Tips and considerations for teaching workplace yoga by Veronica King. Workplace Yoga is not the same as studio yoga. That's the first and most important thing to remember when looking to teach yoga in the workplace. This is a summary of the Yoga New Zealand Forum which was held recently. 3 speakers were invited to share their wisdom, experience, and tips for teaching yoga in workplaces. With gratitude to Bridgid Davey and Vanessa Bailey who shared with authenticity and vulnerability. The … [Read more...]
Here you'll find the collected wisdom of a wide range of yoga teachers, who have been generous enough to share the many things they have learned from teaching yoga.
Exploring Yoga Language and its impact on student experience
By Karla Brodie, reposted with permission from yogateachertraining.nz A great passion of mine is the evocative use of language to inform Yoga movement and rest practices. A teacher’s use of words has the power to evoke embodied experiences that can be transformational for students. My early years of yoga practice were visually orientated: Yoga practice was about what my alignment looked like and about rearranging muscles and bones to (con)form shapes (asana). Most yoga books described … [Read more...]
The challenges of Yoga and pain management.
More questions than answers on how we view and work with pain in yoga By Veronica King A recent post about a pain relief ad in a pharmacy sparked a lively discussion around yoga and pain, one which I was interested in exploring further. It seems to have created more questions than answers. A topic dear to my heart as I tore my hip labrum in a yoga class, this injury and the subsequent pain management was to become my greatest teacher. Many teachers and students have been injured in … [Read more...]
Does ambition belong on your yoga mat?
Teaching yoga as your career By Veronica King Luckily my first and most influential teacher always spoke about being a yoga professional. This was her livelihood and treated it with that respect. This helped shape me. As a yoga teacher, I would always treat my career with that same respect. It's not uncommon to feel shy about sharing this. There is in the teaching of any spiritual tradition an ongoing tension between being of service and charging for that service. You have every … [Read more...]
To Zoom or not to Zoom?
The joys and challenges of teaching and practicing yoga online. By Sandra Palmer Since the arrival of Covid 19 into our world, the way we teach yoga has changed. Studios and teachers rapidly adapted to the closure of their brick and mortar studios and many immediately started teaching online. Some teachers and students love this online environment and, equally, many people loathe it. I refer in this article to teaching online yoga as a valid choice and method of teaching … [Read more...]
Don’t Despair the Tear
By Veronica King, Teaching Yoga and navigating a labral hip tear. Monday night, advanced yoga class. Parsvakonasana, a warm-up pose early in class, and as I anchored my legs and rotated my body upwards, I felt a rip inside my groin. I nearly screamed, tears streaming down my face through the rest of the class, wondering if this was the last yoga class I might ever do, knowing something BAD had just happened. It turns out that labral hip tears are common amongst dancers, yogis, … [Read more...]
Journeys in Mindfulness – Part one
by Erica Viedma, Yoga with Erica As a yoga teacher, I am aware of the delicate somatic connection between our physical sensations, thoughts and emotions. In yoga we often instruct people to stand tall and broaden the chest - opening the heart area. We ask people to open into areas that may have been guarded and held tight. At times I have observed myself and others struggle with the emotions that this kind of movement can evoke. With this in mind, I have chosen to study towards a … [Read more...]
Touch as a form of yoga communication, the benefits and the pitfalls
YogaNZ Online Forum 2021 In recognition of 'International Yoga Day 2021' (globally celebrated on June 21st) Yoga New Zealand hosted an online panel discussion. The topic of discussion was 'Touch as a form of yoga communication, the benefits and the pitfalls'. Yoga New Zealand invite the global yoga community to view this forum and engage in this important yoga conversation with us. Facilitated by Dr Felicity Molloy, you will hear a variety of perspectives from five of New Zealand's … [Read more...]
POP – Learn more and bring greater awareness into your practice!
by Cara Butler A while back, we were contacted us here at The Yoga Lunchbox looking for help gathering stories and information from women who may have already or were currently experiencing Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP). Without a moments hesitation, as current Editor, I was happy to assist her in whatever way possible. My lack of hesitation to assist her was the result of having created the women's programme at my Yoga Studio, and having personally taught and assisted on various Childbirth … [Read more...]
Expand Your Yogic Tool Kit: Inspiring teachers share their most supportive practices….
by Cara Butler As we all continue to process and progress through this global pandemic together, I find myself wondering how it has affected personal yoga practices. I know mine has personally shifted but I was curious to hear from those around me with more experience and wisdom, so I reached out to five of the best teachers we have in Aotearoa to share their guidance with you all. This is what I asked of them...... ‘Taking into consideration all that has occurred over the past 18 … [Read more...]