Yoga Movie: Who Owns Yoga?

Controversy over Religious/Spiritual aspect
"Social science research has proven that just doing the poses and just doing yoga breathing is enough to cause spiritual transformation" - lawyer representing parents of Encinitas school district

Day 24: Seated Asanas (John)

Day 23: Voice, Sound & Vibrations (Devan)

Weekend Study: Cellphones and Music (John)

Having a need to fill up emptiness, loneliness
Always doing - try being

Day 22: Teaching Assignment 2 (John)

• Rather than talking from the script in your head - be in the moment, walk around and find inspiration in the students
• Move around, don't get rooted in one spot. It helps the thought flow
• Space to breath versus space to think - people can tell if you're trying to figure out what to do next and will check out
• Owning the space includes time - take your time
• Not obligated to say everything you know about the pose

Day 21: Pranayama and Asana (John)

Bee pranayama

Day 20: Bhaj Govindam (Shastri)

"'is'-ness is my business" - Shastri

Day 19: The Science of Relaxation (Louis)

What distinguishes yoga from other sports is the science of relaxation.

You can control involuntary systems of the body through the breath.

Day 18: How to Best Describe a Pose (John)

The best words that the most people understand
For example, instead of "engage the core," describe the physical action with "draw the belly in."

Day 17: A Day without John (Mimm)

Day 16: Special Populations (Hillary)

Day 15: Why Learn Anatomy (Louis)

You don't need to know anatomy to teach yoga. The requirement comes from a Western attitude of wanting to know, to dissect and analyze every posture. But anatomy is helpful in your own practice, in helping other's practice.

"Each and every joint in my body has its own freedom...I can articulate it piece by piece" - BYS Iyengar

Day 14: Connecting with Students (John)

You want to make an impact on the class as a whole, and a class is made out of individuals. Reach each student at some point during the session.

• Know your students' names
• Greet new students
• Avoid using students as examples

Adjustments

• Adjustments should be done with intention, not like limp handshakes
• Err on the side of safety - don't push, show them where to go
• Ask if they are ok - you don't know when people will snap or break

Day 13: First Teaching Assignment (John)

Wow, I'm pretty elated from today's class. We each led the class through a two pose sequence of our choice. There was a good variety- some taught on, some off their mats, some taught new moves, some winged it. We each got feedback from John, and some general tips:

• remind (don't tell) people to breathe - find ways to say it so that people don't tune it out
• remind them to breathe as often as possible
• begin every command with the breath
• don't say "um," say "breathe" instead
• own the room - fill it with your voice, walk around it

There's many things to say for each pose, besides the breath. Natalie suggested to us on Saturday to have three cues for getting into and out of each pose. And to ease transitions by first naming the pose then giving your cues. 

We do all of this well when leading sun salutations. For sun salutations we've settled into a consistent set of cues and language, which is appropriate for their pace and repetitiveness. But for poses that we hold longer I like how John finds creative ways to draw our attention to our breath and finding our "sukha" in each pose. I think that is the next challenge.

Day 12: Isavasya Upanisad (Shastri)

Day 11: Meditation (Natalie)

Day 10: MAPS and Make-ups (John&Mimm)

Day 9: Asana (John&Mimm)

Day 8: Yoga Sutras (Shastri)

Day 7: Anatomy (Louis)

Day 6: (John&Mimm)

Day 5: Three C's of Teaching (John)

Day 4: Bhaja Govindam (Shastri)

Day 3: The 8 Commandments of Yoga (Lindsay)

According to the Bible of Yoga, a.k.a. the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali, there are 8-limbs or paths for the aspiring yogi. These are as follows.

1. Yamas, the Don'ts
1. Ahimsa, or Non-violence
Besides the obvious do not hurt or kill, this includes non-violence in word and thought. Don't say or think destructive things to others and yourself included.
1. Satya, or Truth
Have integrity. Stand for something.
2. Astaya, or Non-stealing
This can include stealing time, attention, and resources. Wastefulness is stealing from the future.
3. Bramachaya, or Moderation
Everything in moderation. This is not about asceticism or abstinence; it's about protecting the sacredness of things we enjoy.
4. Aparigraha, or Non-Possessive
This doesn't mean we don't care or don't live deeply with feeling; it's about fully appreciating the moments and people in your life.


2. Niyamas, the Do's
1. Saucha, or Purity
Hygiene and cleanliness is a form of mindful living and respect for our environment. By bringing order to things we can see more clearly. There are some interesting yogic hygiene techniques, including oil pulling, sun-gazing, and saline nasal rinse.
2. Santosha, or Contentment
"People in the West are always getting ready to live" - What are you looking for? Life is right now, even in the mundane. Appreciating this can make even boring tasks fun.
3. Tapas, or Discipline
The the combined heat of discipline, courage, and determination that you need to make yourself into something.
4. Suadhyaya, or Self-Study
Notice what you feel, what provokes your feeling, don't suppress it. Journal, reflect, and meditate. Notice that others are a mirror for ourselves - what we dis/like in other people is what we dis/like in ourselves.
5. Ishvara Pranidhama, or Surrender
Don't try to control or do everything. Accept that you can't control everything.


3. Asanas
Physical exercise to quiet the body. Then you can focus on exercising the mind.

4. Pranayama
Connection with breath. Breathing techniques. Ex. Kapalabhati - deep inhale, exhale in sharp breaths by drawing in the belly multiple times

5. Pratyahara
Sensory deprivation. Play with sensory input. Exercise: wear earplugs and go walk in a park

6. Dharana
Single-pointed concentration. Examples: drishti, trataka, mantra.

7. Dhyana
Merging with the moment. Having a meditative state always.

8. Samadhi
Bliss consciousness, divine union.

We've all experienced these states, but the yogi seeks to achieve each state consciously, with purpose.

Day 2: Three Things to Remember as a Yoga Teacher (John)

1) Always remain a student
Keep your ego in check. Be open minded

2) Keep Practicing
This is the source of your creativity. Teaching class doesn't count; you have to practice for yourself. You need to keep teaching from your own experience. Practice with a journal nearby to jot down any ideas.

3) Lead as a Role Model
Know what it means to be a yoga teacher, what people associate with you. Yoga is a physical practice infused with spiritual philosophy, so people might look to you for guidance in more than just asanas. It's your responsibility to realize that and live up to that role.

And another thing that isn't something to do so much as it is a reality you may or may not notice - you will attract people who like you and who are like you. There will always be people who like you and people who don't. So whatever your teaching style, keep it yours.

Day 1: Introductions (all)

Day 1 of class we all introduced ourselves, teachers then students.