First Yoga Class Taught

It's been a long, enlightening journey teaching yoga. Or at least, attempting to teach yoga. I spent a lot of time sequencing classes and practicing the exact words I'd use to explain the asanas. My first class 8 weeks ago is written below. I used a simple sequence from the Iyengar Institute in New York. Much has changed since my first class - the way I sequence, the poses I select, the way I teach, and talk.

Class 1 
Have students bring two blankets and 2 blocks to their mat. Introduce yourself Ask about students experience Ask if anyone has pain or body issues

Namaskarasna
Bending the elbows bring the palms together in front of the sternum
Place the thumb side near the sternum
Have an equal contact between the base of the palm, the middle of the palm, and the length of all fingers. 

Tadasana
Stand upright in the middle of your mat
Keep feet together, toes, ankles and heels touching
See that the body weight is spread evenly over the feet
Tighten the kneecaps and lift the knees up
Press the front of the thighs back
Keep the spine erect and the chest lifted
Place your arms down by the sides, in line with the hips
Roll the shoulders back and tuck the shoulder-blades in
Keep neck and head straight
Look straight ahead

Urdhva Hastasana
Stand in Tadasana
Exhale and extend the arms straight forward and above the head
Keep the upper arms in line with the ears
Bring the palms to face each other
Extend the wrists and fingers
Look up and check that the palms are facing each other and exactly parallel
Look straight ahead

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasna
Stand in Tadasana
Interlock the fingers
Rotate the palms of the hands & wrists away from you
Keep thumbs pointing towards the floor
Straighten the elbows
Extend the arms toward the ceiling keeping the upper arms in line with the ears
Have the entire surface of the both palms equally facing the ceiling
Bring the hands forward
Release the interlock, lower the arms down
Change the interlock

Vrksasana
Bring short end of the mall to the wall
Stand in Tadasana
Bend the right knee and catch hold of the right ankle
Take the knee out to the right side
Place the sole of the right foot high on the inside of the left thigh, toes pointing down
Keep the left leg straight and steady
Extend the arms straight over the head
Keep palms together
To Exit » Exhale, lower right foot to the floor
Take arms down and repeat on other side

Utthita Trikonasana
Inhale and jump the feet 4ft apart
Keep the feet parallel and point forwards
Extend the arms out at shoulder level
Open the palms face them down
Lift the knees, trunk and chest
Turn the right leg and foot 90 to the right
Turn the left foot, slightly in
Keep the head and chest aligned
Exhale and extend the trunk to the right
Place the right hand down on the block next to the shin
Stretch the left arm in line with the left shoulder
Turn the head and look up
Keep both arms and legs straight
Inhale to come up

Utthita Parsvakonasana
Stand in Tadasana Inhale and jump the feet 4ft apart
Keep the feet parallel and point forwards
Extend the arms out at shoulder level
Turn the right leg and foot 90 to the right
Turn the left foot, slightly in
Bend the right leg to a right angle
Take the right hand down to the block next to the leg
Keep the chest facing the front
Extend the left arm up toward the ceiling
Turn the head to look up at the hand

Parsvottanasana
Place two block on the right side of mat
Stand in Tadasana Inhale and jump the feet 3ft apart
Keep the feet parallel and pointing forward
Place hands on the waist
Turn the right leg 90 to the right
Turn the left leg in and torso to face the right Inhale and lift the chest
Exhale and bend at the waist to bring the torso parallel to the floor
Place the hands on the blocks
Straighten the legs
Concave the back
Raise the head and look up

Prasarita Padottanasana
Place two blocks in front of the mat
Stand in Tadasana
Inhale and jump the feet 4ft. apart
Keep the feet parallel and pointing forward
Exhale, extend the trunk forward from the hips
Place the fingertips on the blocks shoulder width apart
Keep the legs straight
Concave the back
Lift the chest and sternum
Raise the head and look up

Adho Mukha Svanasana
Keep the hands should width apart
Keep the feet in line with the palms
Open the palms, spread the fingers and press them evenly on the floor
Exhale and lengthen the spine up towards the hips
Keep the elbows and legs straight
Lift the thighs up and push them back
Lift the hips
Move the trunk towards the thighs
Take the heels towards the floor

