intention

My intention over the next seven days is to consciously cultivate an understanding of the basics of
Teaching Methodology, What Makes a Complete Class, The Art of Sequencing, and Designing a Class

practice

Practice daily. Use your daily practice this week to create action. Enjoy the Sacred Preparation FIRE playlist. We are working with the third chakra Manipura. The practice theme for this month is Confidence. See the Virtual Class Studio or Live Class Recordings.

meditation

Practice daily for 3-11 minutes. Use your meditation this week to prepare your will, intention, and actions for growth.

coursework

one: Return to your Purpose Statement and refine it further.
two: Put together a basic framework for a class of any style.
three | four: Using the format in the manual as a guide, refine your original class designs (from Level 1 Week 6) or create a new class.

READING

articles: catch up
books: Core Asana Reference Guide

journal

one: Based on new information, has your answer to “What do you see to offer thought your classes changed? If so, how?
two | three | four: Mind dump your doubts. Process, receive the lessons and keep going.

on geneva

one: Share your video and your purpose statement to receive loving feedback, support, and encouragement.

FIRE - Week FOUR: Session 1: Teaching Methodology - Set Up

Discussion 
Each of the following methodologies can help us as teachers become increasingly more sensitive in creating a context in which real learning can take place.

Creating Safe and Sacred Space
The yoga class begins the moment the students enter the room. Every detail of the environment is a part of the yoga experience. If the intention of yoga is to create harmony between the body, mind, and spirit, then it is equally important to create harmony between individuals and their environment. It is worth every effort on the part of the teacher to make all preparations to ensure a comfortable, relaxed environment.

Greeting
What you feel emotionally in relation to your students affects them. Your body language, dress, and attitude tells them a great deal about you. Consider how you want to welcome your students as they enter the yoga space

Environment/Ambiance
The care and attention you put into structuring the mood and environment of the class is a large part of your task as instructor. The following details can greatly enhance the experience you wish to create: music, lighting, temperature, air quality, your appearance, and your initial contact with individuals in the group.

• Is the lighting comfortable and inviting? 

  • When a particular room has only fluorescent or harsh overhead lighting, it’s a good idea to bring a lamp or candles to soften the ambiance.

• Is the air fresh and clean-smelling? 

  • Arrive with enough time to air out the room and adjust the temperature to ensure everyone’s comfort. Burning a moderate amount of incense before the students arrive can add a meditative quality to the mood. However, too much strong-smelling incense can be irritating.

• Is the volume of your audio equipment at a reasonable level?

  • Music is one of the most potent ways to create an environment that is conducive to a particular vibe. Choose your audio with regard to the mood you want to create:

    • slow, deep, and relaxing

    • active, stimulating, energizing

    • mellow, carefree, lighthearted

    • pensive, calming, meditative.

• Is all excess furniture in the room neatly organized and either out of sight or arranged in an unused part of the room? 

  • Clear the visual space so the external environment is not distracting.

• Is the floor surface clean and comfortable? 

  • Have the floor cleaned before each class, or arrive early enough to do it yourself.

  • Bring extra mats for new students or those who do not have their own. You’ll want to have a mat for yourself. 

• Are there other activities happening around your classroom? 

  • If so, make any possible prior arrangements so that your class time is free from loud, distracting noises.

Space use
Explore different options before deciding which to incorporate into your design:

• You: Teaching from the center, up front, on a mat, on a platform, moving, staying still, sitting, standing, or a combination.

• The group: Sitting on cushions, chairs, or yoga mats; in rows, arcs, a circle, If you have handouts, items, or registration materials that need completion, set up a hospitality table/station somewhere near the entrance so that all transactions are accessible and easy to complete.

Creating psychological safety
Every time we ask our students to learn something new, we are asking them to enter into the unknown. By anticipating the physical and psychological discomforts that arise during the learning process, we are better able to create safety, support, and encouragement for relaxed learning to happen.

For each new movement or posture we are about to teach, it is important to take care of the part of our minds that needs security. Brain research has revealed that it is the job of the limbic system (associated with the “old brain,” located at the base of the brain stem) to safeguard our experience. It does so by constantly monitoring the environment for changes in temperature, light, proximity of other objects or beings, duration, and the rhythm and speed of elemental forces around us. This part of our brain is also called the “reptilian” brain, and its job is to create security. 

