Anatomy for yoga teachers

At Yoga Academy International we strive to offer THE BEST yoga education possible. We believe in empowering our students with knowledge, love, community and support so that they can go on to inspire their communities when they complete their training. Although it is not required, we believe strongly in establishing a solid foundation in anatomy for all aspiring yoga teachers.

Anatomy at Yoga teacher training

The importance of a great education

At Yoga Academy International we strive to offer THE BEST yoga education possible. We believe in empowering our students with knowledge, love, community and support so that they can go on to inspire their communities when they complete their training. Although it is not required, we believe strongly in establishing a solid foundation in anatomy for all aspiring yoga teachers.

Knowing how the human body is constructed and functions in movement insures that our yoga teachers to be know how to avoid as well as help alleviate injury during the yoga practice. 

Having some concrete knowledge of how the muscles, bones, ligaments and tendon work together in harmony during an asana (yoga postures) helps yoga teacher create more intelligent sequences and assures that their students stay safe during practice.

Watch the video below for a little glimpse into our anatomy program and why we feel so strongly about offering it. 

We are THE ONLY 200hr yoga teacher training program in the world that offers over 20+ hours of in person, applied anatomy with experts. Our anatomy teachers are MDs, RMTs, Athletic and Physio therapists who all work with athletes on a daily basis.We belive that it is crucial for yoga teachers to have a solid basis in anatomy in order to keep their students safe and have fruitful, full careers in yoga.

Upcoming trainings:

Tropical 200hr yoga
teacher training

in Playa Maderas
This is our home base location. Join us in at our private 100 acre retreat center overlooking the ocean at playa maderas. this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect setting  for a yoga training in paradise! 

Acro Yoga 
teacher training

in Playa Maderas
Join Nicholas Coolridge aka Modern Tarzan for our most playful training! Get Acro Yoga certified! This course is also a module of our ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TRAINING YOU WILL BE A CERTIFIED Acro YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLETE PART OF YOUR 300HR YTT.

Luxury 200hr yoga
teacher training

in Amorgos, Greece
Join us on the spectacular Greek island of Amorgos.The same teachers and same curriculum as our famous 200hr ytt in Nicaragua, only Greekier this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Luxury Yin yoga teacher training

in Marrakech, Morocco
THIS 60HR PROGRAM IS A COMPLETE TRAINING ON ITS OWN. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TRAINING YOU WILL BE A CERTIFIED YIN YOGA TEACHER AND COMPLETE PART OF YOUR 300HR YTT.

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

Lauren Rudick’s 90 second flow

Our founder Lauren Rudick
and her yoga practice...

I rarely post videos of my practice these days. Even more rare is someone else capturing it. This was the first time another person pointed a moving camera at my personal yoga practice.

It could not have come at a better time…

This is our main yoga shala at my school, Yoga Academy International. We spend 4-5 months per year here in Nicaragua teaching people to be yoga teachers, offering them the tools we have to lead a more mindful and joy filled life. We offer continued education for existing teachers too. Mostly though, we offer an opportunity to come as you are, be immersed in nature and join a loving community based on the tenants of Patanjli’s 8-limb path of yoga.

As the leader of this school and community, I sometimes feel like I don’t know enough, like I can’t do enough.

Having been in the yogagram world of social media for 7 years I sometimes feel lost in a very crafted and curated scene. I feel like I am not enough- not knowledgeable enough, not strong enough, not young enough or skinny enough, not bendy enough…

Although this video is just a short 1-minute clip of a physical practice, it brought me back to wholeness. It reminded me of my 15-year dedication to the practice of yoga. I remembered that in my 10-year career as a yoga instructor I have truly learned and experienced a tremendous amount and there is still an infinite vastness of clarity and understanding to pick away at. This short video gave me confidence that I do have what to offer and teach. I am further excited by all that I still have the possibility of learning.

This might look like a few cool tricks on a yoga mat, but these movements serve for me as a proof that dreams can become reality, the seemingly impossible can become fathomable, that we can achieve anything through hard work and dedication and finally, that we each get to craft a life that makes us feel alive.

We can each carve out a life based on our passions and deepest desires. We all deserve happiness. Each of us can make our own paradise wherever we are standing.

Thank you to my friend Spyros Vathis for capturing these breaths and movements.

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

7 signs you’re ready for a YTT

WONDERING WHETHER A YOGA TEACHER TRAINING IS THE RIGHT MOVE FOR YOU?

HERE ARE 6 SIGNS THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO DO YOUR YTT!

7 signs you're ready for a YTT

Wondering whether a yoga teacher training is the right move for you?

Here are 7 signs that NOW is the time to do your YTT!

