Shoulderstand for Teenagers

“Sarvangasana is the Mother of Asanas.  As a mother strives for harmony and happiness  in the home, so this asana strives for the harmony and happiness of the human system.”

B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga

YogaMinded.com: Teenage Girls in Shoulderstand

 

The very first environment where I taught teenagers yoga was at a college in Virginia.  Though it was 15 years ago, I remember well one young woman’s essay (as required by my class) that expressed her gratitude to yoga, and in particular, shoulderstand.  This 18-year-old woman was suicidal at the time and felt that shoulderstand had saved her life.

Sarvanagasana, or shoulderstand, is called the “queen of all asana” due to its plethora of benefits and is named literally “whole body pose”,  where sarva means whole, complete, entire and anga means limbs or body.  Shoulderstand is known for optimizing hormonal function, making it a natural choice when seeking to stabilize and regulate the body during teenage years.  It also elicits a parasympathetic nervous system response that is profoundly quieting for the mind and body and calming for the stress teens regularly experience.

How I sum it up for teens is that it is a healing pose that you can literally feel healing you.

“Shoulderstand for teenagers” makes sense to me.  I’ve seen the calming results with my students and have experienced the sublime refuge it offers in my personal practice for years.

Teens often seek to feel something deeply, usually unconsciously, especially teens who have experienced pain and are now numb to themselves in some way.  Shoulderstand is a dramatic pose to experience.  With its strong and tangible affects that are deeply felt, shoulderstand satisfies the teen quest for aliveness.  Yoga and shoulderstand, in particular, helps them connect to a deep sense of self and therefore can bring light to darkness, or awareness to the numbing.

Also, it is a pose that looks unusual, to say the least. It gets teens’ attention, and it is challenging.  These are all attractive qualities from my teenage-informed view.  I personally think it’s good for teens to strive for something that’s not quite easy to do and yet offers such reward once they have arrived.

Whether a student is new to the pose and can only stay for 15 seconds or is more experience and can hold it for 5 minutes, releasing out of the pose is profound.  The contrast in going from vertical and upside-down to horizontal and supine provides an interesting perspective.  Yoga, after all, is about changing our perspective.

Having explained my advocacy of the pose, I often do not teach it.  I am most comfortable teaching it when:

  1. There are adequate props to create a proper base such that the cervical spine is compromised with over-flexion.  (This requires two to five blankets or similar firm platform such that the entire length of the upper arm from elbow to the shoulder is supported.)
  2. There is enough space for each student to come in and out of the pose safely, without running into others.
  3. An atmosphere of quiet exists.  With quiet, students can pay attention to instructions and also experience the pose in its due silence.
  4. The class agrees to pay attention. It’s a serious matter to go upside down.

Here are my precautions to teens:

  1. “Take out pony tails, if you have them, so that the back of the head can rest evenly on the ground.”
  2. “Be sure NOT to turn your head.  Do not turn your head.  Keep your nose pointing up. Even if you hear your name being called, do not turn your head.”
  3. “Come down if you have neck pain of any kind. Watch for signs of strain in your eyes or face.  Monitor your breath.”
  4. “Though we’re not talking, your voice should be normal. You can do a mini talk test to ensure you are not straining.”
  5. “This pose is not for you if it’s your time of the month, ladies.”

While in the pose, encourage breath awareness.  Adjust students toward better alignment provided you are a teacher who is experienced and knowledgeable with regards to safety.  Those of you who’ve had a good shoulderstand adjustment by an experienced teacher know that some help shifting the weight better onto the outer arms and up through the legs is very much appreciated.

I’ve explained WHY I teach shoulderstand to teenagers, WHEN I teach shoulderstand to teens, and the important precautions for teens.  If you want to know HOW to teach shoulderstand to teens, that information is detailed with the basic actions of the pose, setup, sequencing, and other tips for alignment and class handling in our book, Yoga 4 Teens, An Instructor’s Guide to Teaching Yoga to Teenagers.

