Focal point in balance poses
Greetings Tias and Surya, With your training I am inspired in new ways to deepen my practice. One challenge I’m finding is in teaching students balance poses. Â For instance, in eagle pose my students have asked me ~ where is a good focus point (inward or outward) visually? With arms …
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Tripod Headstand – question about pressure on cranial bones.
I have a question that no one seems to know the exact answer to… In tripod headstand, no matter how I cushion my head, I feel like the floor is pushing the plates of my skull in slightly, like a slight shifting. Do you know what this is? I haven’t …
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Jalandhara Bandha
Many times in class you suggest lifting the back skull like the head of cobra, widening and lifting upwards to allow the front skull to descend downwards. Â I understand the point of this directive in taking our seat for meditation, but I would love to hear the “energetics” of why …
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Social Media and Yoga
Tias, I have a burning question for you relating to social media, the direction of our culture and citta vrtti. I have several young people who help me manage the studio and they are frustrated in my lack of interest with facebook, twitter, linkedin or whatever else is out there. …
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How can I discover the style of teaching I would be best at?
Yoga has had a profound effect on my life and I’m drawn more and more to sharing it with others through teaching. I’ve traveled and moved a lot and have been blessed with experiencing a great variety of teachers and styles. But when it comes to teaching on my own, …
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Ways to guide students in lifting the pelvic floor?
Press inner thighs together with a block to engage inner groin adductor to begin the process of understanding the lift of the pelvic floor. Also, suggest lying on the back and getting them to soften the abdominal organs and begin to get the same actions in the legs, contracting and …
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“How much is too pregnant?”
If I am in my eigth month. Is it too late to start yoga? Good News! Eight months is not too late to begin a yoga practice as long as you have the wise council and approval of your midwife or doctor and are able to study with an experienced …
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How many cues should I offer my students that are learning new poses?
Question: Sometimes I think I overwhelm my students by giving too many cues per pose. I think all of them are important, but how should I choose which ones to use? What’s a good number to give per pose? Answer: The goal of verbal cues is to provide your student …
Read MoreHow shall I start teaching an active elderly student?
Dear Maya, I would start with supported standing poses paying attention to how they stand and balance with support of a wall or countertop. Poses like utthita hasta padasana: legs spread apart ….feet accurately placed and arms extended in line with the shoulders. Or parsva hastasna learning to rotate the …
Read MoreWhat shall I do to help avoid hyperextension in my joints in yoga practice?
Hi Angelica, I encourage you to strengthen your joints especially in your legs. Excessive mobility is often due to laxity in the ligaments, so you should begin to build more strength (and proper alignment) throughout your joint spaces. This may require a slight bend in your elbow or knee in …
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