Yoga for Every Body: How to Adapt Yoga Poses for Different Situations,...
I remember many years ago when I just started practicing yoga, I learned to do yoga poses in a very specific way: feet go here, arms go there, etc. Once[...] The post Yoga for Every Body: How to Adapt...
View ArticleWhat can singing teach us about yoga? How to structure effective yoga classes
Recently I’ve been very fond of this 24-year old singer from Kazakhstan whose name is Dimash. Despite his young age he demonstrates incredible musical skill and unbelievable vocal range. He[...] The...
View ArticleWho are your yoga students and what do they need?
When I started teaching yoga many years ago I remember spending a lot of time wondering “What do my students want in a yoga class?” and trying to please everybody.[...] The post Who are your yoga...
View ArticleWho sets the intention for the yoga class – the teacher or the student?
When I go to a yoga class and the teacher asks students to set an intention for the practice, I usually get frazzled. What exactly does she want me to[...] The post Who sets the intention for the yoga...
View ArticleHow to set an intention for a specific group of students
When my son was about 5 years old I made a point of finding some after-school activities for him to do. We were lucky that there were plenty of choices[...] The post How to set an intention for a...
View ArticleWhat do pregnant women need in a yoga class?
Some years ago I was invited to teach an introductory workshop on viniyoga at a local health club for women. It was a large group of about 50-60 women, and[...] The post What do pregnant women need in...
View ArticleHow to give your yoga students an experience, rather than “same old, same...
Couple of weeks ago I went to get a massage at a wellness center that I’ve never been to before. What struck me the most was how welcoming and considerate[...] The post How to give your yoga students...
View ArticleYoga practice ideas based on the Panchamaya Model
My teacher Gary Kraftsow often says: “You can’t teach what you don’t have”. This means that to be effective yoga teachers, we need to practice our own yoga. If you[...] The post Yoga practice ideas...
View ArticleLess but better: Essentialism in yoga practice design
I’ve been reading an interesting book called Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. I really connect to the main point of the book which is the idea[...] The post Less but...
View Article“What am I going to teach today?” How to narrow your options for maximum impact
I was amused to discover that the word priority came into the English language in the 1400s and meant “the very first or prior thing”. It stayed singular till 1900s[...] The post “What am I going to...
View ArticleThree steps to effective yoga practice design
Our professional lives seep into our personal lives whether we like it or not. Shawn Achor in his book The Happiness Advantage tells a story of a tax auditor who[...] The post Three steps to effective...
View ArticleSix elements that make up an inspired life of a yoga teacher
When I was going through my yoga therapist training about eight years ago, I was expected to complete a number of assignments in between training sessions. It was a struggle.[...] The post Six elements...
View ArticleHow to plan a yoga class
I was educated as a school teacher, and in the past I had written my fair share of lesson plans that usually started with “By the end of the class[...] The post How to plan a yoga class appeared first...
View ArticleLooking for inspiration? Join me at SYTAR!
Teaching yoga is a creative profession, which means that it flows more smoothly when you are motivated and inspired. What inspires you? There are many places where we can look[...] The post Looking for...
View ArticleFill your heart with light yoga practice
One of my favorite movies to this day is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This remarkable film explores some fascinating themes, including the nature of love and role of[...] The post Fill your...
View ArticleWhat’s so special about yoga series?
Few years ago I wrote a blog post about the similarities that a well-designed yoga class has to a good movie. All those ideas still hold true. However, the entertainment[...] The post What’s so special...
View ArticleIs lower back pain gender-specific?
My grandmother suffered from lower back pain for many years. She described it as sharp, debilitating pain on one side of her lower spine. The only remedy she could find[...] The post Is lower back pain...
View ArticleTake care of your lower back and sacrum
Last week we explored how hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy and postpartum challenges, recurring asymmetrical activity, and sports injuries can lead to sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction and manifest as...
View ArticleFollow the sun: Short yoga practice for happy neck
It is hard for me to believe that June is almost over. My last two weeks seem like a blur of planes, trains, hotels, yoga events and family visits. And[...] The post Follow the sun: Short yoga practice...
View ArticleYoga teacher’s toolbox: How to work with neck and upper back
Whenever you design a yoga class aimed at releasing tension in the neck and upper back, it helps to remember the following important points: Static stretching of the neck[...] The post Yoga teacher’s...
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