 

 

 

YogaMinded.com: Adult Class Shoulderstand

Internship Opportunity with YogaMinded

YogaMinded is looking for an intern in Southern California.

A good fit would be a high school student, college student, or adult looking for a career transition.  The focus of the position is to promote YogaMinded through social media marketing and to help with product creation.  An internship is also an opportunity to be mentored so someone looking for guidance would be well-suited in this position. [Read more...]

YogaMinded Graduates

A huge high five to Childlight Yoga for hosting this past training in Dover, NH.  There are countless teens who will benefit from these instructors teaching in PE classes, after-school programs, athletic practices, and yoga studios.  We are so pleased to recognize the following people pictured here who are now officially prepared through YogaMinded to teach yoga to teenagers:

YogaMinded Teen Yoga Teachers

Pam Barrett     North Easton, MA

Karen Dabrosca     Saunderstown, RI

Sarah Estabrook     Portland, ME

Shilo Fiel North     Berwick, ME

Sarah Hale     Beford, NH

Victoria Marcotte     Pittsfield, NH

Vanessa Percoco      Ashaway, RI

Lucia Reardon     Cumberland, ME

Jill Rose     Seattle, WA

Jeanette Richelson      Portland, ME

Alicia Rossman   Brentwood, NH

Cheryl Rossman     Dover, NH

Thank you to this group of extraordinary individuals committed to connecting our teenage youth with the helpful practice of yoga.  YogaMinded is inspired by you!

If you are interested in becoming prepared to teach yoga to teenagers, check out our upcoming dates.  Southern Calfornia July 12-13 and Washington D.C. Oct. 12-14, 2012 at East Meets West Yoga Center.

 

 

Learn How to Teach Yoga to Teens: Last Chance for Boston Workshop Signup

Nine days left until our Yoga4Teens training at ChildLight Yoga.  If you are wishing to teach yoga to teenagers or to refine your current teaching skills, sign up today. This intimate setting is almost full… just a few spots left. Register today for the chance of a lifetime!

Still not sure?

  • Read more about what this training could offer you in the blogpost: 10 reasons to come to this training.
  • Don’t forget about our certification. Add the YogaMinded Teaching Teens Yoga Certification to your list of impressive credentials.
  • Meet & bond with a like-minded yoga support group to enlighten, enrich and support one another throughout your teaching journey.
  • This workshop is a MUST for those who have the book, Yoga4Teens: Instructors’ Guide to Teaching Yoga To Teenagers.  This training will bring your book alive and instill useful tools & concepts for a lifetime.

No longer children and not yet adults, teenagers test the boundaries of who they are, at times perceiving the world with adult-like acuity and other times retreating to childlike ways.

We believe that yoga can help teenagers in the journey of self-discovery, both showing them how to make wise, healthy choices and by building a foundation of inner strength.  Furthermore, yoga for teenagers makes physical activity and taking care of their bodies both fun and interesting.

From March 16 – 18th, YogaMinded will be leading a weekend training at Childlight Yoga Studio in Dover, NH aimed to serve yoga teachers, parents and yoga practitioners who seek to teach teens.  We will share Yoga 4 Teens techniques developed in her 14 years working with this age group and will also work with individuals present to refine their classroom approach.  

“We are thrilled to host this relevant, informative training here on the Seacoast for a second year,” says Lisa Flynn, Owner/Director of ChildLight Yoga. “Christy is a dynamic teacher with a keen understanding of the unique needs of teens. Our instructors have learned a great deal from her and we looking forward to sharing this training with the community.

Go ahead, sign up. Make a difference. And tell a friend. They, too, will be thankful for a lifetime.

New eBook Just Released: Teaching Teenagers Yoga, Volume 3 – Special Promotion Inside!

Teaching Teens Yoga eBook, Volume 3 is finally here. With unique content and commentaries specific to teaching teenagers yoga, the reader will be further inspired and informed along the teaching teen yoga path. Volume 3 has particularly helpful pictures that communicate what’s happening in teen yoga classrooms and how to transmit these experiences in other classrooms.

