Teaching Yoga for Stress Management

Why do most of your students come to your Yoga classes? If you conducted a student survey, you would be surprised at how many arrived to your classes for the same reason. Surveys reveal much about the needs of your students.

Granted, there are a variety of reasons why students attend Yoga training sessions, but many people participate in our classes because they are seeking solutions to stress management.

It has been estimated that 75%, and possibly more, of doctor visits, are stress related. Stress is a major culprit in illness. Worse yet, stress will make a pre-existing illness worse. If you are seriously ill, one of the last things you need is an extra serving of stress, or anxiety, to go with it.

Most Yoga teacher training courses barely scratch the surface, when considering the needs of stressed-out students. More often, attention is paid to the technical aspects of Pranayama (yogic breathing), asana (yogic posturing), student safety, teacher ethics, teaching methodology, anatomy, physiology, philosophy, and much more.

So, how, in the world, could a Yoga instructor be prepared for the needs of the anxiety-riddled masses? It all comes down to the needs of our students and our continuing education efforts.

For example: If most of our students are young, flexible, strong, alpha-type personalities - our student's needs - will be geared toward physical prowess. In truth, this is fine, because there is a legitimate need for it.

On the other hand, if most of our students are feeling the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual effects of excessive stress and anxiety, there is a need for us to learn much more about effective Yogic stress management solutions for the sake of our students.

© 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. aurawellnesscenter.com 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: yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html