To be able to let go and relax into any kind of new experience, the reptilian brain must be assured that survival of the organism is not endangered. On a practical level, this is essential information for the yoga teacher, who wants to create a mood in which the mind can let go of its usual problem-solving, critical-awareness functions.

Here are some examples of questions the reptilian brain will want answered:

• How long will this class last?

• Are we going to begin and end on time?

• Is the room temperature comfortable?

• Where are the restrooms and water fountain?

• Is the floor surface clean and comfortable?

• Are these props clean?

• Do I have enough personal space around me?

• Can I hear and see the instructor?

• Where can I store my shoes, clothes, and things without worry?

• Does the instructor look competent, reliable, and approachable?

• Is there enough fresh air?

• Do I feel safe?

• Do I belong here?

From these questions, you can get a sense of the fundamental level of safety that we require in order to learn. Knowing and honoring that each of us asks these questions in one form or another, and that it is natural and expected that these questions be answered, will help you provide a truly safe environment at the most basic level. Many of these questions can be answered by the way you organize the classroom space. We need a certain level of creature comfort in order to be willing to enter another realm of experience. The extent to which our bodies are externally uncomfortable or our minds are agitated and insecure directly affects our state of relaxation.

Your interaction with individuals
How you interact with individuals in the group impacts their experience. Practice loving-kindness. Find out what your students’ needs are, and do your best to meet them. Let your students be a vehicle for you to practice sensitivity to others. Walk your talk.

Your interaction with a group
Be aware of:

• your ability to listen.

• the energy and mood of the group (i.e., tired, wired, playful, rebellious).

• respecting/being sensitive to various differences in the group

• dialoguing versus trying to fix.

• creating space for questions and reactions.

• staying open to your own learning process.

• empowering through interactions versus having your students become dependent on you.

• letting go of your “correct” answers.

• keeping agreements (such as starting and ending class on time).
  

Here are some examples of questions students may ask

• What is yoga?

• What are the benefits of yoga?

• Is yoga a religion?

• What is the difference between yoga and other types of exercise?

• Can yoga cure disease?

• What are your qualifications?

• What do you mean by meditation? By energy? By spirit?

• Is yoga for me if I have scoliosis, a spinal fusion, a neck injury, or am pregnant?

• I’m not flexible/ I have “bad” knees, am I going to be able to do this?

• When should I practice yoga and for how long at a time?

• How long does it take for yoga to work?

• Can I hurt myself doing yoga?

• What is a guru?

• Will I lose weight?

• Must I change my diet? My lifestyle?

• How is your class different from others?

Teaching And Guiding A New Posture To Beginners
Remember how you felt when you took your first yoga class? For most beginners, there is a period of adjustment. There are the natural insecurities of being in a new place, doing “weird” things with the body, and being with yourself in a new way. For many people, this can be an overwhelming experience. It’s important to be sensitive to this and to keep it in mind as you take on new students. This, along with creating an environment of acceptance and safety, can make a big difference for new students. Your level of confidence and inner organization as you enter into the experience of teaching a new posture to beginners will also make a big difference.

Here is a simple, reliable, and user-friendly format for teaching a new posture to beginners. It is comprised of eight sequential steps:

1. Give context

2. Warm up

3. Demonstrate 

4. Offer benefits, precautions, and contraindications

5. Answer questions

6. Lead

7. Answer any other questions

8. A final component to teaching a new posture is guiding the posture a second time and offering an opportunity for students to share about their experience. 

You may wish to experiment with variations or other steps that you may find helpful in your discovery process. This is just a starting place; a springboard for your expression of creativity and personality.

Teaching a diverse population
It is not unusual but often unexpected to welcome students that fit beyond the confines of the typical population. Society is becoming ever-increasingly inclusive and accepting of a spectrum of individually and identity. While acceptance, tolerance and love remain top priority, you must prepare for the possibility of sharing yoga with someone completely different than you or anyone you know, being mindful and aware of making decisions about another based on what you see or think you know. With that in mind, here are a few guidelines to support individuals in a group setting. 

