Let's Talk Yoga

In this episode, I highlight an often-overlooked but crucial step in yoga teaching—building a solid foundation before focusing on sequencing. I share a 10-point cheat list to help yoga teachers improve their class planning and sequencing skills. This includes understanding each pose’s fundamentals, knowing the Sanskrit and English names, and being aware of the benefits and contraindications. I also emphasize the importance of using props, guiding students through breathwork, and recognizing whether a pose is heating, cooling, or neutral. Additionally, I discuss how to assess the difficulty of poses, incorporate proper warm-ups, and balance sequences with counter poses. Mastering these principles helps create more thoughtful and personalized classes that enhance students' well-being.
Episode Highlights:

• Know the Name of the Pose
• Know the Benefits of the Pose
• Contraindications
• Adaptations of Poses
• Use Props Skillfully
• Breathing Pattern for Poses
• Know the Nature of the Pose
• Pose Levels
• Warm-up Needs
• Counter Poses

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In this episode, we explore the art of instructing yoga. It's something yoga teachers do every single time we enter a class. Yet, many yoga teachers struggle with getting comfortable, or skillful at instructing. Because we have to take what we have as experience in our bodies and being. Make it coherent for someone else. While this sounds straightforward, it's not.
Arundhati interviews Christina Sell. A long-time yoga teacher and student. The conversation goes deep into the "art of instructing yoga". If you teach yoga asana in some capacity, this is highly recommended listen.
Episode Highlights...

• The goal of yoga and asana teachers in giving instructions
• Avoiding over-instructing and under-instructing
• Quality learning and instructing amidst the fast-paced world of yoga
• Cueing in yoga
• Is there a difference between teaching a beginner and a more experienced student?
• Christina's words of encouragement

Christina Sell has been practicing asana since 1991. Known for her passion, clarity and creativity, Christina’s teaching style is a dynamic and challenging blend of inspiration, humor, and hard work.

Christina has a BA in Counseling and Education and an MA in Integrative Education and Curriculum Design. She resides in Bellingham, WA with her husband, two very affectionate cats, and the world’s best dog, Locket.

WAITLIST - Pranayama Teacher Training 2022

You can find all the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes at https://letstalk.yoga/

Connect with us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/arundhati_baitmangalkar/

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There's something so beautiful about the Purushartha system. In English, we could call it, the 4 pillars of life. These principles have existed for 1000s of years in Vedic culture. Guiding people who seek this wisdom. But unknown to most people who practice or even teach Yoga.
My guest today, Savira Gupta started indulging in Yoga at 40. She comes from a family of strong women rooted in the Arya Samaj tradition who wanted to revive the Vedic way of life and the need to create a just society for all despite color, caste, or creed. She is a dedicated Yin Yoga teacher and teacher trainer. Savira’s sessions are created from her own experiences and journey in life where she combines the key principles of compassion, non-judgment, self-reflection, and humor and with perspective. They are combined with stories of yoga mythology and scriptures from the Bhagavad Gita.
We have a fascinating conversation exploring the 4 pillars & how it impacts the life of a modern yoga teacher.
Episode Highlights...

• How yoga became part of Savira’s life
• Yoga in the UK vs Yoga in the US
• How Savira’s practice changed when she moved out of India
• Savira elaborates on the Puruṣārtha system
• The Dharma of a yoga teacher according to Savira
• Passion vs Purpose for yoga teachers
• The dangers of using the word “Dharma” loosely
• Artha and how it relates to yoga teachers
• Savira’s advice to yoga teachers earning little money
• Is there a relationship between the age and spiritual maturity of yoga teachers?
• Savira’s take on teaching yoga for free
• Kama, the 3rd pillar, for yoga teachers
• Moksha: how to bring it into our everyday life

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You can find all the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes at https://letstalk.yoga/

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Have you ever asked yourself what's the most important yoga class you'll ever teach? Usually, you'll hear one of these 3 responses...

• Every class is equally important
• Teaching advanced asana because safety is important
• Teaching aspiring yoga teachers

But for me personally, all of these miss the mark. The most important class you'll ever teach is that in which there's a beginners student or even better, a full class of beginner yoga students.
Why?
Because the beginner is a blank canvas. And you have the incredible opportunity to showcase all that yoga has to offer. To literally help change their lives. While that sounds cliched. Most modern-day yoga studios, just dump people into a level 1, slow flow or gentle vinyasa class. And let the student figure out yoga for themselves based on their interest or convenience.
This leads to many people starting yoga but not sticking to it. There is a better way! That's what we explore in today's episode & you even get a preview into my new virtual course that addresses this issue.
I've literally been trying to solve this problem for a decade. I'll be sharing all my insights with you in the weeks ahead. While this podcast is a shorty. It sets the stage for much greater clarity of things coming your way.
To sign up for the course, or the free information session. Those details will be out with next week's episode...But make sure you're on my mailing list.
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You can find all the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes at https://letstalk.yoga/

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Growing up in India, I noticed a culture of body shaming, an obsession with thinness, & fair skin being the ideal standard to be considered beautiful. While my own household luckily never endorsed any of this. Body image hit me like a rock when I became a professional Bollywood dancer at the Shiamak Dance company.

Often if not always we were shamed, bullied, insulted, ridiculed & threatened with consequences if we didn’t remain or become thin. It is then as a young woman, I developed an unhealthy relationship with my own body image. It was also a big reason why a practice like yoga resonated with me SO STRONGLY.

On the podcast today, I chat with Melanie Klein about body image, feminism & yoga. I can’t think of a better expert to have this conversation with. She’s a professor of sociology, & women’s study. A thought leader, an empowerment coach, author & co-founder of Yoga & Body Image coalition

Tune in if you’ve been keen to understand this topic more! Tune in if you’re a yoga teacher who gets questions about weight loss often. Tune in if you think you need to be thin to do yoga. Tune in so you can have a healthier relationship with yourself & more...

Some episode highlights...

• How Melanie became such a thought leader in the yoga world
• How Melanie’s body image evolved and enhanced over time with her yoga practice
• Resisting the system of oppression and educating ourselves
• How do we as women take control of our own narrative?
• Where are we today in the yoga world in terms of representation of body image
• Tokenism for POC yoga teachers
• How Melanie interprets yoga
• What does it mean to be a feminist in the yoga world today?
• How do men & male yoga teachers get involved in the conversation about feminism?
• Melanie shares the first time she heard the term yoga body
• The woman who have impacted Melanie’s life

You can find all the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes at https://letstalk.yoga/

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