Teaching Yoga

I have been enrolled in an advanced yoga studies program and teacher training for the past 2 years. I need 10 hours of teaching a class in order to register for yoga alliance teaching certification. I've been procrastinating this portion of the program since I am terrified of standing in front of class to explain and guide students in an asana practice. Terrified. I can happily say that I have finished teaching 2 classes as of Friday night. One of the teacher's in the training program asked me months ago if I would be interested in teaching a class at the space she teaches at, Mystical Sciences Institute. I'm glad I'm there. What I like about teaching there is that it is not a gym or fitness center since I regard yoga as a spiritual discipline and not a form of physical fitness. MSI isn't a yoga studio which is nice. Students come to me because they want to learn and there's not many yoga teachers there. I'm learning a lot thru teaching. All I know of yoga is from my personal practice. While in classes we use props and I could never explain what I physically was doing, I just...did it. Now I have to verbalize this practice which is an educational experience because I'm approaching the asana practice with words and not just my body and personal insight. I feel like I'm not just going back to the basics, but approaching the basic with a new light. I'm learning about how to approach the practice to students that do know. For example, I'm noticing that the classes I taught were focused on asanas and sequencing. When I construct my next class I want to integrate more Iyengar / props into specific actions I want them to experience. Like:

• The four corners of the feet
• Rolling the thighs inward
• Pressing the front of the thighs to the back of the thighs

I feel so silly that I forgot to demonstrate with props all these helpful aspects of the asanas. Ah well. I love approaching from this aspect. It keeps me on my toes so that I can fully understand the practice.

Standing Asana with Brad

I found this VERY helpful Iyengar source site "Brad's Iyengar Yoga Notebook" -  I will be using the information in my notes and daily practice.

While constructing a standing pose sequence, use the following order:

1. Lateral Bends (Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana)
2. Backbends (Virabhadrasana I)
3. Twists (Paritta Trikonasana)
4. Inverted (Uttanasana, Prasarita Padottanasana)

I'll practice the following vinyasa standing sequence Brad recommends with additional asana at the end of the practice. I hardly practice vinyasa maybe because they are normally avoided or rarely used in the Iyengar method:

• Tadasana, jump your legs apart and move into:
• Trikonasana to the right, walk your right hand forward and move into:
• Ardha Chandrasana on the right, turn your torso toward the floor into:
• Virabhadrasana III, reach back and ground your left leg into:
• Virabhadrasana I, turn your hips leftward into:
• Virabhadrasana II, bend your torso forward into:
• Parsvakonasana to the right, rotate your torso into:
• Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, walk your left hand forward into:
• Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana, reach back and ground your left leg into:
• Parivrtta Trikonasana, join your hands behind your back and move into:
• Parsvottanasana to the right, turn your torso around to the left into:  
• Prasarita Padottanasana, continue turning your torso leftward into:

• Repeat the sequence on the left side

• Adho Mukha Svanasana
• Sirsasana
• Adho Mukha Virasana
• Sarvangasana
• Halasana
• Savasana

Saturday Morning Class

In my Saturday 8:30am class we focused on holding poses for 5 minutes. Not many adjustments were made by the teacher so the focus was almost entirely up to you. One begins to fully understand their bodies and selves once holding a pose for 5 minutes.

1. Utanasana
2. Adho Mukha Svanasana
3. Adho Mukha Virasana
   
4. Prasarita Padottanasana
5. Salamba Sirsasana
6. Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
7. Salamba Sarvangasana
8. Halasana
9. Savasana (w/ pranayama blanket setup)
   

Light on Yoga: Week Five & Six

1. Utthita Trikonasana
2. Utthita Parsvakonasana
3. Virabhadrasana I
4. Virabhadrasana II
5. Parivrtta Trikonasana
6. Parsvottanasana
7. Prasarita Padottanasana I
8. Urdhva Prasarita Padasana
9. Pariporrna Navasana
10. Ardha Navasana
11. Salamba Sarvangasana I
12. Halasana
13. Ujjayi Pranayama in Savasana

I found it very interesting that Mr. Iyengar introduces Urdhva Prasarita Padasana and Navasana. These are asanas that I don't practice on a daily basis and are not regularly incorporated in my weekly classes. I found it especially interesting that he introduces pranayama so quickly. I was told that pranayama should be taught and practiced only when a yogini has a regular and steady asana practice. I'm glad that I have decided to start working my way through these weekly courses in Light on Yoga; it refreshes my memory on asanas and proper techniques. I also understand sequencing more, something that can still be confusing.

