One of my favorite things about teaching Iyengar yoga is that in our method, the teacher is entrusted with the task of designing a particular sequence of poses for each class. Yes, we have a set syllabus of poses appropriate for students at various levels, but the actual sequence of poses in a class is not predetermined. It varies from week to week and from teacher to teacher. It depends in large part on the capabilities of the students and it often focuses on a chosen theme. A theme can be a particular muscle group, a category of poses (standing, for example) or even a particular ailment that yoga practice might help (backache, to name one). The class theme might even be a philosophical concept that the teacher weaves into a series of physical postures to demonstrate more concretely what would otherwise remain elusive.
Last week, I taught a sequence that I introduced to my classes as “spine-releasing” poses. In 90-minutes, we worked through about a dozen poses, many of them modifications of classic poses that can be held for a few minutes or more without strain. To encourage release and freedom of movement in the spine and to bring relief from stiff necks and achy low backs, we did poses that involved mild twisting, forward bending, backbending, standing, and even just resting. In some poses we incorporated specific breathing techniques to facilitate the release of chronically tight muscles and direct and sharpen our awareness of those muscles and the joints they affect.
In Iyengar yoga, there are so many angles to teach from, so many possible themes and sequences. At times it is overwhelming and daunting to choose exactly what to teach! This is where a clear connection to the students comes in to play. Each student brings a unique predisposition and unique challenges to the yoga mat. As a teacher, it is wonderfully challenging to observe and to learn directly from the students what emphasis is needed, or what prop, or what modification. Even while maintaining the theme and the sequence of the week, it is possible to attend to details in different corners of the room, delivering the teaching to students in a way that is meaningful to each.
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Alicia Rowe, Introductory II Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher
Each week one of the teachers at the Yoga Space shares her thoughts and experiences in this blog. The Yoga Space is a studio just east of Dexter serving Saline, Chelsea, Manchester and Ann Arbor. We have been helping people with their flexibility, strength, focus and stress management for over 14 years. Fall 2 Classes begin now. We offer a free class the last Friday of each month from 6-7 pm. 180 Little Lake Dr #1 Ann Arbor, MI, 48103. www.yogaspaceannarbor.com 734-622-9600