How we work
Individualized Yoga Instruction is the main focus of our teaching. For thousands of years Yoga has been taught on one-to-one basis. Only recently, especially in the West, Yoga has been taught in a group format in classes and workshops. In our humble opinion it is not real Yoga because to experience Yoga one has to focus on himself/herself and that is not possible in a group setting. Teaching Yoga is like practicing good medicine. You can’t give the same medicine to a group of people. You have to adjust it to each individual. It is similar with Yoga. For example teaching a headstand to a healthy young person may be beneficial; however, teaching the same headstand to an elderly person or an overweight person can be deadly.
Your First Yoga Lesson
When we first meet, we want to learn as much as possible about you, and your needs in order to create a customized program for you:
- We will ask you to fill out a questionnaire about your health, and any other issues;
- We will ask you to share your concerns and objectives in learning and practicing yoga;
- We also want to know how much time, and how frequently, you can practice yoga;
- Only after we get to know more about you and your aspirations, do we design and teach you your first yoga lesson. During that lesson, we modify each posture to your specific abilities and needs. We’ll then create a Yoga program for you, and ask that you initially practice this for one week;
- In one week’s time, we’ll meet to review your lesson plan, and to create a new lesson that will enable you to progress and develop a solid foundation to your yoga practice.
- The number of lessons you take depends on your needs and your goals. Some people who come to us for a specific reason, such as back pain, may need only six lessons. Others may find it beneficial to continue for a longer time, to go beyond basic practices, and delve deeper into their yoga studies, including practices and theory. Modifying yoga postures and practices to meet individual needs is a great gift from T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar. We look forward to guiding you through your yogic journey, and to helping you achieve your goals. Yoga practice and Yoga Therapy can benefit anyone who is able to follow simple instructions and practice on daily basis. It is important to keep in mind that the main objective of Yoga is to help one to become more peaceful, loving and happier as a person. In some cases Yoga can also help you to recover from a chronic health condition like back pain, etc. While there are never any guarantees that Yoga Therapy by itself can treat a particular health condition, it helps to improve one’s mental attitude provided he/she follow an appropriate program specifically designed for them.