1. YOGI GEEK
During downward dog you find yourself saying, “are my palms pressed into the mat? Shoulders back? Fingers spread wide? Basically, you can’t stop thinking about the intricacies of each pose the effect of making small adjustments excites you. At YTT, you will learn about the physiology of asana. You’ll get to know alignment and anatomy and you couldn’t be more pumped.
2. community
You are ready to expand your yoga community. You can’t wait to be surrounded by like-minded people in a trusted circle. You want to meet others who share your yoga joy and who want to partake in a huge experience. Added benefit of an international YTT — new friends from all over the world! <3 
3. spread the love
The way yoga has influenced your life is undeniably amazing and you want to spread the love. Maybe you dream of being an international yoga teacher, headlining at major festivals. Maybe the idea of teaching big classes isn’t your thing, but you want to help others. You could teach family members and friends simple poses to help an injury or relieve some stress.
4. More Savasana
One month. 2 savasanas at minimum per day. Um duh. Why not?! Talk about bliss. At yoga teacher training you will savasana- a lot. Learning how to relax the body and mind isn’t easy. BUT after a month of multiple savasanas a day, there’s no doubt you can teach your body and mind to be wonderfully calm!
5. know yourself better
Know thyself- socrates said that. Yoga says swadyaya (self study) we say, give yourself the opportunity to get away for one month. Spend time with yourself meditating on the beach. Have the opportunity to look objectively at your life. Personal self-reflection is a big part of YTT. You will learn so much! 
6. massive expansion
So you’ve been practicing for a few years. You have a really good grip on most poses. Now though, you are ready to expand beyond your mat. You want to learn more about yogi lifestyle. How can you bring more compassion in to your life? How can you open your heart? How can this help off the mat? 
7. new adventure
You are ready for a leap in to the unknown! You are ready to take a new adventure! You want to travel but maybe are afraid to go alone. You want to try something totally different because NOW is the time to start living a life of passion.  

 

We know that if it is your time to do your yoga teacher training, you might have no reasons or you might have a zillion of them. When you know you know. If you are reading this, you are probably already feeling the calling that it is time to get up, get out and make a big change in your life. You’re buzzing with that excitement of readiness, you’ve started the google searches and you are already on your way!!

200hr Yoga teacher training in Portugal

Stunning Ericeira, Portugal is the backdrop for this 200hr yoga teacher training! Options to stay onsite or at your own place.

ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL SELL OUT?

What does it even mean to be a spiritual sell out? How do we hold up our own standards and our own self-respect and self-worth? How can we maintain our practices and stay true to who we are? How can we continue to be our best selves? I’m sharing this because recently I did feel like a spiritual sell out. I shared my story in this video and so much more!

WHY YOU SHOULD SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE WHO CALL YOU OUT ON YOUR BULLSHIT

Hi Yogis!
I believe that you are the sum total of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Our time is precious. It is crucial to be choosy about how and where we spend out time. In this video I talk about why we need to be choosy about the company we keep. I will also share with you how you can be choosy without destroying other relationships in your life.


I feel it is so important to be picky about the company we keep. That being said, it is so important to choose kindness in our interactions.

There is so much power in taking the highroad.

At the end of the day, we have to live with ourselves.

8 limbs of yoga review

The 8 limbs of yoga

A quick video review

Hi Yogis,
Here is a quickie video refresher/intro on the 8 limbs of yoga!

The 8 limbs of yoga were part of the Ashtanga Yoga or 8-limb path set out by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutra. The yoga sutra, written around 800C.E. was 196 phrases meant to help us live more soulfully and more mindfully. This was Patanjali’s interpretation of the ancient yogic texts; the Vedas and the Upanishad.

Patanjali described an 8 fold path to enlightenment that included ethics, disciplines, physical postures, breath control, meditation, withdrawal of the senses, intense focus, tuning inward and oneness.

Check out Yoga Academy International founder, Lauren Rudick‘s intro in to the 8 limb path of yoga!

Online courses

Ashtanga Yoga for newbies

Join internationally renown Tantric Yoga Teacher Nancy Goodfellow as she introduces you to this amazing practice! This course is challenging, uplifting, insightful and deep. It is perfect for a yogi ready to learn more, go deeper- mind, body and spirit and gain more understanding of the ancient traditions of yoga. Nancy guides safe and structured Tantric practices that include explanations of.why Tantra is practiced in this way, mudras, mantra, meditation and so much more. Contains over 3 hours of guided asana practice and more than 10 hours of video content!

Turn your life upside down

Turn Your Life Upside Down is a 4-week 4-module course designed to get you knowing what your passions are, what makes you come alive and then take the steps toward living that dream! Lauren Rudick takes you on a journey into yourself. This course contains 5 guided yoga practices, 7 guided meditations, a fully illustrated e-book and journaling exercises.
Join Lauren in living a lifestyle of passion. Turn Your Life Upside Down!

