We apologize for falling behind on our Training Thursday posts, but we are pleased now to share this report on a session that Carmen Herrera completed on April 25.  This two-hour Zoom training was offered by Shanda Packard, whom many of you know through Harmony Therapeutic Yoga here in Bowling Green. Shanda provided this event via her Yoga Think Tank for Foundations Yoga and Therapy in Madison, New Jersey.  

Carmen noted that the training provided additional tools to help her customize her classes to meet the needs of the students who attend: “Teaching this way allows each person to adjust according to their unique physical needs.”  One point emphasized in the session is helping practitioners find an evenly distributed stance and, from that anchor, maintain their base of support, recognize their center of gravity, and move carefully through their range of motion.  Carmen specifically called attention to a concept from Amy Mathews and Leslie Kaminoff—to teach with “a little bit of movement in a lot of places” rather than a lot of movement in only a few places, which can lead to repetitive stress injuries.

To help students move in healthy ways, both in yoga class and in life, this workshop encouraged teachers to adopt an inquisitive approach to their instruction, one focused on helping students explore the sensations in their own bodies rather than telling students what they should be feeling.