The hyper-linked table of contents also helps to organize the 75 pages for easier maneuverability to specific articles.

Volume 3 is laid out in three chapters: Big Picture, Inspiration for the Classroom, and Notes on Poses.

Chapter 1, Big Picture, includes the following articles:

  • How to Turn Teens On to Yoga
  • How to Make Your Class Appeal to Teens
  •  Teach Every Teen About Food
  • Advice for Teaching Boys

 Chapter Two, Inpiration for the Classroom, includes these articles:

  • A Yoga Philosophy for Teens
  • Teaching Yoga on the Football Field
  • Teen Girls Become a Flock of Birds
  • Snapshots from a Teen Girl Yoga Class
  • What to Do with Old Yoga Magazines
  • Every Teen Can Get a Thrill
  • Shifting “I Don’t Care” to “I Care”
  • Teaching Savasana to Suicidal Teens
  • Fun Partner Yoga Pose for Teens
  • From Distraction to Attraction
  • Make 30 minutes Effective for Teaching

Chapter 3, Notes on Poses, includes articles about a special Savasana and a pose to feel more generous.

It is not necessary to read Volumes 1 and 2 before Volume 3.  The content of each of the Teaching Teenagers Yoga eBooks is unique and mutually exclusive.

Buy Volume 3 here for $19.95.

To honor the release of Teaching Teenagers Yoga, Volume III, YogaMinded is offering a special promotion:

Buy all three ebooks for $34.95.
To take advantage of this offer, simple add all three ebooks to the shopping cart. The promotion will automatically be employed, with a savings of $24.95.

Here is a little more information about Teaching Teenagers Yoga ebook, Volumes 1 and 2.  With 75 pages, 22 articles, and lots of pictures, the reader of Teaching Teenagers Yoga, Volume 1 will learn what teachers are doing in the teen yoga classroom. Christy shares tips and reflections on handling the teen yoga classroom. Nine innovative teen yoga teachers are featured who explain what has worked for them teaching teens.  Buy Volume 1 here for $19.95.

 

 Teaching Teenagers Yoga eBook, Volume 2  also delves deep into teaching yoga to teenagers. It provides insightful interviews with teen yoga teachers as well as commentaries on teaching teens by Christy Brock. With 55 pages and pictures, Volume II offers fresh articles and perspective and new teacher summaries. There are seven teachers featured in Volume 2 and five articles on teaching teens by Christy Brock.

Buy Volume 2 here for 19.95.

EBooks can be printed or viewed onscreen at your leisure. They never expire.  EBooks are easy to read on your computer screen, can be printed at your discretion, and conserve the use of paper.  With the purchase of these eBooks, it is possible to hone your skills and perspective in relating yoga to this age group.

YogaMinded’s Teaching Teenagers Yoga eBooks on are separate in purpose and function than the hard back, spiral-bound book, YogaMinded’s Yoga4Teens Instructor’s Guide. To understand the differences between these products (the eBooks and the hard-backed manual) and decide which one is right for you, read this detailed explanation.

10 Reasons to Take the Next Yoga4Teens Training at Childlight Yoga

The Yoga4Teens Training March 16-18 in Dover, NH promises to be a meaningful experience for all. As this training is hosted by Childlight Yoga, it will have the advantage of happening in their home studio.

Ten great reasons to sign up for this training follow:

1. Learn how to empower the next generation of teenagers with yoga.
2. Network with other teachers whose personal experience will motivate and inspire you.
3. Gather powerful tools for teaching teenagers.
4. Prepare to become an effective teacher and role model for teenagers.
5. Learn fun partner activities that are appropriate for teens.
6. Share your own ideas for teaching teenagers.
7. Sharpen both your listening and speaking skills to authentically connect with teens.
8. Be coached by a teacher who will help you realize your teaching potential.
9. Join the YogaMinded network of teaching teenagers yoga that provides year-round support.
10. Enjoy the Childlight Yoga home studio.

