bridge
With your feet inner hip-distance apart and your feet under your knees, inhale to lift your hips away from the ground.
Draw your shoulders away from your ears, interlace your fingers underneath your body, and draw your shoulder blades closer together.
Press down through your feet and see if you can lift your hips higher.
Feel the back of your head gently press into the floor so that your chest lifts up towards the sky.
Hold here for 5 breaths.
Release your hands, move your arms out from under you, and slowly lower your hips onto the earth.
Savasana
Let your entire body rest on the ground. Take your legs out wide, let your palms turn up to the sky. Let your eyes soften or completely close.
Stay here for at least 3 minutes (if you are on a schedule, set an alarm to be sure you don’t stay here longer than you can).
Slowly bring movement into your body, stretch long through your body, roll to one side. Sit up tall, bring your hands to heart centre, and notice how your body feels.
