the Yoga life

RESOURCES FOR YOGA TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

Yoga Poses Yoga Sequencing Teaching Tips Yoga Business

Written by Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

Asana Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT Asana Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

History of Surya Namaskar: The Surprising Origins of Sun Salutations

When I first discovered yoga, I loved practicing Surya Namaskar, commonly known in English as Sun Salutations. Numerous teachers, including some famous ones, said that the sequence was ancient and was performed by monks in caves thousands of years ago. It wasn’t until years later, while reading history books, that I discovered this was a yoga myth. I still love practicing Surya Namaskar, but I now know that the sequence was not part of early yoga systems and was fused with yoga asana in the 1930s by the famous teacher Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. If this information is new to you, then no worries, the sequence is still very special and healing in many ways. In this post, I’ll review the history of Surya Namaskar, how the sequence became incorporated into modern yoga practice, and provide some references for further study.

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Yoga Sequencing Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT Yoga Sequencing Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

Yoga Themes for Yoga Classes: 23 Practical Ideas Teachers Can Actually Use

Anything can be a yoga class theme, and there are no rules for how it should be presented. We need to connect it to the day's practice in some way. A well-developed theme helps students deepen their understanding of yoga practice. Practical yoga theme ideas can be drawn from many areas, including references to internal experiences, the changing seasons, celebrations, holidays, yoga philosophy, and the Chakras.

Remember, you don’t have to have a theme for every class; many well-known teachers don’t. We need to be our authentic selves when teaching yoga, so don’t feel pressured to include a theme unless you love it.

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Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

Tree Pose Variations: A Complete Guide to Vrkshasana for Yoga Teachers

Tree Pose is one of the most recognizable yoga poses that students can practice successfully, regardless of their level of fitness. Whether you're a new teacher still learning how to teach balance poses or a busy teacher looking for class ideas, there is something in this post for you.

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Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

25 Ideas for Yoga Workshops That Build Community and Grow Your Classes

I love yoga workshops! In this post, I’ll list over 25 ideas for yoga workshops based on my real-life experience. I want you to be successful, so I’m including title and content ideas, too! I’ll also cover how I market my shops to students and venues.

I’ve separated these workshop ideas into five different categories, including:

  • Pose & skill-based

  • Yoga with food and drink

  • Mindfulness and wellness

  • Seasonal & holiday

  • Community

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Asana Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT Asana Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

Benefits of Trikonasana: A Complete Guide to Triangle Pose

If you are looking for a list of all the possible benefits of Trikonasana, you are in the right place! In this post, I will also cover basic alignment, modifications, and teaching tips.

Although some people try to differentiate between the names Triangle and Extended Triangle, I don’t differentiate this way. I use Extended Triangle as the pose name and label the different versions as modifications, options, or variations. Most teachers refer to this pose as Triangle, but all variations traditionally fall under the name Extended Triangle (Uttihita Trikonasana).

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Yoga Sequencing Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT Yoga Sequencing Becca Hewes, ERYT500, C-IAYT

How to Teach a Yoga Class: A Beginner’s Guide to Confident and Effective Teaching

You’ve completed your yoga teacher training and learned about philosophy, anatomy, and asana—but now, you’re faced with the big question: “How do I lead my first class?” You are not alone if you are feeling overwhelmed or unsure. I hear from many new teachers who find themselves in this same position. It takes time to become a confident yoga teacher. The first step is to face the challenge of teaching your first few classes.

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