Managing fear when teaching yoga

When dealing with doubt and fear, sometimes the best approach is to just lay back and breathe.

Elissa has been writing for The YLB for awhile now, and has decided to officially become one of our regular columnists. She'll be focusing on her adventures as a newbie teacher, plus researching and answering any questions readers might have about becoming, or being, a yoga teacher. by regular columnist Elissa Jordan, Adventures in Teaching Am I good enough? Can I do this? No matter who you are or what you’re trying to do, questions like these can creep up from time to time. And the more … [Read more...]

Why I may never take another yoga class – a teacher’s response

Healium owner and yoga teacher Jenifer Parker

Last week's article Why I may never take another yoga class generated some great discussion. Two of the comments were so beautifully written, plus added such balance and insight to my original article, that I asked their authors if I could publish those comments as an article. This one is from Jenifer Parker, a yoga teacher, and a teacher's teacher, based at Healium in Wellington. Enjoy! ~ KL From a teaching standpoint, my job is to impart a skill. That skill is accessing prana through … [Read more...]

Confessions of a shiny new yoga teacher

Freelance writer and yogi Seka Ojdrovic at Paekakariki Beach

by guest author Seka Ojdrovic-Phillips. Seka reflects on teaching her first yoga class. You can catch one of her Yoga Sangha classes at Yoga Unlimited in Wellington. Plus you can check out Seka's writing website and blog here. I never planned on this happening but, in the immortal lyrics of John Lennon: Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. Now I find myself standing in front of a class full of eager yogis and yoginis, all eying me in … [Read more...]

How a non-certified yoga teacher with no guru ended up teaching (and should she be?)

Kara-Leah playing in asana

This is a question I have contemplated many times since teaching was first thrust upon me. And it's also one this website has explored extensively in recent weeks. After reading all of the responses from other teachers, I began to wonder... how on earth can I call myself a yoga teacher? I have no qualifications. I've never attended a teacher training of any real length. I've never studied under a guru, nor a teacher for any length of time. I'm a long way from mastering asana to any … [Read more...]

Broken Warriors – reaching out to prisoners with yoga

Adhyatma, teaching yoga to prisoners

by guest author Adhyatma, Srinivasa Yoga House, Hamilton I first came across the idea of teaching Yoga to prison inmates when I was staying in an ashram in the northern parts of Bihar, India. I had traveled there without much prior knowledge of why I was really going there, what I was in for, or how it had even happened so easily, and so quickly in my life. But it had! I had been attending some Yoga classes in Mt Eden, Auckland for a couple of years with a Satyananda yoga teacher before … [Read more...]

Wellington yogi Kelly Fisher interviewed on Forever Fitness

Kelly Fisher of Yoga Unlimited

Co-owner of Wellington's Yoga Unlimited, Kelly Fisher, has just been interviewed on Forever Fitness by Ish and Bevan. It's a great 30 minute podcast, and well worth a listen (click to hear). If you've never listened to a podcast before, and get antsy siting at the computer listening away... throw it on and do what I did, clean your bedroom at the same time! You'll get the housework done while you listen. And if you're thinking about starting yoga, Kelly gives a great low-down on how to … [Read more...]