As part of teacher training, we are expected to do physical adjustments in each pose, preparing us for working with students in our classes. A lot of time is spent determining which adjustments are “appropriate” in every pose. Any discomfort one may feel with touching others or being touched was not considered, as this was a significant part of our training experience.

Throughout my personal practice of Yoga, I have suffered injuries from instructors doing these adjustments, as well as from other students who were put in a position to do partner poses and make physical adjustments to another student. To be fair, I have also received very helpful adjustments that gave me a better understanding of my alignment and extension.

Each instructor is different. At Simple Abundance Yoga, you will find some instructors who do quite a few physical adjustments throughout the class and others who rarely if ever do them. As for me, I will occasionally give students adjustments in child’s pose or savasana when I feel they need to bring breathing back to an even flow and relax. Once in a while, if a student does not fully understand my verbal adjustment, I will come by to do a physical adjustment to help the student understand the basic alignment in that pose, or if a student is in a dangerous position, I will personally come by to pull him/her out of the pose. Mostly, I feel that students know their bodies better than I and can determine, based on my verbal instruction and demonstration, where they feel most comfortable in each pose. In our Foundations classes, we discuss alignment in great detail and focus on finding “your pose” each time you practice, making self-adjustments based on your needs from moment to moment.

There are times and circumstances that you simply do not wish to be touched. At Simple
Abundance Yoga we honor your space and hope that you will place a pebble from the basket on the prop shelf in front of your mat to let the instructor know that you would prefer not to be adjusted in any physical way during your practice.

As you attend classes and workshops at other studios, you will encounter various styles of adjustments. Be sure to let the instructor know if you have any physical or emotional issues making touch uncomfortable or painful for you. Always remember, this is YOUR practice.

Wendy Gilliland, E-RYT
Copyright © Simple Abundance Yoga, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
(As taken from the Simple Abundance Yoga March Newsletter)

The topic of yoga certification and registration is one that confuses many – not only students, but often teachers as well. I have written this article to hopefully shed some light on this topic.

First, certification and registration are two different things. A teacher may be certified, but not necessarily registered. There are also many people who teach yoga who are neither certified nor registered.

It is up to the individual states to regulate professional requirements related to services provided to the public. In that regard, there are no states that require a yoga teacher to be certified or registered. This surprises many people and it means that it is up to the individual student to determine whether certification or registration is meaningful to them. Additional, it
is also up to the individual teacher to decide whether certification and registration is important to them as professionals serving the community.

With that in mind, there is only one recognized professional association in the US that certifies and registers yoga teachers and yoga schools. That association is the Yoga Alliance.

Certification by a teacher represents a commitment by the teacher to be responsibly trained prior to teaching yoga. Registration with the Yoga Alliance represents a professional commitment by the teacher to support an organization that is committed to achieving standards and education related to yoga for those teaching yoga, or those who train the teachers.

There are many teachers that choose to be certified but do not register with the Yoga Alliance – and this does not necessarily make them less qualified to teach yoga. This is an individual teacher’s choice. However, to the student seeking a qualified yoga teacher, the registered status may also serve as an additional level of comfort concerning the training and qualification. You can find out if a teacher is registered through the Yoga Alliance web site.

It may also surprise some people to know that because states do not regulate standards for yoga teachers or yoga schools, essentially anyone can chose to certify someone. The question becomes whether that certification is recognized. I have found on the Internet web sites that will offer certification for $30-40 dollars and with little or no classroom or training experience.

That is where the Yoga Alliance comes in. The Yoga Alliance certifies the programs of yoga schools. Yoga schools that the Yoga Alliance certifies meet specific requirements and guidelines (more information may be found on their web site). Please note that a yoga school and a yoga studio are not necessarily the same thing. A yoga school may also be a yoga studio, but a yoga studio is not necessarily a yoga school. A yoga school trains teachers. A yoga studio has yoga teachers that teach classes to students.

A yoga school that has had its teacher training program certified by the Yoga Alliance is designated as RYS (Registered Yoga School). A yoga teacher that wants to be certified by the
Yoga Alliance as RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) must complete a teacher training at an RYS.
The minimum training hours required to be certified by the Yoga Alliance as an RYT is 200 hours.

