500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Part 2) Lecture Note
BANDHAS
Bandhas are muscular contractions applied to the body to direct prana (subtle energy).
They lift and lock subtle energy and prevent prana dissipation.
Bandhas are key in transporting prana safely and effectively.
Jalandhara Bandha (“Throat Lock”)
Allows free flow of prana and stimulates the throat Chakra.
Creates a purifying effect on thoughts and actions, inspiring the mind to reside in the heart.
Teaching:
Lift chest bone.
Tuck shoulder blades together.
Tuck chin and bend head slightly down.
No tension in neck muscles.
Relax throat and root of tongue.
Possible benefits:
Stabilizes blood pressure in the head.
Presses Ida and Pingala, allowing Kundalini to flow in Sushumna.
Clears nasal passages.
Regulates flow of blood and prana to head and heart.
Relaxes brain, humbles the ego.
Necessary preparation for Ujjayi.
Uddiyana Bandha (“Abdominal Grip”)
Used to move energy from the lower abdomen upwards, from the root Chakra to the heart Chakra, surrendering the ego to the heart.
Uddiyana translates as “upward-flying”.
Teaching:
Begin standing, or sitting in Easy Pose.
If standing, bend knees and flex at hips, supporting upper body with hands on thighs.
With a light Jalandhara Bandha, inhale deeply, then exhale strongly and fully.
Holding bahya kumbhaka (i.e., breath retention after the exhalation), draw navel to spine and up toward ribcage.
Maintain this drawing-in action as you inhale.
Notice that breath now expands predominantly the chest and upper back, while the belly remains drawn in to maintain the support of Uddiyana Bandha.
Often used while practicing asana and pranayama and can be done as a practice on its own.
Should always be done on an empty stomach and never during menstruation or pregnancy.
Possible benefits:
Prana flows from low abdominals up to head.
Massages internal organs.
Increases gastric fire power to eliminate toxins.
Leads to youthful, long life.
Mula Bandha (“Root Lock”)
Blending of prana, creating Tapas (heat).
Increases stability in the pelvis.
Teaching:
Contract anal sphincter (Ashwini Mudra).
Contract muscles of the pelvic floor as you would to stop the flow of urine.
The navel will naturally draw in and up.
The experience of Mula Bandha can be different depending on the sex organs.
Possible benefits:
Downward flow of apana is reversed ~ unites with prana at the navel centre ~ creating a neutral mind.
Encourages energy flow in Sushumna.
Provides vigor and luster.
Maha Bandha (“Great Lock”)
In Sanskrit, Maha means “great”. In Maha Bandha, you apply the techniques of Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Mula Bandhas all at once.
Maha Bandha may influence the endocrine system due to muscle contraction and its relationship to the functioning of the endocrine system.
Hasta Bandha (the “Hand”) | Pada Bandha (the “Foot”)
These Bandhas are created by the Chakras in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet in dynamic, energetic contact with the living earth.
For example, in Downward Facing Dog awareness of Hasta Bandha and Pada Bandha can help draw fresh energy from the earth up through the hands and feet into your core, on the inhalation, and exhaling you can send any tension in the body out through the hands and feet into the earth.
MUDRAS
What Are Mudras?
Yoga Mudras are understood as a healing modality.
The Sanskrit word Mudra translates as gesture, mark or seal.
Mudras are generally hand positions, though they can also be shapes we make with the whole body or with a specific area of the body.
Mudras are said to affect the movement of Prana, which is life force energy.
In Western terms, we could say that they may stimulate the nervous system, creating beneficial shifts in both our physical and mental state.
Mudras may also affect our energy body and emotions.
The best way to understand the effects of mudras is to use them in your practice and discover, experientially, how they make you feel.
Lotus Mudra
The Lotus Mudra is a symbol of purity and opens the heart.
It can be utilized for cultivating love and affection or even to ease loneliness.
Bring hands together at your heart; palms together, fingertips touching.