Geeta: Week Four

1. Samasthiti
2. Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana
3. Utthita Trikonasana
4. Virabhadrasana II
5. Utthita Parsvakonasana
6. Vimanasana
7. Virabhadrasana I (turning the trunk & bending leg)
8. Utkatasana
9. Parsvottanasana (hands down, head down)
10. Uttanasana
    
11. Ardha Halasana (swinging from floor to rest feet on wall)
12. Eka Pada Sarvangasana
13. Paschimottanasana
14. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
15. Savasana

This week's sequence is very similar to week three. I believe two asanas are added and one eliminated. I like how Geeta introduces Eka Pada Sarvangasana instead of Salamba Sarvangasana; it's easier to get into the latter when adding one leg at a time upward.

I think if I was to teach yoga, I would teach a group of individual asanas separately (like Utthita Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana II and Utthita Parsvakonasana) and then demonstrate in a quicker sequence-like form. I'm starting to practice in this fashion and believe students would appreciate and benefit learning how asanas are grouped together.

Geeta Week Three

1. Samasthiti
2. Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana
3. Vrksasana
4. Utthita Trikonasana
5. Virabhadrasana II
6. Utthita Parsvakonasana
7. Virabhadrasana I (turning the trunk)
8. Utkatasana
9. Parsvottanasana (hands down, head down)
10. Baddha Hasta Uttanasana
11. Ardha Halasana (swinging from floor to rest feet on wall)
12. Paschimottanasana
13. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
14. Savasana

Geeta eliminates the hand/arm asanas and instead focuses on standing asanas. Vrksasana, Virabhadrasana I, Utkatasana, Uttanasana and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana are introduced this week. From this sequence, you discover that standing asanas are important and vital in the beginning of your yoga journey. In the place of inversions, there are prepartory poses in which the head is down like Setu Bandha Sarvangasana and the inversion Halasana.

Light on Yoga: Week Three & Four

1. Utthita Trikonasana
2. Utthita Parsvakonasana
3. Vibradrasana I
4. Vibradrasana II
5. Parivrtta Trikonasana
6. Parsvottanasana
7. Prasarita Padottanasana I
8. Salamba Sarvangasana I
9. Halasana
10. Savasana

In week three and four, Mr. Iyengar has eliminated Tadasana (which should be practiced at the beginning of every standing asana) and Vrksasana. In their place, he's added Parivrtta Trikonasana, which I find difficult for a beginner, and Prasarita Padottanasana I, which must be a preparatory for Sirsasana. Short sequence and different from Geeta's introduction to standing poses. She places Vibradrasana II in between Utthita Trikonasana and Utthita Parsvakonasana. She also incorporates more standing asana into the first weeks and gentle inversions.

Be Happy Now

Standing on my head in Sirsasana, I started to think upon being happy in the here and now. This statement has been said time and time again. I understand that. But as I have more time on my hands these days, my mind panics and dreams of a better place, a better time, a better anything. Will this be my key to happiness and a meaningful existence? Or will this "better" like anything else, succumb to the same ups and downs that make life confusing and exhausting? When do I have to change route in my life? Am I better off doing something completely different or must I make it work? Am I over thinking all of this? I remember my yoga teacher saying that confusion is good because you're taking control over your life by restating the rules. You are confused and so then you seek information on your own terms; nobody else's. Life is so short and sometimes feels like it's hanging by the thread. Shouldn't we seek meaning or do we have to worry about finding a job to pay the bills so that we can eat and have a place to sleep? If I'm happy, am I just comfortable? Maybe there's a fine line between seeking more meaning and just simply complaining. Be happy, but always strive to do your best. Life is taxing, how can we ever be happy in that stressful now? I guess situations can always be worse and you need an attitude of gratitude. Those overlooked pleasures can be taken away and that can be regretted. Maybe the more time on my hands, the more I contemplate because idle hand are the devil's playthings.