Other Class Notes Flashcards
Including notes on Class sequence, theming, meditation, assists and adjusts, and prop use and modifications
According to the standard “recipe” of yoga, what types and ordering of poses should be included in a vinyasa class?
Centering, warming up, standing poses, abdominal strengthening, active inversions, seated /prone/ supine postures, backwards bending, forward bends, twists, mild inversion, savasana, pranayama, meditation
What are the benefits of centering?
release tension, refocus scattered mind, prep to benefit from yoga postures and breathing
What are the benefits of warming up?
increases heart and breath rate, makes the body warm and flexible, prepares the body for more challenging postures
What are the benefits of standing poses?
strengthens legs, abs, and low back; improves balance; builds heat and energy in the body; preps body for more demanding postures
What are the benefits of abdominal strengthening?
increases blood flow to digestive organs, build digestive power, invigorates the whole energetic system
What are the benefits of active inversions?
brings feelings of exhilaration to the whole body, changes relationship to gravity positively affecting the cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous, and endocrine system
What are the benefits of seated, prone, and supine postures?
stable and comfortable poses, facilitates relaxation, preparation for meditation
What are the benefits of backward bending?
invigorating, expand chest and abdomen, helps correct rounded shoulders and sunken chest, increase circulation to the vital organs and spine, strengthends muscles of the back
What are the benefits of forward bends?:
calming to the nervous system, gently stimulates abdominal organs, improves digestion and assimilation, helps create and inward focus, encourages feeling of surrender
What are the benefits of twists?
increase circulation to the abdominal organs, keep spine elastic and healthy, help reduce the midsection
What are the benefits of mild inversion?
may drain venous blood from legs, increase blood flow and pressure to brain, develop memory, facilitates healthier exchange of nutrients and waste between cells and capillaries
What are the benefits of savasana?
release stress and tension, enhance clarity and well being, build foundation for meditation
What are the benefits of pranayama?
increase and expand vital energy, some breathing practices are calming and harmonizing, others are invigorating
What are the benefits of meditation?
increase gray matter in brain related to memory (hippocampus), and thought (frontal lobes). Increases cortical thickness in brain related to introspection and attention. Increases brain volume in areas for emotional regulations, positive emotions, and self control. Improves empathy and compassion, boosting social connections. Decreases pain, inflammation, anxiety, stress and depression.
What is the benefit of using blocks in yoga?
Blocks are used an extension of the arm. They are very helpful for tight hamstrings and hips.
What are the benefits of using a strap in yoga?
The strap is used as an extension of the arm when there is need to interlace or grasp the foot, hands, or elbows. They are especially beneficial for tight shoulders and hamstrings–they stretch them while protecting from injury.
What are the benefits of using a bolster in yoga?
The bolster is excellent for seated postures allowing the student to connect sits bones to the bolster if they cannot reach the floor.
What are the benefits of using a blanket in yoga?
Blankets are great for tightness in knees and low back tension. They can be used for seated postures or poses on the knees to press students on top of the hips or provide cushion for the knees, thereby relieving pressure.
What are the main tips for assisting and adjusting?
Observe the student first, create trust with them (ask them for permission), stabilize your body before helping them, move slowly and with the breath, provide verbal cues, get them out just as you got them in, tell them before you let go, always assist on both sides, don’t pay too much attention to one person or stop paying attention to the rest of the class
What are the most common examples of class themes?
grounding/steadiness, opening/external rotation, balancing, learning/discovery (e.g. peak postures or common asana explained in detail), relaxing/centering, twisting/rinsing, breathing/meditating (e.g. chakra focused), strengthening/challenging, holding/working with resistance, listening to intuition
What are the different types of meditation practices?
mindfulness meditation / breath awareness meditation, loving kindness / compassion, spiritual meditation, transcendental/mantra meditation, vipassana meditation, progressive relaxation, guided meditation, chakra meditation, yoga nidra, moving meditation, sound meditation
Mindfulness / breath awareness meditation
teaches us to be unconditionally present. Seated, focusing on the breath and being present with thoughts and feelings.
What were the names of the yoga mantras we were given?
Ashtanga yoga opening chant, Ashtanga yoga closing chant, Soham, Gayatri mantra, Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, Lokaha Samastaha Sukino Bhavantu, Asato Maa, Guru Sloka
What does “Soham” mean?
“I am that.” SO meaning the vast source of consciousness, HUM meaning my individual consciousness.
loving kindness meditation
helps recognize our connectedness with others and nurtures our compassion. Establishes the mantra “may all beings enjoy happiness and be free of suffering.” Starts with the self and moves through positive to neutral to problematic relationships to all beings in the universe.Helps dissolve barriers between relationships.
spiritual meditation
daily prayer/ talks with god
transcendental / mantra meditation
mantra (special syllable, word, or phrase) repetition, repeated 20 minutes twice a day, typically taught by licensed instructors.
Vipassana meditation
vipassana means to see things as they really are, self transformation through accurate self observation. Use sharpened awareness to understand the universal truths of suffering, egolessness, and impermanence. Taught in free 10 day retreats all over the world.
Progressive relaxation
body scan
Guided meditations
use symbolic visualizations and tap into other senses
Chakra meditationa
activate and balance the 7 chakras bringing harmony to the mind,body, and spirit
Yoga nidra
Yogic sleep; state of meditative consciousness between wake and sleep, practitioner rests in savasana, system guides student through the 5 layers of self (koshas) leaving them in a state of deep relaxation / wholeness.
Moving meditation
Uses asana, kriyas, and vinyasa (e.g. Kundalini, ashtanga, 108 sun salutations)
Sound meditation
sound baths
What are the steps (in order) of a basic meditation practice?
Become still in the body, diaphragmatic breathing, relax systematically (body scan), breath awareness in the nostrils, mantra
What are the 5 main qualities of diaphragmatic breathing?
deep, smooth, even, without sound, without pause