The Tantra Course

Join internationally renown Tantric Yoga Teacher Nancy Goodfellow as she introduces you to this amazing practice! This course is challenging, uplifting, insightful and deep. It is perfect for a yogi ready to learn more, go deeper- mind, body and spirit and gain more understanding of the ancient traditions of yoga. Nancy guides safe and structured Tantric practices that include explanations of.why Tantra is practiced in this way, mudras, mantra, meditation and so much more. Contains over 3 hours of guided asana practice and more than 10 hours of video content!

Uplift your Yoga Career

Uplift your yoga career is everything a yogi needs to know to elevate a great career in yoga, raise your income and create an awesome yoga following. The full course includes guides on getting jobs, marketing, social media, creating workshops and growing a loyal following in yoga.

Like netflix, but yoga.

We are still continuing to offer membership to our online yoga studio at significantly reduced rates. 

Our online studio and online courses are NOT the same. The studio is streamable online content with various teachers. The courses are an opportunity to go WAY deeper into a particular discipline or style. 

During stressful times like these that we need wellness and mindfulness practices the most.We are giving you almost free access to our entire online studio library. It’s like Netflix, but yoga for Just $1 per month.

We want to invite you to practice with us from the comfort of your home.

FULL ACCESS to our online studio for only $12 for the entire year. Use code yoga12 to sign up today.

If you are already subscribed, feel free to share page with others who need heart opening meditations, yoga practices to keep them physically fit and well and yin yoga to reduce stress and stiffness.

We have classes in English, French and Norwegian and have just added almost a dozen new practices.

 
Hundreds of practices available – unlimited yoga for all levels – beginners to super advanced – continuing education for yoga teachers

Whether you are brand new to yoga, super advanced or on your yoga teaching journey, we have practices and classes for you. Our online instructors have been handpicked for their teaching style, commitment to practice and specialty in their individual yoga discipline. We have classes ranging from 2 – 90 minutes waiting for you!

Membership is just $98 per year!

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But what about our 
yoga trainings abroad?

We are keeping a close watch on how the situation is changing day by day. At this point in time it is highly likely that our YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING  at the end of April will be postponed for 1 year. We will continue to watch the COVID-19 situation closely and make a final decision by April 1, 2020. Good news- you now have time to sign up at save up for it! This luxury training is amazing and we can extend a payment plan to you over 12 months. This means for less than $200/month you can get to this INCREDIBLE luxury experience.

We are still saying optimistic that our 200hr YOGA TEACHER TRAINING this July will run as scheduled. We are hopeful and keeping faith that we will be able to stop the spread of this virus shortly and continue to create magical experiences in paradise. 

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

200hr yoga
teacher training

in playa maderas
Taking place on the spectacular cliffs of Maderas Beach, this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Ashtanga Yoga intensive

in Lembongnan, Bali
THIS is an amazing course with KPJAY Authorized level 2 teacher Tina Bock! Tina has spent years studying in Mysore, India under Sharath Jois and takes a very traditional but fun approach to Ashtanga Yoga. This program is an ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION.

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

Why you should give a shit about your chakras

Let’s start with this- what is a chakra? Why should you give a shit about your chakras?
The chakras are a kind of energetic anatomy in the body. We have many chakras in our bodies but 7 major ones. The 7 major chakras are like wheels or gears. They turn on their own axis but affect the motion of chakras above and below them. When we are feeling whole, healthy, stable our chakras are spinning in a balanced way.

Chakra = WHEEL

chakras and nadis

The 7 major chakras align themselves along the Shushumna Nadi. The Shushumna nadi is the central energetic axis of our body. In yogic terms, it is the energetic or subtle body superhighway in the body, just as the central spinal column is the information superhighway of our physical body. There are two minor nadis that swirl around the Shushumna nadi. These are the ida and pingala nadis. The ida nadi represents our feminine qualities and the pingala our masculine ones.  The points where the ida and pingala nadis intersect is the area where our 1st and 6th  chakras live. The other chakras are between these intersections.

Interestingly, the areas where the chakras live in the energetic body are also where there are major collections of nerve ganglia in our bodies. This is one area where yoga and science meet. It is no surprise that the major chakras, our energetic berometer in the body is also along the same channel that the central nervous system is. 

Sometimes emotional or physical ailments can effect the way our chakras turn, either causing them to spin too slowly (under-active) or too quickly (overactive), they can also be open or closed. The balance of our chakras will affect the way we interact, act and react in our world. 

Chakra imbalances can arise or resurface at various point in our lives. Sometimes a physical injury can knock a chakra out of balance, sometimes an emotional injury can. Sometimes we carry things from long ago that are triggered by a seemingly unrelated event. This can also cause a chakra or chakras to turn in an imbalanced way. Sometimes chakra imbalances are inherited from things we’ve learned from friends, family, loved ones or from our own patterns of behaviour. 

The chakra system is yet another yogic tool that we can use to better understand our physical and emotional bodies, what makes us tick, why we act and react in the ways that we do. With knowledge and awareness comes the ability to grow and make change. The better we get to know ourselves, the more able we are to find our individual happiness and live our own best life.