Sign up today.

One day options and discounts for return students are available.

View Christy’s welcome on YouTube.

Inner City High School Students – An Interview with Koren Paalman

Koren Paalman’s story of teaching teens yoga is powerful. She has been teaching a 100 high school students a year in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Los Angeles for over ten years. She is a teacher we can learn from. Her story is worth the read.

YogaMinded is proud to feature Koren Paalman teaching her Belmont High School class in this downloadable video.

This interview by Christy Brock Miele was initially published in 2008. The interviewer’s remarks are in bold followed by Koren’s replies in regular typeface.

 

Tell me about your decision to do this work.

I did not really decide, the students did. I was teaching English as a Second Language while I was getting a Master’s degree from USC. I learned about a technique called Total Physical Response, a learning method that links body movement with language acquisition. I thought it was useful, but realized it would be even more powerful if the body movement was yoga poses.

When I came up with this theory, I tried it in the classroom. It was reallyeffective and popular; so much so that my students would chant “Yoga, yoga, yoga!” when I came into the classroom. I wrote my Master’s thesis on using yoga to teach English as a Second Language. Due to student interest, I proposed to offer a yoga only class. It was a smashing success.

So, that was the start to teaching yoga at Belmont High School.

Yes, I started in 1998 and I offered one class every day for credit. Students from 13-19 could take yoga instead of P.E. My classes had all kinds of students, from the newest freshmen to the seniors who should have graduated the year before. My classes meet (both then and now) an hour a day, five days a week for four months, a semester at Belmont. I have had to close the class at 50 students because I only had 45 mats. With so many students I figured some would be absent so there would be enough mats for everyone.

Three years later I proposed a second class so I then had two classes of 50 students every day. At one point I taught four classes a day but the politics of the situation limited me from doing this for long, and I wasn’t sure I could sustain four classes anyway. Teaching yoga requires a lot of talking, observation, and sheer presence with the students. I did not want to give up teaching AP psychology and health, since I believe they are an important part of a well-rounded education.

Currently the class is only open to juniors and seniors “in good standing” who have passed four semesters of P.E. already. It has changed to be a PE elective. There have been a lot of changes in the way the administration sees my yoga class. Considering that the graduation rate for our high school is only 45% and “in good standing” means passing all classes, you can see that someone was trying to close the class yet I still have a full class. Goodness prevails again!

 

Koren Teaching Her Class Virabhadrasana II

 

Do you want to say more about the politics of offering yoga in school?

There is a lot of politics, in general, to working in an inner city public high school. The poorer the neighborhood, the more conservative the school is. The yoga classes caused a stir in the community because teens were leaving the traditional P.E. classes in droves. My class started out for P.E. credit and now it is for elective PE credit. Even so, I have a credential to teach P.E so I can teach yoga for credit. Additionally I have credentials to teach psychology, health and even English. Not a lot of high school teachers have more than one credential, but that’s what I needed to do to share what I love academically.

What about the parents?

 In general, they are very supportive. On parent-teacher night, many ask me where they can find yoga in their communities. Rarely do I have parents upset about their children doing yoga. In my eleven years of teaching, two students have actually been removed from class by their parents. That is not really a lot considering that I get hundreds of students a year. These parents mistook yoga for a religion, which it is not.

I personally have found that getting support teaching teens yoga is helpful. I’m wondering if you ever feel that way.

I have never had any, but I am curious and excited about being a part of a community of teen yoga teachers. I have learned so much being a member of the Iyengar yoga community and feel that it would be great to work with other yoga teachers working with teens. I’ve been in isolation in teaching teens, though not by choice.

Why do you think your teen students have taken to yoga so strongly?

I teach at an inner city public high school that is the poorest, most gang-infested neighborhood in Los Angeles. Because it is one of the most stressful neighborhoods, the students eat yoga up. Everyone knows yoga releases stress and they have a lot of it!

What does it take to reach this group of students?

