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Teaching Tips: Yoga Basics

In the World Peace Yoga book there is a structure for 5 Basic Yoga classes.  When teaching a Yoga Basics~Beginner’s Mind yoga class, please choose one of these 5 sequences to follow; perhaps teaching a different sequence each week.  This structure has been created to benefit both practitioners and teachers.  It provides a foundation for building a personal yoga practice and no matter who is teaching the class, yogis attending may expect a similar sequence.

While there is this basic structure, we know each teacher is a unique individual and will have their own creative way of explaining yoga, OM, and teaching the various poses.  Add your own personality and make it your own class within the guidelines of the basic structure.  And, we realize that depending on the amount of time you have and number of practitioners, questions, etc., in any given class, the structure may be adapted for that particular class.  For example, you may not have time to do every single pose, so some may be left out so that there is still time for deep relaxation.  Note:  The Yoga Basics sequences in the World Peace Yoga book are designed to be 90-minutes so adapting the sequence and taking poses out is necessary for a 60-minute class. 

A few guidelines:

  1. Music:  In a Basics class, the focus is on the teacher’s cueing and making sure practitioners move safely in and out of postures with emphasis on alignment.  Music is low in the background (instrumental, ambient without any words or mellow kirtan is recommended) or play no music at all.
  2. Intro: When guiding the intro part of the class, make sure not to keep practitioners in a seated cross-legged position for more than 5-8 minutes or guide some movement of the legs.  Some people may get restless and may have a tendency to fidget and be distracted, unable to focus on what you are saying.  When you are offering a philosophy talk or reading a story, offer permission to the people in class to move when they have been seated for a while or the option to lie down.
  3. Breath:  The main breathing techniques for a Basics class are 4-count breathing and ujjayi breath.  If time allows and you want to teach additional breathing techniques, belly breathing and 3-part breathing are recommended.  Breath retention is not taught in a Basic class.
  4. Warm Ups:  There are suggested warm-ups for the practice.  You may like to include others or substitute other warm-up at your discretion. 
  5. Postures:  In a Basics class, please teach one pose at a time, completing right side and left side, and allow people to integrate fully before moving into the next pose.  This is not a vinyasa class (though you may still keep a flow into and out of a pose and not make the practice choppy). For example, when guiding standing poses, practice triangle on the right side and triangle on the left side focusing on points of alignment for that pose and then move onto the next. 
  6. Order of Poses:  There is an intention and purpose behind the sequencing and order of the poses chosen.  Example:  Tree pose is very challenging for beginners.  It requires a combination of both strength and flexibility to balance and is especially difficult on one leg.  Therefore, it is one of the last standing poses in the sequence.  Practitioners get rooted through both feet first, strengthening and stretching the legs and then move to one leg.  When you are considering adapting the sequence or potential order of poses, please do so with intention. 
  7. Alignment and Holding Poses:  The focus of a Basics class is to give detailed cues, share specifics on alignment, and offer safety points as necessary.  Poses are not held for more than 5-8 breaths, so you may come in and out of a pose a 2-3 times to work the different points of alignment while making sure people in class have rest and are not holding poses for 20 breaths.  Or, you might find a creative way of breaking down the asana and working different points of alignment one step at of time.  For example, in Warrior II you may start with the feet and alignment of the knee, then relax and focus on the upper half of body and then put it all together.  This is why there are a minimal amount of poses to teach with plenty of time to go over the postures and repeat to get most of the alignment down. 
  8. Additions to the sequence:  When you feel a neutralizer is beneficial between repeating postures and working points of alignment, for example windshield wiper legs between backbends or practicing a full body stretch, feel free to add in.
  9. Demonstrating:  In a Basic class there is a combination of walking around and observing practitioners, physically assisting them, and demonstrating.  When you demo postures, make sure you demonstrate in a way that the people in class are able to see you.  For example, when showing the steps of shoulderstand and headstand it may be suggested to the group to come up closer and watch you demonstrate and then the practitioners may go back to their mats to get verbally cued to practice the particular pose.  This may be beneficial for other postures too.  (Note:  teaching online and covid has shifted movement in the classroom and assists, however we are starting to get back to this.)
  10. Permission Chips:  Please use permission chips in class before physically assisting someone.  When a practitioners does not take a chip, it is best to not assist and tell them about the chips post class. 
  11. Chakras:  Please note that it is not necessary to talk about the chakras in a Basics class.  In fact, the information could be quite overwhelming for those that are new and it’s best not to address the chakras in a Basics class.  This is just for your information so you can understand how the sequence is designed.
    1. Remember that in a Basics format to explain things clearly without throwing in esoteric jargon.  Keep it practical, relevant, and to the point without watering down. 
  12. Instruction:  In a Basics class, it is important to offer instruction for every pose.  Whether it is a room of yoga teachers and advanced practitioners or beginners in your class, all benefit from hearing the cues and refining their asana practice.  For example, when you teach shoulderstand prep or headstand prep, either continue to give detailed instructions to the full pose or do not offer the full pose at all.  Refrain from saying, “If you know this pose (if this pose is in your practice), go into it on your own.” By doing that, the practitioners miss out on the opportunity to refine their practice and perhaps go on to repeat patterns that may or may not be beneficial.  All of us benefit from step by step instruction…it refines not only our postures, but our ability to listen and be patient. 
  13. Sanskrit Terms:  Use Sanskrit terms sparingly and any Sanskrit term you may use in class, please define in English.  This is part of making the yoga practice accessible to all.  Do not take for granted terms like “asana” or “namaste” – these terms are to be translated as with other pose names.  Focus in Basics is on detailed cueing.  As the teacher we work to get people into and out of a pose with breath and alignments cues, without using the pose name at all.  And, when time allows and the pose is being held, we may introduce the pose name in English and possibly in Sanskrit.  Remember, it’s intimidating enough for people to take their shoes off to “exercise,” let alone have a foreign language thrown at them.  Keep that beginner’s mind.
  14. Some things to consider for introducing yoga philosophy in Yoga Basics:  What is the practice of asana (definition of the Sanskrit term)?  How is asana practice part of, yet different than yoga practice?  What is the goal of yoga and how does asana practice assist us in reaching that goal?  What role does developing one’s intuition play in all of this?  (Why is re-establishing our intuition important?  How does asana practice assist us in reconnecting with an intuitive state?) 
  15. For relaxation, good calming scents include lavender, chamomile, bergamot, sage, jasmine, the Indu lotion, etc.  Mint, eucalyptus, menthol and lotion such as the china gel are very energizing and are great to use at the start or during the practice. When using mint, eucalyptus, menthol and lotion, be careful not to touch the facial area as the intensity of these oils may irritate the eyes.  Make sure you have permission to assist and you might mention to class in you are using anything as skin may be sensitive.