• Be proactive: Ask your students about special conditions. Before class starts, ask your students if they have any concerns or health conditions that you need to be aware of. Thank any students who let you know about their condition. This is privileged information that your student trusts you with. Gently invite students to let their doctor know they are practicing yoga in order to optimize their safety and ease. In addition, you may want to suggest that your student see a yoga therapist, physical therapist or health-care professional. 

• Encourage students to use modifications, be gentle, and listen to their bodies. Encourage them to listen to their breath and to take care of themselves in class. Let them know you are there to support them as much as you can. Know and be clear about your limitations. 

• Check in with students after the class. You might ask them, “How was your experience?” “Did the class meet your needs?” Follow up to see how they might continue to feel supported in the next class.

In addition to medical conditions such as injuries or surgeries, you will encounter a spectrum of individuals at some point in your teaching career and often when you least expect it.

Low back, knee, neck, shoulder, hip and other typical and non-typical issues;  Limb-differences, stroke, assistive medical device: wheelchair - powered, manual, walking support, dementia, sense and attention variations, trans-gendered, or in transition, non-binary; women in the various stages of pregnancy, post-pregnancy and pregnancy loss; not to mention a wide scope of background and experience based on culutre, race, trauma and trauma-response. It is important to make space for moving beyond biases and into deeper levels of understanding. It is humbling and powerful to welcome and meet each individual where they are. To keep it simple - keep your heart, mind and ears open, be curious and kind.

Yoga is not about being kind and loving, yoga is about being powerful.  
Enacting kindness and love is a powerful choice. - Alex Sharry

Even with care and consideration, it is still possible to make a mistake, to say or do something that may have unintended consequences. This is a learning experience and a heart-felt apology can go a long way in creating a sense of safety, enabling the possibility to nurture a relationship. You cannot please everyone and you cannot serve everyone’s needs, but you can be mindful, kind, and clear.. It is 100% ok to admit that you may not be the right fit for a particular student. Asking questions, checking in, and expressing gratitude helps students feel seen and heard and this is a powerful gift to give another.

FIRE - Week FOUR: Session 2: Outline For Creating A Complete Yoga Experience

Discussion
There are three basic steps for creating a complete experience:

1. Tell your students what you are going to do.

2. Do it.

3. Tell them what you did.
   

Beginning

• Welcome students.

• Center with them/meditation/om.

• Create the context for today’s experience.

Middle

• Guide warm-ups.

• Review of material from previous classes.

• Introduce new material.

• Discuss the benefits and contraindications.

• Verbally demonstrate.

• Guide the posture.

End

• Transition into relaxation.

• Share, discuss, ask for questions.

• Provide inspiration/invitation for the next class.

• Make announcements/provide resources.

• Clear closing.
  
  

Creating a complete class involves many elements weaved together to open the door to the experience of flow, a state of meditation, as well the benefits to the physical body and nervous system. A complete class does not need to be filled with every possibility. It is intentionally constructed for strength, structure and stability and will safely bring a student into and out of poses. Each class, even if the same sequence is used, is unique. The success of each class will be determined both by your planning and your ability to adapt to the ever changing needs of your students throughout the entirety of the class experience. A complete class will have the following and can be adapted to most styles of yoga.

Principles, Basic Techniques & Common Elements of (Vinyasa Flow) Yoga 

• Movement and breath are coordinated together. 

• Start where you are and design a practice that is appropriate for your needs. 

• Begin with the simplest poses and progress toward the more complex. 

• Asanas contain the two quality of sthira (steadiness, alertness) and sukha (inner joy, ease) and reflect the hatha approach of the union of opposites (solar/lunar)

• Use counterposes to balance the effects of each asana. 

• Use modifications of postures for different levels and injury prevention

• Listen to your body, always come out of a pose when your breath or equilibrium is distributed or there is strain in the body 

• Cultivate a gradual progression/evolution within your yoga practice.

• Always maintain breath.