Check out the video below as Yoga Academy International founder Lauren Rudick offers her take on why you should give a shit about your chakras:

Interested in learning more? Become a chakra vinyasa yoga teacher! 

The number 1 question we get asked about Yoga Teacher Training

The #1 question people ask
About yoga teacher training

Hi Yogis!
Maybe the thought has crossed your mind; Hmmm I’d love to do a yoga teacher training someday…

Maybe you’ve thought about going somewhere warm, living on a gorgeous beach for a month, practicing yoga every morning and meditating by the waves. Maybe you just want a break from your every day life. Maybe you need new inspiration. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a yoga teacher or maybe you just need to make some kind of change and you don’t know what…

Regardless of the why- it usually starts with a spark. The idea is planted to take a yoga teacher training and some days, weeks or maybe months later you start to look into it. You google Yoga Teacher Trainings and then a zillion options come up. There are an endless amount of choices of styles, programs, locations and more.

We believe that it should be intuition that draws you to your school. Usually when you land on the training page, something will draw you in. You will start reading it, looking at the photos and you will KNOW it is the right school for you.

We get tons of questions about our yoga teacher training programs all the time. But there is one question that stands out to us. The biggest question people ask. It seems like the one thing holding them back from YTT is this big looming thought: Am I ready!? 

Check out our video below as Yoga Academy International Founder, Lauren Rudick answers the biggest question we ever get.

So now that you’ve watched the video and heard it straight from our founder- our question for you is- ARE YOU COMMITTED? Are you going to take the next step and hit apply? Are you going to join us for the journey that has changed the lives of over 60 yogis that we’ve certified so far? Do you want to be part of the Yoga Academy Family? Are you ready to live more mindfully?
If even one of these questions has an I think so then you are.

Check out the experience that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE for the BETTER. Spaces are super limited and we fill out every time. Reserve your space today and make the choice to join us in paradise. Don’t let anything hold you back. We are here and we are ready to welcome you home.
xox
Lauren

 

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

200hr yoga
teacher training

in playa maderas
Taking place on the spectacular cliffs of Maderas Beach, this 200hr Yoga-Alliance Registered Teacher Training is the perfect foundation for becoming a professional yoga teacher.

Ashtanga Yoga intensive

in Lembongnan, Bali
THIS is an amazing course with KPJAY Authorized level 2 teacher Tina Bock! Tina has spent years studying in Mysore, India under Sharath Jois and takes a very traditional but fun approach to Ashtanga Yoga. This program is an ELECTIVE MODULES THAT MAKES UP OUR ADVANCED 300HR YOGA TEACHING CERTIFICATION.

Like netflix, but yoga.

We are still continuing to offer membership to our online yoga studio at significantly reduced rates. 

Our online studio and online courses are NOT the same. The studio is streamable online content with various teachers. The courses are an opportunity to go WAY deeper into a particular discipline or style. 

During stressful times like these that we need wellness and mindfulness practices the most.We are giving you almost free access to our entire online studio library. It’s like Netflix, but yoga for Just $1 per month.

We want to invite you to practice with us from the comfort of your home.

FULL ACCESS to our online studio for only $12 for the entire year. Use code yoga12 to sign up today.

If you are already subscribed, feel free to share page with others who need heart opening meditations, yoga practices to keep them physically fit and well and yin yoga to reduce stress and stiffness.

We have classes in English, French and Norwegian and have just added almost a dozen new practices.

 
Hundreds of practices available – unlimited yoga for all levels – beginners to super advanced – continuing education for yoga teachers

Whether you are brand new to yoga, super advanced or on your yoga teaching journey, we have practices and classes for you. Our online instructors have been handpicked for their teaching style, commitment to practice and specialty in their individual yoga discipline. We have classes ranging from 2 – 90 minutes waiting for you!

Membership is just $98 per year!

[register_form id=2]

questions for us? 
Get in touch now!

My Favourite Thing About Yoga Teacher Training Is…

Our next Teacher Training in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica is fast approaching and we are so excited!!

Each training is a holistic experience of mind, body and soul filled with gratitude, warmth, learning and all the love in the universe. Our mission at Yoga Academy International is to raise the standard of yoga education each passionate, authentic and magical 200 hour training at a time. Our professional program is a thorough, and progressive yoga teacher training course that enables an incredible foundation of the lifestyles, philosophy and asanas of yoga.

Interested in becoming a certified yoga teacher in paradise? Apply HERE today and become part of the Yoga Academy International family.  

 

The Escape

That place where you feel your shoulders release from your ears and your soul smile. Some people find their escape on a 5 mile run or perhaps a 500 page book, but my escape is a journey. It’s my journey through my practice of yoga – the easy and the challenging.