There are several aspects:

1) Much of my energy is spent defending the yoga class to the administration of the school. I have always said that if I did not have a yoga practice myself I would have never had the patience to put up with it all.

2) Because this population doesn’t have access to yoga after graduating, I spend time teaching students how to build a home practice, which they should have anyway. Additionally whenever I can I pass out old yoga mats that yoga studios donate. I pass out photocopied sequences and talk about my home practice.

3) I am a very open and approachable person. When I first started out I needed to let students know I was teaching a yoga class so I went around to homerooms. The first day of the yoga class I asked them what made them try it. They said I seemed pretty “cool”. Teens make decisions very intuitively and they sensed I had something to teach they wanted.

4) I am extremely committed to this population, working with people of color, and in communities that are under-served. As long as I can teach them, I am going to. They deserve a chance to see themselves and the world differently. It is that that will bring about change in our city.

What can you tell us about B.K.S. Iyengar’s support of your
teaching?

I have gotten more support from him than I could have imagined. He not only helps me with my own practice but also reads accounts of my work eagerly. I send him pictures of my students and he loves them! He can see from the students and the room we are in the nature of what I do. He reads bodies like no one I know! Most people in the Iyengar community are white and middle class. He is happy when his teachers are reaching out to other communities because as he always says, “Yoga is for everyone.”

It was a sweet surprise to learn how much joy he gets from knowing Iyengar yoga is reaching poor communities and people of color but it is in line with the work he is now busy with. He is currently raising money to build a school and hospital in his hometown Belur, which is a really poor village in Southern India. I can imagine his smile. Those of us who teach teens are so tickled seeing young people embrace the practice. Of course, Iyengar is thrilled… he’s spent his whole life teaching young and old, alike.

Do you teach with props?

I brought belts back from India. I have 50 blocks and I have sticky mats which were donated from various yoga studios. We did not have blankets
for years but now I do have one blanket per student.

Do you start them in a seated pose?

I start them lying down. They start in either Savasana, Supta Baddha Konasana, Supta Sukhasana, or Prone Savasana. Prone Savasana calms the nervous system very quickly. Starting this way allows me to take roll and talk to students with issues or concerns. It also provides a bridge from their normal classes to the yoga class where expectations are different. When I call role, they simply raise a limb. I get to know them pretty fast.

With 200 names to learn, and you do need to know their names, this provides another way to recognize them (by their body parts).

Say more about knowing their names.

I do not use their names to correct. I use their names to praise. You get to know who wants feedback. I use their names to greet them and to direct them. It is part of teaching and essential way to have a very good relationship with them.

Do you have any one on your side in the administration?

Yes, but I also have one constant nemesis. It is not personal, it is protective over the physical education department and a possible aversion to alternative healing modalities. 

Do any teachers do your class?
Yes, they put themselves at the back of the room.

You had mentioned to me that despite the fact that you have students who learn differently or have bodies that do not do yoga as well, that your students are amazing to each other in class. How do you create the yoga atmosphere that “they are amazing to each other”?

I believe in them and model an environment of mutual respect. They see this and do the same. I have wonderful students! I have never had to talk
about treating people well.

Tell me more about your students.

Right now I have mostly boys in my class. There is a lot of “boy energy”. And as I mentioned they are juniors and seniors. They are young men and act accordingly. They give each other a hard time and wrestle a bit, but it is always done on good fun, never as a way of picking on someone for learning differently or being less able to do yoga. They are a cultural mix of students as well, approximately 75% are Latinos, 20% are mixed Asian, and 5% are African American.  There are also all sorts of personalities, from jocks to rockers.

And you’re white.

Yes, and they see a white person who is different from their idea of white people. They see me for who I am. I establish authentic relationships with my students and we
enjoy each other and see past cultural differences.

How do you handle the boy energy with asana?