Asana postures: 

• Standing poses

• Balancing poses

• Backbends

• Twists

• Forward bends

• Hip openers

• Inversions

• Core

• Arm balances

• Namaskars*

Ujjayi Pranayama: victorious breath halt back of throat 

Drishti Gaze: placement of the eyes for concentration and inner/outer balance

Bandhas, locks for gathering energy: 

• mula bandha (root lock)

• uddiyana bandha (lifting up. flying)

• jalandhara bandha (chin lock)
  

Sun Salutations* 

The consummate vinyasa found throughout yoga traditions - a refined sequence that integrates all aspects of a person's being. Within the sun salutations, we find that union of hatha, bhakti, jnana yoga embodies the spirit of namaskar - a realization and reverence for the essential energy of life.

• Meaning "salutation to the sun" can be seen as a form of worship to the sun, and all that it represents. 

• Awakens the solar aspects of our nature and releases the vital energy of the development of higher awareness. This can be realized by practicing each morning as well as a way to honor the source of creation and life.

• Composed of the 3 elements of form, energy, and rhythm. It generates prana, the subtle energy which activates the physical body. Its performance in a steady, rhythmic sequence reflects the rhythm of the universe.

• Daily practice will awaken our own inherent solar forces so that we can attune ourselves to the cosmic nature of the universe and revitalize our lives. The alternating backward and forward bending flexing and stretching the spine and limbs. Regular practice will gradually open the body.

• Namaskars

  • Classical

  • Surya A

  • Surya B

  • Mandala Namaskar

  • Chandra namaskar

Navigating the Flow: questions to help connect the underlying evolution within a practice

• Grounding/Stabilizing/Embodiment in the pose: Where is the anchor within a pose? Where is your mind right now? How do you feel in the posture?

• Activation: Where is the pose activated/initiated from?

• Elongation: In which direction is the spine elongated?

• Relationship: What is the relationship from one pose to the next?
  

FIRE - Week FOUR: Session 3: The Art of Sequencing

Discussion
There are a number of basic principles for sequencing asana that can support an optimal experience for students. Although some of the information below follows a particular logic, it’s not etched in stone. It’s important to be attuned to what your class is craving, or to focus on what you’re teaching in your curriculum. Distinguish whether you’re leading a class that will visit and touch upon many posture categories or a class that has a particular focus. If you are emphasizing a particular posture category, use your warm-up sequence and first round of postures to open, strengthen, and stretch the following:

• Standing postures: calves, quads, hips

• Backbends: shoulders, quads, spine, abdominals

• Arm balances: hips, spine, abdominals

• Twists: side body, shoulders, abdominals

• Inversions: shoulders

Sequencing may also vary depending on the time of day. In a morning class, we might spend more time warming the muscles and joints; in an afternoon/evening practice, we might sequence more cooling and nervous system-balancing postures to help students wind down from a full day.

In general, a class begins with warm-ups, and progresses to asanas that require strength and stamina (standing, balancing, abdominal) within the first half of the class.The middle or high point of a class consists of the postures that require the most strength, stamina, and flexibility (backbends, deep twists, arm balances). It’s important that the last part of the class contains asanas that are cooling, quieting, and balancing (forward folds, gentler twists, inversions).

Warm-Ups: 

• Begin with joint warm-ups: wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, hips, shoulders

• Lead slow, repetitive movements, gradually increasing the pace and tempo. 

• Open the hips and shoulders. 

• Establish a connection to the breath and coordination of breath and movement. 

• Explore utilizing a simple vinyasa to warm up the major muscles and joints. Surya Namaskar and its variations help to open the main muscles of the legs, hips, torso, arms, and shoulders. It flexes and lengthens the spine and helps to build strength and stamina.

Standing postures: 

• Best practiced early in a class, standing postures require strength and stamina, and work the upper legs which are the largest muscles in the body which also heat up the body.

• They are also stimulating in nature, which increases mental alertness and builds confidence, to help students feel more grounded and stable..

Balancing postures: 

• Best done toward the end of a standing sequence, when students feel grounded and stable, balancing poses create stability or reflect the current mental and physical state. Although asymmetrical postures occur in almost every category, they are most common in the balancing category. 

