|
 he Body
Mind Yoga Cards provide an instructional aid to teachers
for reinforcing and supplementing classroom practice. We
designed the yoga cards to complement a basic course on
yoga asanas.
We believe the primary benefit yoga
teachers derive from using our yoga cards is they are
proven effective in inspiring students to practice at
home. For many students, this home practice motivates
them to keep yoga as an integral part of their life.
Through additional practice, students experience greater
benefits from yoga and thus keep their passion for yoga
alive between classes.
Classroom Aid
We also
use the cards a different way at the Body Mind Awareness
Yoga Center. We display the cards that cover the asanas
to be taught that day. We’ve even made transparencies of
some of the illustrations to hang in the windows.
Hanging them during class is particularly helpful to
those students who are more visually oriented. And since
the cards show various stages of the asanas, students
who have trouble with the final position can work at the
stage best suited to them. Instead of spending so much
time demonstrating, this also allows the teacher to give
more attention to individual students.
Customize
Students’ Home Practice
Teachers can also use the
cards to suggest specific asanas for students to work on
at home based on needs that show up in the classroom. We
do this by providing students a numbered list of asanas
contained in the Level-One set of cards and circling the
number of the recommended pose for that student. Using
the same method, teachers can quickly provide their
students with the list of asanas covered in class that
day. Used this way, students can attempt to duplicate
their classroom experience at home.
Some students
are working on specific problems that motivate them to
practice yoga. As their yoga teacher, you can use the
yoga cards to help them design a home practice that
suits their particular needs. For example, they may not
be able to complete all of the stages of a particular
pose. You can use the yoga cards to show them how to
advance into the pose as far as they feel comfortable.
In so doing, they develop an awareness of both their
limits and how far they can move those limits by
practicing yoga.
Teachers’ Comments
Yoga
teachers at the Body Mind Awareness Yoga Center who use
the yoga cards have sent us the following comments:
• "I find the spiritual quotes very inspiring. As I
am teaching an asana I find myself repeating the quote
to the students as a mantra."
Athena Flegas
•
"I finally found a way to motivate my students to start
a home practice. They can’t wait to get their cards and
begin."
Irene Clurman
• "Each card inspires
my students at the level of body, mind, breath and
spirit." Sharon Staubach
|
