| Starting Your Personal Meditation Practice at Home by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| If you participate in a meditation group, or a Yoga class, there is always a desire to practice at home. Sometimes, meditation groups meet for a session and slowly disband. Now, you have decided to continue where your group left off. |
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| Teaching Yoga As a Profession - Consultants and Mentors by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Does the coach in question have any experience with teaching Yoga or running a studio in a tough economy? Where would a Yoga instructor start to search for a trainer of teachers? |
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| Is Practicing Yoga Selfish? by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Some of my best memories are of listening to people talk about the benefits of Yoga; but recently, I had a chance to overhear a conversation about how self-centered Yogis are. This person's point of view is an interesting one, even if you do not agree with it. |
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| Teaching Hatha Yoga - Student Safety in Yoga Classes by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Although the general public might see many different styles of Yoga, in a variety of locations, Yoga is often categorized as a form of physical fitness. Some might go a bit further by classifying Yoga as a form of wellness or a mind and body exercise. |
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| Teaching Hatha Yoga Postures With Mindfulness and Safety by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| How much attention, to proper alignment, do you see in Yoga classes? How fast is the pace of the class? Are students being asked about pre-existing injuries before participating in a Yoga session? |
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| Can Yoga Really Prevent Anger Flare-Ups? by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Yoga is said to cure almost every ailment known to humankind, but how do we define anger? Some of us feel anger the minute we wake up, while others never seem to let anything bother them. Anger is hard to place on the emotional spectrum, as it arises from a combination of thoughts, emotions, feelings, and circumstances. |
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| Teaching Hatha Yoga For Injury Prevention by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Yoga is often thought of as a method for preventing injury. How could injuries occur during Yoga classes? How are the postures and pranayama presented during a class? Are postures thoroughly explained or strung together in a sequence and presented "on the fly." |
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| Living Yoga to Calm Your Mind by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| For decades, the public has been aware that Yoga brings about a tranquil state of mind. Yoga principles can be applied toward every aspect of improving daily life. Yoga is much more than pictures of people performing postures - it is a complete lifestyle. |
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| Teaching Hatha Yoga - Silent Observation and Student Abilities by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| When teaching Yoga to new students, there are a variety of challenges for both teachers and students. Yoga can be a learning curve for a new student. At the same time, the methodology of teaching can be a challenge for a Yoga instructor. Below is a question and answer session, in relation to silent observation and student abilities, in a Yoga class. |
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| Yoga in Practice - How to Find Peace of Mind by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Many Yoga practitioners are familiar with the value of a silent retreat to an Ashram or another sacred place. An extended silence turns the mind inward, which makes us more mindful during Yoga and meditation practice. |
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| Teaching Methodology For Yoga Instructor Training Courses by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Yoga teaching methodology is learned by instructing classes. Interns should have a firm grasp of the principles, practices, and procedures involved in teaching Yoga classes. |
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| Teaching Hatha Yoga - Students With Pre-existing Conditions and Yoga Teacher Continuing Education by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Yoga teachers should be cautious and give gentle guidance, when a student has any form of a pre-existing health condition or injury. In some cases, Yoga teachers should refer their students to a Yoga therapist or specialist. |
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| How Should the Topic of Philosophy Be Approached in a Yoga Teacher Certification Course? by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| The philosophy component is not what most Yoga teacher interns want to learn. Most people, in general, feel that Asana (Yoga posture) is the heart and soul of our practice. If life were measured only on the physical plane of existence, this might be true, but humans are also connected by mental, emotional, and spiritual growth. |
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| How Should Meditation Be Covered During a Yoga Teacher Certification Course? by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Most students, of Yoga, become proficient at asana and pranayama with practice, but struggle with the ability to meditate. Yoga teachers often mention the importance of practicing meditation at home, but students often "put it off." |
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| How Should the Topic of Pranayama Be Covered in a Yoga Teacher Certification Course? by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| When teaching Pranayama (Yogic Breathing Techniques), to a student who is new to Yoga, you realize that beginners take their breathing for granted. It is natural to take breath and life for granted. |
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| Teaching Hatha Yoga - Essentials For Beginners by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| The beginning of September is a busy time for Yoga teachers and Yoga studios in North America. This is the time of year when children go back to school and parents make decisions about activities for the next nine months. |
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| Restorative Yoga - A Low Impact Solution For Middle-Aged Spread by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Does Yoga have solutions for middle-aged spread? Are your knees, back, hips and shoulders begging for mercy? Restorative Yoga is a complete health maintenance system, and a low impact form of cross training, that will not cause premature wear in your joints. |
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| Hatha Yoga Solutions For Your Hips by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| When we consider Yoga solutions for our hips, we often think in terms of physical tightness, which occurs over time. Our hips are largely ignored until we feel pain in them from excessive sitting, trauma, arthritis, or gradual joint wear. |
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| How Should the Topic of Asana Be Covered in a Yoga Teacher Certification Course? by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| If you are going to teach Hatha Yoga classes, there are many subjects to cover, but asana (posture) is often the starting point of most Yoga teacher training courses. It could be debated that we should follow the Eight Limbed Path, as explained by Maharishi Patanjali, by reviewing the first two limbs (Yama and Niyama) before asana. |
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| Yoga in Practice - The Yogic Path to a Trained Mind by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| If a student is not made aware of the true value of mental attention during Yoga practice, the mind-training benefits will still trickle through. Let's look at daily steps you can take to train, balance, and get the most, out of your mind. |
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| Yoga in Practice - The Yama For Peaceful Co-Existence by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Within Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, you learn many things, such as the Yamas and Niyamas. Yet, the moral ethics found within the Yamas and Niyamas are not always easy to apply to your daily life. The following is an example of using one Yama and applying it to your life. |
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| Three Ways to Learn Hatha Yoga by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| There are three basic ways to learn Hatha Yoga. In order to effectively process information, it is best to understand our strong or weak points. Each of us learns Yoga in a different way, but it all comes back to the senses of sight, sound, and touch. |
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| Karma Yoga For Complete Happiness by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| In most Hatha Yoga teacher training programs, we tend to highlight it, but move on toward the concepts of physical mastery. Yet, physical mastery alone does not deliver complete happiness. |
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| Yoga in Practice - Ishvara Pranidhana by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| Ishvara Pranidhana is sometimes referred to as the last Niyama (restraint or moral observance). Ishvara Pranidhana means to surrender to a "Higher Power." Some Yoga teacher training courses skim over this subject to avoid potential conflicts. |
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| Yoga For Happiness and Prosperity by Paul M. Jerard Jr. |
| There are so many traditional and contemporary styles of Yoga, that it is hard to keep track of them. Yet, each of them shares, at least, one aspect in common. Each style of Yoga will help the practitioner to find happiness and prosperity by finding oneself, and by truly understanding the depth of Yogic teachings. |
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