Many people are afraid to be judged when it comes to yoga, so they choose to not practice. They are nervous that they won’t do something right. Well, let me tell you something, I’ve been there before and its about time you get over yourself and let down your walls. That may seem harsh, yes, but at the end of the day the only one you are afraid of is yourself. As soon as you let those walls down and stop caring what other people think, you will find this feeling of peace. It’s up to you to simply show up; on your mat, a friends mat, a studios mat, any mat. Be present and you will escape into your journey.

I must say I am not one of those people who can just stop thinking about the million of things they have on their plate, but yoga has truly helped me with this. I’m not perfect and still catch my mind wandering in Savasana (the time where you are supposed to be most relaxed) from time to time, but practicing yoga has formed a journey in my life. My alignment is far from perfect and I can’t do all the crazy poses that you see on Instagram, but I can do one thing that I find the most important. I can flow. Whether that is to my breath, the music I feel vibrating my soul, or my neighbors flow, I have found the beauty in letting go, being present for myself.

You will not only grow significant mental strength, but you will gain incredible physical strength. The fitness aspect of yoga is underestimated, and it will not be easy your first time on the mat, but you can definitely do it. Just like we learn to walk when we are born, us yogi’s like to learn how to find the balance and strength to stand on our hands. We LOVE to go upside down – 1 second or 1 minute – gotta do it. Us yogi’s seem to live for the unordinary.

So, I invite you to stop worrying about doing something wrong and just let go. Allow your body and soul to flow as one. As cliche as it sounds, when you experience the moment, you’ll know it. STOP being afraid of going to a studio for the first time, or even a new studio, because at the end of the day you are only fearing yourself. I’ve been right where you are, I recently went to a new studio here in Nashville, and I must admit that I had the jitters before I walked in (you can read about my experience here). Then, as soon as I walked in…yes, to a room full of strangers, my jitters disappeared into the positive vibes and warm welcome. No matter how many years you have been practicing yoga, if you simply show up, you will be amazed by what your journey can become.

I hope you are inspired to try out the practice of yoga, here are some words of wisdom for the next (or first) time you get on your mat as a wildflower:

Listen to your body & give it what it’s asking. Speak kindly to yourself, and you will be amazed of how much strength you already have. Be playful in your practice & allow your body to thank YOU for showing up – plus this is the time you realize you have the strength to a hold a pose you gave up on 3 months ago.

 

Kazmira Eldaly has called Nashville her home since January 2015.  Currently she is living in the city working in a hi-rise downtown and sharing her life experiences on her blog, The Wildflower Words  She began her yoga practice in her hometown, Detroit, MI. Shortly after her first yoga class, at the age of 17 she began the search to find her yoga home. It wasn’t too long after she found her passion for yoga that she found her home at Citizen Yoga Royal Oak. The rest is history. Now at the age of 21 she still practices yoga daily in Nashville, Tennessee and continues to be challenged and blown away by the stillness and beauty of the practice. She aspires to teach across the globe one day and share the moment of getting on her mat, alone or with friends, escaping reality to fill herself with love and positive energy. One thing she feeds off most is human connection, and she loves to hear every single persons story, and answer any and every question she can. She definitely strives to make people happy by recognizing the best version of themselves, so never doubt reaching out to Kazmira. 

Lost in Translation: Teaching Yoga in Another Language

C’est quoi “yoga” en français?

Each time you step into a new studio or room, roll out your mat and place your props at the front as an guide for students to take and use during class, there’s this little feeling, this unspoken energy that you’re not quite sure what to make of just yet. The practice of yoga, as we’ve come to know it in its modern form, is full of nuances and subtleties based on a plethora of factors; teachers, locations, clientele demographics, space, so on and so forth. And many of us as teachers are more than used to hopping between teaching spaces, working to continuously adapt our methods to the individuals in the room in each new location.

The stories I’ve heard from teachers who’ve come and gone from different studios, gyms, and private spaces, range from hilarious to horrendous. Each time that we as teachers step into our role in an unfamiliar space, we are faced with new challenges that spin their way into opportunities, enabling us to grow our own practice as both teachers, and students. New obstacles force us to redefine our “standard” method, and get creative in how we reach out and communicate with those in the room.

yoga class, yoga teaching, yoga teacher, studio

The Space

This past month I was fortunate enough to teach with Arles Yoga, as a part of their “Professeurs en Residence” (PiR) program; a unique approach to running a studio that counters the current trend we see in major North American “yoga hubs,” where studios tend to selectively hire teachers churned out by their own teacher training courses. Each month, a new prof de yoga comes into Arles Yoga’s space, and teaches 10-12 classes per week, in a variety of styles ranging from a Slow Flow, to a vigorous Yoga Dynamique, and accompanied by Pilates or other speciality classes. Oh yeah, and for those of you unfamiliar with the geography of France, Arles is situated in Provence – translating to blue skies for 30 straight days, temperatures that enable you to never wear more than a light tank and shorts, and scenic views of the Rhones and Roman architecture. Rough life, I know. However, if you haven’t already deduced, there is one key factor I’ve omitted – classes were taught in French.