In summary, it is not necessary for a teacher to be an RYT to teach yoga. However, if a teacher has RYT following their name then they have completed a certified program from an RYS, and that teacher is both certified and registered to teach yoga. It is also important to note that if someone holds RYT status, they are required and committed to Continuing Education (CE) hours to maintain that status. I hope that this helps to clarify this confusing topic. Do not hesitate to email or call if you have any questions or would like more information.

namaste’
Lamont Gilliland, E-RYT
Copyright © Simple Abundance Yoga, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
(As taken from the Simple Abundance Yoga March Newsletter)

We encourage our students to visit other studios in the area as well as out of town whenever possible to have the opportunity to experience different instructors and styles of yoga. Sometimes, it can be a bit intimidating to walk into a new studio.

It is always a good idea to call the studio ahead of time to speak with the owner or an instructor. This way, you can ask questions without taking time away from other students before or after a class. Oftentimes, a studio owner will offer to meet you at the studio between classes to show you around and answer any questions. This is a good opportunity, and I highly encourage you to take it. If time cannot be arranged or is not offered, ask any pertinent questions now, before you invest the time in driving to the studio for your class.

You will, no doubt, have questions specific to your own individual needs, so take time to jot
those down and be sure to ask those first. Here are a few other questions that you may not have considered.

Ask the owner if the teachers are certified instructors? Did you know that you do not have to be certified to teach yoga? It is true. This is your investment in time, money, and most importantly,  your body and health, so ASK! Hopefully, they will have instructors who have completed a 200 or 500 hour certification program recognized by the Yoga Alliance. This means that the instructor has had many hours training in anatomy, physiology, alignment, yoga history & philosophy, as well as hands-on teaching experience with certified professionals.

Before entering the studio, take a look at the outside environment of the studio itself. Is it in asafe location? Is parking easily accessible and well-lit in the event you come out after dark or during inclement weather? Is the area well maintained? What other businesses are located nearby? In general, does it have a welcoming feel?Once inside, take time to look around and note if the studio is clean and well-maintained. Are props set up for easy access or tossed about the room from previous classes? Check the flooring. Remember your mat is going to be there! Ask the policy on cleaning props and borrowed mats. Check the ceiling –sounds silly until you are lying on your mat and looking up at mold growing on the tiles above your head. In general, do you feel that things are being kept up to the standards you have at home and do you feel safe and comfortable practicing there?

Most importantly, how do you feel? Trust your gut. Chances are, you will encounter really
lovely instructors at studios. For the most part, owners do their best to provide safe, healthy environments for their students. Remember, this is YOUR practice. Explore. Meet new people.

Try new things. Enjoy!

Wendy Gilliland,  E-RYT

We are born into this world… breathe in… life begins. Upon our death, we exhale our final breath. Everything in between is our life and our breath is our life – literally feeding life into our bodies. Many people visit our studio for the first time sharing that they feel as though they have lost their breath and ask us whether yoga can help.

It is very easy to lose our breath within our day. Things are hectic; our list of “to dos” never seems to get shorter. We can become so overwhelmed in our lives that we can even feel that bedtime is merely an opportunity to go back through our list of things we did not complete. So what does this have to do with losing our breath?

If breath represents life then the feeling of losing our breath is not only a physical experience but it also represents a sense that we do not have control over our lives. So can we regain control of our breath through having better control of our lives? Likely not, as most of the circumstances in our lives are really not in our control after all. We may wish to believe that we are in control (and certainly try to control what we can) but the reality is that a countless number of life-changing events can happen at virtually any moment of our day or night.

If we cannot gain full control of lives then how do we find our breath? Interestingly enough we consider breathing an automatic process within our body. However we allow it to become overwhelmed by the ins and outs of our day. This in essence is why we lose our breath. We give it up to the circumstances of the day – the very thing that we have little control over.

So, back to the original question? How do we find our breath … and can yoga help? Yes! Yoga is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning “to yoke” or union. Yoga is about reconnecting mind, body and spirit. In its physical practice yoga is about connecting movement of the body with the flow of breath. It is through this practice that we find the ability to reconnect with the flow of our own breath and to carry this practice into our daily lives.

Yoga should be accessible to virtually anyone who is interested in a healthier lifestyle and for those who would like to be more actively involved in managing their own health. Physical limitations are generally not an obstacle to those would are interested in incorporating yoga into their lives. We welcome the opportunity to share the health benefits of yoga with you and help you find your breath.

Peace & blessings,

Lamont Gilliland, RYT

Article: Also as appearing in Marie Browning’s Healthier Solutions by Marie July 2009 Newsletter.

Your source for information and resources related to the health benefits of yoga.