The importance of doing counterposes in yoga class. It sounds like a great title to a theatrical production of being a yoga teacher — but there is a huge significance and need for counterposes in a class. A counterpose is an asana that integrates the action of the preceding asana. For example, a pose that […]
All teachers have their own strengths, their own vocabulary and their own ways of creating sequences — and so will students. Lots of people will ‘shop around’ with different yoga classes in the same way we would do when purchasing an expensive item — we want to find a teacher who will help us grow,
We’ve had naked yoga, yoga with goats, paddleboard yoga and now there’s dog yoga – or ‘doga’ for short. Doga was invented in 2012 by the Swiss-Iranian yoga teacher Mahny Djahanguiri. An avid animal-lover, who discovered yoga in 1999, she credits doga with bringing stress-relief to both owner and pet. “Doga is a human yoga
On June 21, Indian yogis made international headlines when 54,101 of them practiced together on Mysuru’s Race Course to celebrate International Yoga Day for the third time. Whilst it didn’t quite make a world record, it has put Mysuru on the yoga map for more yogis than ever before. Where is Mysuru? Mysuru, otherwise known
We humans tend to be creatures of habit. We stick to our routines like clockwork come rain or shine because there’s a comfort to familiarity. However, sometimes it’s worth shifting gear with the seasons to take advantage of the natural vibrancy of spring. The days are getting longer and the nights are shortening. There is
In October of last year the British Wheel of Yoga caused controversy in the UK yoga world with the announcement that they are developing National Occupational Standards to ensure that yoga teachers in the UK are adequately and safely trained. Here Poppy Pickles delves into the stories behind the move and explores what the future
I’ve yet to see a yoga teacher not blush a little when discussing the location and use of the mūla bandha, but understanding and using this bandha can catapult your yoga practice to a whole new level. So let’s roll up our sleeves and take a look at our first bandha. Of the major bandhas, the
The art of sequencing your yoga classes is to make them work for both your students and you, the teacher. As yoga teachers we give of ourselves, and often those that are drawn to teaching yoga are those who naturally want to share and help others. However, this can come at a cost to your
Every yogi knows how delicious it is to truly relax in śavāsana – that wonderful sensation of calm and serenity as you gently emerge from your mat to engage with the rest of your day. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to capture that sensation at other times of the day? Don’t you just want
It’s easy to feel SAD at this time of year. And no, I don’t mean actually sad (boohoo), but the mental health condition, Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the mental health charity MIND, the reasons for why people suffer from SAD during the autumn and winter months is unclear, but a combination of the effects of