The Obstacles

When I committed to taking the PiR post for the month of July, I was well aware of the fact that the months leading up to my arrival in Arles would be filled with numerous podcasts, instructional videos on yoga and Pilates in French, and some practice lessons with willing friends. And although I prepared to the best of my ability, pre-planned sequences to no end, and essentially committed to memory every one of the Transfert podcast episodes, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of jumping into teaching 11 classes a week in a language that you are far less familiar with than every single one of the people in the room in front of you, that makes you question whether or not the decision you made was well-thought out.

The Progression

Let’s work through this little journey in a more digestible format, for those of you with limited time, or those of you that may actually be thinking of embarking on a similar path in the not-so-distant future.

Week 1 – The Over-Prep

I’ll preface this section by saying that in the week leading up to my first class in Arles, I pre-planned three full classes, which I RARELY (if ever) do. Although I tend to sequence my classes with a common theme or apex pose, anatomical focus or intention, I rarely pre-plan to the extent of essentially scripting out my sequences. I’m a big fan of instantaneous adaptation, and letting the room guide the class.

During my first week, I woke up early each morning to practice through each sequence, formulate what I wanted to verbalize as instructions, and create options for modifications that I anticipated being necessary based on common physical limitations. I tend to give a significant amount of verbal instructions during classes, and this quickly presented itself as a bit of a challenge, as I struggled to quickly translate what I would normally say in English, into French that made sense and wasn’t a series of strung together nonsense that made my non-Francophone background glaringly apparent.

In addition to the French factor, I was also adjusting to the process of teaching in a new space, to a group of people that I had no previous experience or interactions with. Layer in the significant differences that exist between North American and French yoga culture and expectations, and I had myself a fairly large set of extenuating circumstances cultivating my current environment.

The result? I felt out of place, I questioned my teaching capabilities and methods, and I was anxious before and after each class, worried that I wasn’t providing what was expected, or that I simply wasn’t good enough. This discomfort, though, pushed me to prepare for each class, study and learn during my off-hours, in an effort to ensure that I was the best teacher I could be.

Week 2 – The (Almost) Settling

As you’ve probably guessed, it does get better. If it didn’t it’s unlikely I would be writing this blog post, or at least, it would be released at a much later date when I could look back on the experience as a whole without wincing.

The prep started to become less and less – it was during week 2 that I stopped pre-planning every class, and reverted to my trusty old improv style. Although my level of comfort with the language did play a notable role in this progression towards settling in, the true determining factor was the familiarity with the Arles yoga community. For me, one of the most satisfying aspects of having yoga so engrained in my life is the connections built within the yoga community. I love seeing familiar faces come back to class, progress, and get excited as they see changes happening in their practice. Week 2 allowed me to start integrating myself into the fantastic, accepting community that owners Julia Mitton and Paul Biehn have built at Arles Yoga, and realize that there was no expectation

Week 3 – The Seeking of Growth

During week 3, although I said goodbye to a few yogis who were finishing up their vacations in Arles, I became well-acquainted with the repeat offenders who were showing up to practice multiple times a week, ready for new challenges and curious both during and after class, voicing their inquisitions and seeking answers. This inert desire to know more, to explore and redefine what limitations exist, is a part of human nature that’s really awesome to unearth, yet often lies dormant until stirred or poked.

Suffice to say, during this halfway mark, I started to feel really at home at Arles Yoga. I introduced some more daring variations and apex postures in classes, and let myself adapt and adjust in the same way that I would have during classes back in Toronto.

There was something else that happened during week 3 that has only really become evident as I look back on the experience as a whole – the more I let myself experiment with the language, the less concerned I was with making small mistakes. The initial fear of coming off as very Anglophone, or making verb tense errors when jumping between French and English, started to dissipate. I let myself make little verbal missteps, all the while knowing that the group of yogis in class could care less, and were accepting of the language slips, because in the grand scheme of things, they really didn’t matter. This was a lesson in self-acceptance that runs much deeper than a simple language barrier, and one that I will continue to integrate and acknowledge as I evolve my teaching practice, in addition to internal personal growth.

Week 4 – The Phase of Comfortability

As I wrapped up my residency in Arles, I started to feel (wait for it), a little ache of sadness. I’m generally a fan of the Irish goodbye – rarely will I dwell on the process involved in leaving or moving on. With each class that took place during week 4, the return of familiar practitioners, and the impending event of my final Friday class approaching, I was able to reflect on the experience with an increasingly holistic perspective.

The past month pushed me, made me uncomfortable, forced me to change and experiment with my teaching style, and ultimately allowed me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. I’ve broken down the process in four stages here, but each day was truly its own challenge and voyage. Closing out the week with a final class filled with energy, enthusiasm, hugs, and some “coucous” was incredibly satisfying, and made the pre-work, podcasts and all, so very worth it.