Blossom your fingers away from each other but keep the little fingers and thumbs together.
The lower portion of the palms touch as well as the pads of the little fingers and thumbs.
If the hands are closed, they resemble the buds of a lotus flower, when open and fingers wide, it is the lotus opening.
Namaste | Anjali Mudra
Often referred to as prayer position, it connects the left and right sides of the brain enabling communication between the two sides.
This is a customary gesture of greeting in India; it expresses “suchness” (tahata).
Meaning “two handfuls,” this is the Mudra of offering and devotion.
Place the hands in the position for prayer, but instead of pressing the hands together completely, the fingers form the shape of a bud, leaving a small space in between the palms as a symbol of opening our heart to a greater understanding.
Jnana or Dhyana Mudra
The gesture of consciousness and knowledge, Jnana Mudra modifies the pranic flow in the fingers where usually the prana flows out.
We redirect some of the flow by joining the thumb and forefinger and forming a circular loop.
This redirects the energy inwards, calming the mind.
It is said that, using this Mudra, one can sit in meditation for a long duration, as it reduces the number of distractions arising in the mind.
Join together the tips of the index finger and the thumb, pressing them lightly into one another.
Straighten the other three fingers gently. Relax the palms.
Dhyani Mudra
The gesture of meditation and contemplation.
The right hand resting on top symbolizes the state of enlightenment; the other, below, the world of appearance.
Expresses overcoming the world of appearance through enlightenment.
Back of the right-hand rests in the palm of the other with tips of the thumbs lightly touching.
Ksepana Mudra
The gesture of pouring out and letting go, stimulating elimination through the large intestine, skin and lungs, helping to release tensions of all kinds.
Place the index fingers flat against each other; clasp the rest of the fingers allowing the fingers to rest onto the backs of the hands.
Cross the thumbs.
ASANA | ASSISTING & ADJUSTING
Assists: Verbal
Verbal assists have the potential to be empowering when articulated clearly and effectively.
These cues have the ability to significantly change a student's experience of the asana, the class and of their own bodies.
Verbally stating or cueing an assist so the entire class can hear it will contribute to others’ practices, as they will often assess themselves and make a self-adjustment.
How to Observe
Assess: read the space and student's attitude/energy, facial cues and their level of energy.
What looks beneficial for them in the asana so far?
Many times, a misalignment in the upper body begins in the foundation.
Is how they are expressing the asana working for their body?
Can you see areas where the student may be at risk?
Steps to Provide a Verbal Assist
Move towards the student, soften your voice and give your cues as an action command.
Observe to see that they have understood and acknowledged them.
It is not helpful to state a generic instruction. For example, if someone has most of their weight in the heels of their feet, you want to include additional information so only those that need to adjust will do so. You might say, “If your weight is residing in your heels, find the balance by shifting some of the weight into the front of your feet.” When verbally cueing, many students will automatically assume you are talking to them, therefore it is important to provide enough information so all students can determine if the verbal cue applies to them.
Choose 1 Element to Offer as an Assist
Start slowly by giving one cue at a time and allowing the student to fully integrate that into their body ~ too much, too quickly, will not work.
Ask Yourself: What is my INTENTION in offering this Assist?
Before you offer the assist, understand the intention behind it.
When you provide a verbal assist, be clear about the intended result before speaking.
Think carefully about what you are going to say so that you can transmit the information clearly and concisely.
What if a student does NOT understand or does NOT react to my cues?
Try again with different language and wording.
Offer a variation.
Show them by demonstrating on/with your own body.
Offer a hands-on assist.
Assists: Hands-On
Human touch can be a strong teaching tool. Each teacher will develop their individual style as their teaching and intuition develop.
As with verbal assists, the purpose of hands-on assists is to modify the experience of the posture, not to ¨fix¨ or ¨correct¨ it. Be sensitive to the reaction of the student and only do as much as will serve them and benefit their experience.
A supportive hand can be very liberating.
