Chair Yoga Case Study - Relief from the Symptoms of MS

After teaching chair yoga for several years Liz Franklin can testify that it appropriate for almost anyone, even if they are feeling the effects of aging or have physical limitations. It is not for hard-bodied 20-somethings that can twist themselves into poses that look impossible ? the only prerequisite is that you can sit in a chair, including a wheelchair.

What better way to illustrate how chair yoga has benefited those unable to attend a traditional yoga class than to tell it in their own words?

Hi! I?m Keri Rodriguez. I?m a 46-year-old Assessment Crisis Center Specialist. I have been practicing Liz Franklin?s Yoga in Chairs? for people with Multiple Sclerosis since the first class in August of 2005.

I came to the first class because I wasn?t willing to give into Multiple Sclerosis. I felt I needed to do whatever I could do to help myself both mentally and physically. I was a little dubious at first because I wasn?t sure I could physically do yoga. Liz showed me how I can succeed!

Liz is a great teacher. She makes every class feel good for us by adapting to our changing needs every week. Every class is a great experience for me. It is so wonderful to be with a group of people who truly understand what it means to live with MS. My success in the class has helped in the rest of my life.

The benefits I have received from my practice are too numerous to list here, but I have more flexibility, more energy, more confidence and it has helped me stay focused and on task. I have learned how to deal with anxiety and stress in a more positive fashion. My job is very high stress and practicing yoga has helped me stay focused on the client I am with at the moment. I also feel I am more centered and less reactive in both my professional and personal life.

Even if you don?t think you can do this or that you?re going to like it, you need to try because you?re going to love it! You can do this. It doesn?t matter where you are physically or mentally, you will be in a better place after you practice. It is so easy to incorporate the lessons into your daily life. It doesn?t take long and it makes your day go so much better.

Mark Franklin enjoys telling people about Liz Franklin’s Yoga In Chairs(r) because he knows it is helping people live healthier, happier, and longer lives. If you want to find out about her special style of chair yoga, visit http://www.yogainchairs.com.

Communication Skills for Yoga Teachers

Here is an oxymoron for you: Some of the best Yoga teachers are great listeners. This is a general guideline for Yoga students who aspire to teach some day. Listening skills, in Yoga, start when you take your first class, as you learn by hearing, watching, and doing.

The Yoga student who learns predominantly by listening will be able to verbally communicate the finer techniques to others in the future. This is not to say that other methods of learning have less value, but a skilled Yoga teacher must be a communicator and be able to reach into each individual student?s mind.

Therefore, not all Yoga students can learn from you in the same way. Some will learn by listening carefully to your cues, others will gain more from an assist, and some will be able to copy just by watching. As a Yoga instructor, you still have to be a good listener when it comes to all of your students? questions.

Most Yoga teachers do a good job with handling student questions. However, here is something to think about: Do you try to clarify why a question is being asked? Consider that your student may not be clear in his or her communication skills and you need to ?get to the heart of the matter.?

The motivation behind a question is more important than the question itself. You don?t want to waste your time giving unrelated information before, after, or during a Yoga class. So, get a clarification about what you are being asked, and learn why your Yoga student is truly asking you this question. This will benefit the both of you and avoid wasting your student?s time, as well.

If a student asks you a simple question, with a ?yes? or ?no? answer, you can still find out the motivational source by saying, ?Yes, but why do you ask?? This technique is really that simple, and you may find the question is much deeper than you originally perceived.

Another mistake some Yoga teachers make is handling a question defensively. Your student thinks enough of you to ask for your opinion and is interested in your answer. If he or she had no respect for you, your opinion would not be important. Now, whether you perceive an objection or not, you should ask for a clarification before answering.

There is a positive side to all of the questions your Yoga students ask, but you must clearly see the motive behind the question in order to give the best answer. The bottom line is: Even though you are now at the front of the Yoga class, your listening skills must be better than your best listeners in your class.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html