What Else Should a Hatha Yoga Teacher Know About Teaching Yoga ...

Yoga teacher ethics should be thoroughly covered in all Yoga certification programs. With the current laws about harassment, all Yoga teachers, and anyone who works with the public, should beware. The less said, in your Yoga class about trivial matters, the better.

Just like Yoga teachers often say to their students, Stay in the moment. Within your class, its all about Yoga and anything else beyond that can be open to misinterpretation. Walk the middle path, avoid extremes, show loving kindness, and maintain a standard of professionalism within all of your Yoga classes.

Communication should be clear at all times. You must demonstrate, communicate verbally, and assist, if you have permission to do so. Always ask permission before making a physical assist during Asana practice.

Chakras are the energy centers of the physical and astral body. Yoga teachers know about balancing and cleansing them. Most Yoga teachers are familiar with the seven main Chakras, but there are more. No one should play with Chakra Awakenings, with out guidance from a Guru.

Bandhas are the many locks, but Hatha Yoga teachers should know Mulha Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, and Jalandhara Bandha very well. These are the three main Bandhas.

Mudras are gestures and they are often integrated with specific Pranayama techniques for healing. Not all Mudras are performed with the hands. In Sanskrit Mudra means seal. There are many Mudras and learning this is part of a Hatha Yoga teachers continuing education.

Kriyas or Shatkarmas are the six hygienic deeds or actions. A Yoga teacher should be clean in mind, body, and spirit. Every Hatha Yoga teacher is familiar with these six Kriyas.

Meditation is a part of each form of Yoga. It is a tool for clearing, calming, and focusing your mind, but there are also many methods of meditation. Each path of meditation leads to tranquility. All Yoga teachers should practice meditation twice per day. Guiding Yoga students is one thing, but a Yoga teachers meditation practice should be regimented.

A Yoga teacher should also be familiar with relaxation methods, specially, stage-by-stage relaxation. This relaxation method should be practiced privately, and Yoga teachers should make their students familiar with this technique.

With all of the above points mentioned, you can now see why the jump from Yoga student to Yoga teacher will take some time and serious practice.

Copyright 2006 Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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. To receive a Free e-Book: "Yoga in Practice," and a Free Yoga Newsletter, please visit http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Jerard

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What is Yoga?

Yoga comes from a Hindu philosophy used to attain spiritual insight and harmony, but generally refers in common use to a system of exercises that is practiced as part of this discipline. The word itself is derived from the Sanskrit "yeung", meaning to join. A yoke as used on oxen is closely related, but also the same root gives us "join", "junction", "junta", "adjust", "joust", and "juxapose" to name a few. The Mueller Center offers classes for both beginners and those more advanced. ...
Meaning union with the divine, yoga is a philosophy and discipline applied to the development of mind, body, and spirit. There are many disciplines of yoga emphasizing different aspects or combination of mind body spirit. Through practices of holding a variety of body positions or asanas, and the centering of the mind and breath in a meditative way, the practitioner increases body awareness, posture, flexibility of body and mind and calmness of spirit.
An ancient system of practices originating in India. It is aimed at integrating mind, body and spirit to enhance health and well-being. There are many different forms of yoga. Hatha yoga — the most widely practised form of yoga in the Western world — uses specific postures and breathing exercises.