Allowing a student to “feel” their way into the adjustment you are suggesting allows an experiential memory to be established in the body. This helps the student explore a different expression of the asana on their own, rather than you moving their body for them.
Must I use Hands on Assists When I Teach?
Absolutely not! There are plenty of wonderful teachers who do not offer hands-on assists. If you are uncomfortable, unsure or nervous your students will sense that and be less likely to experience a benefit from the assist.
However, learning general assists can be valuable as it helps us to understand different expressions of the asana and offers an option for supporting students.
How to Observe (BEFORE Touching and/or Adjusting)
Notice if you have a tendency to gravitate toward certain types of students. Avoid this habit.
Offer assists to both men and women, and students you don't like.
You will need to give beginners more help. This is two-fold ~ it helps the students who need help the most, and it keeps more experienced students, who generally receive more assists, from being adjusted too frequently.
Students can take a deep expression of the asana, but with incorrect alignment. Decide if taking them back a few steps, or all the way back, will enable them to move towards the best expression for their body, on that day.
Think clearly and act confidently; otherwise, don’t offer the assist.
Assists are custom made, based on the teacher's review of the student's unique needs.
Assists are never mechanical or one-size-fits-all.
Assists should match the energy of the student. If they seem low on energy, offer them support and encouragement. If they are enthusiastic, you might offer a challenging assist.
Every student comes with complex feelings, challenges, yearnings, and dreams ~ they bring those to mat. Meet your students where they are today.
Any physical touch can be interpreted as intimacy. Be extremely careful where and how you touch a student and be aware that some students may misinterpret your intentions. Students may not only misinterpret assists as intimate ovations, but also as criticism.
Find ways to let students know you are there; do not "sneak up” on anyone. Approach with a warm and calm presence and use your hands with clear intention.
Teachers should always ask permission before touching; make your request clearly, yet quietly, and be prepared for a “no”.
Steps to Providing Hands-On Assists
Your touch should be confident, clear and compassionate.
Try to be sensitive and aware, through your hands, so that your energy doesn't overpower the Student’s experience of the Asana.
When touching, be sensitive to heat, tingling, pulsation and receptivity or rigidity in the Student.
Keep your hands soft and receptive, to notice how your touch is being received; pressure can also be firm, at times.
Begin with a light touch that makes soft contact, free of pressure. As you breathe and attune to the Student, use mild pressure that allows you to get a sense of tissue tension. Mild pressure can help to ground the Student in their body and bring full awareness to the Asana. Deep Pressure is not appropriate; it may destabilize the Student and send a message that is counter-intuitive to a Student-centered approach.
Be sure the student is steady and stable, before you release the touch.
If the Asana you assist has a left and a right side, you may try to come back to the same Student to give the same assist on the opposite side.
When assisting a Student, work with the flow of the breath for the Asana and breathe in sync with the breath of your Student.
The assist should be a balance of both Teacher and Student ‘working’.
The Teacher should not be ‘holding’ the posture for the Student, but ‘holding the space’ for the Student to expand deeper into the Asana.
Avoid ‘intimate’ assists – ask yourself if it is truly necessary.
When you are new to assisting Students it’s a good idea to offer adjustments/assists that are not intimate in nature. As you progress in your own practice of assisting others, and as you get to know your Students, you may want to explore some assists that may have initially seemed too intimate.
Look for the following signs to know if your assist is helpful for the student:
A deeper breath can be a sign of completion as energy flow has been established.
Tissue softening may be a sign of releasing tension.
Their breath is steady and even, not short or blocked.
Their muscles and soft tissue give in to your touch and don't contract or freeze.
Their face is relaxed, not scrunched.
Ask: What is My Intention in Offering the Assist?
Observe the person in front of you and be clear about why you are assisting them.
Consider these questions:
Is this for the student's benefit, or am I just showing off or exerting power?
Does this student require an assist or am I just restless?
Are you trying to help a student with alignment?