• Balancing poses point out differences in strength and/or flexibility and, through practice, provide an opportunity to even out these differences. In order to increase either strength or flexibility, guide students to practice on the weaker or tighter side first and last, and on the stronger or more flexible side just once.

Lateral side-bends: 

• Best explored after the spine has warmed up, lateral/side bends help elongate the ribs and warm the tissue of the torso. They support elongation in backbends and help to engage the core.

Abdominal strengtheners/Core Work:

• Best practiced after warming up and stretching the muscles of the legs and groin, core work can be interwoven throughout the practice or focused on in the first half of a class, as they tend to induce a great deal of heat.

Backbends: 

• Backbends are typically done at the high point of a class because they require the greatest amount of physical preparation. 

• The shoulders, low back, quadriceps, adductors, and pelvic floor must be sufficiently lengthened and warmed up in order to do backbends safely. 

• Because deep backbends create heat and stimulate the nervous system, be sure to provide sufficient time to cool down afterward and a counter pose.

Forward bends: 

• Forward bends are excellent poses to incorporate in the cool-down phase of practice because they are quieting, and help generate introversion. 

• Forward bends provide a counter stretch for the opening in a backbend.

Twists: 

• Considered to be neutralizing postures, twists calm the body if agitated and stimulate it if dull or lethargic. They help bring the nervous system and glandular system into balance. 

• If done after backbends, they are cooling and soothing. 

• If done after forward bends or restorative poses, they become stimulating.

• They serve as transitional poses to restore balance, and as such are good postures with which to end a class.

Inversions: 

• Best performed after shoulder openers, such as Bridge, and shoulder strengtheners, such as Downward-Facing Dog. 

• Explore Headstand before Shoulderstand (half or full), as Headstand is a heating inversion, while Shoulderstand is cooling and provides a counter-stretch to the neck muscles.

The Art of & Palette for Sequencing
A sequence is a group of related poses which connect in progression based upon: 

1. alignment

2. purpose

3. complexity

The sequence is initiated, sustained and interconnected through the rhythm of the inhale and exhale. The art of sequencing is the ability to offer a practice of yoga that is effective, beautiful and integrated.

• An effective sequence is safe, balanced, efficient and transformational on as many levels as possible.

• A beautiful sequence has aesthetic integrity, elegance and is inwardly satisfying (like a work of art or nature). 

• An integrated sequence takes into account the multi-dimensional aspects of the human experience and the wholeness of yoga (.le., physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual).

Your palette for sequencing a vinyasa class is based upon an interaction of:

• The Basic Techniques of Hatha Yoga: asana, pranayama, bandhas, dristi, dharana and dhyana (concentration and meditation), chanting & vinyasa. They serve as the colors of the palette - the material from which you can create your practice. The tools.

• The Human Being/the students the setting of the class/practice: this determines what and how you will sequence or "paint" the class. 

• The teacher/YOU! All that you bring to the art of teaching (your studies, your practice, your experience with teaching, your life experience and stories) including elements that get integrated into the practice to serve yogic process (music, poetry, yogic texts, props, bodywork, philosophical perspectives/metaphors that illuminate yoga).

• Living, loving, serving life in all forms.

Sequencing (with time suggestions)

• Opening wave (3-5min)
  Includes opening invocation & optional movement mediations Chanting Om is one of the most effective ways to create a shift of consciousness, collective unity and heart opening. Om is a simple change that everyone can participate in. You can include arm movements and/or whole body movements to introduce bhava/mood. Choose a movement meditation that enhances your theme. Introduce simple movements then plant the seeds of the practice (instead of having students just staring at you!) Offer students the option to set an intention/sankalpa. 
  

• Namaskar wave (15 min)
  Sun salutation variations. Choose namaskars in relation to the peak pose.
  

• Core/Inversion cultivation wave (10 min)
  Cultivation of core/bandha strength & awareness serves to center and cultivate samanya vayu. Core awareness is essential for solar practices (core can be skipped in a lunar practice, or integrated during handstands for example or as a counterpose.) Choose movements that cultivate core strength in an intelligent way that will mirror the movements and actions that will support the main body of the class. 