The Lessons Learned

  • Get acquainted with imperfection

Looking back on some of my (many) verbal missteps that took place during classes, I wince a little with initial embarrassment, but then laugh and appreciate the growth that took place between weeks 1 and 4. We are always going to have classes that don’t feel quite right, that we replay and question, “why did I say that,” or “why did I feel the need to add that movement or posture in when it didn’t make sense.” These are the learning experiences we undergo as we grow and become more comfortable as teachers, and also as students. Mistakes lay the foundation for our continued development; observe them with grace, and reflect on them diligently to avoid repetition.

  • It’s okay to reverse roles

When teaching in French, as an Anglophone, to a room of native French speakers (with the most melodious French accents, I must note), you’ve got to expect to be corrected. And instead of take offense, or feel insecure, I chuckled and took mental notes (and then transferred these to paper), as a part of the continuous learning process. Never again will I think that wordreference.com is an adequate resource for anatomical translations – because no, tendon de jaret does not translate to hamstring (oouf).

  • Observe the opportunity in everything

As a proponent of the “free-to-be” sequencing style, I learned a lot by forcing myself to pre-plan and be more structured in how I structured classes during the initial classes at Arles Yoga. Although I may not retain this teaching style as I move forward, it was an excellent opportunity for me to redefine and learn to teach in a new way. Additionally, as someone who tends to pepper class with verbal micro-adjustments and modifications, having limited abilities to express myself forced me to be more comfortable with silence, and to learn how to say more with less. There’s a shiny side to every coin, right?

  • You are enough

Taken straight from an uninspired Instragram post. But for real, this was probably the most relevant lesson I learned. Every teacher is so inherently different, in method, style, diction, tone of voice, sequencing, influences, and the list goes on. We are inclined to compare ourselves and constantly pick out the areas where we either outshine or fall behind those considered to be our peers. Be content knowing that regardless of a practitioner’s past experiences with other teachers, your style and individual flare provides them with something new and unique, and shouldn’t be graded based on the characteristics of other teachers.

So if you’ve managed to dig your way through this, or perhaps just skimmed, you may now be contemplating this proverbial jumping off point. It may not be directly related to yoga or even a career move, but could encapsulate making even a minor change in your day to day that forces you a little outside of the status quo. Although the process may seem arduous, the ultimate end result will be worth the initial discomfort – I promise.

 

Cassandra Cooper

Cassandra Cooper

Growing up with a background in competitive figure skating, Cass’ journey with yoga began at a young age. What started as a way of maintaining flexibility and mobility has since shifted to focus on building strength, by combining elements of functional movement into her practice and sequencing, helping to explore the different ways in which each individual’s body moves and changes shape. Since completing Octopus Garden’s 200 hour teacher training, and Rishikesh Yog Peeth’s 300 hour advanced teacher training program, Cass has pursued Barre and Pilates certifications through Stott Pilates, along with Essentrics movement training. The most important thing she’s discovered along the way is that you’re always a student – be curious, always question, carefully analyze, and continuously seek new avenues towards unexpected answers. ‘Yoga is the journey from cosmetic to cosmic beauty.’

 

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Standing Bow: May this pose be ever in your favor…

Standing Bow Pose: How to up your (Hunger) game! May this posture be ever in your favor….

standing bow pose, side view, woman

 

You’ve seen it.  It’s the quintessential yoga pose.  On every mountaintop, beach, and natural wonder of the world, someone has now done a #stopdropyoga and you can bet your bottom dollar that this is one of the most popular choices in the modern yogi’s repertoire.  And who can blame them? From beginner yogi to decorated veteran yogi, nobody can deny the beauty and grace exuded in a posture that creates the shape of a bow and arrow -equal parts strength and grace.  But how useful is a bow and arrow that isn’t aimed straight or even one that isn’t pulled tight? Don’t know what i’m talking about then ask Katniss Everdeen (from the blockbuster movie The Hunger Games).  It wasn’t her beauty or grace that helped her survive the Hunger Games, but rather her bulldog determination to precision, accuracy, and focus, that gave her the upper hand in the biggest fight for her life.  Now that sounds pretty dramatic, but this posture was meant to exemplify the intense focus of this primitive sport.  And, and as beautiful as this posture may be, if you practice humility and honesty in your daily practice this posture tends to serve up a large helping of “humble pie”.  If you go beyond the impressive shape of this posture, it not only takes dedication to alignment but also learning which intricate muscles to relax and which to contract to hit the bullseye of the mental and physical benefits.

The secrets to this posture are found in this precision based sport, so let’s go there for our cues.  I will explain this posture on the right side for sanity’s sake so that I can explain using “right” and “left” cues, but this posture can obviously be done on both sides.