Are you helping the student find a deeper expression of an asana that they might not be able to find without your assistance?
Are you adjusting a student in order to prevent injury?
Does the student need to find more space for their breath?
Wayne Dyer describes intention as: “an invisible force of energy that reminds us everything is connected.”
Remember:
When we are helping someone expand a posture or encouraging them to understand a posture in a different way, we are energetically connecting with them and holding the space for them to have an experience of their body, mind and breath.
Be aware of your energy ~ if you are having a ‘bad’ day or experiencing a negative emotion (sadness, anger, grief, etc.), be thoughtful before laying your hands on a student and transferring that energy to your student; be mindful of how you enter a student’s space.
If you are sick or recovering from a cold, be mindful about touching your students; is it really necessary today?
Adjustments can knock people off balance, so be sure that you’ve got their back (literally).
If it is your intention to mold them into the perfect asana, don’t assist. This should not be your goal at any time. If it is, it is time to step back and look inward and ask why you are feeling this ~ perfection is not the aim of yoga practice.
The Three C’s (Compassion | Clarity | Confidence)
Compassion, Clarity and Confidence ~ cultivate these in all aspects of teaching, including hands-on assists and adjustments.
Compassion: What is their energy?
Clarity of Intention: What do you want to see change?
Confident Assist: Stabilize before deepening.
The Tools (Yoga Props)
A solid understanding of foundational anatomy and biomechanics as well as creativity, awareness, sensitivity, and a spirit of playfulness are essential tools that every yoga teacher should have before assisting.
A mistake that students and yoga teachers make is thinking of asanas as beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each body is unique and will be exceptional in some ways and less exceptional in others.
Proper alignment should never be compromised for the sake of the ego. When you know that a blanket, bolster, ball, strap, block, chair, wall, or another prop would help a student's alignment, use the prop.
Use props if they’re available but be prepared to improvise if they’re not. Creativity can help you determine who needs what, and when. There is no limit to what can be used for a yoga prop. Your true potential as a teacher is only limited by your thinking.
Reminders
The Use of Touch:
Touch is a teaching tool. Through touch, we can become more acutely aware of our bodies and this can assist in self-teaching. Touch is also about protecting those who might be at risk for injury. Touch can be important for emotional reasons. It is a way to acknowledge Students and to make a connection. When touching a Student, be sensitive to their emotional boundaries. Be aware of touch that feels like a caress. If you suspect that a Student doesn't want to be touched, do not touch them.
Mindful Touch is the physical form of presence and listening, to facilitate the flow in the body's internal energy channels. The level of touch should match the level of tension in the Student's body/mind.
Less IS More:
Sometimes it's better not to give an assist, even when you see something you might "fix." You do not have to assist everybody, or in every class. Be aware of your intentions.
Beginners:
Don’t focus all of your attention on beginners. You are still forming a relationship and establishing trust with them. New students may get discouraged if they think that their asanas are always incorrect. Do adjust beginners if they're at risk of harming themselves or if you can help them find more ease in an asana.
Your Goal is Direction, Not Perfection:
Every yoga asana is an expression of beauty and beauty is not just found in perfectly executed alignment. It is found in the courage, faith and perseverance shown by students as they struggle through class. When approaching a student, think less about “what’s wrong with this asana?” and think more, “how can I help this person experience this asana more fully?”
Know Your Intent Before You Approach:
As a new teacher, you may find yourself standing next to a student, hands on their body and all of a sudden, you are unsure of what the point of your assist was. You do not want to be in this situation! Think about the primary action of the asana and assist to reinforce that action (this thought should happen as you are approaching the student, so you are ready when you get to them). If you are unsure, do not assist.
Encourage Modifications:
Students often don’t know how to modify and think they are unskilled if they do use modifications. They also may feel like the Teacher or other Students will judge them if they don’t do the most difficult variation of the Asana. If you see a Student struggling, show them how to lower a knee down or how to use a prop. Most will be grateful that you did.
