Teaching Yoga, by esteemed instructor Mark Stephens, is the first fully illustrated guide to yoga for both teachers and students. In addition to providing essential information regarding the practice of yoga, Stephens also covers yoga’s origins and philosophy from ancient Hindu texts and traditions. The eleven major styles of yoga practiced today are also explained in the book. Using traditional and modern aspects of anatomy and physiology, Teaching Yoga provides the tools for teaching 108 yoga poses, breathing techniques and meditation. Readers will also find information on planning classes, classroom setup, and the process to become a certified, successful yoga instructor. Experienced yoga practitioners and critics are raving about the book—the Wisconsin State Journal wrote in a review, “Teaching Yoga by Mark Stephens is a great resource, not just for yoga teachers but for practitioners of all levels. It covers everything from yoga philosophy and history to the intricacies of the poses, breathing practices and meditation… The foreword is sweetly written by Mariel Hemingway and only serves to enhance this must-read for any practicing or aspiring yogi.”
Teaching Yoga offers detailed descriptions of many essential yoga poses, including photos. Here is a sneak preview of a few basic poses:
VIRABHADRASANA II
Primary Risks
Front knee if misaligned, back knee if hyperextended, shoulders if impingement, lower back if pelvis not neutral.
Guiding Students into the Asana
Start in a wide Prasarita stance, turning the right foot out, the left foot slightly in, slowing bending the right knee while guiding it toward the little-toe side of the foot; if the knee goes beyond the heel, crawl the toes farther forward for a longer stance. If starting from Virabhadrasana I, emphasize keeping front knee alignment while rotating the other hip back.
What to Look For and Emphasize
Front knee aligned directly above heel (it will tend to splay in); front sitting bone drawing under; hips level; pelvis neutral; back leg firm, arch lifted; shoulder blades down back; energy up through spine and out from heart through the fingertips. Press through the feet to release.
BHUJANGASANA
Primary Risks
Lower back, neck if hyperextended.
Guiding Students into the Asana
Lying prone with the forehead on the floor, place the palms down by the shoulders and shrug the shoulder blades down the back. Awaken the legs as in Salabhasana, internally rotate the thighs, and press the tailbone toward the heels. Lift the chest as high as possible without using the hands, then pressing the hands down, lift the chest slightly higher with each inhale, staying there with the exhale and drawing the spine forward toward the heart. Continue in this manner, moving breath by breath to the deepest backbend while remaining comfortable.
What to Look For and Emphasize
In pressing the palms down, energetically spiral them out (without actually moving them), feeling from this action how the elbows draw slightly in, the chest expands, and the lower tips of the shoulder blades draw in toward to heart.
ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA
Primary Risks
Lower back, knees, neck.
Guiding Students into the Asana
From Dandasana, slide the feet in halfway and draw the right heel back and under toward the outside of the left hip, then place the left foot on the floor just outside the right knee. Clasp the knee with both hands to leverage the anterior rotation of the pelvis and lengthening of the spine while pressing down through the sitting bones and left foot. Stretch the right arm up to lengthen through the spine and shoulder, then rotate the mid-torso to the left, either clasping the left knee, drawing the right elbow or shoulder across the left knee to leverage the twist, or reaching the right arm along the outside of the lower left leg and clasping the inner left foot.
What to Look For and Emphasize
Keep the sitting bones down, and press the right foot down as though trying to stand on it. With each inhale, back slightly out of the twist to more easily elongate the spine, twisting further with each exhale. Keep the shoulder blades drawing down the back, heart center spacious, and breath steady. Gaze to the left. Advanced students can transition out through Eka Pada Koundinyasana B to Chataranga.
Intrigued? Teaching Yoga has more poses for you to discover, no matter what your level of experience is. Click here for more information!
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