The Yoga rules

By Paul Jerard

Now that you teach Yoga to the public, you clearly realize the need for stress management solutions, on a massive scale. Most Yoga teachers tend to go through life with an inner calm that is sometimes taken for granted.

As a result of conditioning, the Yogic lifestyle is not a stressful one; therefore, you may need to understand much more about what causes anxiety, panic, and worry, within your students. If you are suffering from a panic attack, the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual conditioning of a Yoga teacher, seems like fiction.

Stress is a chemical message to the body from the brain, which is very basic. This "fight or flight" message is very primal, and saved our ancestors lives, throughout the history of humankind. When we perceive a threat, our brain signals the adrenal glands to send, adrenaline and noradrenaline, to our heart, which increases the blood flow to the muscles.

This, in turn, gives instant power to the muscles. At the same time, the breath rate is accelerated to bring more oxygen to vital areas. In terms of survival, the mind and body are programmed to perform an efficient chemical and mechanical reaction to save our lives.

Yet, many people have this same reaction, while commuting to work, on a daily basis. Once one arrives at work, he or she may be subjected to unrealistic deadlines and office politics. This is just one scenario of many possible stressful situations, which may occur in the lives of our students.

Once you have become a Yoga teacher, you have taken a vow to help students in need. The atmosphere in your classes, studio, or ashram, should be tranquil. There is no place for a teacher without compassion. Likewise, the teacher with a personal agenda, about getting his or her best workout during class time, will fall short in helping students who suffer from excessive stress.

ฉ Copyright 2008 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive a Free Yoga e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html