Be Present:
Assisting requires the same level of connection and presence as teaching. Be completely connected to what you are doing. Breathe, be firm in your foundation and watch your Student’s reactions to your touch.
Stay Neutral:
Things will arise for Students when you assist them and often you too will feel it, see it or hear it. Students sometimes will shove a block away that you offer, or say, “no thanks” when you approach to help. They’ll grimace, groan or sigh. Try not to react. You are there to be helpful. Your goal is to assist without getting caught up in any potential drama that may arise. Be respectful. Move on, without apology or excuse. Your goal is to offer, not to force.
Take Care of Yourself Before and After Class:
This may be a new way of teaching for you; it can be more physically and mentally challenging. Make sure if you are assisting, you are well rested, hydrated and healthy before you go. Also consider what you need for self-care after a class.
Maintain Eye Contact:
Make sure, as you are connecting to individual Students and their experience, to maintain awareness of the rest of your class. It’s common for Teachers to get caught up in helping one student and end up leaving the rest of the class in a posture for too long. Try to avoid this.
Anticipate:
Recognize that by helping a Student who is struggling, you may help the other Students in the room as well.
Welcome Beginners Enthusiastically and Walk Them into the Studio:
Help beginners select a space and let them know you are there to assist them. It can be overwhelming to walk into a yoga studio for the first time. Show them where the props are and tell them what they need. You might choose to place their mat somewhere near yours, but to the side. This way, they can see you and you can offer them suggestions and modifications without leaving your mat. Avoid placing them in the centre of the class where they might feel like they are “on display”.
Remember Assisting Students begins the minute they walk through the door. Develop relationships with your Students; get to know them and support them in a way that allows them to gradually become their own best Teacher.
ASANA METHODOLOGY & SEQUENCING
Sequencing (How To)
How do you create a class that appeals to all students and gives them an experience of yoga, body, mind and soul?
Where do you start?
How do you put it all together to not only ensure you have enough content to fill your time, but that you are providing space for your students to explore their practice on a deeper level?
Some teachers find that sequencing is the most challenging part of planning a class. Knowing what to do and when is only the beginning.
Perhaps you have an inspiring theme or an asana that you would like to teach, but putting all of that together so that the body is prepared for that asana and so that it aligns with your theme, all while still creating a safe experience, is challenging for even experienced teachers.
Have you ever taken a class where the theme didn’t match the class structure, or the postures didn’t seem to work together?
Perhaps the class felt choppy and didn’t really flow or you got the sense that the teacher didn’t have a plan and they were perhaps “winging” it.
Having a plan does not mean that mistakes won’t happen! It also does not mean that your “plan” won’t change.
However, by taking the time to structure classes and even practicing them, you will get a clearer understanding of what works and what doesn’t.
Sequencing does matter!
Ultimately, how will your students feel in the postures – will their bodies be “warmed up” enough or ready for the postures you plan to teach? Does it make sense to jump into a Dancer Pose right off the bat, or would it make more sense to spend some time opening the hips and hamstrings, first, before attempting such a challenging posture? How will they feel at the end of your class and even later on through their day? Are we teaching to really give them an experience of yoga, or just going through the motions and can’t wait to get it over with?
The union of yoga is physical, emotional, and energetic. If we practice deep postures without first warming up, we may feel poorly. If we practice active or intense postures with counter-poses and cool down appropriately afterwards, we may feel good. Students expect us to structure our classes so that they achieve the desired result.
New teachers should plan and write out a sequence before teaching, even practicing their sequence themselves before teaching it. Many experienced teachers still do this, but with experience and more teaching, you begin to gain confidence and knowledge and this practice may not be necessary.
As a new teacher, don’t “wing” it. Take the time ~ be prepared. But also, be willing to change and adapt the sequence you have created, based on the experience level and energy of the students present in your class on that day.
How much time should you spend creating a class? This varies depending on the style of yoga, your personality, and how long you’ve been teaching.
