Before class

Injuries

Let your teacher know about any new injuries or the status of any ongoing injuries. Your teacher will ask you which positions cause discomfort or pain and any movements that are limited by your injury. It is helpful to inform your teacher if you are aware of any specific yoga poses that are impacted by your injury. Your teacher can then discuss alternatives with you and plan ahead for the class.

Health conditions

It is important to let your teacher know if you are experiencing any new health conditions or if any pre-existing conditions have worsened. Some yoga poses are contraindicated for some health conditions such as high blood pressure, glaucoma, vertigo. If you are recovering from an illness your teacher may also offer modifications to help support your energy levels.

Menstruation

Iyengar yoga is a supportive practice during menstruation. Poses such as strongly compressive abdominal movements can increase discomfort and are avoided. Inversions and strong backbends are also not practiced during menstruation. This is a time when energy can be low and poses can be offered that are more supportive.

During the class

It is important to alert your teacher if you are experiencing pain or discomfort in a pose. You should also check with your teacher if you are unsure of a direction given or if you are not clear about how to set up in a pose, particularly if props are involved. Don’t be afraid to speak to your teacher during the class. All the teachers at Unfold prioritise individual students’ needs.

After class

This is a time where you can discuss any questions, issues or concerns that arose during the class. The discussion may be centred around something you experienced during the class that has just occurred or about a particular pose that you would like to progress, but you are not sure how to. You may also like to talk to your teacher more generally about your practice, including any blocks you are experiencing or how to start a home practice. We welcome you to discuss with your teacher further about managing any injuries or health conditions during your practice and during class.

Open communication between yoga teacher and yoga student is crucial. One of our main goals at Unfold is providing an environment in which your yoga practice can thrive. All communication from our students is highly valued and we love to hear from you.

by Samantha Smith

The post Open Communication with your Yoga Teacher appeared first on Unfold Yoga + Wellbeing.

Not long after I started teacher training I began to understand the one teacher theory. After a couple of months with the same teacher she began to unpack and read my body and its patterns of strengths and weaknesses. My teacher quickly identified my scoliosis and a whole different way of working was opened up to me. From her observations, adjustments and corrections my practice of yoga was transformed and I seemed to improve at a much greater rate than when I was going from teacher to teacher.

After two years I still felt that there was so much more to learn from her as if I was just scratching the surface of her knowledge. In this time I was never bored or wondering what the Flow class down the road was like … she had me completely dedicated. As my yoga practice transformed physically there came more subtle changes like being less anxious and feeling more confident in myself. Another thing I gained was a yoga community. I would see the same people a couple of times a week in class. Sometimes we’d have coffee or lunch after class and chat about the class or other things going on in our lives. These people became my friends; they were positive and fulfilling friendships and it was our ongoing commitment to yoga and our teacher that we had in common.

Sometimes I felt like the classes were too hard and I didn’t feel like going but then as if she read my mind it would be a relaxation or restorative class. And that’s a little what it feels like after a few years with the same teacher, as if they have designed the class especially for you and what is going on in your life. There is an element of trust that a yoga student needs to have for their teacher, especially when you feel like you are not engaged or progressing at the rate you would like. Trust that your teacher is consciously guiding you. Ultimately a good teacher will also help you to cultivate your own yoga practice too so you can become your own teacher of your own practice.

Sometimes people want to find another teacher when they don’t feel safe in someone’s class or don’t like the style. Yoga is also a saturated market and everywhere you turn a different style of yoga is being offered and sometimes we pick the yoga that is cheap or closest to our house, or perhaps it’s a part of our gym membership so there’s no need to find another class. But from my experience it is worth finding a teacher who inspires you to want to stick with them on the yoga journey. And perhaps that does mean class jumping a bit to find the right one but I think it is not always easy to tell everything a teacher has to offer by only attending one class. Being recommended teachers by friends is always good but still, it is a very personal choice. SO, I encourage you to go forth into the yoga world and find your teacher.

written by Jamey

The post The benefit of staying with one yoga teacher appeared first on Unfold Yoga + Wellbeing.