Do you have any great warm up routines or ideas to share? I got so accustomed to using energization at The Expanding Light for warming up, I have forgotten some of the wonderful other stretches and postures to use.

Also, I feel more comfortable teaching beginning yoga because of my own practice being on that level. I was wondering what to do with those students whose level far surpasses my own and who want more challenging variations on the poses. If I cannot personally model the variations, how would you suggest I address this situation?

If you have any other helpful tips to pass along, reflecting back to your early teaching experiences, this yogini would be most grateful.

Blessings,
Donna

ANSWERS:

From Candace Nigh

My favorite warm-up:

From a seated position raise the arms overhead and stretch toward the ceiling while pushing the pelvis towards the floor. Take care not to arch the back; consciously pull the tail in. Hold for about 30 seconds. Do a side stretch to the left for 30 seconds and then come back to center. Do a side stretch to the right for 30 sec and then come back to center. Watch the breath throughout the pose. (This is the equivalent of a sitting moon pose.) My students really like this; it is very centering. One student even said she did it at the pool before swimming to help get centered and prepare her breathing for swimming.

For more advanced students:

Invite them to perform the poses at a more advanced level if they feel to. Let them draw on their own experience and ask them to take responsibility for themselves. As far as demonstrating a pose at a level that you can't go to -- this sounds a little awkward and a bit of an overreach. You may be able to handle it one-on-one with the help of a picture or video. But I think it would be awkward during a class.

I also don't think it's necessary. I read the Gyandev interview with Swami and he emphasized that physical prowess is not the all-important goal. Inviting people to go to a place of Spirit and connect is the goal. Trust yourself; it sounds like you are coming from that place. The greatest gift you can give your students is to help them find that.

You are enough -- you don't have to push yourself beyond your own limits in order to be a successful teacher.

Blessings and love,
Candace Nigh

From Patti Milliron

I only teach beginning classes at the college here in Bishop, CA. If thereare advanced students who attend, Ananda Yoga is new to them, so they can take their practice deeper energetically. Look for adjustments that they may need and trust that they are there because they love to do yoga and be in that environment. I personally like the challenge of finding adaptations for students at their own level.

There have been handouts that I have received at Ananda for warm-up routines; I really like Circle of Joy and some of the hip openers. There is also a great video available for doing some strap work that is VERY SLOW and really coordinates breath and movement.

Blessings,
Patti Milliron / Hanz On Massage and Yoga
2311 Brigadoon Ave., Bishop, CA 93514
(760)873-5606
E-Mail: hanzinnamaste@AOL.com

From Gail La Mar

I always start my classes with the Hong Sau technique . . . and then a foot massage while keeping the mind on the breath. I have found that this not only helps prevent foot cramps, but relaxes the students and helps them to concentrate. I then do the cat/cow and the following “cow flow:”

Cow Flow

Start with table position
Inhale into the cow
Exhale extending legs straight behind and arms straight – upward facing dog
Bring forehead down to mat, exhaling
Inhale into cobra coming up onto knees
Exhale going back into extended child
Continue back to (l)

Good luck.....

Gail La Mar
Yoga Spirit Half Moon Bay, California

From Butchie Smith

First I make sure that new students know that I'm teaching beginning level yoga and that I teach yoga as a spiritual practice which has nothing to do with religion.

I like to start my students by centering in corpse. I have them first become aware of their breath and just notice how they are breathing. Then we do full yogic breath. Then I have them let their breath return to normal and bring their awareness into their body.

I ask them to notice where their skin touches the floor, where their fingers touch each other, where their skin touches their clothes, etc. Then I have them bring their awareness into their mind and begin to notice their thoughts and allow them to float away (you can use visualizations such as clouds floating in the sky). Then I tell them that if they begin to follow a thought or become attached to it, simply to notice it and gently bring the mind back to the breath and the present moment.

I tell them that this is what you want to do in your yoga asanas: to become fully present.

Then I begin with hamstring stretches. I have found that this is a problem area for many people and by stretching and lengthening the hamstrings it makes almost all the asanas easier and also helps protect the back. I really emphasize breathing in all the warm ups so that it begins to become normal to breathe that way, and they can begin to see how the breath allows them to bring energy into the pose and allows them to release and relax into the asana.

Next I might do some pelvic tilts. I usually use circle of joy for a warm up and some shoulders rolls. Then some easy neck exercises (e.g., looking left and right, drawing figure eights or circles with the nose). I try to do cat-cow each time and have them visualize a stream of energy such as light or a white pearl moving up the spine as they inhale into cow and the energy moving back down as they exhale into cat.

You can add some leg-raises with this. I like to teach downward dog after cat cow. I have them stop in cow and notice where their shoulders and shoulder blades are and then to try to have that same feeling in downward dog. Also wrist rolls are a good warm up before you do downward dog.

As for more advanced students: I remind everyone that the perfect asana is the most simple one done with complete awareness, that yoga is not a competition or looking like the pictures in the book but rather learning to go deep into stillness and to the source of your true self. Now, having said that, there are some really good books out there that will help you learn more advanced variations.

People can be very limber and physically ready to do more advanced poses but still have no idea what it is they are supposed to be getting out of it. Show them how standing in mountain and tree can truly be advanced.

Love what you teach!

Sincerely,
Butchie Smith

From Bliss Wood – Ananda teacher 1999 – Nashville, TN

Dear Donna,

I think you're on the right track with the energization exercises for warm-ups. They are good to incorporate into your class. I always make sure that I warm up the wrists and ankles, as they are used often and forgotten most often in many postures: rotate ankles inward and outward (as in the opening of Energization); rotate wrists in the same way; you may also lengthen the forearms and wrists by holding your arm straight out, turning the fingers down, palm away from you, then gently (using the other hand) pulling the fingers of the extended hand toward you, lengthening through the wrist and forearm. Then, turn the palm toward you and again pull the fingers toward you.....repeat the sequence on the other side.

As far as teaching advanced students, I continually remind myself that there will always be someone who knows more than me. Teach from your center. Usually, if there are poses that I feel uncomfortable in, I will show the variations that I can do and then I will hold the variation that is most comfortable for me. I find that this really helps beginner students, too, who may feel self-conscious about not knowing as much as other experienced students. True "advanced" students will not be worried about how you look anyway....they will be concentrating on their own inner changes.

Also, if you feel inclined, network in your community and send those advanced students to other classes that offer more advanced yoga. In turn, you will note that these other instructors will create a network with you and start sending you clients as well!!

I hope this helps you! Good luck!

Namaste ,
Bliss