Elements of a Yoga Class
When teaching, ensure that you are teaching students the practice of yoga but also in a way that is safe and inviting. The following elements of a yoga class are essential:
Correct, Concise Cueing: Do not be too wordy! How can you get students in and out of postures smoothly and safely? Move students into an asana with simple cueing and then provide more alignment cues once they’ve got their foundation set.
Breath Cueing: Teach students how to move with their breath ~ inhale this, exhale that. This will not only ensure that students are breathing throughout their practice but that they are using their breath as a tool in their practice.
Transitions & Timing: Don’t rush! While you need to ensure that you have enough time in class to get through the postures you want to do, allow time for students to experience each posture. Practice your transitions.
Word Choice: Take care with your word choice. Do students understand you? Be mindful of your tone. Your voice should set the pace of the class. While you want to have a strong voice which projects, you want to find a way of doing this that doesn’t come across as shouting.
Avoidances | Challenges: Inform students of any avoidances or challenges in postures or pranayama that you are teaching. You do not know all of the issues that students come in with, so ensure you are looking out for their safety. When mentioning challenges also provide modifications or variations so all students can participate. Avoidances are absolutes and should be made clear.
Modifications, Props: Offer students modifications or the use of props as often as needed. Not all postures are accessible to all students, but we can make them more accessible by providing options.
Sharing the Teachings & Benefits: Teach students about the practice of yoga. Can you include information about the benefits of the asana you are teaching? Can you teach students how to listen to their bodies while incorporating the 8 limbs of yoga? Use and share your knowledge but understand there is a fine line between sharing enough and sharing too much.
Teach Pranayama: Teach students how to breathe. Teach them how to move with their breath.
Meditation: Teach students how to be still, how to be mindful and how to be present on and off the mat.
Relaxation: Never miss Savasana! Give students the opportunity to slow down, to rest, renew and restore, in silence.
Connect with your students: Be present! Take the time to connect with students and observe them while they practice. Be aware of when they need assistance or another option.
Tools to Sequence Your Classes
Choosing a Theme
Many teachers choose a theme for their classes. A theme is a great way to create structure, while also incorporating the more philosophical side of yoga with the asana that you choose to teach. Themes can also help you to stay focused on something specific, rather than providing too much information.
How do you choose a theme? The answer is simple: what are you passionate about? You will always teach a good class if you teach from your heart.
Stay Inspired to Teach
You may go through periods where you feel a little less inspired or are not sure what to teach. Perhaps you feel like your classes always include the same postures and have become routine. These are great reasons for you to explore sequencing. Widen your perspective and get creative!
Create Balance
A balanced practice will involve the whole body but that doesn’t mean you need to have an equal number of standing postures, seated postures, forward bends, backward bends, twists, and inversions. You can focus on a few areas and types of postures and still benefit the whole body.
If you want the practice to feel nurturing and calming, you may start out slow with supine postures to relax the nervous system or a quiet meditation to open the practice. Then gently introduce standing postures and perhaps, nearer the end of the active sequence, inversions. If you want to create a fun and vibrant class, you might start with building the energy in the room with some Sun Salutations, standing asanas, and challenging balance poses before moving to the floor and slowing down to prepare for Savasana.
Teach a “Peak” Asana
If you want to teach hip openers or backbends, for example, create a sequence that warms up the required joints and muscles and teaches the types of movements the students will need to do in order to approach the intended postures with strength and stability.
A back-bending class may start with standing postures that emphasize rooting through the feet and the stability in the legs and pelvis. You might focus on opening the front body, gradually; teaching students to use their core to lengthen their torso, before moving into the first full backbend and progressing to perhaps more challenging backbends.
It is important to always teach a balanced practice, utilizing appropriate counter-poses, especially when teaching deep back bends and/or with beginner students.