I teach a lot more Sun Salutations and strength-building poses. Also the boys need their hips opened so we do that. I really adapt things according to the energy of the group that day. I pit them against each other sometimes. I may say, “I wonder who can do this pose best?” I have found that a little competition gets them to work harder. I know that may not sound yogic but we are having fun and they like it. The girls, however, do not need the competition to work hard. This is true formost subjects in high school. Typically girls work harder.

Every other Friday I do a 35 minute guided Savasana. They are addicted!!! That is how stressed out they are. They are all not sleeping enough. They walk around exhausted. They need time to relax deeply. Every other Friday, I do partner yoga. My boys work with other boys or girls and everyone learns how to be comfortable physically.

Do you have any words of wisdom on becoming a more effective teen yoga teacher?

Relationships with your students are the key. You must know them and genuinely like them to be effective. And then you enjoy teaching them as
much as they enjoy learning.

Study their energy in the beginning of class. Use a standing pose as a barometer— are they working hard or being lazy?

Talk them about health, philosophy, psychology and life in general. Share yourself with them. Be yourself. Teach them to love themselves.

Koren, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview.  Your teaching is an inspiration and I believe this interview will be helpful to many.

 

Koren Paalman is a Junior Intermediate level certified Iyengar yoga teacher with a BA in Psychology from UCLA and an MS in Education from USC. In 1998 she started the first yoga program for credit in the Los Angeles Unified School District where she taught Yoga, Health and Psychology classes at Belmont High School for fourteen years.  She currently teaches adults and youth at  the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles (www.iyila.org) and several Yoga Works locations. For more information about her work visit: www.inventiveascent.com .

YogaMinded is proud to feature Koren Paalman teaching her Belmont High School class in this downloadable video

 

Yoga Interrupted: The Reality of Being a Mom

There was a time when I could do yoga as much as I liked: practice as long as I would like, attend class as much as I wanted, read and study when or how much I wanted. Now that I am the mother of two young daughters, this is not the case anymore, for obvious reasons. I’m thankful that I had that time before children– the utter wonder of practicing asana, transcendental moments of breath practice, and joyful time spent teaching others.

Now, my time to practice asana is squeezed into the precious moments when the youngest is napping and the oldest is at school. (That is, if I’m comfortable blowing off the other responsibilities of managing our household.) Or, I may just decide to practice amidst my daughters calling my name, or doing crafts near me, or bouncing around the room being their lovely selves.

I get a kick out of the contrast between now and then. Life is such an ever-changing process. It is as if my awareness is riding on a magic carpet. I observe the moments; the days and the years fly by.

No longer do I have a two to three hour practice set aside for rapture and discovery. What I have now is a joyous and loving calling to experience my daughters in all their glory.

My 5-year-old daughter took the following pictures on a day when I really wanted to do some poses. This may have been the day that I surrendered yet again to being the best mom I can be.

Advice for Teaching Boys

As I think about the group of fourteen ninth and tenth graders I taught today, I am so impressed with how much they were capable of focusing. While “distracted” is a fitting adjective of this age and these boys in particular, the moments that they were “getting it” were not missed by me!

If you would like to create a class where boys will engage in yoga, here is my advice: [Read more...]

Teach Every Teen About Food: How Yoga Teachers Can Help

I’m thinking it’s time to start bringing some nutrition education into the  teen yoga classroom.  The assumption that teens are being raised with  wholesome meals or getting a good nutrition education elsewhere is not a good assumption to make these days.

Because I know and understand the difference food can make in my life, I make a point to offer home-cooked, fresh, preferably organic, local foods for myself and my family.  If you care about yourself and the loved ones in your life, chances are you have made some changes, too.  Now, more than ever, this is a skill we should share with teenagers.

What prompted me to write this blog was the TED talk by Jamie Oliver included at the bottom of this post.  It is a compelling call to action.

Also, I have been asked by other yoga teachers whether it’s appropriate to include nutrition education in yoga class.  While I have always been supportive of the idea, the time is now to actually encourage it.

To read more on this topic, pick up a copy of Teaching Teens Yoga eBook, Vol. 3 [Read more...]