YOGA FOR LIFE

Pam and Gordon Smith
(Guidelines for student and teacher)

This guide gives an overview of the 'broad spectrum' of yoga for the new student seeking
a yoga class and those beginning their journey as yoga teachers .

Read the first page here before viewing/downloading the full version of this guide.

Introduction

Yoga is a unique art form suitable for all ages as it speaks to both young and old alike. It improves health and extends life, linking all that is best both East and West. It also awakens each person to their own individual centre of creativity, uniting and bringing out all that is best in each. Modern day living pulls in different directions, creating stress and giving rise to the sense that our Mind, Feeling and Will is no longer our own, but only there to serve the demands of a world that at times may seem to be spinning out of control.

The Yoga class provides the space in which we can exercise, improve health and flexibility, and coordinate our activities in such a way that brings Mind, Feeling and Will into harmonious relationship. This has profound psychological benefits as it brings all our scattered energies back under control.

For children Yoga is fun as the ancients saw that every aspect of nature was a window into the energy which is life itself. Hence there are many postures named after birds, animals, trees and which children can take delight in copying as they stretch and grow.

The elderly, who lack mobility, become more fearful with the passing years, as their limbs stiffen and bones become brittle; they can be shown how to tap into the source of life itself and regain some of their lost youthfulness. It takes a lot of energy to protect oneself in a cage of tightened ligaments and the experienced teacher can show the way back to health.

Yoga is not confined to exercise, as unique and beneficial as is this aspect of Yoga, as it has a profound spiritual basis, that links the best spiritual philosophies both East and West. There is nothing to join, in the religious sense, as it awakens that which is good and profound and will without doubt strengthen one’s own belief system and not weaken it.

It can be said that there are almost as many types of Yoga as there are of teachers who teach it. Never be put off if your first class does not meet with your expectations, always try others until you find one that is exactly right for you. It may be that you just require some light exercise coupled with deep relaxation, and of this type of class there are many. We will now provide for the beginner, an overview of the broad spectrum, which is yoga.

View/Download 'Yoga for Life'