Creativity
Be creative with your sequencing. While some postures flow together easily due to the placement of the body, notice when you are getting stuck in always doing the same sequences throughout the entire class. Familiar sequences are useful but it’s also nice to mix things up from time to time, to help your students get to know their bodies in new ways.
Once in a while, offer your students different ways to transition and even new groupings of postures. While Warrior II and Extended Side Angle are easily sequenced together, how else could you transition to an Extended Side Angle? This can be transformative for your teaching.
That said, be mindful that creative sequencing does not cause confusion or become overly complex. A yoga class should have some predictable sequences and transitions so that students “know where they are going next”. This will allow them to focus on the deeper experience of the practice, rather than always waiting for the next cue, as they will have to with constantly changing transitions.
Repetition
In a yoga class, we often see Sun Salutations, Plank, and Downward Facing Dog repeated several times. Not very often do teachers repeat other postures ~ but that doesn’t mean that you can’t. In fact, perhaps you should. As students start to learn postures, we can provide them with more cues every time they revisit it. As you may know, the 1st time you do a Down Dog in your practice it feels different from when you do it the 5th time; the same is true about all other postures.
Human nature allows for learning through repetition. As a teacher, we can break down postures and give students the option to take another variation further along in the class.
Teaching
As a teacher, whether you have spent 10 minutes or 2 hours on a sequence, you should also be prepared for anything. Be prepared to let the sequence go if it doesn’t work with the students that are in front of you. Ground yourself. Let go of your day and be present to your students and their practice. Are you so distracted that you can no longer remember the sequence you planned to teach or do not even see your students?
The breath is one of the most powerful tools. When cueing breath and counting breath, be alert to counting much too fast or much too slowly. Choose a student who has steady breathing and count their breaths or count your own. Not all students will have the same breath count, so also let the students know that they do not need to follow your count, but should breathe at the pace that feels best for them.
Hold space for your students but keep your boundaries clear. This applies to chatter in class, noise levels, questions etc.
As a teacher, you are TEACHING, NOT PRACTICING when you lead a class. Demonstrating is necessary, but if you find yourself doing the whole class with your students, you know you have done the students a disservice. Make time for your personal practice outside of your teaching.
There are many online resources to help you build a practice. Yoga Journal offers a complimentary version ~ yogajournal.com
We suggest that in your 1st year of teaching you use the ancient technology of pen & paper to create a sequence!
The Use of Language from Effective Language for Yoga Teaching by Karen Fabian
What you say really does matter! It is important when cueing asana to keep your language and word choice simple and concise to allow more space for your students’ introspection. Less is more!
As teachers, we consider a yoga pose from a variety of perspectives: 1) how the pose feels in our own body; 2) how we've been taught; 3) the movement or shape we wish to see; 4) what we have found to be effective in the past. The words we use to describe each pose can range from simple to complex and can be based on sensation, anatomy or appearance of the body in the posture.
Often, students coming to yoga classes are in a state of sensory overload. The constant stream of information we’re exposed to through radio, television and internet, and the challenges of our jobs and relationships can leave people exhausted, making it difficult for them to listen intently in class. Your job is to figure out how to cut through the chatter in their heads to make your instruction heard and understood.
For instance, when you say, “Bring your feet together,” you want to see them step the inner edges of their feet together. When you make that request and then look at your students you will notice the variation among students. Some of it might be due to anatomy; for some people standing with the feet completely together is uncomfortable. But for some, it’s because they aren’t hearing you. They may be looking around. They might be concerned about what’s going to come next. They’re self-conscious. They’re worried they won’t be able to keep up. They’re thinking they have to push themselves to get the most benefit out of the class.
Once you realize this, you see that the words you use are a prime opportunity to cut through the noise and help them take action. Some words and phrases are more effective than others.
It’s useful to practice speaking clearly and succinctly. You can say, “Bring the inner edges of your feet together, feel the edges pressing and make sure they’re completely together,” or, “Bring your feet together.” As teachers, we often make a request and then repeat it in