  1. Stance and set up: Stand up straight.  Keeping the right elbow touching your waist and bend your arm 90 degrees keeping your palm facing up.  Keeping the knees together begin to bend your right knee drawing your heel toward your Gluteus muscle.  Still keeping the knees together, reach and grab for the right ankle at the inside of the ankle (right where the knobby bone of the ankle protrudes).  Extend the left hand up drawing the left Bicep by the left ear.  Left palm should be facing forward.  Begin to inhale, and you reach your left hand higher as if you are going to touch the ceiling, shoulder coming out of the body.  The whole body should feel extended and pulled tight.
  2. Grip: Keep all 5 fingers of the right hand together (including the thumb).  Grip should be strong but no break in the wrist.  Although the grip is tight (white knuckled), make sure that as you begin to kick back that you do not begin to pull with the strength of the right arm, the bow is drawn with the kick.
  3. Place the arrow on the bow: In this posture, the arrow is formed with the two arms.  The bow is formed with the kicking leg.  Thus, it is important that the force comes with the kick (kicking is hard and continuous).  As you begin to kick back and away from the body, you form the bow and you are also placing the arrow on the bow simultaneously.  As you begin to kick back, the arms begin to be pulled into one line, from the left fingertips all the way to the right hand grip.  You are working on getting the arms in one line so the shoulders will also be pulled in to one line through the force of the kick.  Eventually, the chin will be touching the left shoulder because you have never changed the position of the head but because the shoulders are pulled in one line (from the reaching and kicking actions), then the left shoulder will keep moving to align with the chin (the midline of the body) -not the other way around.  In other words, you are reaching so much with the left fingertips that the left shoulder eventually meets the chin, not the chin reaching  for the shoulder.
  4. Finger position: Just as all 5 fingers of the right hand are together and touching, same goes for the fingers of the left hand.  They are together and the palm is facing forward and rotates down as the body comes down.  Also, when looking in the mirror in front of you, the fingertips of the left hand should appear as if they are touching the iris of the left eye; the hand position is much higher than many realize.  This helps you keep as arch in the spine and initiates the backbend.
  5. Draw:  As I mentioned earlier, the kick is continuous.  You need to draw a bow tight in order to shoot an arrow, right?  Imagine what would happen if you released the tension in a bow and arrow and then tried to shoot an arrow… the arrow would flop to the ground no matter how good you may be.  Same goes for this posture.  Keep kicking!  Only when you feel that your kick is maximized and you can’t kick any harder, do you even think about rotating the body at all.  I often see people begin to let the belly rotate down when there is still some slack in the bow and this is a recipe for misalignment and a wobbly bow and arrow.
  6. Aim:  In this posture, everything will eventually line up in one straight line in the front mirror.  Look at the picture (below).  You will see two feet in one line.  Not only that, but you will also, see my chin, left fingertips, gaze, everything in one line as if I am standing between two panes of glass.  The only thing that should not be in one line from the front are the hips.  The hips should be square to the ground, so there also needs to be a continuous effort to pull the right hip down.  This creates a twist in the spine.  See how everything is in one line in the picture, below? Except, my hips look like the are next to each other on either side of my body?  That is the correct alignment.  I often see people opening their right hip to achieve an kick that appears higher, but are really just trading alignment for pseudo-depth.  As you rotate your body down, you should rotate as if you are on an axis and there should be no side to side motion.  Keep coming down until the belly button is facing the ground (while never letting up on the kick).  Hold steady, breathe normally, and keep your eyes focused on your left fingertips touching your left eye in the mirror.
  7. Release:  When you are ready to come out, use your inhale to lift yourself back up the same axis from which you rotated down -reversing out the exact same way you came down.  Never let your left fingertips come away from touching your left eye win the front mirror.  End in the same position you began your set up.

standing bow pose, woman, front view

So, go ahead now.  Channel your inner Katness, and may this pose be ever in your favor!

Namaste, Bendy Babes,

Xoxo,

Paloma

 

woman, standing, smiling, field

Paloma

Paloma is an avid yoga enthusiast, practitioner, and teacher in Louisville, Kentucky.  She created Her Bendy Life as a way to expand on her passion for all things yoga.  She has found that yoga is a very personal journey and she wanted a create a space to share some of the experiences, tips, and tricks from her dedication to her ever evolving practice.  She received a 200-RYT certified from Cindy Lunsford in Hot Vinyasa Yoga and also traveled to Cabo San Lucas to train with Tony Sanchez in the Ghosh Lineage. Paloma took her practice to new heights in 2016 when she placed 1st in the Yoga Federation’s Regional Competition in Chicago Illinois and 9th in the 2016 National Yoga Championship.

Paloma’s teaching emphasizes using the planes of the body to achieve proper alignment, allowing students to achieve the full therapeutic benefits of yoga.  She believes in adapting postures to each students ability (whether beginner or advanced) while maintaining physical alignment.  Paloma believes that yoga should never be dogmatic and that students should only go as far into a posture as what is comfortable for them.  She helps students find modifications that help them safely progress. Paloma lives with her husband George, her Labrador Retriever Belle, and her Pug Piper.

Instagram: @her_bendy_life