• Solar/Lunar waves (20-40 min)
  Create 1-3 waves that create deeper levels of opening, preparing the body intelligently for peak pose where each wave leads to the next, each one feeds the next and there is a relationship between all of the waves. Build from the simple to complex.

• Backbend wave/Counterpose wave (10 min)
  This is where the peak backbend can be developed further before a final backbend (like urdhva dhanurasana). This wave offers a counter balance to the class.
  

• Inversion wave (5 min)
  Depending on the level of the class, either offer an inversion wave or hip openers.

• Closing (10-15min)
  Savasana, closing chants, mudras, meditation, returning to Source 

Step-By-Step Creative Process To Design Your Own Authentic Sequence

Aim, Transformation, Peak Pose— Consider the journey you want to take your students on. What is the aim, goal? What is the transformation that will occur during calls? Consider the highest point of activity. This is particularly important for vinyasa sequences. From peak pose establish the stages and related asanas to the peak pose. decide which namaskar will compliment the peak pose. What asanas will intelligently unfold and offer an experience leading to a peak? What needs to be opened/strengthened?

Sankalpa—Write three to five sentences, in the form of a sankalpa, which can be used at the opening of your class to clearly communicate the mood or intention of the themed sequence. This how you set the mood, your theme, how you open your class and defines your task in class today .. It is affirmational. (3-5 sentences) watch Elena Brower - she’s a master at this. This is what you will study before you go into the class. It dials in your mind. The mind always wants to know .. speak it from your heart.

Anatomical Focus—Define the anatomical focus in a short bulleted list. This becomes the alignment you cue in every pose. Use the same cue in different ways. That way you can take people into a deeper experience without saying it over and over again - the alternative ways of saying the same thing helps you to direct without a lot extra.

Three-Wave Grid—Map out the progression of poses over a three-wave grid that warms you up, takes you to the peak pose, and winds you down for savasana. Create a sequence that makes sense. 60 min, to manage your time. Wave 1 warm up. Wave 2 to your peak, your highest point of your activity. Wave 3 to wind down. This is not law. There are no rules, other than common sense.

Talking Points—Develop your theme by writing down bite-sized talking points that can be cued sporadically to deepen the emotional connection of the poses. Use these to drive in the sankalpa. The are a navigational way to keep coming back to the intention, a thread you wave through the experience/class. This is what your students will remember and hopefully use in their lives.

Side note: In Angelus you have 21 sequences, 3 for each chakra, each with a sankalpa, anatomical cues and talking points and now you have a methodology for creating a complete class.

FIRE - Week FOUR: Session 4: Design

Script

Welcome: 2-5min
Hi, my name is .. [ your name here ]

Welcome to this … [time amount, name the style, intensity, level ]
(ex: 60 minute all levels flow class).

In this class ... [ sankalpa: name what to expect, what the aim or focus will be, other details to prepare your students for what to expect ]
(ex: We will be working with the 5th chakra which is the area of the body associated with the throat and neck as well as expression, communication and listening. Let's get started in a comfortable seat …)

This aim or goal of this class ... [ aim ] as we move from/to [ transformation ]
(ex: We are going to move from chaotic to clear.)


Warm up: 5-10 min
Warming up: head circles, neck stretch, cat/cow focus on the cervical spine and neck; breath work

3 waves: 30 min
3-5 waves working to a peak, weave in anatomical cues (+ transitional, super, support, cues) and talking points

- Wave One: 10 min
Salutations, lunges, counter pose with shoulder openers

- Wave Two: 10 min
High lunge with shoulder openers, eagle arms, high lunges with spin/twist, warrior pose with shoulder openers, eagle to warrior 3 with eagle arms, open to warrior 2

- Wave Three: 10 min
Downdog, child's, childs with shoulder opener, supine pigeon, bridge with focus on the throat, heros to supine hero's with eagle arms as a variation, camel pose .. or fish pose, or supported fish pose with a block. You could add pincha/pincha variations for an inversion then/or a supine twist before savasana.

Savasana: 10 min and Closing: 2-5 min
Spoken word, heartfelt wisdom, a moment of meditation, expression of gratitude - a clear, consistent ending.